“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” – Matthew 5:23-24

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks tells a true story in one of his books about peacemaking in what is arguably one of the world's most difficult places to achieve it: the Middle East. One evening in the early 1980s, British diplomat Victor Mishcon was attempting to negotiate a peace deal between Jordan and Israel. Following the time-honored diplomatic tradition, he began by inviting the countries' representatives—King Hussein of Jordan and Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres—to his home for dinner.

The evening proceeded pleasantly enough, but as the meal concluded, both Peres and Hussein began preparing to leave. This was when Mishcon's brilliant strategy truly began. He informed both men that their departure would have to wait—the three of them were going to wash the dishes together. King Hussein took his place at the sink while Peres handled the drying, working side by side. This had been Mishcon's intention all along: to place these two men, who seemed so different, right next to each other, allowing them to experience each other's shared humanity.

Are you estranged from anyone? Today in prayer, take the first steps of reconciliation. Confess any sin to the Lord, forgive any wrongs that others have done to you, and seek to have restored relationships that are centered on Jesus Christ.

“The number one problem in our world is alienation, rich versus poor, black versus white, labor versus management, conservative versus liberal, East versus West . . . But Christ came to bring about reconciliation and peace.” – Billy Graham

God’s Word: “that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” – 2 Corinthians 5:19

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2025, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN MATTHEW †

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.” – Matthew 4:1

In her book “Invitation to Retreat”, author Ruth Haley Barton writes: “While I am not one to see a demon behind every bush or spiritual warfare in every difficulty, the fact is that we are regularly engaged in the struggle against good and evil—whether we know it or not. 

And as we mature in our faith, the battles become more subtle and hard to detect: the good is often the enemy of the best and it is hard to know the difference. Of necessity, the weapons of our warfare must become more precise as well. 

A point may come on the spiritual journey when persons who deeply love God must be aware of, understand, and reject certain attractions to good and holy things that, if undertaken, would distract them from the different good and holy things to which God is genuinely calling them. . . . 

They will need to discern between spiritual consolation that is authentically of the good spirit and deceptive spiritual consolation that is not of the good spirit, and that will lead, if followed, to spiritual harm.”

We each face temptations, but through Jesus can we overcome any temptation. Today in prayer, pray that Jesus would lead you away from all temptation so that you may walk with Him.

“If you're losing the battle against a persistent bad habit, an addiction, or a temptation, and you're stuck in a repeating cycle of good intention-failure-guilt, you will not get better on your own. You need the help of other people. Some temptations are only overcome with the help of a partner who prays for you, encourages you, and holds you accountable.” - Rick Warren

God’s Word: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” – Matthew 6:13

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2025, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN MATTHEW   †

“Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.” – Matthew 1:17

In his book “52 Weeks with Jesus” author James Merritt wrote: “The actress Brooke Shields has quite an impressive family mosaic. Hanging from her family tree are the likes of Charlemagne, El Cid, William the Conqueror, the royal houses of virtually every European country, and five popes—prior to the twelfth-century imposition of celibacy!

She’s not unique, though.

Experts say that even without a documented connection to some notable ancestor, the odds are virtually 100 percent that every person on earth is descended from one royal person or another. It works the other way as well. Anyone who had children more than a few hundred years ago is likely to have millions of descendants today, quite a few of them famous.

You may be a royal blueblood right now and not even know it. You may have the blood of some king or queen flowing through your veins. In the genealogy of Jesus, God demonstrates that anyone can become a part of the greatest royal family of all—the family of not just a king, but the King of kings.”

Though some people have an interesting family tree, only Jesus is the son of Abraham and the son of David. Jesus Christ is the Promised Son. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He became a man, just as our Heavenly Father promised.

“The Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.” – C.S. Lewis

God’s Word: “Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli … the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” – Luke 3:23, 38

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2025, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN MATTHEW †