Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Father, forgive us ... forgive me, for not expecting you to act in powerful ways to bring deliverance, healing and blessing in the lives of your people. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

Jesus left there and went back to his home town. His followers went with him. On the Sabbath day Jesus taught in the synagogue. Many people heard him teach and were amazed. These people said, "Where did this man get this teaching? How did he get this wisdom? Who gave it to him? And where did he get the power to do miracles ? {Surely, not from God!} He is only the carpenter. And his mother is Mary. He is the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters are here with us." The people did not accept Jesus. Jesus said to the people, "Other people give honor to a prophet. But in his own town with his own people and in his own home, a prophet does not get honor." Jesus was not able to do many miracles in that town. The only miracles he did were to heal some sick people by putting his hands on them. Jesus was very surprised because those people did not have faith. Then Jesus went to other villages in that area and taught. Jesus called the twelve followers together. Jesus sent them out in groups of two. Jesus gave them power over evil spirits. This is what Jesus told his followers: "Take nothing for your trip. Take only a stick for walking. Take no bread, no bag, and no money in your pockets. Wear shoes, and take only the clothes you are wearing. When you enter a house, stay in that house until you leave that town. If any town refuses to accept you or refuses to listen to you, then leave that town. Shake their dust off your feet. This will be a warning to them." The followers left there and went to other places. They talked to the people and told them to change their hearts and lives. The followers forced many demons out of people. And the followers put olive oil on sick people and healed them.

Related Scripture Readings

That is why I always remember you in my prayers and always thank God for you. I have always done this since the time I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people. I always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ—to the glorious Father. I pray that he will give you the Spirit that will show you things about God and help you understand them. Then you will really know God. I pray that God will open your minds to see his truth. Then you will know the hope that God has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised his holy people are rich and glorious. And you will know that God's power is very great for us who believe. That power is the same as the great strength that God used to raise Christ from death. God put Christ at his right side in the heavenly places.

So I bow in prayer before the Father. Every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name from him. I ask the Father with his great glory to give you the power to be strong in your spirits. He will give you that strength through his Spirit. I pray that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. I pray that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. And I pray that you and all God's holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love. I pray that you can understand how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is. Christ's love is greater than any person can ever know. But I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fullness of God.

Those people will continue to act like they serve God. But the way they live shows that they don't really serve God. Timothy, stay away from those people.