Hello pradmin, IBS is Irritable Bowel Syndrome, a common condition affecting the digestive system. Let's pray for healing: "Dear Jesus, touch those with IBS, like Merline. Bring comfort and restoration. 'For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal,' declares the Lord (Jeremiah 30:17)." Trusting God for their well-being! 
Let's lift up Mary McGuire and her family, especially her struggles with depression and anxiety (
Let's join our hearts in Jesus' Name.
**Healing Needed:**
**Special Intentions:**
Comment who you're praying for!After they ate, Jesus told the people they could go home. Jesus got into the boat and went to the area of Magadan.
—Matthew 15:39
Key Thought
Sometimes religious insiders—people like myself and other church goers—get to thinking we have the inside track on things. We know the Scriptures. We know the songs in worship. We know the Sunday School lessons. We know the church lingo. Then along comes a series of events in Jesus' ministry that duly humbles us.
This whole series of events starts with a religious argument about religious nit picking over external signs of purity. But Jesus says, and the episodes show, that purity and faithfulness are heart issues. Jesus is much more widely received and embraced in non-Jewish territory at this time in his ministry than he was ever embraced in the religious establishment. Those who are "not clean" repeatedly prove their hunger for Jesus, God's grace, and faith.
For me, these stories are powerful reminders why we must pursue un-churched seekers and continually add new Christians to our church family. They ask questions that need to be asked. They break all those traditional rules so we have to examine them again to see if they're Biblical. They often exhibit a more passionate and zealous faith. I don't know about you, but I really need to be around that kind of faith.
Today's Prayer
Holy and righteous Father, thank you for passionate seekers of your truth. Use me as an instrument to bring them closer to you. Use them to remind me and teach me of the passionate joy of salvation and of faith that won't let go of your grace. In the name of my Savior, Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
Jesus left that place and went to the area of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that area came to Jesus. The woman shouted, "Lord, Son of David, please help me! My daughter has a demon inside her, and she is suffering very much." But Jesus did not answer the woman. So the followers came to Jesus and begged him, "Tell the woman to go away. She is following us and shouting." Jesus said, "God sent me only to the lost people of Israel (the Jews)." Then the woman came to Jesus again. She bowed before Jesus and said, "Lord, help me!" Jesus answered, "It is not right to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs." The woman said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the pieces of food that fall from their master's table." Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! I will do the thing you wanted me to do." And at that time the woman's daughter was healed. Then Jesus left that place and went to the shore of Lake Galilee. Jesus went up on a hill and sat down. Many, many people came to Jesus. These people brought many other sick people and put the sick people before Jesus. There were people that could not walk, blind people, crippled people, deaf people, and many others. Jesus healed all these people. People were amazed when they saw that people that could not speak were able to speak again. Crippled people were made strong again. People that could not walk were able to walk again. The blind were able to see again. All the people thanked the God of Israel (the Jews) for this. Jesus called his followers to him and said, "I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me three days, and now they have nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away hungry. They might faint while going home." The followers asked Jesus, "Where can we get enough bread to feed all these people? We are far away from any town." Jesus asked, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" The followers answered, "We have seven loaves of bread and a few small fish." Jesus told the people tosit on the ground. Jesus took the seven loaves of bread and the fish. Then Jesus gave thanks to God for the food. Jesus divided the food and gave it to the followers. The followers gave the food to the people. All the people ate and were full. After this, the followers filled seven baskets with the pieces of food that were not eaten. There were about 4,000 men there that ate. There were also women and children that ate. After they ate, Jesus told the people they could go home. Jesus got into the boat and went to the area of Magadan.Matthew 15:21-39
Related Scripture Readings
Jesus answered, "The people don't need to go away. You give them some food to eat." The followers answered, "But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish." Jesus said, "Bring the bread and the fish to me." Then Jesus told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves of bread and the two fish. Jesus looked into the sky and thanked God for the food. Then Jesus divided the loaves of bread. Jesus gave the bread to the followers, and the followers gave the bread to the people. All the people ate and were filled. After the people finished eating, the followers filled twelve baskets with the pieces of food that were not eaten. There were about 5,000 men there that ate. There were also women and children that ate. Then Jesus made the followers get into the boat. Jesus told them to go to the other side of the lake. Jesus said that he would come later. Jesus stayed there to tell the people they could go home. After Jesus said good-bye to the people, he went up into the hills. Jesus went there alone to pray. It was late, and Jesus was there alone. — Matthew 14:16-23
But Philip told the people the Good News about the kingdom of God and the power of Jesus Christ. Men and women believed Philip. They were baptized. Simon himself also believed and was baptized. Simon stayed very close to Philip. He saw the miracles and the very powerful things that Philip did. Simon was amazed. The apostles were still in Jerusalem. They heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God. So the apostles sent Peter and John to the people in Samaria. When Peter and John arrived, they prayed for the Samaritan believers to receive the Holy Spirit. Then the two apostles told the people the things they had seen {Jesus do}. The apostles told the people the message of the Lord. Then they went back to Jerusalem. On the way they went through many Samaritan towns and told people the Good News. — Acts 8:12-15, 25
While they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The officer said, "Look! Here is water! What is stopping me from being baptized ?" Then the officer commanded the chariot to stop. Both Philip and the officer went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the officer never saw him again. The officer continued on his way home. He was very happy. — Acts 8:36-39
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
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—Matthew 15:39
Key Thought
Sometimes religious insiders—people like myself and other church goers—get to thinking we have the inside track on things. We know the Scriptures. We know the songs in worship. We know the Sunday School lessons. We know the church lingo. Then along comes a series of events in Jesus' ministry that duly humbles us.
This whole series of events starts with a religious argument about religious nit picking over external signs of purity. But Jesus says, and the episodes show, that purity and faithfulness are heart issues. Jesus is much more widely received and embraced in non-Jewish territory at this time in his ministry than he was ever embraced in the religious establishment. Those who are "not clean" repeatedly prove their hunger for Jesus, God's grace, and faith.
For me, these stories are powerful reminders why we must pursue un-churched seekers and continually add new Christians to our church family. They ask questions that need to be asked. They break all those traditional rules so we have to examine them again to see if they're Biblical. They often exhibit a more passionate and zealous faith. I don't know about you, but I really need to be around that kind of faith.
Today's Prayer
Holy and righteous Father, thank you for passionate seekers of your truth. Use me as an instrument to bring them closer to you. Use them to remind me and teach me of the passionate joy of salvation and of faith that won't let go of your grace. In the name of my Savior, Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
Jesus left that place and went to the area of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that area came to Jesus. The woman shouted, "Lord, Son of David, please help me! My daughter has a demon inside her, and she is suffering very much." But Jesus did not answer the woman. So the followers came to Jesus and begged him, "Tell the woman to go away. She is following us and shouting." Jesus said, "God sent me only to the lost people of Israel (the Jews)." Then the woman came to Jesus again. She bowed before Jesus and said, "Lord, help me!" Jesus answered, "It is not right to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs." The woman said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the pieces of food that fall from their master's table." Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! I will do the thing you wanted me to do." And at that time the woman's daughter was healed. Then Jesus left that place and went to the shore of Lake Galilee. Jesus went up on a hill and sat down. Many, many people came to Jesus. These people brought many other sick people and put the sick people before Jesus. There were people that could not walk, blind people, crippled people, deaf people, and many others. Jesus healed all these people. People were amazed when they saw that people that could not speak were able to speak again. Crippled people were made strong again. People that could not walk were able to walk again. The blind were able to see again. All the people thanked the God of Israel (the Jews) for this. Jesus called his followers to him and said, "I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me three days, and now they have nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away hungry. They might faint while going home." The followers asked Jesus, "Where can we get enough bread to feed all these people? We are far away from any town." Jesus asked, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" The followers answered, "We have seven loaves of bread and a few small fish." Jesus told the people tosit on the ground. Jesus took the seven loaves of bread and the fish. Then Jesus gave thanks to God for the food. Jesus divided the food and gave it to the followers. The followers gave the food to the people. All the people ate and were full. After this, the followers filled seven baskets with the pieces of food that were not eaten. There were about 4,000 men there that ate. There were also women and children that ate. After they ate, Jesus told the people they could go home. Jesus got into the boat and went to the area of Magadan.Matthew 15:21-39
Related Scripture Readings
Jesus answered, "The people don't need to go away. You give them some food to eat." The followers answered, "But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish." Jesus said, "Bring the bread and the fish to me." Then Jesus told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves of bread and the two fish. Jesus looked into the sky and thanked God for the food. Then Jesus divided the loaves of bread. Jesus gave the bread to the followers, and the followers gave the bread to the people. All the people ate and were filled. After the people finished eating, the followers filled twelve baskets with the pieces of food that were not eaten. There were about 5,000 men there that ate. There were also women and children that ate. Then Jesus made the followers get into the boat. Jesus told them to go to the other side of the lake. Jesus said that he would come later. Jesus stayed there to tell the people they could go home. After Jesus said good-bye to the people, he went up into the hills. Jesus went there alone to pray. It was late, and Jesus was there alone. — Matthew 14:16-23
But Philip told the people the Good News about the kingdom of God and the power of Jesus Christ. Men and women believed Philip. They were baptized. Simon himself also believed and was baptized. Simon stayed very close to Philip. He saw the miracles and the very powerful things that Philip did. Simon was amazed. The apostles were still in Jerusalem. They heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God. So the apostles sent Peter and John to the people in Samaria. When Peter and John arrived, they prayed for the Samaritan believers to receive the Holy Spirit. Then the two apostles told the people the things they had seen {Jesus do}. The apostles told the people the message of the Lord. Then they went back to Jerusalem. On the way they went through many Samaritan towns and told people the Good News. — Acts 8:12-15, 25
While they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The officer said, "Look! Here is water! What is stopping me from being baptized ?" Then the officer commanded the chariot to stop. Both Philip and the officer went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the officer never saw him again. The officer continued on his way home. He was very happy. — Acts 8:36-39
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
