Author: worksofherhands

Teresa Wallace lives in Madison, Georgia and is a seventh generation Morgan Countian. She is a lover of the Bible and believes it to be the only source of truth. Teresa taught the Bible to children and youth church groups for over forty consecutive years and has developed several Bible courses. This is her first daily devotion book. The motto for her Bible studies, and her life, is Turning young hearts toward the Bible.
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The Best Plan

SEPTEMBER 29

MATTHEW 7:7_and it shall be given you…

Jesus adds something to the ask. It is the way to receive your requests. What else did Jesus say about asking and receiving?

Matthew 21:22 (KJV), “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

John 14:13 (KJV), “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

John 15:7 (KJV), “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

John 16:24 (KJV), “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

The disciple John listened when Jesus taught about the asking. He not only recorded Jesus’ words, but had his own to add: I John 5:14-15 (KJV), “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”

John adds according to his will. We have previously studied the necessity to ask God’s will over our own. In the end, it is the better plan.

Ask!

PRAYER

Holy Jesus, I believe You hear my request and will answer for the good. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                             

Christ wants me to ask of Him—He wants to give to me!!                                   

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Ask!

SEPTEMBER 28

MATTHEW 7:7_Ask…

What would life be like if you never asked questions? You would never learn even a fraction of the knowledge available – just for the asking.  

People who love you want you to ask. If they have knowledge about something which could be of help to you, they want to share with you. But if there is no communication, they are not aware of your needs. Asking reveals needs. That’s what it’s all about. 

When Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac, the servant prayed, Genesis 24 (KJV):’12 And he said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: 14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.”

That was a wise servant. He didn’t want to take on such a big responsibility without asking for God’s help.

And by the way, he received exactly what he asked for.

PRAYER

Lord God, I need You to teach me how to ask, and when. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                 

Christ desires me to ask for His help – I will!

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Priceless and Unsurpassed

SEPTEMBER 27

MATTHEW 7:6_lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

This is not a lesson against pigs or dogs. It is a lesson on the priceless and unsurpassed value of your faith and trust in Jesus. The pathway of life He has been teaching in these three chapters.

To have the teachings of Jesus poured into you only to cast them aside for temporal pleasures, is a waste. Jesus compares His teachings to that which is holy. He also compares them to pearls—of the very highest quality. To throw His words out to dogs and pigs, like table scraps is deplorable.

Once you’ve learned the truth and rejected it, or worse cheapened it by trying to live spiritually and worldly at the same time, you’ve strayed from the path. There is something you can count on—life itself will in some form or another come back and rend you under foot. You can live life like this the rest of your days, or you can cry out to God to save you. 

Luke 15:20 (KJV), “And he [prodigal son] arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”

God’s compassion is stronger than an earthly father’s.

PRAYER

Father of Compassion,  I praise You that You call me back if I go astray! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                    

Christ’s pathway has unsurpassed value—He guides me!

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Slime In The Pit

SEPTEMBER 26

MATTHEW 7:6_neither cast ye your pearls before swine…

In Biblical language, worse than a dog would be – a pig.

Matthew chapter 8 (KJV) tells of Jesus’ encounter with two demonic men. Jesus converses with the demons, “29 And, behold, they [demons] cried out, saying, ‘What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?’ 30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.31 So the devils besought him, saying, ‘If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.’ 32 And he said unto them, ‘Go.’ And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.”  

In Luke chapter 15 (KJV) Jesus tells of a son who asked his father for his inheritance early in life: “14And when he [prodigal son] had spent all [the inheritance], there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.“

For a Jew, feeding or caring in any way for pigs was the bottom of the totem pole. The slime in the pit. The bottom rung of a ladder – the one that is stepped on the most.

Now let’s find out what all this dog and pig stuff is about. Don’t miss tomorrow!

PRAYER

Great God, I am listening to You and Your Word—teach me! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.       

Christ teaches true principles of life—He teaches me!

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Fido

SEPTEMBER 25

MATTHEW 7:6_Give not that which is holy unto dogs…

Generally, Bible references to dogs are not as we consider dogs today. They are not referred to as a companion, or man’s best friend, or a service animal. That is not to say they were not all those things, but that is not how they are referred to in the Bible. Their references are on the rougher side, like: a prostitute, or licking up blood, or returning to vomit.

Need some evidence? Deuteronomy 23:18 (KJV), “Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore [female prostitute], or the price of a dog [male prostitute], into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God.”  I Kings 21:19 (KJV), “… And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.’”  Proverbs 26:11 (KJV), “As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.” 

These are all rather graphic, but my point is to show that Jesus is not talking about Fido in this verse. Dogs here are something base, low-life, and well, disgusting.

Don’t go thinking Jesus doesn’t like dogs – after all, He created them. And don’t go chasing Fido out of your yard. He is not what is referred to here. 

Dogs aren’t the only animal used as a negative illustration. Don’t miss tomorrow!

PRAYER

Only Wise God, There is so much to understand about life—give me wisdom! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   

 Christ understands principles of life—He teaches me!