"No steam or gas ever drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows until it is focused, dedicated and disciplined." - Harry Emerson
Your input will determine your output, so guard what you put in and you won't be put out. - Peter Sinclair
Even though times of transition are tough, the riches of refinement are worth the pain of loneliness and frustration. - Susannah Ince
The steady discipline of intimate friendship with Jesus results in men becoming like Him. - H. E. Fosdick
"It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?" Hebrews 12:7
My God, I look forward to the right motives. Let me always choose the correct direction and find the right actions. Give me the right skills to educate well, I ask that in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
The Pharisees learned that Jesus told the Sadducees things they could not argue with. So the Pharisees met together. One Pharisee was an expert in the law {of Moses}. That Pharisee asked Jesus a question to test him.(ERV)
Key Thought
We have a real sense of rivalry and pride playing into this situation. The Pharisees could gloat a moment at the Sadducees inability to trip up Jesus. "But we're better than they are. We study harder and follow God's Law more closely than the Sadducees. We'll trip him up for sure!" But when truth is not the goal, when pride, comfort, and recognition become tantamount to life, then motives get jumbled and truth ends up getting forgotten. Those who seek the truth lose it when their goal is simply defeating someone else rather than searching for the truth.
Today's Prayer
Holy God, help me not become so blinded by someone I view as an opponent or antagonist that I forget my search for your truth. Please help me grow more determined to find and celebrate your truth. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
The Pharisees learned that Jesus told the Sadducees things they could not argue with. So the Pharisees met together. One Pharisee was an expert in the law {of Moses}. That Pharisee asked Jesus a question to test him. The Pharisee said, "Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?" Jesus answered, "'You must love the Lord your God. You must love him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: 'You must love other people the same as you love yourself.' All of the law and the writings of the prophets take their meaning from these two commands." So while the Pharisees were together, Jesus asked them a question. Jesus said, "What do you think about the Christ ? Whose son is he?" The Pharisees answered, "The Christ is the Son of David. " Then Jesus said to the Pharisees, "Then why did David call him 'Lord'? David was speaking by the power of the {Holy} Spirit. David said, 'The Lord (God) said to my Lord (Christ): Sit by me at my right side, and I will put your enemies under your control. ' David calls the Christ 'Lord.' So how can he be David's son?" None of the Pharisees could answer Jesus' question. And after that day no person was brave enough to ask Jesus any more questions {to try to trick him}.
