Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 41

Devotion for Wednesday after the Fourth Sunday in Lent

But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

“I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. ~ John 5:17-30

The Father gives the Son the power to raise the dead and judge in the resurrection, yet Jesus says He can’t do anything on His own initiative. He does only the will of the Father. If even the Second Person of the Trinity can’t do things on His own initiative, how much more do we have to rely on God. We have no power that is not given to us by our Creator and Lord.

Thank You, Lord God, that we can rely on You because we can do nothing on our own initiative. Lead me in Your ways and keep me from trying to do what I cannot do. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/sedmak

Devotion for Tuesday after the Fourth Sunday in Lent

After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [waiting for the moving of the waters; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.] A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.

Now it was the Sabbath on that day. So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?” But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. ~ John 5:1-16

Jesus healed a man who had been crippled for nearly four decades—and the religious Jews were offended that it happened on the Sabbath. Are we blinded by habit, rules, or anything else? Do we miss the beauty of God’s work in our lives because we’re locked into tradition or expectations or prejudices?

Lord God, open my eyes so I see the person behind every situation, and even more importantly, that I see You in every action. You are sovereign and in control, and I don’t want to fail to see everything You do. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/4masik

Devotion for Monday after the Fourth Sunday in Lent

After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.

Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.” The royal official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household. This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee. ~ John 4:43-54

Jesus told the royal official that his son would live, and the official took Him at His word. He didn’t ask for proof or even any additional assurance. Jesus had said it—so it was so. And, of course, his faith was well-placed. We can always count on what Jesus says, what God says. We tend to question, doubt, wonder, when the correct response is to believe.

Lord God, help me to believe without doubts and questions. If You or Your Word says something, it is true. I can believe without doubt because I know it is true. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/Jordache

Devotion for the Fourth Sunday in Lent

As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.” So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” They said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”

They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.”

The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.” The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out.

Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. ~ John 9:1-41

There’s a saying: None is so blind as he who will not see. The Pharisees thought they saw—and knew—everything, but Jesus said they were blind. Jesus didn’t fit their preconceived idea of the Messiah, so they could not recognize Him. Spiritual blindness didn’t end with the Pharisees. We can fail to see the works of God in front of us because they aren’t what we expect.

God, open my eyes so I see Your truth. Don’t let me be blinded by lies, deceptions, and preconceived ideas. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Saturday after the Third Sunday in Lent

And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” ~ Luke 18:9-14

It’s so easy to compare ourselves to other people and see ourselves as much more righteous. Elsewhere Jesus told us to take the log out of our own eye so we could see the speck in our brother’s eye. We tend to judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their results. Yet even our best is filthy rags in view of the pure holiness of God. He wants us to acknowledge our sinfulness, to repent, to humble ourselves.

Lord, please forgive me for my pride and self-righteousness. In the presence of Your holiness, I cannot lift my eyes. God, be merciful to me, the sinner! In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Friday after the Third Sunday in Lent

One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions. ~ Mark 12:28-34

Most of us can recite the Summary of the Law. We know that if we love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and also love our neighbors as ourselves, there is no need for commandments, rules, laws. We will do everything we’re supposed to and won’t do those things we shouldn’t out of love for God and others. But knowing and practicing are two different things. It’s easy to state these two overarching statements—it’s not so easy to live by them. We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit—we will never be perfect, but the Spirit will help us love God and man more.

Lord God, I want to love You with everything I have. I want to love others as myself. But so often I fall far short on both. I put other things ahead of serving You. I put my own comfort above the needs of others. Please forgive me, and empower me by the Holy Spirit to be filled with love and act accordingly. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Thursday after the Third Sunday in Lent

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” Others, to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? So they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder. He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters. ~ Luke 11:14-23

It’s sobering to realize that if we are not with God, we are against him. There’s no neutral territory. In Revelation, Jesus said that He spits out of His mouth those who are lukewarm. Anyone who has a wishy-washy view of God—maybe He exists, or maybe He doesn’t; maybe He’s in control, or maybe He’s not—is the same as someone who denies Him.

Lord God, I want to always be with You, never against You. Strengthen me when I am weak in my faith, and overcome my doubts with faith. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/Utnapistims1

Devotion for Wednesday after the Third Sunday in Lent

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” ~ Matthew 5:17-19

Some Christians think the New Testament made the Old Testament obsolete, but Jesus Himself said He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament). God’s Law is unchanged—a holy God demands holiness in His people. The difference is that our holiness comes from Jesus. We can’t keep the Law in our own ability. The Blood of Jesus pays the price for our breaking of the Law. Our sin has been punished, and our debt paid in full—without anything from us. Jesus gave it all.

Thank You, Lord God, that Jesus paid the price for my sins. Empower me by the Holy Spirit to honor and observe Your holy law. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Tuesday after the Third Sunday in Lent

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” ~ Matthew 18:21-35

We’re always glad that God’s capacity to forgive us is infinite. Seventy times seven doesn’t begin to cover how many times God forgives us—over and over and over again. Yet when someone repeatedly hurts us, we don’t want to keep forgiving. Often we don’t even want to forgive one time. I know of a family situation in which one person was badly hurt by her siblings. Although they had not intended to hurt her and begged her forgiveness, she refused—she was convinced that the hurt was unforgivable. Thanks be to God that He never finds anything we do unforgivable.

Lord God, help me to pattern the way I forgive after Jesus, who when He was unjustly hanging on the cross for our sins, forgave those who put Him there. I want to be that forgiving, but I can’t do it under my own power. So please help me. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devotion for Monday after the Third Sunday in Lent

And He said, “Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, He went His way. ~ Luke 4:24-30

A doctor friend once asked me, “Do you know what it takes for a doctor to be an expert?” When I said I didn’t know, he told me, “Go fifty miles down the road.” Even professionals seem to have more respect for peers from elsewhere than for people they know well. The people in his hometown knew Jesus as the son of the carpenter, and they couldn’t imagine that He was a prophet. Yet He was not only a prophet but God Incarnate, the Savior of the World.

Lord, may I always recognize Jesus as part of the Triune God, my Lord, and my Savior. In His name. Amen.