#matthew 16

Photo by Abdiel Hernandez on Pexels.com Teaching Summary: Matthew 15–16 🌄 Overall Themes True purity vs. human tradition — God looks at the heart, not external rituals. Jesus’ compassion for outsiders — Gentiles receive mercy through persistent faith. The blindness of Israel’s leaders — Pharisees and Sadducees oppose Jesus and misunderstand His signs. The disciples’ slow but growing…

Tuesday, 10/21/25

SCRIPTURE:

He said, “And what about you? "Who do you say that I am?” ~ Matthew 16:15

OBSERVATIONS:

I don't believe I've ever been asked this question, point blank -

...outside of communicants' class when I was thirteen... 

...and of course back then I knew the "Sunday School answer..."

Would I get the same response from Jesus that Peter got?

Of course, Peter got to see Jesus and what He did first-hand, so there's that...

...(but then, so did the other disciples and they mumbled the "popular" answers...)

If He asked me, how would I respond?

That I KNOW - first-hand - Who He is by what He's done and is doing in my life?

...or just that I know the "right answer..."?

APPLICATION:

Know Him...

...not just about Him...

...and Who to say He is!

PRAYER: (Using verse 17)

Father God - Thank You for those who share and shared Your grace through Jesus to me... may I be led by Your Holy Spirit to see and know His presence and be happy in it... Please forgive my failure to pay attention to see His Hand in every blessing - large and small - and acknowledge Who You are without having to be asked - In Jesus's Name, and for Your glory and honor and coming kingdom... 

For Him, for you, for yours...

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Devotional for January 22, 2025 Reading: Genesis 16 | Matthew 16 | Psalm 16 Genesis 16 Genesis 16 contains the narrative account of Abram’s failure with Hagar. In the previous chapter, we saw God’s covenant promise that Abram would have an heir of his line. That future son would carry the covenant promise of Gen. 12 forward, with his line being as the sands of the seashore and the stars of the…

The old saying in the in the Navy is, "Red at night sailors delight, red in morning sailors warning."

That saying comes from Matthew 16:1-3 where Yeshua says,

[2] "But he answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the heaven is red. [3] And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for the heaven is red and lowering. Ye know how to discern the face of the heaven; but ye cannot discern the signs of the times. "

Genesis 16 - The Angel Appears to Hagar

Thursday,, 3/7/24

SCRIPTURE:

Jesus turned and told Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a hindrance to Me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.” ~ Matthew 16:23 

OBSERVATION:

This right after Jesus telling Peter he would be the rock on which His church would be built...

I learned this early on to mean something I should say to folks - good-meaning (like Peter), or otherwise, and often times in jest - but it ended at the exclamation point...

...but lately I've come to ask myself how often is Jesus telling me this?

...that I am a hindrance to Him because I'm not thinking about God's concerns but human - my own - concerns?

APPLICATION:

Think about God's concerns...

PRAYER:

Holy Father God - Forgive my hindering the coming of Your King by focusing on the things of this world - thank You for Your grace and forgiveness, and may I follow behind Jesus in His steps, thinking first about Your concerns in all things... In His Name, and for Your praise and glory and honor...

Yours - in His Name and for His praise...

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He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15 Is this a design flaw? I seem to care an awful lot about what others think about me. I’ll spend quite a bit of time wondering about people’s real opinion of me. Do they think I’m funny? Nice? Talented? Authentic? Why does it matter so much? For me, it goes all the way back to my childhood. My parents were so supportive and…

Prayer: Most holy Father, we drop to our knees in reverence and awe of your majesty and grace as the one true King of heaven and earth. We come to you with pleading hearts, asking for a sense of your presence as we gather to worship you today. We ask because we are in desperate need of your help and strength, for we are pilgrims living in a strange land. We plead for your church today, asking for…