God of the living

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, in the archives, where I introduce myself and the blog.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Devotions: Ps 128-30; 119:145-76; 2 Sam 18:19-33; Acts 23:23-35; Mk 12:13-27

Wholeheartedly, Lord, I cry to You: answer me, and I will keep Your statutes! Hear and answer, my God, and I will cling to Your law. Alleviate my struggles and suffering; I will hold fast to Your statutes. Great is Your mercy, and Your word is truth itself. I rejoice at Your word, and praise You all day long. They have great peace who love Your law; I believe in Your faithfulness, and I am saved by Your grace. I love You, my God! Keep me to Yourself; forgive my sins; and help me obey Your commands, I pray. Blessed are all who walk in God’s ways. I will eat the fruit of my labor; my wife will be productive and healthy; my children and grandchildren will thrive! Let God’s peace rest upon me, and upon all His people. I have faced persecution, but I will trust God to requite my enemies. Let YHWH’s blessing rest on those who trust in Him! I cry to You, my God, from the very depths of my soul. You are mighty to forgive, and my soul longs for you like a tired watchman awaits the dawn. God is my Redeemer!

After Joab and his armor-bearers killed Absalom, two runners carried the news to David—a Cushite and Ahimaaz, son of Zadok. Ahimaaz arrived first, and told David that his forces had won. David asked about Absalom, but Ahimaaz had no news of that matter. Then the Cushite arrived and told David that Absalom had perished, and the king wept inconsolably.

The Roman tribune in Jerusalem sent Paul under military guard to Caesarea, to protect him against the conspiracy of more than 40 Jews who had taken a vow to kill Paul. The tribune wrote to Felix describing Paul’s situation, and alerted the governor that the tribune was directing Paul’s accusers to bring their case before the governor. Felix remanded Paul to the praetorium until his accusers would arrive.

The Jewish leaders sought tirelessly to find grounds to discredit and harm Jesus. Some Pharisees and Herodians asked Jesus whether it was lawful to pay Roman taxes or not. Jesus knew their hypocrisy, and asked them to show him a coin. He asked them: ‘Whose likeness and inscription are these on the denarius?’ And they replied, ‘Caesar’s.’ Jesus concluded: ‘Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.’ The interrogators were amazed and unable to argue with Jesus on these matters. Next came some Sadducees, the Jewish party which denied the resurrection, and they asked Him a poser based on their biases. ‘Teacher, Moses wrote that a brother is obligated to marry the childless widow of his brother, in order to produce heirs for the dead brother. Now, there were seven brothers; in turn, each married the same woman, and died; but she had children with none of them. Finally, she also died. Now, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be, since all seven were her husbands?’ Jesus replied, ‘The reason you are mistaken is that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. When the dead rise, they neither marry nor are given in marriage; in that regard, they are like the angels [which the Sadducees also denied]. And [your claimed authority] Moses wrote that God Himself said to Moses at the burning bush, “I AM the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” He Is not God of the dead, but of the living; you are very wrong!’