Here's today's devotional about Matthew chapter 16. Let's read the passage of Scripture. Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied, When evening comes, you say, the weather will be fair, for the sky is red. And in the morning, today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. Then he left them and went away. When they crossed to the other side, the disciples forgot to take bread. Watch out, Jesus told them. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They discussed this among themselves and concluded, it is because we did not bring any bread. Aware of their conversation, Jesus said, you of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the 5,000 and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the 4,000 and how many basketfuls you gathered? Do you not understand that I was not telling you about bread, but to beware of the Pharisees and Sadducees? Then they understood that he was not telling them to beware of the leaven used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he questioned his disciples. Who do people say the Son of Man is? They replied, Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But what about you, Jesus asked? Who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus replied, Blessed are you, Simon, son of John. For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Then he admonished the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. Far be it from you, Lord, he said. This shall never happen to you. But Jesus turned and said to Peter, get behind me, Satan. You are a stumbling block to me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men. Then Jesus told his disciples, if anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done. Truly I tell you, Some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. And this is God's word. Now here's my devotional about this passage, Matthew chapter 16. Problems, they're a part of life, but nobody wants them. At the end of Matthew 16, Jesus told the disciples that big problems awaited him in Jerusalem. In verse 21, he told the disciples that he would suffer many things and be killed. He told them that he must, twice using that word, do these things. That expression must indicates that this is what God had willed for him. When Peter rebuked Jesus in verse 22, Jesus returned an even more intense rebuke in verse 23, calling him Satan. Then Jesus went on to say that all the disciples must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me, according to verse 24. Now that does not mean dying for your own sins, but that followers of Christ will suffer just as Christ himself suffered. Within the problems that you and I face in life are lessons, lessons about following Jesus. The main lesson we need to learn in every problem is the lesson of self-denial. Verse 24 says, The anger or fear or frustration you feel about your problems rises from a sense of entitlement. This shouldn't have happened to me, we think. It's not right. Jesus could have said that when he went to the cross, and he would have been 100% correct. God's will compelled him to face these problems for our salvation. And like all Master-Disciple situations, it is our turn to do what the Master did, to suffer, even unjustly, but be faithful according to the will of God. I hope whatever suffering you're facing in your life at this time, this devotional will help with that. It'll give you a different perspective about your suffering. and that it will include with it the grace to suffer for Jesus. Until next time, have a great day.