- Joined
- Oct 26, 2007
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- 12,539
When they handed it to him, he asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?" "Caesar's," they replied. "Well, then," Jesus said, "give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God." His reply completely amazed them. Mark 12:16-17 NLT
What belongs to God in your life? While the earth and everything in it belongs to God, Jesus challenged His listeners to stop looking for religious technicalities and traps to prove one’s devotion to God. Every act of religious devotion can be used as a way to determine who is in and who is out, but the heart of the matter is whether you have given yourself completely to God or to a system of rules.
This passage offers a challenge to look at your heart rather than the standards of others. Can you approach God in confidence and hope that you are fully surrendered to God’s ways? Those trying to trick and trap others are more concerned about who belongs to them than what belongs to God.
This invitation from Jesus isn’t an easy word for today. Could Jesus completely change how you live your faith? It’s a possibility, but on the other side there is freedom from condemnation and simple invitations to live in the freedom of surrender to God.
Prayer: Jesus, Your wisdom disrupts and amazes me. Give me grace to focus on my devotion to You rather than placing more boundaries around others.
What belongs to God in your life? While the earth and everything in it belongs to God, Jesus challenged His listeners to stop looking for religious technicalities and traps to prove one’s devotion to God. Every act of religious devotion can be used as a way to determine who is in and who is out, but the heart of the matter is whether you have given yourself completely to God or to a system of rules.
This passage offers a challenge to look at your heart rather than the standards of others. Can you approach God in confidence and hope that you are fully surrendered to God’s ways? Those trying to trick and trap others are more concerned about who belongs to them than what belongs to God.
This invitation from Jesus isn’t an easy word for today. Could Jesus completely change how you live your faith? It’s a possibility, but on the other side there is freedom from condemnation and simple invitations to live in the freedom of surrender to God.
Prayer: Jesus, Your wisdom disrupts and amazes me. Give me grace to focus on my devotion to You rather than placing more boundaries around others.
