God Speaks
Jesus is Anointed, Rides on a Donkey, Predicts His Death and Teaches About Belief in Him
Verse of the Day: “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.” (John 12: 47-48 NIV 2011)
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Watch TBR Day 307
We Respond
Reflection: In His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy recorded in Zechariah 9:9. “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey–riding on a donkey’s colt.”(NLT) Riding a donkey likely symbolized that he was coming in peace, whereas riding a horse would symbolize war. Jesus cursing the fruitless fig tree may have been a prophetic action to symbolize what He was about to do in cleansing the Temple. That the fig tree had withered by the next time He and the disciples passed that way, showed the withered state of the organized religion of Judaism at that time. They were focused on rituals and outward appearance, whereas Jesus and the Father are focused on the heart. Jesus cleansing the temple shows that as well. He threw out or overturned things that distracted or polluted a focus on prayer and worship. The religious leaders had a right and responsibility to question Jesus’s authority in cleansing the Temple; however, they were actually fishing for some way to trick Him and condemn Him. He did not take the bait but turned the question back on them, exposing their hypocrisy.
Prayer: Lord, may I follow Your instructions (like the disciples You sent to get the donkey’s colt) and give You whatever You ask without resisting (like the bystanders or donkey’s owners). I triumphantly shout with the crowd, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Make me fruitful in Your service, in or out of season. Cleanse my heart, O God; make it a holy place involved in worship and prayer. Increase my faith: I want to truly believe and see mountains of difficulty moved in my life and others’. May I forgive others because of the forgiveness you have provided for me. May I live out of the authority You have given me as a ransomed, adopted child of the King. For Your glory, Lord Jesus. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will take time each morning this week to get the Lord’s instructions by reading His Word, listening for His voice, and writing down what He tells me.
- I will check my attitude to see if there is any way in which I am resisting the Lord. Then I will ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse my heart and help me change.
- I will join others in worship and prayer at least once this week.
- I will trust and believe God to remove at least one “mountain” in my life this week and proceed as if it is so.
John 12
Reflection: As a thanksgiving celebration of Jesus bringing Lazarus back to life, the family held a dinner party in Bethany; there Lazarus’s sister Mary anointed Jesus with a fragrant, costly essence. Judas objected, but Jesus commended her. Because of the miracle of Lazarus’s resurrection, many people were turning in faith to follow Jesus; therefore, the Jewish leaders formed a plot to kill both Jesus and Lazarus. During His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the crowd thought that they were welcoming the new King of the Jews who would set them free from the Romans. Little did they know, they were welcoming the Savior of the world, who by His death and resurrection would set them free from Satan and the power of sin. When some Greeks came to see Jesus, He told them and the rest of the crowd that He would soon die so that there could be a crop of righteous people to glorify God the Father. A voice from heaven confirmed that Jesus, the Son of Man, had and would glorify God. Jesus had to be lifted up on the cross. Even though some people refuse to believe it, Jesus did come to save the world, including them.
Prayer: Dear Loving God and Savior, You deserve all my thanks and praise. May I be as extravagant as Mary of Bethany and give You my most precious possession in thanks for all You have done for me. You died on the cross not just to give me physical life but to give me eternal life now and forever. May many people turn to faith in Jesus because of the changes they see You’ve made in my life. Thank You, Lord Jesus, that people (including myself) can welcome You as the Savior of our world. By Your death and resurrection, You set us free from Satan and the power of sin. May people see Jesus in me and glorify You, Lord God. May Jesus, the Son of Man, be lifted up in all I do. Please don’t let unbelief on my part keep people from believing that Jesus came to save the world which includes them individually. AMEN
Action: (Ask the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will ask the Lord what He wants me to do to show my gratitude for all He has done for me, then do it joyfully.
- I will spend significant time thanking Jesus for suffering and dying so that I can have eternal life now and forever.
- I will ask a trusted friend what changes they can see in my life because of my faith in Jesus. How am I different from before or from other people?
- I will ask the Lord for ways I need to die to my own self-interests and live for the sake of others, then do them with Holy Spirit’s help.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.