20-21 Jesus came home and, as usual, a crowd gathered—so many making demands on him that there wasn’t even time to eat. His friends heard what was going on and went to rescue him, by force if necessary. They suspected he was getting carried away with himself.
22-27 The religion scholars from Jerusalem came down spreading rumors that he was working black magic, using devil tricks to impress them with spiritual power. Jesus confronted their slander with a story: “Does it make sense to send a devil to catch a devil, to use Satan to get rid of Satan? A constantly squabbling family disintegrates. If Satan were fighting Satan, there soon wouldn’t be any Satan left. Do you think it’s possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man, and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out.
28-30 “Listen to this carefully. I’m warning you. There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you persist in your slanders against God’s Holy Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives, sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives.” He gave this warning because they were accusing him of being in league with Evil.
1. FOCUS -Before you start reading take a minute and ask God to guide your reading. Ask Him to focus your mind and to show you something in today's passage.
2. FIND -Read the passage. You have asked God to guide your reading, what words, phrases, or truth did He highlight? What stood out? What did you find? Write down the insight down.
3. FOLLOW -Take a moment or two and write out a response to the what God revealed in your reading. Was there an action you need to take? An area of sin you need to confess? Or a promise you should claim? Once you have an action follow through and do it.
How did your reading go this week? What did you discover? I'll share a different way to study Scripture tomorrow.
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