Key Thought

Jesus healed them all! He could handle any kind of pain. He could handle any kind of person. He could meet any kind of need. He could overthrow any kind of oppression. No wonder people heard about him from all over the region. In an old hymn, Christians sing about Jesus, who "knows all about our struggles," who is a friend like no other -- he not only cares about our pain, he also ministers to it. So what struggle, hurt, pain, challenge, or illness do you refuse to share with him?

Today's Prayer

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Loving God and Tender Shepherd, please hear my cry for help with the struggles and difficulties in my life. I confess that all too often I have tried to handle them alone. I know I cannot face these difficulties without your help, grace and power. Please bless me with these today, I pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

From that time Jesus began to tell people {what God wanted}. This is what he said: "Change your hearts and lives, because the kingdom of heaven is coming soon." Jesus was walking by Lake Galilee. He saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Simon's brother Andrew. The two brothers were fishermen and they were fishing in the lake with a net. Jesus said, "Come follow me. I will make you {a different kind of} fishermen. You will work to gather people, {not fish}." Simon and Andrew left their nets and followed Jesus. Jesus continued walking by Lake Galilee. He saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee. They were preparing their nets to catch fish. Jesus told the brothers to come with him. So the brothers left the boat and their father, and they followed Jesus. Jesus went everywhere in the country of Galilee. Jesus taught in the synagogues and told the Good News about the kingdom of heaven. And Jesus healed all the people's diseases and sicknesses. The news about Jesus spread all over Syria. And people brought all the sick people to Jesus. These sick people were suffering from different kinds of diseases and pain. Some people were suffering with very bad pain, some people had demons inside them, some people were epileptics, and some people were paralyzed (crippled). Jesus healed all these people. Many, many people followed Jesus. These people were from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judea, and the area across the Jordan River.

— Matthew 4:17-25 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.