In my twenty years of following Jesus, there have been plenty of seasons of routine spiritual rhythms without genuine worship. When I read, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8), I feel convicted by the lack of intimacy I can cycle through with Jesus. If Jesus were to ask me who I think He is, I wonder if my response would be more of a textbook answer or a description that comes from the depth of knowing someone so well that you are readily able to describe who they are.
When Jesus asks the disciples, “who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13), I imagine all the men making designs in the dirt with their sandals, looking down and mumbling some answers about what they’ve heard people shout in the streets or whisper in the synagogues. The disciples followed Jesus from town to town and watched Him perform miracle after miracle. And even though they saw things with their eyes, their hearts still had room to grow in knowing who He really was.
But when Jesus asked again, Simon Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (v.16), and Jesus praised Simon! For it wasn’t just seeing the outward things but God revealing in Simon’s heart who Jesus truly was.
How do you really know someone? You spend time with them! You watch them! And then you open your heart to see them as they truly are. How intimately connected to the Father I long to be to see the person of Jesus for who he really is—the Messiah, the Savior. How do I often let myself get distracted by the details of faith and the busyness of life that I miss the true person of Jesus?
In this dry season, one of the newer members of our small group shared: “I used to laugh at Christians; I thought they were stupid for believing in something like Jesus. God is absolutely amazing to take someone like me and turn my life completely around—someone who hated Jesus and now worships Him with my whole life.”
His frank and earnest story moved me. Afterward, while getting ready for bed, I thought: “What an amazing God I have. I don’t doubt He can call people from darkness into light, but, wow, nothing can stop Him. Jesus is the Son of the living God.” This isn’t the first time God has used someone’s testimony of faith to remind me of the passion I had when I first came to believe in Jesus. This person’s faith story was a gift to my faith and a tool to draw me back to the person of Jesus. May Simon Peter’s declaration of who Jesus is also draw us towards Jesus, our Messiah. For “everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:11).
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42 thoughts on "Jesus Is the Messiah"
I feel too that I give text book answers to who the son of man is, instead of really digging deep down in my heart and remembering who he is. As I am sitting here thinking about this it does warm my heart. He is the man I turn to when no one else can help, he is my go to, he calms me, he brings me peace, he has saved my life when I wasn’t even wanting him around, he is the Father who has been by my side with love and compassion my entire life. He is the one who has answered my prayers, he has blessed my life in so many ways, everything that is good comes from him. I am so truly blessed to have him by my side with everything that life throws my way. He is the person I confide in with all of my darkest questions, thoughts, and sins and yet he still loves me as his won. He is the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is Lord ❤️
This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8),
Ouch.
Ouch.
Ouch.
I walk the walk, talk the talk, but actually am i the person I portray myself to be! I am forgetful. I am picky choosy. I am easily distracted. Easily wooed by the things of this world.
BUT GOD..
Oh, BUT GOD..
Thank you Lord God, Thank you for your Son, Jesus, the Messiah, the bringer of Truth, and whom I would love to know as intimately as He knows me.. Lord, in your mercy.. hear my prayer
Amen.
X
This! ❤️
Carla and others who have mentioned “knowing Jesus in your heart” verses knowing details about Jesus. In church on Sunday I went up for prayer and the woman who prayed told me just that: “Tami – you need to let Jesus into your heart, not just your head”. She was spot on. It’s giving me food for thought, and I keep asking myself, but how? How do I have what I know on my head drop to my heart? I crave that and it’s hard to not feel like I’m doing something “wrong”.
Well, this woman would not be put off, and so knelt before Him and begged, “Lord, help me.” Jesus pushed her a little further, reminding her of the historic distinction between the cursed Canaanites and the blessed Israelites. In the short saying the Jews are the “children” and the Gentiles are the “dogs.” The children get fed first.
But the woman’s answer is marvelous: even the “dogs” eat the crumbs that the children drop. She acquiesces to the role of a “dog” in relation to Israel (she knows the Messiah came to Israel first); she may not be able to sit down at the Messiah’s table and eat with the “children,” but she should be allowed to pick up some of the crumbs they drop. She wants some of the uncovenanted mercy of God, His general saving grace to all people.
”“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.“
Exodus 20:12 NIV
teaches us about true purity, persistent faith, and divine compassion. Jesus invites us to examine our hearts and priorities, challenging us to value God’s commandments over human traditions. The Canaanite woman’s faith is a reminder of the power of persistent faith, regardless of circumstances. Jesus’ compassion, seen in His healings and the feeding of the multitude, reminds us that He cares for our physical and spiritual needs alike.
❣️❣️my heart is full after reading today’s scriptures and the devo. Thank you Jesus for flipping the script when you were born and dies for us. True freedom from The Law!
@RHONDA J: amen dear sister. I miss you too. I have been trying to read a long the Warrior boots book. Thank you for such truth and boldness you are so faithful to share.
@KELLY (NEO): thank you so much for checking on my eye, it is healing 80%, sometimes it rubs in the morning but no more excruciating pain and emergency optometrist visits anymore. Praise the Lord. Thank you dear she’s for your prayers that worked wonders!
@SEARCHING, JULIA C: ❤️ bless you dear hearts!
@ALLISON BENTLEY: such wise advice. Thank you.
@TAYLOR: anxiety be gone in Jesus’ Name. Hope you will feel better.
@SARAH D: thinking of you, and the difficult boy in your classroom, may the Lord give wisdom and transform the atmosphere.
@MIA FAITH: prayers for your family and the search team. You are always on the back of my mind. May the Lord sustain you and your loved ones.
@DANIELLE B: recovering from your car accident and help to deal with the aftermath, insurance work, etc. May God heal you from any trauma this might cause.
Be blessed dear sisters.
“Five loaves for the five thousands”, “Seven loaves for the four thousand” (Matthew 16:-10). God does math His way. It does not make sense, the math won’t add up, but it is sufficient. YET, is it too hard to believe? I loved math, like a lot a lot in school. It’s a subject that gives me such confidence because it is either right or wrong, not in between. BUT GOD. Look at this. Just incredible. What we know is not what it seems.
Who is the Lord to me? If he comes in a form of a stranger on the street, and asks me, who is Jesus to you? He is a very tough person to me. He doesn’t hold my hands when I cry, indeed He stays silent, but His Word says He loves me and can calm the storm, external and internal. And in those words, the words of life, I come back to again and again when storm rises, to reassure, to praise, to strengthen what’s left, and to thank Him. Sometimes it feels like a one-way relationship, Lord are you there? Knock knock. I know You are, my monologue, then silence, I wait for my God. And at other times, it’s Him who knocks and I remain silent and numb. He talks to me like a friend when I am driving, when I sing a song and I cannot make a note, I heard him laugh. But He is a tough leader that will not indulge me in my weaknesses and push me forth into boldness, courage, new strength, and new risks (faith is risk to me). Saying yes to him has cost me my life, but so I can find a life back again, it’s a different life that I wake up to, different surroundings, different scenes, people, the old has gone. I find myself grieving what was changed/lost, the Sword creates a division, and not peace (Luke 12:51). Then I realized my identity was placed in my surroundings. One thing I know for sure, that God remains a constant, the rest will be variables. The Messiah. The Christ. The Saviour. The One who was, who is, and is to come. He is Love, from the beginning till infinity, the Alpha and the Omega. The Great I Am. And my best friend (this humble me who has a friend in HIM). Glory be to Him forever and ever. Amen.
Hello sisters!
Gwineth Amen
Cheryl Amen
Carla ❤️
Kris ❤️
Peter recognized who Jesus was and he was willing to die on a cross for his redeemer. When the time came he felt unworthy to have the cross the same and had them put it upside down. Peter’s love and belief in His savior, he gave his all.
Kris. Loved your words: “These 12 guys failed miserably often.” and “So, when I don’t get it, when I don’t understand, when my faith is weak, when I fail… I know Jesus has compassion on me just like He did this motley crew.”
Claire B. Me too.
Tara B. As I think about my adult children, I too should ask myself: How do my children see Jesus in and through me so that they want to draw near to You again? The point being that my focus needs to be on You calling them back, not my herding them the path and timing I want them to take.
Good morning and Happy Tuesday sweet She’s! Day 2 of my Spring Break! SPY KIDS!! Yep! I said it! SPY KIDS! Who remembers their children just loving these movies? I do! MY kids were SO into them! IF, you haven’t heard the SRT podcast, you must as the guest speaker Alexa PenaVega who was Carmen in Spy Kids! I loved her story of coming to Christ!! Its a must listen!
Clara Whitesell…there is FREEDOM in what you said today! Please know your SRT sisters here are and WILL be praying for you, sweet girl! YOU are in the right place here. Stay connected! And what better time then the LENTEN devotional season here.
“Defilement is from within “ Matthew 15:10-20 these verses give me so much comfort. How do we change our heart posture? A couple of years ago I cut out secular music and it has made a difference in my all around outlook on life. Of course I am “putting something in” BUT I am also changing what comes out! I encourage you ladies today to look at what you are filling your heart with? Facebook envy over someone else’s accomplishments? Pornography lusting after the flesh? Simple music of the world glorifying self? Just try to make one small change and you will see the difference I promise! God is faithful and He will change our hearts!!!
Greetings My Sister Shes! Special welcome to Carla Whitesell! I believe your saying after spending years working “in the church” you are highly motivated to let the “Head of the Church work in you”. A subtle & solemn commitment. A message for us all. A calling, a readiness, an eagerness to go deeper in faith. Beyond routine. Beyond fixed schedules. Beyond other’s expectations. Reminding me, at least, there is a big difference in “having knowledge” of God, and “knowing” God. The latter is borne of prolonged intimacy & submission. Contemplation & confession. Through fair & foul weather. Through fertile & fallow seasons. Jesus Christ, please help me grow more steadfast & assured in Your faithful love. Let it sink & settle into my bones & heart of flesh. That I might aid & assist others, to the extent You desire, prepare & enable me. Thanks be to the One & Eternal Lord.
SARAH CARMONA Thank you for sharing that.
JULIA C I appreciate that prayer. Yes TARA B! I am praying in agreement!
CARLA WHITESELL Appreciate your comment and vulnerability.
KRIS I had to laugh as I read your comment. So true about the disciples. But the sad part is it is often true about us. No, we haven’t physically seen, and spent time with Jesus in that regard, but he is very real to us, and we still doubt on occasion.
CHERYL BLOW- Yes!
DEAR LORD thank you. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your faithfulness. Please help me to stay in your word and learn your truths.
SISTERS have a blessed day!❤️
I know we all experience dry spells in our walk with Jesus, BUT GOD is so good that He sends a testimony our way, or a scripture that sets our hearts on fire again! Oh how He loves us! Continually shepherding us, loving us. All we need to do is keep doing what we know to do, praying, reading God’s Word, worshipping even if we don’t feel it. He is faithful, He will open our hearts again. Raining down on our dry soul! He is our faithful Messiah!
BAILEY T. HURLEY – Apologies!!!! I did know to whom I was speaking – ‘who you are’! hahaha
CARLA WHITESELL – ❤ Thank you for speaking up!
These are not ‘feel good’ verses; they are convicting and growing-in-faith verses. Jesus did not waste words or opportunities.
“… but Who do YOU say that I AM?” (Emphasis mine) We see a mob mentality at play here. As long as the people have the ‘belief’ of the crowd to back them up, they boldly express their belief. One on one with Jesus … what are they standing on? Certainly not the Cornerstone.
BAILEY GILLESPIE – Wow, did you nail this one! I stand convicted as you do. Love that you shared the testimony from small group!
TARA B – Thank you for addressing our need so beautifully in your prayer. ❤
SEARCHING – ❤
The compassion, the calling out of those spewing man’s words instead of God’s truth, the confirmation of Christ as Messiah – so much in today’s Scriptures.
CLAIRE B – the modern church … no words really for what is seen and heard in many churches today.
MARTHA HIX ❤️
CEE GEE ❤️
KARRIE – praying for recovery of foot, back and neck
ARLENE – praying for God’s encouragement in your heart, mind and spirit
MERCY ❤️
MIA FAITH ❤️
❤️ JULIA C, TINA, KELLY (NEO)
CARLA WHITESELL – welcome, looking forward to more comments :)
❤
Hearing, receiving…and OBEYING.
Enduring. Evidence that you are abiding in Him.
Am I the person on good soil, bringing about what I know about Christ. Believing that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, the God, the Holy One. Will I trust and obey? When things get hard, am I ready? God gives us the little things to see how we respond. I feel like we have to keep building up endurance to be strong….just like we train up our bodies. We have to train for the hard things, the long and challenging races. We can’t be a wkd warrior, the phrase I use to throw out to clients when they would over do it and hurt themselves. I am clinging to God when things are good, praying faithfully and obediently when all is fine, and staying in the word to build my knowledge and relationship with the living God. I know the world is changing fast, even in our great country where we think persecution could never come, I hope I am ready to rise up and stand firm.
This is my first time sharing a comment here after a few years of doing these wonderful online studies, but I felt I had to today. Bailey Hurley’s mentions of the “details of the faith” really hit me. I just retired after 25 years as the church secretary at my home church. I have definitely been busy with the details of faith and have been missing the true person of Jesus in my life. I am going to be taking the time to reconnect with Jesus. I know who I “say” Jesus is, but feel like I’ve been missing it in my heart.
There! I’ve gone and shared my feelings with the world, I feel a little better knowing that it’s out there and I’m not hiding it inside.
❤️
❤️
Well, the disciples are at it again. Matt 15:23 ‘His disciples approached Him and urged Him, “Send her away because she’s crying out after us.” ‘ Trying to send away another miracle opportunity. And I burst out laughing when I read verse 12 “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” Like they were scolding Him, or somehow revealing something He didn’t know. These 12 guys failed miserably often. They were literally walking with Him, in the flesh, got to bump shoulders with Him, got to watch Him every day, every where. And yet they still failed. Jesus still had to rebuke them, “Do you still lack understanding?” “Oh, you of little faith”. I like to think the disciples had it easy, they had an advantage over me because they got to see Jesus in the body, but I see they still didn’t get it, still didn’t understand, still didn’t have faith, still failed. So, when I don’t get it, when I don’t understand, when my faith is weak, when I fail… I know Jesus has compassion on me just like He did this motley crew. He must have shook His head a lot as they traveled around together, but He always came back to them with compassion. Wow! What a Savior we have.
❤️
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 My pastor spoke on these verses Sunday too. I sometimes think if I’m walking with Jesus my life should be easy, blessed, happy. But there is the other side of our faith that says deny ourselves. We are called to suffer with Jesus too. My prayer is that I become bold in my faith while loving people well.
♥️ Pretty sure God had Bailey Hurley write that for me. I don’t struggle with who Christ is but I am in a fierce battle with who the modern “church” is. Be blessed today.
Peter, so bold and sure of who Christ was – “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” But then, just a few chapters later because of fear – denies that he even knows Christ. Soon after he realizes what he has done and weeps bitterly…May I learn from this. I need to be on guard, Satan will use all kinds of things to try and wear me down – to try and get me to deny that Christ is who He says He is. He is the Christ. The Son of the Living God. He is my salvation, my hope, my all in all. Father God, help me to live every day remembering who You are. Help me to walk in Christ, to depend on Your Spirit to guide me and help me. Open the eyes of the blind that they too may see and come to salvation – that they may believe and confess that You are God. In Jesus Name.
Praying for all your requests. Have a blessed day, being mindful every minute of His presence!
KRISTINE LOUGHMAN… same. (Logistics person… will He do it again?) Lord, help me.
Oh, Peter… I am so much like this guy… confessing that He is the Christ then not letting Him do what He came to do. Lord, help me on that score too!
Missing some sweet sisters…
Thank you all for your prayers for me <3 Praise God my anxiety felt better yesterday and I slept better last night. My NIV translation of Isaiah 28:16 said "…the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic." What comforting words when my anxiety feels elevated. Rely on Jesus, our Messiah, our precious cornerstone. When I feel anxious, I know where I need to go – the feet of Jesus. I wrote in my journal from today's reading: "Who do I say that Jesus is?" My immediate response: "He is faithful. He has never let me go. He loves me. He will always welcome me back." Thank you Jesus, thank you. When other people let me down, my Jesus never will.
Praying these prayers along with all of you – Lord, continue to draw me to you, and hold me there always!
Holy Spirit build my faith. In Jesus name, Amen
Thank You Jesus in all things and for all things! As scripture says, “Lord, help me!” Matthew 15:25. May I, daily, desire Your Word and get to know You more intimately. Lord, may my walk get closer and closer to You so that my children and family see You and want to draw near to You more as well. Draw near Lord Jesus! In Jesus Name, Amen
It’s too easy to get caught up in the details. I’ve long thought that the Church has this problem. There are so many “brands” of Christianity, it’s no wonder we’ve confused the world (and ourselves) just like the Pharisees did when they started harping on the details of the law. I imagine Jesus had many an eye roll for them as they completely missed the point of his teachings.
The other part that stood out today was Jesus’s repeated miracles of feeding all the people. Yet the disciples still worried about what they were going to eat. As a logistics person, this would be me! Yeah Jesus did that one miracle… but will he do it again? What about these people? Maybe we should have a back up plan… miracle after miracle, and they still worried. I feel for them! Lord, help me trust that you are who you say you are and will do what you say you’ll do.
I want to be close to His heart! ❤️
MIA FAITH – Any news? Continued prayers for you and yours ❤️
ALAYNA – How are you? May God wrap you and yours in His love and hold you tight ❤️
MERCY – Continued prayers for you and your husband.
MICHELLE – Continued prayers for your new job. May you shine for His glory!
INDIANA ELAINE – Continued prayers for your student Steven. For trust, peace, and healing.
KARRIE – Continued prayers for a quick recovery. And that you may rest in His presence.
ARLENE – Keep crying out to Him for help, dear sister. Praying for God’s presence to surround you today. May you rest in His peace.
TAYLOR – Good to see you, you have been missed! Praying that God takes your anxiety and turns it into peace and trust. God is with you.
God has made it so simple: believe and confess. Yet in this broken world, where we are blinded by sin, belief in and confession of Jesus as Savior and Lord can be impossible.
Holy Spirit move in our hearts to be unwavering in our belief and be ready to speak about Jesus, the Messiah and soon-returning King. Remove the barriers to belief and confession that are in front of those we know who are still blinded by sin.
THERESA – prayers for Sydney
KARRIE – praying for complete healing for your foot, back, and neck
DANIELLE B – sorry about your car. Praying you will be feeling better soon and God provides a replacement vehicle quickly
SEARCHING – praying for your elderly relative
CHANGED LIFE – praying you are feeling beter
CHERRIE BREWER – hi!
“Lord, help me!” – Matthew 15:25
“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!” – Matthew 16:16
Dear Father,
Everyone who calls on Your name will be saved.
And Your salvation is what we need.
So I pray to You Lord, Messiah, Son of the living God: Help us!
Help us to trust You. — You are in the driver’s seat.
Help us to follow Your lead and take up our cross. — You showed us how.
Help us to focus on self-sacrifice instead of self-help. — Yours is the glory.
In Jesus’ name, help us.
AMEN.