Promise for Today - Ask for It

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

Proverbs 3:5-7 (NLT)

Have you ever had the feeling that something was so very, very right, but then when you did it, it ended up being so very, very wrong? Feelings often lie. There’s an old country song that says, “How can it be wrong when it feels so right?” Are you kidding me? There are a lot of things that are wrong that feel so right in the moment.

After six months in a relationship, you wonder, “What was I thinking?” Just a few weeks into a job, you think, “How in the world did I get caught up in this?” A quick decision that seemed harmless at the time leaves you broken and scarred years later.

If you want to experience fewer dead ends and failures in your life, you need to hear what Proverbs 3:5-7 NLT says: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil”.

If you really want God’s blessing on your life, you have to depend on God’s wisdom and not on what your feelings say or what your gut says. In other words, trust in the Lord and not your own understanding.

So how do you get God’s wisdom?

You pray. You talk to God, and you let him talk to you as you read the Bible. That’s how you get his wisdom.

The Bible says in James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (NIV).

God doesn’t want you to make foolish mistakes. He wants you to succeed. He wants you to make wise decisions with your time, money, and relationships. The truth is, you’re not waiting on God for his help; he’s waiting on you! It’s like he’s saying, “Hey! I’m here. I’ll give you wisdom, and I’ll give it generously. I want to make you wise. You’ve just got to ask.”

If you want to be blessed, you’ve got to get God’s wisdom. And if you want God's wisdom, you need to ask for it—and then be open to receive it.

Talk It Over

Think of a time in your life when you depended on your feelings to make a big decision. What was the result?

How does God speak to you? How do you know it’s him speaking to you?

Why is it important to spend time with God every day if you want to know his plans for your life?

- by Pastor Rick

**************************************

Prayer:

Father, 

          Keep us ever mindful of walking in faith and not feelings. We actively and intentionally choose to believe Your Word over every emotion and circumstance. You are the Rock on which we can stand and not fall. We set You ever before us, and we will not be shaken. We stand in agreement with the writer of Hebrews and declare, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - The "Uns" of Worry

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

Work doesn’t keep you up at night. Worry does. In the Bible, God gives clear direction about the role of worry.

Why do you need to let go of your worry?

Worry is unreasonable. Here are a couple of reasons why that’s true. First, worry exaggerates the problem. Have you noticed that, if somebody says something bad about you, the more you think about it, the bigger it gets? Second, worry doesn’t work. To worry about something you can’t change is useless. And to worry about something you can change is a waste of time. Just go change it!

Worry is UNnatural. No one is a born worrier. You might think you are, but you’re not. Worry is something you learned. Since worry is unnatural, it’s also UNhealthy. Your body wasn’t designed to handle worry. When people say, “I’m worried sick,” they’re telling the truth. Doctors say that a lot of people could leave the hospital today if they knew how to get rid of guilt, resentment, and worry. And Proverbs 14:30 says, “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body” (NLT).

Worry is UNhelpful. Worry cannot change the past, and worry cannot control the future. All it does is mess up today. The only thing that worry changes is you. It makes you miserable! It’s never solved a problem.

Worry is UNnecessary. God made you, he created you, he saved you, and he put his Spirit in you. Don’t you think he’s going to take care of your needs? So then, there’s no need to worry.

Do you want to learn to better manage stress? A great first step is to refuse to worry about anything. Why? Because worry is unreasonable, unnatural, unhelpful, and unnecessary.

The Bible tells us to “Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 GNT).

God personally cares about you and for your needs. So what should you do with all those things you’re stressed, anxious, and worried about? Let them go. Give them to God.

Talk It Over

What does your current state of worry say about how much you trust God?

What are you worried about right now? What can you do to change the situation or to let the worry go?

In what practical way can you leave all your worries with God (1 Peter 5:7)?

- by Pastor Rick

*******************************************

Prayer:

Father,

        When our minds start going down the road of worry, guide us back to Your path of peace. Remind us that You are not bound by time. You have been in our past, You are in our present, and You’re already in our future. Whatever we have to walk through, You’re already there. You know it. You are sovereign over it. We have nothing to worry about.
         Help us to cast all our cares on You, because we know that You care about us. When our finances are tight, You provide our daily bread. When our hearts are heavy, You are our consolation. When our health is precarious, You are the strength of our hearts and our portion forever.
         Your Word is full of promises about how you sustain us, You lift us up, You provide. Help us to take You at Your Word. Your Word is Truth.
         Thank You for being a good Father. When we ask for bread, You do not give us a stone. You give us exactly what we need. When we turn to worry, remind us of Your faithfulness. Your steadfast love endures forever. We lay all our worries into Your capable hands. Help us not to reclaim them. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Love You Most

We Christians glory in what Christ Jesus has done for us and realize that we are helpless to save ourselves. 

Philippians 3:3 TLB

Realizing there’s nothing you can do to make God love you more is one of the most liberating feelings in the world—and it’s a key to happiness. He already loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). Each time you forget this truth and think you’ve got to somehow earn God’s love, that’s legalism, and it robs you of happiness.

Legalism is trusting in what you can do for God instead of trusting in what Jesus has already done for you. Legalism is following a list of rules and regulations to try to prove yourself worthy, and it’s a trap that keeps you from relaxing in God’s grace.

Paul knew how to relax in God’s grace. He said in Philippians 3:9, “I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ” (NLT). In other words, the way you earn the love of God is this: You don’t earn it. It’s not about your performance; it’s about his pardon.

How do you know when you’re being legalistic? When you realize you’re often judgmental of other people. That’s because it’s easier to be critical of others when you don’t feel accepted and loved yourself. Why would you want other people to feel good about themselves when you don’t feel good about yourself?

On the other hand, how do you know when you’re living by grace? When you’re living by grace, you’re gracious to others. You find it easier to forgive because you recognize that God continues to forgive you. And since you’re not trying to earn your way to heaven, you can relax.

Every morning, remind yourself of God’s grace by praying, “Lord, today I’m thankful that I am completely forgiven. There’s nothing I can do to make you love me more. And there’s nothing I could do that would make you love me less!”

The more you live by grace, the more joy you’ll have.

Let's talk about this. Have you trusted Jesus with your life?
The Bible says you can only get to heaven by trusting in God through his Son, Jesus Christ. You cannot earn your way into heaven: “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

If you’re ready to confess your sins and trust Jesus with your life, start with this prayer:

Dear God,
You have promised that if I believe in Jesus, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day. I believe Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, died on the cross, and then rose from the grave. And through His death and resurrection, my sins are forgiven, and I can have a relationship and a forever home with You. I confess the ways I’ve sinned against you and lived for myself, and I submit to Jesus as my Savior and Lord. Jesus, I want to follow you and serve you. I commit my life to you and ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

From Pastor Rick:
If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at Rick@PastorRick.com and let me know about it. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.

2026 Lenten Season - Day 33 - So Many Questions

We continue the tradition of 40 days of Lent-related devotionals (46 counting the Sundays).
Sharing "Journey to the Cross" by Paul David Tripp.
***********************************************************************
The story of Jesus guarantees how your story will end.

How will this story end? This is the question in the mind of every human being.
How will my marriage end?
What will happen to my career?
Will my suffering ever end?
How will my kids turn out?
Will my investments pay off?
How will I get myself out of this mess?
Will I pass this course?
What will I have to deal with in old age?
What will I do after I graduate?
How will my ministry turn out?
Will the Bible turn out to be true?

These kinds of questions somehow, some way, haunt every human being. It doesn’t take many years of life before you conclude that you’re not only not in control of the big things in life, but also that there are very few things you actually control. It doesn’t take long for the delusion of self-sovereignty to shatter. We’re all also confronted with the fact that we live in a broken world that doesn’t function the way the Creator intended. As a child, you aren’t capable of theologically thinking this through, but you know messed-up and hurtful things happen a lot. As an adult, you adjust your expectations because you know the kinds of things that can happen in a fallen world.

In our smallness, we wonder if our lives will turn out the way we hoped and dreamed. My answer may surprise you. No, you won’t get much of what you hoped for and probably few of your dreams. But here’s the wonderful, encouraging flip side of my answer. What you will get as God’s child is way better than anything you could’ve hoped for and incomparably better than your brightest dream. Pay careful attention to what I am about to say. God doesn’t guarantee you’ll get your temporary dream; what he guarantees you is forever.

Because we are rational beings, we don’t live life based only on the facts of our experience; we depend on our interpretation of our experience. We never leave our own lives alone. We are always thinking, interpreting, and rethinking. We carry assumptions with us and we draw conclusions, which color future observations. Let me say this another way: we are all storytellers, and our audience is us. We all compose a story of how we think our life should unfold; it’s a story of what we desire and dream. And we all work to make the plot come true that we have written for ourselves. But grace introduces another author.

We are not actually the authors of our own stories; God is. He wrote our story ages before we took our first breath. Every situation, location, and relationship was written into the chapters of his book by his sovereign hand. And by grace, he has embedded our story into the great and grand, origin-to-destiny redemptive story. We are now citizens of his kingdom; we now live in the shadow of his glory, and we are now called to live with his purpose in mind. Because our story has been embedded in his story, there is no doubt about how our story will end.

Yes, we will suffer along the way. Yes, our hearts will go through seasons where they are laden with grief. No, we won’t always be healthy. Yes, we will be weak and we will fail. Yes, loved ones will leave us. Sometimes we will go through seasons of want. We won’t always be respected and appreciated. We won’t always experience true justice. There will be chapters in the story that God has written for us that will be very hard. But we must remember two things. First, he has written himself into the story so that he will always be with us, giving us what we could never give to ourselves. Second, what your Lord has written for you is not less than the plot you have written for yourself; it is infinitely more.

Most of us would be satisfied with temporal human happiness. We’d be satisfied with a good job, a nice house, a reliable car, a good church, a good marriage, successful children, and health and pleasure in our later years. But all of these dreams are not only self-oriented, but they are so dramatically brief when compared to the expansiveness of God’s story. So rather than deliver our small and self-oriented dreams, God did something better: he sent his Son to earth.

Jesus was willing to come, suffer, and die so that we would have a way better story. He suffered so that our suffering would end forever. He lived a selfless life so that we would be freed from our bondage to ourselves, so that for all eternity we would know the liberating joy of living for something and someone bigger than ourselves. Because of his humiliation, we will know the exaltation of living forever in the presence of the King.

Know today that no matter what you are going through, because of the grace of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, your little story has now been absorbed into his great story of victory over all that sin has broken. Because of what Jesus has done, you can rest in knowing the glorious way your story will end. In fact, because of the grace of Jesus, the end of your story is that it has no end!

GOING DEEPER
Reflection Questions

1. Describe a time when God did something in your life that was not what you wanted or planned, but later you saw that his plan was better.

2. Functionally, who do you believe is the author of your story? You may mentally agree that it is God, but do you live that way? What evidence is there in your life that you submit to God’s pen?

3. What parts of your story are you trying to write yourself? Are you willing to give God control? What are you afraid of?
*********
Read Romans 8:31–39 as God’s promise to you that even your heartaches are part of his plan.

Romans 8:31-39 New Living Translation

Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love

31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?  

36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Promise for Today - What Thanksgiving Reveals about You

NOTE: For the rest of the month, I will share Thanksgiving moments from Crosswalk/Home Word.
Today's devotional was written by Adrian Rogers

*********************************************************************

What Thanksgiving Reveals about You

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
Psalm 100:4 NKJV

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Colossians 3:15 KJV

If worry is the opposite of faith, then thanksgiving is the expression of faith—in fact, the highest expression. God has blessed you, but you may not think so if you’re measuring blessings by the barometer of health, wealth, and happiness.

You say, “I don’t think I have as much to thank God for as some other people.” Well, the apostle Paul was in a filthy Philippian jail, awaiting a possible death sentence, when he wrote, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

Unthankful people are never happy people. They’re filled with bitterness, fear, negativism, selfishness, and self-pity.

My friend, let me tell you what blessings we have. “Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits…” (Psalm 68:19 KJV). God has loaded your wagon. How often? Every day! “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.” (Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT). Every day you wake up to blessings.

Thank Him for spiritual blessings. Thank Him for the simple blessings of good, clean water, enough food, shelter, and the simple things. We are so blessed. Refuse to worry. Instead, carry everything to God in prayer. Rejoice in the presence of the Lord. Rely upon the power of the Lord. Reflect on the provision of the Lord. Rest in the peace of the Lord. Do everything with thanksgiving.
*********************************************************************
Prayer:

Father,
           Help us always to see and acknowledge Your goodness to us. Holy Spirit, lead us into all Truth and never let us forget the benefits of serving and living for Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Believing Prayer

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV

People who don't believe they're going to get an answer when they pray are right. The Bible says, "Whatsoever you believe..." And if we say, "Well, I don't believe that will happen." We're right; it won't. If we declare, "Oh, woe is me..." and list all our reasons why we don't believe, the Word declares, "As your faith is, so be it unto you..."

Now you know I'm not talking about praying Blab-it-Grab-it kinds of prayers. I'm talking about faith-filled, cancer-curing, sight-restoring, gimp-be-gone kind of praying. BELIEVING prayer! Trusting God no matter what you see or don't see. No matter what the doctor says. 2nd Corinthians 10:4-5, For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...

William Barclay's Study Bible Notes on Paul's letter to the Philippians addresses believing prayer, and since he writes so well, I'd like to share a few excerpts from his book.

Barclay writes:

Paul lays it down that "thanksgiving must be the universal accompaniment of prayer." ...Paul insists that we must give thanks in everything, in laughter and in tears, in sorrows and in joys alike. That implies two things. It implies gratitude, but it also implies perfect submission to the will of God. It is only when we are fully convinced that God is working all things together for good that we can really feel the perfect gratitude which believing prayer demands.

When we pray, we must always remember three things...
1. the love of God, which ever seeks and desires only what is best for us.
2. the wisdom of God, which alone knows what is best for us.
3. the power of God, which alone can bring to pass that which is best for us.

He who prays with a perfect belief and trust in the love, the wisdom and the power of God will find God's peace. [God's peace] is utterly and entirely beyond man's ability to obtain by himself...The way to peace is to take ourselves and all whom we hold dear, to take all life, and to place them and it trustingly in prayer in the hands of God.

Peace is the result of believing prayer.

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us for not believing when we pray - for not believing You hear us, for not believing that You care enough about us. Let faith rise up and take the place of doubt. Breathe on us and cause Your Word to come alive in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Not Losing

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

How's your faith? Do you believe God will do what He says or are you one who thinks He'll do for someone else, but not for you? The Truth is, if we don't have faith, we probably don't pray every day. Why? Because we either believe God can't answer prayer or won't answer our prayer. So why bother?

Sometimes we pray and before the 'amen' is done resonating, we're thinking of all the reasons why the prayer won't be answered. That's fighting a losing battle!

What we absolutely MUST realize is that God is the Source of our faith - Romans 12:3 says He's given us a measure of faith. And without utilizing the faith He has given us, it's IMPOSSIBLE to please Him!

satan doesn't have to mortally wound us to defeat us; he only has to get us to believe we're defeated. If we believe there's no way to win; if we believe there's no hope, we've already lost.

However, IF WE BELIEVE that we have already won - through Christ our Lord - and what He did for us on the Cross, then we are NOT fighting a losing battle! We are fighting for our lives and the lives of our children and families and friends! Never give up! Read the Word (the Sword) and know how to use it! Put your armor on (Ephesians 6!). Be dressed for the battle. Remember, just because you lay down your weapon doesn't mean the enemy will stop fighting. Fight back! We are not here to lose!

Prayer:

Father,
           Open our eyes to see the deception of the devil. Let us see with our spiritual eyes the Truth of Your Word. Teach us to worship like they did in 2nd Chronicles so that we can witness the destruction of the enemy's plot and plans by Your mighty hand. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Lent - Day 24 - Loopholes and Excuses

Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2025
******************************************************
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 

Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” 

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. 

Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. 

Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 

And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

Matthew 15:1-39

Do we ever use our traditions, or even our faith as a front or excuse to disobey the will of God? Jesus confronts the Pharisees for doing just that. The example He uses is that of a parent in need asking a grown child for help. In this situation some of the Pharisees had been responding to their parents by saying that the money they had available to give to help them was already set aside to give to God. With statements like that how could any parent ever feel right in taking that money or assistance? Religious practice was being used as a legal loophole in order to get away with disobeying God’s command to obey parents and care for them. Do we ever find ourselves manipulating God’s will and command in similar ways? Do we defend our words of slander against others by saying we are only pointing out God’s commands? Do we hide our fear of showing love and compassion to strangers behind the “many other things” that God needs us to do? Do we pretend we withhold love or forgiveness in relationships, “only” to help God work repentance in that person’s heart?

Prayer:

God of mercy, 

                    Forgive us for the times we have used this faith You have worked in us as a façade for sinful motives or actions. Help us to instead respond to others with the same grace You show, and have shown us. Amen.

Lent - Day 23 - Little Faith, Mighty Lord, Amazing Grace

Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2025

******************************************************

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus. 

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. 

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 

And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

Matthew 14:1-36

“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” I cannot imagine my journey of faith with its many valleys chronicled in the pages of history for all humanity to recall. What a blessing for us that Peter’s journey is recorded. Just a chapter earlier we heard the great faith that God can work, faith that grows from the smallest of seeds, branching out to a great tree. We then look at our own faith seeming to pale in that comparison. Faith can at times seem such a fragile thing, too easily distracted, distorted, or disheartened. It is hard to know the exact tone of Jesus’s words as He speaks to Peter, sinking in the water before Him. Was Jesus angry, hurt, or disappointed? In many ways, the exact tone matters little. It is our Lord’s purpose that is key. Our Lord redirects our attention onto the “author and perfecter of our faith” that we would “fix our eyes on Jesus”. (Hebrews 12:2) 

It is not that God wants us to have a strong faith to prove our worthiness of His grace. Our Father desires to work in us the greatest of faiths because He knows all that we will face and endure in this world. Our Lord knows the many things which cause doubts to creep into our lives. He sees the reality of how we are attacked in flesh and spirit. His desire is that we be bolstered in faith with His almighty hand, enduring in the power of His cross which has brought us salvation. “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

Prayer:

Lord, strengthen my faith and remove my unbelief. Amen.

Advent Day 11 - We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

This year's Advent devotionals are from A Celebration of Advent: A 25-Day Devotional
by New Spring Church of Anderson, SC
***********************************************************************

“We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.”
2 Corinthians 5:6-7

When Caesar Augustus decided to take a census, the timing couldn’t have been worse for Joseph and Mary. They weren’t yet married, and Mary was due any day.

Bethlehem is immortalized to us now, but imagine what the journey meant for Joseph and Mary. There are many things a heavily pregnant woman wants to do, and none of them start with walking 70 miles to your soon-to-be in-laws’ house. They would be exhausted and embarrassed. They would feel others’ stares and have their fears confirmed when told, “There’s no room for you in the inn.”

But what Caesar meant for tax collection, God used to fulfill His Word. In making the long, dirty, and difficult journey, Mary and Joseph fulfilled Micah’s promise that Israel’s ruler would come from Bethlehem.

The road to Bethlehem was part of Joseph and Mary’s faith journey. It’s the place where they learned to walk by faith, not by sight. Our faith saves us, but it’s also what helps us keep going, day in and day out.

Like Joseph and Mary, all of us will face moments when the road seems too long and the cost too high. Faith is believing God’s sight is better than ours. It’s trusting that all things — even a long, arduous journey — are for His glory and our good.

Reflect: Read Luke 2:1-7, 2 Corinthians 5:1-7 ...

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” What are you hoping for in the coming year? What step of faith is God asking you to take?

***********************************************************************
Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for giving each of us a measure of faith that enables us to walk through the tough times, "when the road seems too long and the cost too high." Thank You for the grace to see us through, to be able to hold on to Your Truth that ALL things work together for our good and Your Glory. We want to be faithful witnesses of Your love and peace. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Advent Day 3 - Learning to Trust God's Timing

This year's Advent devotionals are from A Celebration of Advent: A 25-Day Devotional

by New Spring Church of Anderson, SC
*************************************************************************

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”
Isaiah 40:28

Israel lived in exile for 70 years. They knew the frustration of waiting. Although Isaiah prophesied a Rescuer would come, it became harder and harder to believe the promise. In response, Isaiah reminds Israel of God’s power and might, of His thoughtfulness, and attention to detail. But when days turn to months and months turn to years, hearts become sick from deferred hope.

When we wait well, we learn to trust God with our lives. Jesus’ birth is proof that God’s plan is worth the wait. Jesus did more than save Israel. He saved the world and established an eternal kingdom, offering freedom from sin and a relationship with God to all who seek Him.

Wait on the Lord. Resist the urge to rush the process. Christmas - the arrival of God’s greatest promise - reminds us that no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.

REFLECT:   Read Isaiah 40:12-31

How do you respond when things don’t go as planned?

What do Isaiah’s words tell you about God’s ability to change your circumstances?

How have you grown in times of waiting?
*************************************************************************
Prayer:

Father, 

          Help us to walk in trust and faith according to Your Words of promise. Help us to keep in mind that we are to walk this way one day at a time and to keep our hearts, eyes and minds focused on You. Holy Spirit, help us to remember the words of Isaiah that when we wait on You, our strength shall be renewed. We will be strong like eagles soaring upward. We will run and not be weary. We will walk and not faint. Bring a fresh anointing of Your precious peace while we wait. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Faith, Not Feelings

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Proverbs 4:23 NLT

Sometimes, in the midst of the trial we're hard-pressed to see beyond what we feel... but that's exactly the choice we must make. We are instructed to stand and believe, and having done all to stand! We may not feel like it; do it anyway. Let's talk faith, not feelings.

Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us to go with what we feel.

There is a great difference between getting bogged down in feelings and having compassion. I'm not saying feelings are bad, I'm just pointing out that they should not control our lives, our actions. Don't get sucked into being angry and outraged. Don't get dragged down into a victim mentality over things from the past - your past or anyone else's.

Sometimes, life is very difficult. We don't always understand why things happen the way they do, or why someone does (or doesn't do) a particular something. But there are things that we can KNOW despite our circumstances. For instance, God reassures us in Isaiah 43:2 NIV, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Throughout the Psalms, we find the Truth that God's love is everlasting. It endures forever no matter our feelings.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for Your Word. It is always Truth and when applied to our lives will surely guard our hearts and steer us in a true course to complete Your plan and purpose. Help us to override our feelings with the measure of faith You have provided to us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reminder - The Question is...

Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God's Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren't smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you? 

Galatians 3:2-5a The Message

A friend of mine once made a profound statement of Truth that just about floored me. He said, "Self-sufficiency is such a sign of no faith." Did you catch it? Listen. "Self-sufficiency is such a sign of NO faith."

Now, if this were Old Testament writing, I'd have to follow that statement with 'selah'...which is from a music mark indicating a pause. (According to Fausset's Bible Dictionary, the implication in Scripture is that, [Selah] is a call to calm reflection on the preceding words.) Self-sufficiency, no faith. Self-sufficiency, no faith! Man! It wasn't too many years ago, I would have gone ballistic over that one. Now, I humbly recognize the Truth in it.

If we never rely on God for anything - if we count only on ourselves and our own abilities to make or take care of our lives, our children, our jobs, our finances, our future, then it requires no faith. And just as sure as fear itself is the absence of faith, so is NOT trusting God. You see, NOT trusting God IS fear. Fear that He won't take care of you, fear that He won't keep you well, that He won't provide for you and what belongs to you. Fear that He really hasn't forgiven you and doubt that He even would consider it. Or worse, PRIDE - perhaps thinking you could do a better job yourself...

So... the question on the table is, Does the God who lavishly provides you with His own presence, His Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does He do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust Him to do them in you?

Prayer:

Father,
            We cannot begin to praise You or thank You enough for shining the Light of Your Truth on our lives. Thank You for setting us free to live in You, unbound by our own controlling methods of self-sufficiency. Keep us unfettered - set free from serving ourselves - and turned on to serving You and Yours. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Guest Author - Renew Our Faith

 

Reminder - Controlling the Crowd

While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.

Mark 5:35-37 NKJV

It's generally not a good idea to follow the crowd. Most of the time, they blindly push forward with only an idea of what they think is right. And with a crowd full of different people providing input, the original missive or message quickly becomes diluted and/or polluted. The pervasive personality commonly becomes arrogant and abusive because of its size and misconceived power. 

Jesus was surrounded by a crowd of onlookers and seekers after Jairus came to Him, begging for his daughter's life to be spared. The woman with the issue of blood pressed through the crowd, dividing and conquering by faith, and was healed. When the people came to tell Jairus to not "bother" the Master any longer, Jesus knew He had to take control. 

He spoke only to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” Scripture tells us that He did not let anyone follow Him except Peter, James and John. Three who He knew believed and the one who wanted desperately to believe. When He got to the house, Jesus dispersed the crowd there, too! He did not let crowd opinion and mockery rule over Him or the situation.

And there, separated unto God, the prayer of faith became Rhema Word and the child was raised from the dead and restored to her family. Are you taking notes? He did not let crowd opinion and mockery rule over Him or the situation.

What's going on in your world? Are you gathering a crowd or exercising crowd control?

Prayer:

Father,

         Let us look only to the Author and Finisher of our faith! Help us to walk the way less traveled, following only in Your footsteps. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Oh, My Soul

 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again--my Savior and my God!

Psalm 43:5 NLT

Two years after I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was in for a check-up when I was told I had an abnormal test and would have to have some tests redone. I don't remember anything the doctor said after that because I was already in dialogue with God, although I can't say it was a completely faith-filled conversation. I can only tell you that even in the middle of the fear attack, I knew my only hope was God and that the situation was a test of my faith, my trust in Him. 

When I got in my car to leave the oncologist's office, the first song on the radio was Oh My Soul, recorded by Casting Crowns, written by John Mark Hall and Bernie Herm. I love those moments when God hears the deepest cry of your heart and without speaking a word, the very next thing you hear you KNOW - without a doubt - that it's from Him and His peace flows into your situation. What a loving God we serve! 

This song ministered to me in ways I can't begin to explain, and I thought maybe you are in a place today where you need to hear it, too.  

***********************************************

Oh My Soul  (click title to listen to the song on YouTube)

Oh, my soul
Oh, how you worry
Oh, how you're weary, from fearing you lost control
This was the one thing, you didn't see coming
And no one would blame you, though
If you cried in private
If you tried to hide it away, so no one knows
No one will see, if you stop believing

Chorus: 

Oh, my soul

You are not alone
There's a place where fear has to face the God you know
One more day, He will make a way
Let Him show you how you can lay this down
'Cause you're not alone

Here and now
You can be honest
I won't try to promise that someday it all works out
'Cause this is the valley
And even now, He is breathing on your dry bones
And there will be dancing
There will be beauty where beauty was ash and stone
This much I know

Chorus

I'm not strong enough, I can't take any more
(You can lay it down, you can lay it down)
And my shipwrecked faith will never get me to shore
(You can lay it down, you can lay it down)
Can He find me here?
Can He keep me from going under?

Chorus 

Oh, my soul, you're not alone

***********************************************

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You that You never leave us nor forsake us! Thank You for expressing Your love in immeasurable ways! You are an amazing God! Thank You for the unique ways You reach out to us and make Your presence known. Help us to always recognize and acknowledge You in the daily moments of life. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

An Extra Measure

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV

Have you ever tried to define your faith? For instance, when people say, "Keep the faith" or "I have faith in you", how does that compare to the gift of faith God has given each of us? The world wants to believe in something, so often they'll take that gift of faith and put it in their own "golden calf" - be it intelligence, medicine, science, themselves... 

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:6 NLT, ...it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. He gives us faith to believe in HIM! That measure of faith saves us by grace when placed in Jesus and what He's done for us. 

Have you ever known someone who was healed before they received salvation - before they believed? By the mercy and grace of God, it has happened. The best opportunity is that they'll come to salvation because of their healing. Not always, but it has happened.

However, I keep thinking about 3 instances in the King James Bible that read, thy faith hath made thee whole.  Mark 10:52 when blind Bartimaeus wouldn't give up in calling out to Jesus even though the crowd was trying to hush him. Then in Matthew 9:21-22, the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years, had faith that she would be made whole if she could just touch the tzitzit of Christ's prayer shawl. Even though to be in public without declaring herself to be unclean could have landed her in jail, and yet she pushed through the crowd. I see these as extra measures of growing their faith.

The one that most strikes me, though, is the story found in Luke 17 about the ten lepers. Leprosy is awful. Parts of the extremities can rot off the body. Starting in verse 12. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. When one of the men realized the leprosy was gone, he came back and fell face down at His feet to praise the Lord. Jesus asked, "Weren't there ten men and only one has come back to glorify God?" Jesus told the man to get up and go, that his faith had made him whole. I believe that Jesus not only healed him, but because he came back, He restored whatever the man might have lost to leprosy - he was made whole again. All of his parts. The extra measure. 

Is our faith pleasing God?

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for gifting us with a measure of faith! Show us how to best use it to serve others and to please You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Revisiting the Purpose of Faith

So do not lose the courage you had in the past, which has a great reward. You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised. For in a very short time, "The One who is coming will come and will not be delayed. Those who are right with me will live by faith. But if they turn back with fear, I will not be pleased with them."  (references Habakkuk 2:3–4) 

But we are not those who turn back and are lost. We are people who have faith and are saved.

Hebrews 32:35-39 New Century Version

The purpose of our faith is to please God.

Hebrews 11:5-6 tells us, By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

I want God to be pleased with me. In plain English, I do not want the Creator of the Universe ticked off at me. Do you? How unintelligent would that be? Life can be difficult and very complex, but faith in God is simple. It is. Truly. The Word tells us that God gives to everyone a measure of faith. So He gives us what we need - we just need to hold on to it, and use it. If God gave you money, you'd use it, wouldn't you? I'd say that's pretty simple.

Jim Mackey preached a great message a while back. For those of you who didn't hear it, let me give you the gist of it in this little paragraph. Faith can change a situation. Faith can change lives. Will we let faith change us? It definitely should change us, but it should also do much more than that. Faith should define our lives.

Yes, our lives should be lived to please God - that is the defining purpose of faith. Going back to our text, So do not lose the courage you had in the past, which has a great reward. You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised. For in a very short time, "The One who is coming will come and will not be delayed. Those who are right with me will live by faith. But if they turn back with fear, I will not be pleased with them." (references Habakkuk 2:3–4)  

But we are not those who turn back and are lost. We are people who have faith and are saved. Amen?

Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for the measure of faith that You have given to each of us. Help us to use it wisely, Lord. We want to please You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Lent - Day Forty-Six - That You May Believe

 Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2024

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:30-31

“That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in his name." That is the purpose for all that John wrote. If John published his Gospel today as a biography, the title would not be Jesus Christ: The Full Historical Account or Jesus Christ: In the Words of the One Who Knew Him Best. It would be Jesus Christ: That You May Have Life. In that title, you learn how the Gospel should be read; its purpose and reason for existence.

Whether the first time or the one-thousandth time we read it, eyes of faith see things we never noticed before and we are once again drawn to the wonderful grace of God. Because of John’s testimony, in addition to the testimony of the other disciples and apostles, we believe that Jesus is the Christ, and we have life in Jesus’ name.

Prayer: 

Lord, 

        Thank You for Your servants who faithfully proclaimed Your Word. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who created faith in me through the testimony of Your disciples. Strengthen me to boldly give witness of my faith to others that they too may believe You are the Christ, and by believing have life in Your Name. Amen.

Reading Further - John 20:19-31

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Lent - Day Eighteen - Stronger Faith

 Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2024

Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?
John 7:25-26

Faith can be a difficult thing at times. There are days when awareness of Christ and the reality of his promise and truth are crystal clear, and it seems one’s faith could not be any more vibrant, certain, and alive. And then there are days when, for a variety of reasons, it is difficult to trust in God’s presence, see his plan, and hold on to his promises. Clarity of truth is replaced with a haze of uncertainty. In those times I often think how much easier it would be if I could have walked in the time of Christ, seen with my own eyes, and heard with my own ears. But passages like John 7 show us that faith came no easier at the time of Christ.

Some people heard him teach with authority and believed, while others called him crazy or blasphemous. He performed signs and some came to faith, while others wanted more signs to be certain. How can there be all this confusion and conflict when Jesus is right there?

God’s word tells us that faith is the work of the Holy Spirit. Neither human reason nor one’s will gives or strengthens faith. Jesus teaches that the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit was still to take place (John 7:39). But he promised he would send his Spirit to gather people in faith and strengthen them in that faith each day. In baptism, the Holy Spirit has been poured out on us, has brought us to faith, and daily renews our faith in all life’s ups and downs.

Prayer: 

Holy Spirit, Strengthen me in faith each day, especially on those days when doubts creep in and worries overwhelm. Amen.

Reading Further - John 7:25-52

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” 35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”

37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”