READ Luke 7
Jesus helps the people understand the significance of John the Baptist and his ministry.

INSIGHT
“Don’t confuse me with the facts; my mind is made up!” Sometimes unbelief can’t be shown enough proof of God and His Word. No matter how much evidence is compiled, if a person refuses to believe, nothing will convince him or her. The scribes and Pharisees have already rejected God before Jesus or John ever came on the scene. That is why they reject John when he comes preaching a message of preparation for the Messiah and for Jesus when He comes. We must know in order to believe, yet we must also believe in order to know. Many truths in the Bible may puzzle us. To begin mastering them, we must first rest completely in the character and power of almighty God.

PRAYER
As you consider God’s willingness to use you, offer Him your praise through this passage:
Oh, Lord God!
You yourself made the heavens and earth
by your great power and with your outstretched arm.
Nothing is too difficult for you!
The one great in counsel
and powerful in action. Your eyes are on all the ways
of the children of men in order to reward each person
according to his ways and as the result of his actions
(Jeremiah 32:17, 19).

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
My hand made all these things,
and so they all came into being.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
I will look favorably on this kind of person:
One who is humble, submissive in spirit,  
and trembles at my word (Isaiah 66:2).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

As you make your requests known to the Lord:

• Pray for the renewing of your mind by the power of God’s Word
• Openness to be used by God
• The needs of your extended family
• Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
You reveal the path of life to me;
in your presence is abundant joy;  
at your right hand are eternal pleasures
(Psalm 16:11).