THEIR VOICES PREVAILED!

 

Monday, October 5, 2026

 

THEIR VOICES PREVAILED!

 

Luke 23:20-23

20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.

23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

 

          The religious leaders could stomach no more of Jesus! They knew that the Romans cared noting for Jewish law, so they presented a political indictment against Jesus with three charges: he perverted the nation, he refused to pay the poll tax, and he claimed to be a king.

 

          Pilate privately interrogated Jesus and determined he had committed no crime. This began a period of bargaining with the Jews and the volume of their voices elevated. Pilate decided to pass Jesus to another jurisdiction and sent him unto Herod but even Herod found Jesus to be harmless and returned him to Pilate.

 

          Jesus had been exonerated by two courts and yet the voices of the religious rose to a furious height. The exasperated Pilate finally succumbed to the voices!

 

          Be careful of those things about which you are passionate. Use great caution when your position grows weak and must be bolstered by loud voices. You may discover you are on the wrong side of the argument.

 

James 3:16-17

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

 

Dear Lord, when my passion causes me to shout, let me give careful study to the strength of my position. I would rather be quietly right than loudly wrong. AMEN

 

COMFORTED BY THE COMFOTER!

 

Sunday, October 4, 2026

 

COMFORTED BY THE COMFOTER!

 

2 Cor 1:3-4

3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

 

John 11:32-35

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

35 Jesus wept.

 

          God allows pain into our lives that we might be able to minister to others in their trouble – any trouble. The more pain we bear the better qualified we are to assist those who suffer. We can relate to their pain by remembering our own. We can soothe their hurts because we can remember that God soothed ours. We can encourage because we have experience in overcoming.

 

          Coming to the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus encounters deep grief. He even suffers Mary’s accusing comment: “if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” It was the same as saying that Jesus killed Lazarus by delaying His arrival. Those whose calling is to provide comfort have felt this stinging accusation from time to time. We were too late or too inept to keep the pain from happening. Now all we can do is apply ointment.

 

          But wounded people are not aware of how deeply the comforters feel their grief. Jesus wept! He shed tears because He assumed the feelings of those to whom He ministered. Like a sponge soaking up a spill, Jesus absorbed their tears and they spilled out His own eyes. I would guess He is still doing that today.

 

Heb 4:15-16

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 

Dear God of all comfort, soothe the pain of those who suffer today. AMEN

 

LONGING FOR JESUS!

 

Saturday, October 3, 2026

 

LONGING FOR JESUS!

 

Song 3:1-2

3 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

2 I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

 

          Not many teachers will venture into the Song of Solomon because it is an intimate love story that can cause both teacher and student to blush. Here, the Shunamite has had a dream about her lover and begins a search to find him. She leaves the security of her home and roams the streets asking the watchmen, but they have not seen him either. Eventually she finds him and will not let him go!

 

          Four times, once in each of the first four verses, she describes him as “he whom my soul loveth.” This reveals the depth of the Shunamite’s love for Solomon. Married love should never lose this kind of romance.

 

          This morning I awoke with a longing to connect with my Jesus. I study Him as part of my craft. I serve Him as part of my calling but this morning I sought him as my deep desire. The Christian heart should never lose this kind of romance. I was reminded of an old chorus sung as a child in church.

 

Longing for Jesus

 

Longing, longing for Jesus
I have a longing
In my heart for Him
Just to be near Him
To feel His presence
I have a longing
In my heart for Him

 

Dear Lord, satisfy the longing of every searching heart. AMEN