Category: Making Disciples

Who then can be saved? – Matthew 19 – 2025 Day 104

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 72, Matthew 19

“When the disciples heard this,
they were greatly astonished, saying,
“Who then can be saved?”
But Jesus looked at them and said,
“With man this is impossible,
but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:25-26 ESV

More than three decades ago, in April of 1994, I was an outspoken evangelical atheist, having a discussion with a Christian young man when – in a brief moment of humility – I asked a question that would change the course of my life, “What does it mean to be saved?”

You see this young man kept using this word “saved” but I didn’t know what it meant in the context in which he was using it. A person saved money. A person saved someone who was drowning in a pool. You might save a dog that you found wandering the streets. But, what did that have to do with God and faith and heaven?

And for the first time in my life I heard the gospel, the good news of Jesus the Christ. I heard that I was a sinner; that Jesus’ death had paid the penalty for my sins; and that through trusting in His death and resurrection, I could receive forgiveness, enjoy eternal life, and know that my life had meaning and purpose.

That very night, not fully understanding what I was getting myself into, I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins. I acknowledged Him as Savior and Lord of my life, and my life has never been the same.

Despite growing up in America, I had never understood that Jesus was God in flesh. I had never understood why He had died on the cross. I didn’t understand why Easter and Christmas were celebrated. I didn’t know who Esther or Paul were. I didn’t know the popular Bible verse, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” In fact, I didn’t know that “John” was a book in the Bible. I didn’t even know the simple children’s song, “Jesus Loves Me.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” I am so thankful that when the time was right, God opened my eyes to be able to see the truth and the truth has set me free from my slavery to sin.

Are you saved? Go tell others the good news!

Are you running from God, unsure if He’s real and good? I’d love to pray for you.

Heavenly Father, I am praying for those who have been running away from You. I pray that today they would take the time to reach out, to read the Bible, to pray, to seek You. I pray that they would put it off no longer, but that today would be the beginning of a search for truth — and that they would find You. Your word says that if someone seeks You with all their heart that they will find You. I know that is true because Your Word is true, so I pray that they would seek You earnestly and faithfully. Open their eyes and send people to share the gospel with them, like You sent Bill to me. In the Mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

If you’d like to read more of my story, you can get a copy of my book on Amazon.

Worthy is the Lamb – The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Who do YOU say Jesus is? – Matthew 16 – 2025 Day 101

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Read Through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 69, Matthew 16

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:13-16 ESV

How would you answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” It’s the most important question you’ll ever have to answer … And someday you will have to answer it.

Would you say,

  • Jesus never really lived. The whole Christian religion is all hype, made up by his followers.
  • Jesus was a good man who showed people how to live a moral life, but he never claimed to be God.
  • Jesus was a great teacher who lived in Israel in the first century. People should read the Bible to learn more about Him, so they can live better lives.
  • Jesus was the Son of God, born of the virgin Mary. He was the promised Messiah, the Savior of all who trust in Him. Jesus lived a sinless life and died on a cross to pay the punishment that our sins deserve. Only those who trust in Him will be saved from God’s holy wrath.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for sending Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, God of God, to earth, to teach and live and die and be raised to life as the all-sufficient atoning sacrifice. He is that long-awaited Messiah, the Savior, that Your people had been waiting for.

I pray for all those descendants of Abraham who missed Him, and pray that You would draw them to Your side today.

I pray for all those people who will warm seats in churches this Resurrection Sunday but whose hearts are still cold toward the gospel. Please ignite a fire in their hearts and open their eyes to the truth of Your Word.

I pray for all those across our nation and around the world who have never heard a clear explanation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I ask You to send people to talk with them. Make us Your willing ambassadors today!

In the holy name of Christ Jesus I pray, Amen.

The Lord is my Salvation – Shane & Shane

The Whole Truth of the Easter Story – Matthew 13 – 2025 Day 98

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 66, Matthew 13

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 13:47-50

From beginning to end of Matthew 13, Jesus was faithful to tell the whole truth, not just half the truth, for half the truth isn’t really the truth. If you only say, “When you die the angels will come and take you to heaven,” but you don’t also explain that all the evil people (that’s you and me apart from faith in Christ!) will be thrown into the fiery furnace, you are not really telling the truth.

Friends, please know that I’m writing these words to myself, because I need to hear them, but I hope they will encourage you as well. I want so desperately for people to be saved, that sometimes I only want to tell them the “Happy News about Eternal Life” … but the truth is that no one can fully appreciate the good news of the gospel until they’ve understood that every single one of us are sinners who deserve hell apart from the saving work of Jesus Christ.

So long as you think that you are a good person, that you are going to heaven by your own merit, then, who needs Jesus?

May the words of Christ fall on fertile soil and bear much fruit! Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace in telling us the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Thank You for explaining to us that every one of us is a sinner deserving of hell. Thank You for the best news I’ve ever heard – that Jesus Christ paid the price for my sin by His death on the cross, and that by believing in Him I have been saved from the fiery furnace of hell and will live with You in heaven for all eternity. This is truly the most awesome, wonderful, fantastic, marvelous news I could ever hear! May we share this truth every day of the year, but especially this weekend as we remember the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus, my Savior, I pray, Amen.

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The Testimony of Matthew – Matthew 9 – 2025 Day 94

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 62, Matthew 9

As Jesus passed on from there,
he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth,
and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

Matthew 9:9 ESV

When you read that verse, Matthew 9:9, did you consider its author? This is Matthew’s own testimony. Matthew is saying, “This is me. I am that man. I am the one who was sitting at the tax booth. I am the one who Jesus called.”

The very next verse, Matthew 9:10 says that “Jesus reclined at table in the house,” but Matthew doesn’t tell you whose house it is. You have to read Luke 5:29 to discover that it was Matthew’s own house. Matthew opened his own house and many tax collectors and sinners had come to eat and spend time with Jesus and his disciples.

How awesome is that! I wish that I had been so quick to introduce my friends to Jesus. If you have someone in your life that you are discipling, or if you yourself are a new believer, please don’t wait until you have all the answers to invite your friends to meet Jesus.

The Pharisees, on the other hand, didn’t like it. They thought you needed to clean yourself up before coming to a good teacher like Jesus, but I’m here to tell you: You don’t!

Jesus says, “Come as you are… and I will make you new. I will change you. I am the one who heals and saves. I am the great physician of the body and the soul. Come to me! Today! Don’t wait!”

Heavenly Father, I pray for each one reading this. May those who are new in their faith be emboldened to share their faith today! May those who have been Christians for years not to look down their nose at unbelievers and new believers who don’t know how to behave! May those who don’t yet know You yet come to You today, without delay, trusting that Your arms are open wide to receive them. Thank You for calling Matthew while he was working in that tax booth, and thank You for calling me while I was running the other way. In the name of my Savior and Lord, Jesus the Christ, I pray. Amen.

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Love Still Bids You Welcome – Skye Peterson

Scripture Memory and Scripture Application – Matthew 7 – 2025 Day 92

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 60; Matthew 7

My oldest two children (ages 10 and 7) and I initially memorized all 29 verses of Matthew 7 almost 20 years ago. Thankfully, I’ve used the Bible Memory app since then to review the verses I memorized, otherwise I fear that I wouldn’t remember it anymore. I hope you’ll check it out! Here’s a link to learn more or download it. Here’s a link to a video I made about how to use it. And here’s a link to my Teach What Is Good Bible Memory group You can join for free for some encouragement and accountability — don’t we all need that!

There is so much wisdom in all of Matthew 7, but today what I was especially thinking about the connection between verses 21-23 and 24-27.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’'”

Matthew 7:21-23 ESV

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Matthew 7:24-27 ESV

Don’t miss that word “then” in verse 24.

This reminded me of some other passages I’ve hidden in my heart.

But be doers of the word,
and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 1:22 ESV

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,
but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have prophetic powers,
and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give away all I have,
and if I deliver up my body to be burned,
but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV

This is what differentiates students from disciples: Students listen, students study, students memorize, but disciples put into practice the words of their teacher, modeling their own lives after their master’s.

Let’s be faithful to store up God’s Word in our heart
(like Psalm 119:11 says),
but let’s be just as faithful to put it into practice!

Heavenly Father, we don’t want to merely listen to your Word, thus deceiving ourselves. We want to do what it says. Help us to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, modeling our lives after His, loving and serving others, doing good to them and forgiving them, as Jesus Christ perfectly modeled for us. And help us to be faithful disciple-makers, telling others the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, and teaching them all that You have commanded us, remembering that You are always with us even to the end of the age! In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

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Bible Memory App – 1 Corinthians 13
How to use the Bible Memory app
I Have Hidden Your Word – Steve Green

Into the fire – Matthew 3 – 2025 Day 88

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Matthew 3; Psalm 56

“His winnowing fork is in his hand,
and he will clear his threshing floor
and gather his wheat into the barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Matthew 3:12 ESV

John the Baptizer was calling the people to repent, and so does Jesus.

A time is coming when each of us will stand before the throne of God and be judged. Are you ready? If God asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?

  • I’m a good person.
  • I go to church.
  • I read my Bible.
  • The good I’ve done outweighs the bad.
  • I’m a Christian.
  • Your Son, Jesus Christ, has paid the price for me. His blood has washed away my sins. My faith is in Him and Him alone.

Only one of these is the correct answer. Are you ready to meet God? Have you turned away from your sins and trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation? Have you publicly professed your faith in Him and followed Him in being baptized? If the answer to any of these questions is no, please let today be the day. Don’t put it off any longer. Only God knows when you’ll breathe your last breath and that day for your judgment will come.

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, in the flesh, to be my atoning sacrifice, paying the debt that I could never pay. I pray that You would use me to share this good news with others. I pray that those reading this would trust in Jesus’s finished work on the cross, repenting of their sins and turning to You for salvation. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen

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Victory in Jesus (Christ Won the Victory) – Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell

Compelled to Speak – Job 32 – 2025 Day 79

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Job 32, Psalm 47

Have you ever overheard someone slander or misrepresent your mom or dad, your brother or sister, your husband or child or friend? Did you speak up to defend them, to correct the false information?

That is kinda the situation that Elihu is in here, except this time the person being misrepresented is God Himself. Elihu has listened carefully and patiently long enough, and now he’s got to speak up.

For I am full of words;
the spirit within me
constrains me.
Behold, my belly is like wine
that has no vent;
like new wineskins ready to burst.
I must speak,
that I may find relief;
I must open my lips and answer.

Job 32:18-20 ESV

We, too, must know when to wait patiently in silence, but we must also know when to speak up! May we not give way to cowardice under the guise of humility. Rather, we must courageously, gently, respectfully speak the words that the Spirit gives us to speak.

As a child of God, we should feel compelled to speak up when our Heavenly Father’s character or His Word are misrepresented. How dare we stand idly by and let our Lord’s Name be sullied or spoiled! Like Peter and John said when they were commanded to stop telling people about the risen Christ, “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20)

Truly, my love for Christ – and His love for me – compels, controls, constrains me to implore others to be reconciled to God. I hope you feel the same way. Let me encourage you to take a few minutes of your time right now to read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 to learn more about being an ambassador for Christ.

Will you pray with me?

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your loving kindness and mercy towards me, a sinner. I pray that I would be an ambassador for Your kingdom, sharing the good news of reconciliation that Your Son made possible by His blood.

Help me to be gentle, respectful, humble, and patient… And help me to be bold and courageous, not giving way to fear and cowardice. May my love for You compel me to speak up when You are slandered and may my love for others compel me to tell them their desperate need for a Savior. In the Name of Jesus Christ my Savior and Lord I pray, Amen.

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“I will sing of my Redeemer” – Fernando Ortega

Redeeming Love – Job 25 – 2025 Day 74

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Job 25, Psalm 42

I hope your Bible is open as you’re reading this. If it is, you’ll notice that Job 25 is only six verses long, yet it’s so rich that I just let it take me on rabbit trails rather than continuing to read further in Job. In fact, I pretty much studied just one verse.

How then can man be
in the right before God?

How can he who is born
of woman be pure?

Job 25:4 ESV

I opened my trusty Blue Letter Bible app. If you don’t have it, I would highly encourage you to get it. It is free to download and absolutely chock-full of great tools and resources.

First, I looked at cross-references – there was a list of over a dozen. Read through these and let them sink in.

Cross-referenced verses from Job 25:4

Then I used the interlinear feature to study the words “right” and “pure.”

I noticed that “right” – sadaq – can mean to be just, righteous … or to be made just or declared righteous, while “pure” – zaka – can mean to be clean, pure … or to be made clean and pure. And then I noticed that zaka – “pure” – is also used in Psalm 119:9, so I went there!

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!

Psalm 119:9-12 ESV

Whew! I found so much meat and encouragement by chasing all those rabbit trails from just one verse. Don’t be afraid to do that. You never know where the Lord will lead you.

Let’s pray!

Heavenly Father, thank you for making me pure and making me clean. Such were some of us … such was I, but I have been washed and cleansed in the blood of Jesus.

Lord, I pray that I would keep my ways and my mind pure by keeping them in accordance with Your Word. May I be careful where my feet walk. Help me to think about what I’m thinking about.

Thank You for the purifying, redeeming, cleansing, justifying blood of Jesus Christ, Your only Son and my only Lord and Savior. It is in His name that I pray. Amen.

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Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
Psalm 42 (Loudest Praise) – Shane and Shane

Better than I Deserve – Thoughts from Job 11 – 2025 Day 64

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Read Through the Bible in 2 Years: Job 11; Psalm 32

Before going any further in our study in the book of Job, I want you to know that I’m actually finding it really weird to invest time reading through Job verse by verse and sharing my thoughts with you, because many of the ideas contained in this book simply aren’t good theology. No one should base their ideas about God and man on the grief-stricken meditations of Job, like “Why did you bring me out from the womb? Would that I had died before any eye had seen me and were as though I had not been, carried from the womb to the grave.” (Job 10:18-19) But on the other hand, it’s actually really cool to mine for truth in this book. Like you can find truth in secular books and movies, you can find truth in the words of Job and his friends, though I still caution you from using them as the foundation for your theological beliefs.

With that out of the way, let me ask you a question – Have you ever greeted someone with the very standard question, “How are you today?” and received the unexpected reply, “Better than I deserve”? There’s TRUTH in those words. All of us are better than we deserve. Like Romans 6:23a says, “The wages of sin is death.”

So, today, let’s ponder these words spoken to Job by his friend, Zophar,

Know then that God exacts of you
less than your guilt deserves.

Job 11:6

Dear friends, I don’t know about you, but I know that I have broken God’s law more times than I can count. I have used His name in vain. I have blasphemed the Almighty Creator of the Universe. I have mocked and criticized His Son and His children. I have hated and dishonored God and His creation.

God would be totally just to spit in my face, call me unspeakable names, slap me across both my cheeks, and apply two-dozen lashings across my back. I deserve to be hung and shot and burned. I deserve it. God has exacted from me much less than my guilt deserves.

Truly, God has had mercy on me, a sinner. God pours out His grace on me and calls me His child. God sent His Own Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for my sins – making a way for me to not only NOT be punished, but to receive EVERLASTING LIFE!

I’m not worthy. I’m not worthy. But He has made me worthy. That is indeed Amazing GRACE.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father,

Oh the Grace of our Lord God! The matchless, unfathomable GRACE of God! Not only have You not given us what we deserve, but You have given us that which we do not deserve – boundless, eternal abundant life, the riches of glory with You. Thank You!

Lord, please help us to understand how great is Your goodness, that we will shout from the mountaintops, “Christ the Lord is Risen! Hallelujah! Come to Him! Come to Him!” We have found a goldmine with limitless gold. We have found the living water that never ceases. We have found the bread that is indeed new every morning. May Your love compel us to share this good news with others. Let us not keep these wonders to ourselves. Your love is boundless – it grows as it is shared. Let us share it! Give us ears to hear and eyes to see and mouths to proclaim Your mercy and grace and power and might and goodness!

In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

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“My Worth is Not in What I Own” – Fernando Ortega, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty

There is a Fountain Filled with Blood – 2025 Day 63 – (Job 9-10)

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Read Through the Bible in 2 Years: Job 9-10; Psalm 31

“If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, yet you will plunge me into a pit,
and my own clothes will abhor me.”

Job 9:30-31 ESV

I feel Job’s pain. Job wants to be right with God. Job desperately wants the Lord to bless him and look well on him, and he can’t understand why He won’t. It reminds me of when Esau cried out bitterly to his father, Isaac, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” (Genesis 27:34 ESV)

When I first heard and believed the gospel, I went from trying my hardest to obey my own made-up rules in my own strength, to trying my hardest to obey my own made-up rules PLUS God’s rules … still in my own strength. All that did was leave me exhausted and more depressed than ever. I could never keep my own rules, not to mention God’s rules, on my own. Like the Lord spoke through His prophet Jeremiah, “Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me.” (Jeremiah 2:22 ESV)

Let me encourage you, friends, this is not the incredible good news of the gospel. Jesus Christ didn’t die on the cross so you could keep more rules. Jesus died to cleanse you fully of every sin you have ever committed and will ever commit and to give you the power by His Holy Spirit and through faith in Him to go and sin no more. As born again followers of Jesus Christ, we can now work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13 ESV)

I hope you will take some time today to ponder the finished work of Jesus Christ, what He has done for you, that you can be fully cleansed by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony (Revelation 12:11).

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.”

Isaiah 1:18 ESV

Will you please pray with me?

Heavenly Father,

You alone are holy, holy, holy. You dwell in unapproachable light. You are perfect in thought and word and deed. All Your ways are right. You are the very definition of perfect purity.

Thank You, thank You, thank You for the almighty cleansing power of the blood of Jesus, the only blood that can wash us clean, once and for all. Like Your Word says, it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins, but when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He took His place, sitting at Your right hand, for His work was finished.

I pray for each person reading this who is still trying to make themselves clean by their own works. Teach them, Father, that their own good deeds are nothing but filthy rags in Your sight, that even the most righteous man is nowhere near the level of perfection that You demand. I pray that they will be washed in the blood of Jesus today, that You will plunge them in that fountain full of scarlet red blood, that they may come out spotless and pure, that they will have the power of the Holy Spirit coursing through their veins, giving them new desires and new power to walk in the righteousness of faith, turning away day after day from their sin, and turning toward Your perfect light.

In the good and gracious name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

For more: Read Romans 6-8 and Hebrews 9-10

“There is a Fountain” – William Cowper – The N Crew