2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 28:1-68 ESV, Luke 11:14-36 ESV, Psalm 77:1-20 ESV, Proverbs 12:18 ESV
Daily Verse: “But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.” (Luke 11:17 ESV)
DIANOEMA (1270): “From a compound of 1223 and 3539; something thought through, i.e., a sentiment. Used 1 time.”[I]
Thought through.
Found only once in the Bible, dianoema means the people thought through the predicament. Since Jesus cast out demons, He must do it with the help of Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Jesus knew their thoughts; He understood their thinking and responded accordingly.
“But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Luke 11:20 ESV)
Once again, we find the people blind to the workings of God. We do the same thing. God moves in our lives, but we can’t see it. Instead, we question, trying to find another explanation besides the obvious one.
Keep a kingdom perspective.
Thoughts determine actions, as well as who we follow. Jesus knows our thoughts; it says so in today’s verse, even more so, how we conclude from our human perspective. Double-minded means we can’t choose a side, like the people couldn’t decide who gave Jesus’ authority to cast out demons; the devil seemed like the obvious answer.
However, the people didn’t have a kingdom perspective. In other words, they looked for anything but God. If we want to start seeing God’s work in our life, we must begin looking for God.
Often, we don’t know God’s plan until it unfolds entirely. When they eliminated my position in 2018, it devastated me. However, the abrupt change of direction led me back to school and a Masters’s degree, something not on my plan at all, nor writing daily devotionals. God moved in my life, leading me on a new path, a better one for me.
When something happens today, instead of trying to figure it out on your own accord, look at it from a different vantage point. Ask God what He’s doing during the situation. Keep your thoughts focused on Jesus; you’ll quickly realize, He’s always at work in your life, one way or another.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 66) Thomas Nelson
