Jesus Was Crucified For My Sin

Matthew 27:24-26 - When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”  Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

 

Jesus had been help all night and taken to Pilate…the Highest Roman official available….the next morning. He questioned Him…but Jesus would answer none of the accusations except to validate He was the Messiah. Pilate was sure in His heart that Jesus was innocent of anything…he wanted to set Him free. His wife even warned him to not take part in Jesus’ death because of a dream she had.

 

He tried to set Jesus free….using the custom of releasing a prisoner at Passover…but that only released another man…guilty of everything that they tried to accuse Jesus. The great crowds that followed Jesus to listen to His teaching and beg for healing were nowhere to be found.  They had been replaced with an angry mob shouting out for His crucifixion. So Pilate gave in…called for a basin of water…and literally washed his hands of any responsibility the Jesus’ death. The crowd took full responsibility…even burdening their children in the words they shouted out. Jesus was flogged and the road to Golgotha began.

 

Truth is that we are all responsible for the sin that Jesus sacrificed His life for on that cross. He bore the weight of every sin that had been committed and every sin to be committed in the future. He quietly allowed man to beat….mock….spit upon…and be nailed to a cross …so that He could provide a way for all of us to repent of our sin and join him in the reward of Heaven…even though we deserved to die in His place. He willingly took the cup of suffering and death that God had sent Him to partake…and gave His life for all sinners. It was their sin…and it was my sin…that Jesus died for on that cross.

 

No greater sacrifice has ever been made for me personally. It should motivate me to do whatever God asks when I think of it...but I admit that my flesh wins more times than Jesus’ sacrifice motivates me to sacrifice the way He did. Perhaps if I woke each morning with the vivid picture of the suffering He endured just for me….I would stay stronger and develop a stronger faith.  

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that your son Jesus loved me so much that He sacrificed His very life to make a way for me to share in salvation. I thank you Jesus for that….and ask that you forgive me for forgetting how very great that present was. Forgive me for not thanking you for  your sacrifice every morning…and letting the vision of your love power me to be more like you each day. Help me to overcome the influences of the world that try to turn me into a person who doesn’t care about others more that I care about myself.  Amen.

Talk Is Cheap

Matthew 26:31-35 - Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. ’But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”  “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”  But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

 

It was one of the longest days for Jesus. He had been anointed for His death with some expensive perfume….felt the sting of betrayal as Judas sold Him out for 30 pieces of silver…reclined at a humble table of Passover fixings….all the while emotionally struggling with the approaching task of sacrificing His perfect life for all on the cross. The thing that weighed heaviest on His heart in this moment…was that the closest twelve people He had come to love and trust the most…would all abandon Him and scatter before daybreak.

 

They were brave and bold when Jesus was right next to them…denying that they could ever feel so far and distant from their teacher….but as soon as he was removed from them they fell apart and became weaker than they ever expected in their own minds. Oh how Jesus must have hurt from the knowledge that no one would stay with Him to support Him as He finished the hard task His father gave Him to do.

 

Jesus left that dinner and went straight to pray to His father. He took a few of the twelve with Him to pray…but they were so focused on themselves that they fell asleep. He had told them many times what was about to happen…He had even let them know the amazing fact that He was going to be resurrected ad return to them. But they were still in human mode…and saw only the possibility of an Earthly Kingdom…Jesus the ruler of the Jews and they as His assistants….ears…heart…and minds closed to any other option.

 

It is a reminder that talk is cheap… words mean nothing if they are not backed up with actions. It is a reminder that apart from Christ we have no power in our selves…it is His power that gives us the strength to carry out even the hardest tasks He gives us to do. It is a reminder that above all I must work to somehow stay connected to the source of all power…for without Him…I would fall apart just like these twelve men.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I am weakest when I rely on my own human instincts and resources.  Forgive me for limiting myself with my own thoughts and actions. Help me to stay connected to you so that I will always have the best back up plan available….so that I will always have your power and strength to help me. Amen.

God Calls Us To Share....With No Thought Of Any Return

Matthew 25:37-40 -  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

 

Jesus took every opportunity to teach valuable lessons to anyone that was listening. This day He combined three stories into a mini lesson of how to live a rich Christian life. He used bridesmaids to illustrate how we all need to be responsible for our own spiritually….ready at a moment’s notice for His return.  He used an owner’s money to illustrate the need to use the resources He gives us to increase the number of people that know Him.  Then He finished up with a story of how sheep and goats are separated to help us understand that servitude is a huge part of how He expects us to live for Him each day.

 

If you combine all three you will be ready to use what you have been given to help others …every time God allows someone in need to cross your path. Jesus said that we are not just helping them…you are helping Christ. I admit that it is hard to think about helping every person that crosses your path.  I sure don’t have millions stored away in the bank to help every person that might ask….but I hear that scripture resounding in my head from Luke 6…29-3. It goes like this… "Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.  "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.  "Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.…

 

Let’s expand that thought to include more than just the people we know. There’s this scripture from Hebrews 13:2…. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. That tells me that angels do appear on Earth for reasons unexplained.  And let’s not forget the wonderful experience that the two disciples had on the Emmaus road. They were some of the first to talk with Jesus after His resurrection.

 

There is one more reason to share…it is a powerful tool to heal the hurt or pain you have encountered in your own life.  Listen to Isaiah 58:7-9 ….which by the way resembles Jesus’ words here in Matthew quite closely…. “Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.” That is powerful stuff right there.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that my commitment to you transfers to others in every way.  Forgive me for the times that I have shirked off the chance to help someone…and disappointed an angel or even you with my selfishness. Help me to discern every opportunity to help someone else…to bless them with what you have given me….not just in material things…but in love and compassion as well. Amen.

The Love Of Most Will Grow Cold

Matthew 24:12-14 -  Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

 

Jesus had told the disciples that the earthly Temple they walked through that very morning would be completely destroyed….till no stone was left on its original place. Now they were sitting around Him as He taught on the Mount of Olives…asking Him what He meant.  His words reminded them of the prophecies from Daniel and Zechariah about the end of all time…the point when God would conquer the evil in this world for good….and set up His Earthly kingdom to reign in peace and love forever.

 

It is so hard to wrap your mind and heart around the words that Jesus spoke.  Many of the signs He called birth pains have been happening for years and years.  Scholars of the writings and prophecies say we are very close to the end…and even as I write there is an urgency in my spirit that tells me they are more right than wrong.  But the thing that weighs heaviest this morning is not that we may be close to the end…but that we are obviously not all ready and prepared as Jesus warned.

 

His words told us to preach the truth of the Kingdom of God to all people. All will have a chance to hear His name before he comes. Everyone will have a chance to understand their choice to love Him or reject Him.  Many false Gods will slow the work of God…proclaiming things that will confuse even those that love Him.

 

He also told us to guard the flame of love He planted in our hearts….to know in advance that many who call on His name will let their love for Him grow cold. We need to keep the fire inside our spirits burning brightly with daily prayer and Bible study. We need to share our fire with others in service to anyone who may benefit from what God has blessed us with. We need to ask for discernment so we can recognize those false teachers and let God help us to overcome the persecution and evil that will affect our lives toward the end.

 

I admit that it is easy to become tempted to say…the end is far away…and even if it’s not….those things will never happen in my lifetime…or in my country…or in my town.  Rationalizing the truth we just read as to far distant in the future…or not affecting us personally...is the first step in letting our faith and wisdom take a vacation. God wants desperately for the whole world to accept and love Him…but he knows in advance that that is not the way it will happen. If I am to endure with my faith and love for Him intact…I have to believe that He could come…even as I write my next word…as a flash of lightening…no warning.  That folks is how you keep the fire He placed inside you so strong you can’t help but heat up the ones He placed around you as you grow in His love and truth.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are coming back as you said. It’s not important that I know when or how or even what will happen to me when you come…I just need to be watching and prepared to worship you and call you Lord forever.  Forgive me once again for letting the world cool my heart even the slightest bit…and missing opportunities to witness and testify to the great things you have brought me through and the promises that you made to give me hope in any situation.  Help me to work harder to fan the flame you placed inside me as bright and intense as I can…so I can reach more of the world with your light.  Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Practice What You Preach

Matthew 23:1-4 - Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:  “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.  So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.  They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

 

Jesus took every opportunity to teach to anyone that was listening. The crowds that had gathered included many of the leaders of the Jewish Church…the Pharisees and Sadducees that had filled Moses’ role as law enforcers. Jesus was careful to tell the people that the laws were important…to keep them and do what the leaders told them. He was also very clear about the fact the keeping a law was not just talk.  We need to practice what we preach.

 

Even though the leaders had got off track with their interpretations of some of the laws…making them more about man than worshipping God…the base laws were good and needed to be enforced. The problem that Jesus had with these leaders is that their walk did not match their talk. Jesus was calling them out on all the things they did simply for show…he could see the heart underneath those extended robes and large prayer boxes they wore on their arms….they never used the prayers inside the boxes to enlarge the heart.

 

I admit that it is hard to always do the right thing…to always practice what we preach. But when we realize that we share this character trait with the leaders who plotted against Jesus…it should motivate us to stay away from this kind of Christianity.  It is our hearts that God wants fully transformed into His likeness….for us to join the ranks of people like Moses…and David….and Paul…who let God have all of their hearts and resources to use for His glory.

 

Father...thank you for the reminder that I need to practice what I write each day. If I claim to know what to do …and I do not do it…I become one of the blind hypocrites that Jesus called the leaders of His day.  Forgive me for the times that I have justified not following your will exactly because of the many excuses I can dream up.  Help me to use what you have taught me to make the right choices….choices based on your word alone.  Amen.

God Calls us To Dual Citizenship

Matthew 22: 20-22 - And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”  They said to Him, “Caesar’s.  And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ²² When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

 

The religious leaders were desperate to trap Jesus and stop the huge following that threatened their control of the Jewish laws. The Pharisees thought they had Jesus…no matter what He answered on the subject of money and taxes.  If he said Caesar….He would be breaking Jewish laws.  If he said God…then the Roman government would have Him on heresy.  

 

Jesus amazed them and shut them up for a while with His reply that government loyalties should be kept as well as God’s laws. He introduced the concept of dual citizenship…supporting the rules of a government as well as the rules of God. Jesus had already taken a step further to prove He meant what He said. He had already sent Peter to the shore of the sea to fetch a fish with a coin in Matthew 17:21 to pay their taxes with.

 

I will admit that it causes me more than a bit of sorrow in my heart when I have voted against a law or rule that I feel God would not be happy with. I am sure the people of that day struggled with the same thing.  They had asked God for a king to rule and help provide order to their world. They forgot to ask God to always make sure the king was a godly man who would always make sure the laws of God were considered when any government rule or laws were made.  They forgot that God will not completely do away with evil governments until the last days…and that some people would be oppressed by these less than godly countries.

 

I will admit that I do not support every item that my taxes go to fund….but I still pay them each year.  At least my coins and dollar bills still have ‘In God We Trust’ printed on them.  I know in my heart that God will use all things…even the ones that I see as hurtful and against His commands.  In His timing all things will work to the good of those that love Him…that is the promise of Romans 8:28.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that dual citizenship is a concept that you ordained to give authority to an earthly leader.  Your intent was to provide order and structure to a world full of chaos and evil. Even though the world has twisted the concept to meet their own needs…you can still use it to bless and provide some routine to a world that would otherwise be purely evil. Forgive me for the times that I have complained and tried to find a way out of a law…instead of embracing it simply because you ask us to support our leaders. Help me to find ways to be involved in changing the laws that can be changed to be more godly in your sight.  Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Never Play Games With God

Matthew 21:24-27 - But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.”  So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”

 

Jesus used every minute of His time waiting in Jerusalem to pack as many teachings as he could into the last of His days.  He rode humbly into town on a donkey. He rebuked the money changers and merchants who had turned his Father’s House meant for prayer and worship into a ‘den of thieves.’  He used fruitless fig trees to teach the disciples about faith and prayer.  He told stories to illustrate His Father’s amazing grace and love. He even beat the religious leaders at their own game of ‘let’s trap Jesus so we can get rid of Him.’

 

It is a reminder to me to never play games with God.  He knows our heart and every motive that precedes the actions of our hands…feet…and mouths. We believe…or we don’t…there is no middle choice. We act on our faith and use it to help others…or we manipulate the laws like the religious leaders did to fit our own needs. The latter is not blessed by God but frowned upon…it hurts His very core for us to try and twist His love and blessings to increase our own happiness.  We will wither someday just like that fig tree that did not have food ready for Jesus when He was hungry.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that receiving your love and grace is not a game to be played.  Forgive me for the times that I have manipulated your blessings to do what my selfish human flesh wanted to do.  Help me to make better choices with the things you have given me…so that I can bear so much fruit that the branches won’t hold it all.  Make me so fruitful that all the people who need it can gather it from the ground around me. Amen.

The Greatest Is The Servant Of All

Matthew 20:26-28 -  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

 

Jesus had tried to explain His death and resurrection to the disciples for the third time…but His words did not spur questions of why He was going to die and be raised again.  His word spurred the disciples to debate about who would be the greatest in His kingdom. One mother even joined the discussion…asking for preferential treatment for her two sons.

 

Jesus was clear that whoever joined Him would Have to drink of the same cup He did...then He reminded them of the importance of humility and servanthood. The first would have to see the need to be last…to give their life in service to others.

 

I admit that to become a servant is not the easiest of tasks.  It requires us to leave our selfish human natures completely behind and trust God completely to provide what we need.  It requires an attitude of love that surpasses all judgmental actions. It requires that we become people driven by compassion and mercy…not worrying about what we might get out of our good deeds.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that we are to strive to become like you….and give my life to others so that they may receive the eternal life that you so freely gave to me. Forgive me for the times that I have let my selfish nature win out once more…and clung to the world and the good things it provides.  Help me to let go of all the things of this world so that you can instill in my heart a true servant attitude like your son had….willing to die to save mankind…all of mankind.  Amen.

Pray For The Children Of The World

Matthew 19:13-15 -  Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

 

Jesus had been preached and healed in Galilee for a bit before He left to go to Jerusalem. Even as he began to travel …great crowds followed Him….and the Pharisees continue to question His teachings. Even the parents of children who seemingly had nothing wrong with them… brought them to Jesus.  They wanted Jesus to touch them and pray over them. The disciples saw no need for Jesus to take the time to bother with these parent’s request…but Jesus saw the benefit and stopped to touch them…taking the opportunity to remind the disciples that the simple trusting heart of these children was the key to understanding  all that he came to teach.

 

It is also a great model of how I as a parent …I should constantly lift my children up to God.  They took the time to bring their children to Jesus…even the ones that had nothing wrong with them…to have Him bless them and pray over their futures.  Praying for the children God has placed around us should be a daily passion in all of our hearts. We need to ask God to preserve that childlike faith and trust they are born with…so that life doesn’t steal all of it as they grow.

 

You don’t even need to be a parent to pray for the children of the world.  There are many orphans out there that need support….or many broken families that are too damaged to pray for their own child.  They need those of us that pray to include them in our petitions.  God knows who they are…and what they need to be protected from the pain of growing up in a damaged family…or no family at all. That is what Jesus did when He stopped to touch them…He was empowering them for what might come in the future.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that children are very important to you.  Forgive me for the times that I have been so focused on my own problems that I did not take the time to pray for my own children…or the children that walk through my classroom door each day.   Help me to find a time to include my children in my prayers every day….so that you can empower them with what they need to develop the closest relationship they can have with you.  Show me a way to boldly include the children that come through my classroom doors…and even those that might live in my community that I don’t even know.  Amen.

Forgiveness Is A Permanent State Of Mind

Matthew 18:21-22 - Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

 

Jesus had spent the day teaching the disciples.  His time with them was drawing to a close….so he was packing all He could into the last few days before His crucifixion …death…and resurrection. He taught them about humility…reminding them of the difference in being childish and childlike.  He warned them that temptations would always be a part of their lives…to guard against becoming the tempter. He told them to always hold all people in high regard…never demeaning them…and always ask God to direct the conversations we have with those Christian friends we feel have made unbiblical choices.

 

It was peter’s question about forgiveness that turned Jesus’ attention to the subject.  Peter thought he was being extra lenient in offering the perfect number of 7 for a guide of how many times to forgive someone. But Jesus was quick to tell them 7x70 …meaning  that forgiveness was not a number to simply count…it was a permanent state of mind that they should hold to…cherishing the feeling of mercy ….compassion ….and tolerance …letting it transform their hearts in the process.

 

It is a great reminder to me that mastering the art of forgiveness is paramount to becoming the Christian that God wants us to be. Jesus is very clear here…if we are not willing to work on our attitudes of forgiveness…God will not forgive us any of the sins we commit. I can testify to the fact that unforgiveness will block your growth of faith…block your happiness….block your ability to understand anything in Bible study and prayer….generally stop you exactly where you are in God in the moment you realize you have been called to forgive someone who has hurt you…even if it was a deep wound. I believe with all my heart that I started growing more in Christ the night I laid my hurt and hate from my divorce at Jesus feet…and truly forgave my ex for his part in the failing of our marriage.

 

I will go one more step and tell you that the moment I decided to forgive him…a whole new world of loving others opened up for me.  I have begun to love more people….to open up my heart to more ways to love others.  I have more passion to do what is right….and the strength to do it was multiplied. I trust more…and care less about how many times I might be hurt….taking more risks with my heart simply because I know it is what God wants me to do. Sure I still have lapses where I revert back to my old ways of doing unto others the way they did to me…..but God always reminds me how full life is when I remember Luke 6:31 that says do unto others the way you want to be done.

Father…thank you for the reminder that forgiveness is one of the most important lessons e can learn from you.  Forgive me for the times that I have forgotten this important attitude…and let satan trick me into seeping in hate and sadness because of the hurts that happened in my life.  Help me to always remember that unforgivenss blocks my understanding of your word…blocks my heart from loving others the way you love me. Let forgiveness be so immediate from my heart that I even forget what unforgiveness is.  Amen.

More Faith + More Prayer + More Fasting =More Power

Matthew 17:20-21 - So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

 

Three of the disciples had just witnessed one of the most supernatural experiences yet in Jesus’ life. They had watched as Jesus visited with His father …the presence of God so powerful that Jesus shone from head to toe. They had even heard God speak to His son….telling Him how proud and pleased he was in the fulfilling the job He had come to do. But the disciples left behind had been trying to cast out a demon….and had been unsuccessful.

 

Jesus counseled them later in private about their need for more faith.  Then He added that fasting and prayer would give them all the power they needed for the hardest tasks.  Jesus wasn’t talking about the faith we have in the mail delivery every day…or the trash to be picked up once a week.  Jesus was talking about the kind of faith that allows us to live through the worst of human tragedies and still believe that God is with us through it all. Faith is the beginning of the deepest relationship we can have with the trinity…just a small amount helps us tap into the power of God…Jesus…and the Holy Spirit.

 

I admit that needed to hear Jesus’ words to the men who lived with Him 24/7. My flesh is as weak and human as the next Christian follower….I struggle to get out of bed so early some mornings to have my chat with God. I struggle with the purpose behind my storms in life more than I accept them at face value and trust that God’s plan is better for me than what envisioned. I struggle to increase my faith instead of be satisfied with the tiny bit that keeps me from falling apart some days.  

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need more faith. Forgive me for the mountains that I have ignored or walked past that need moving.  Help me to increase the faith I need to move them out of the way ….so that I can show your love more intensely. Amen.

Trust God Without Borders

Matthew 16:17-18 and 23  -  Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

^….Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

 

He had dealt with the religious leader once more and refused to play their games.  The only sign of his authority he would give them was the story of Jonah. Then he turned to the ones that had lived with him the last few months and asked them who they thought he was. Most of the disciples regurgitated the words they had heard from other people….he was a great prophet….or John the Baptist…or Elijah come back. But Peter stood and boldly declared what God had revealed to his heart…soul….and mind.  Jesus was without a doubt in his mind the long awaited Messiah.

 

As proud of Peter Jesus had been at this declaration….moments later he gave Peter one of the harshest rebukes of his life. Peter’s knowledge of who Christ was stopped with knowing who He was.  His vision of why God Had sent His son was all but earthly. He was so close to understanding the whole picture…to harnessing the full power that Jesus gave him moments before.

 

It is a reminder to me that God’s vision of things usually does not match the earthly way in which we think. Peter was going to be a great preacher….full of power and strength just like his mentor Jesus…but he had to let go of the world before that would happen. It would take a few more hard lessons before he was ready…and God would patiently fix a soldier’ ear….and restore his faith after a 3 time denial to teach Peter the Heavenly concept of what love is all about.

 

I admit that I have been a Peter many times.  My earthly understanding has been a roadblock to a greater understanding of the power I could harness to do His work. I am beginning to trust God with a deeper faith…and admit freely that I have many more lessons to go. It is simply not easy to believe in the supernatural sometimes….especially when the reality of earth…..the life hurts you encounter daily are staring you in the face.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that your picture of the world is complete in every way.  Forgive me for letting the world blind me from the supernatural things you want to do in my life. Help me to trust you without borders.  Amen.

The Heart Needs Only The Rules Of God

Matthew 15:7-9 - You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.⁴'^d5"

 

Jesus used these harsh words after a discussion with the Pharisees about one of the many rules they had added to the laws Moses handed down to them. It was one of over 100 rules and rituals that had been written down for the Jews to follow. Their intent was to interpret the laws…spell them out in detail…so that all would know exactly what each of the ten commands meant.  The rule had become more important that the reason God gave Moses the Law in the first place…and many of the rituals actually twisted the true intent that God wanted to be a fixture in our hearts.

 

Jesus intent was to have one church…but man has separated themselves into denominations….claiming that theirs is the one that mimics the first churches of God the closest. One of the dangers of separate denominations is exactly what Jesus addressed here. A we write down the by-laws and mission statements of the churches…we run the danger of interpreting the original laws into nitpicky rules that don’t enhance our lives the way God intended the law to help us grow and develop. Our rituals of worship become more important than the God we came to offer our praise too.

 

What a great reminder to keep our hearts ever tuned to the simplicity of the ten commands God gave Moses on that mountain. We should concentrate on our individual relationships with Christ…and depend on him alone to interpret the meaning of each one in our lives. Deuteronomy 4:2 warns us not to add or subtract anything to the words Moses brought down from that mountain.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that your word is simple….and our ears understand it best when we have a relationship with you like Moses did.  As we meet with you daily …you will explain each one as it pertains to our lives.  Forgive me for the times that I have tried to twist the meaning of a law to benefit me.  Help me to listen closely when we meet each day so that I can understand each one as simply as you meant it.  Amen.

God Can Use Grief To Power His Work

Matthew 14:12-13 - John's disciples came and took his body and buried it.⁹ Then they went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.

 

It was one of the times that Jesus had to deal with the height of human emotions that accompanies grief. His cousin and his dear preacher….the one that had baptized him into his ministry… the one that God had chosen to prepare the way for His only Son…. had been beheaded.  What Jesus wanted and needed was some time alone to process the loss of his dear friend and co-worker…..so he climbed in a boat with the intent to withdraw a while to a remote place.

 

The scriptures are unclear as to just how long Jesus took to grieve. The story just says that he withdrew for a time to be with his father. Perhaps it was just the time on the boat….some believe he actually had a few days in the wilderness off the coast where the boat landed before the crowds who saw the direction the boat was headed caught up with him and massed one of the largest gatherings recorded to hear him teach and watch him heal the sick.

 

The thing that stuck in my spirit is that Jesus did not take forever to grieve. He must have sensed the large crowd gathering close to him…perhaps His father even told Him it was time to go back to the task for which he had been sent….but as soon as he saw the crowds and felt the hearts all around Him that needed His healing touch….His compassion prompted Him to begin to heal each one that had come.  Jesus used His compassion and grief to power a mass healing…and one of the greatest miracles recorded…the feeding of that large crowd with just 5 small loaves of bread and 2 small fish.

 

What a great reminder that God can take the emotions of grief… the deep pain that one feels when they must do without a loved one…. And use it to power His work. Its personal for me…for it is a wonderful reminder of one of the reasons I should thank God for my loss of Mitchell…for God used that loss in my life to reveal the ability He had given me to write. It catapulted me into a new task for Him….and opened my eyes and heart more deeply to the scripture as I study each night to prepare.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that the strong emotions of grief are not meant to stop us in a permanent sadness. We are to come to you with our deep sorrow and let you channel it into the power we need to do the work you have called us to do. Forgive me for the times that I have withdrawn for too long  time and let my sorrow expand into a pity party.  Remind me as often as you need to keep my heart thankful for the purpose it has revealed in my life. Amen.

Physical Hearing Is Not The Same As Spiritual Hearing

Matthew 13:11-13 -  He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see.  They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

 

The crowd that gathered to hear him teach that day was so large that he used a boat moored on the beach as a platform. He told story after story that gave illustrations of the Kingdom of God that He had been sent to begin. Used soil…weeds…yeast…the tiny mustard seed…pearls…treasure chests…and fishing nets to try and explain the many complicated aspects of the way good and evil existed together in the world until the end. But though many were there to hear…very few understood the full meaning of his stories.

 

His stories reminded us of several things. The world contains good and evil together because God is not going to separate them out until His final coming.  He taught that the tiniest of hearts can become the grandest of believers….and that one good person can influence a multitude of people who haven’t made up their mind. And most importantly….If we are fortunate to find the treasure that is God’s love we need to pour everything we have into using that treasure to strengthen our faith.

 

He ended with a deep statement that these important concepts would not be understood by all who hear them. He referenced the prophecy of Isaiah 6:9-10….telling His disciples that they were seeing the fulfillment of it as he spoke to them that day.   Physical hearing is simply not the same as spiritual hearing. Our lives must be prepared …be the fertile soil in His parable. We must study…. and pray…. and keep our tiny hearts humble and ever ready to accept what He tells us is the truth…so we can grow in His love and be one of the grand mustard plants that overcomes the weeds and evil of the world.

 

It is a great reminder to me to always ask God to open up my mind and heart before I begin to read and study His word each night. It is a reminder that perhaps my simple… “help me Lord” might need to be changed to a more formal prayer each morning as I rise to blog what he lays on my heart.  I never want the routine of writing to take more importance than the reason He asked me to do this in the first place. I want to always be open to understand everything He embedded in the Bible to help me be the most that I can be for Him. I admit that my thoughts these last few nights…. that these chapters in Matthew are take so long and require more words of notes… could decrease my full understanding of all that He needs me to understand of Matthew’s writings.

 

 

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that every word you placed in your Bible is an importance piece of how I am to live my life for you alone. Forgive me for even having thoughts that I could take shortcuts and still get all that you need me to soak up from your word. Keep using life to fertilize and prepare me for what you have ahead….those good plans that will prosper me and keep the hope that you give me filling my heart…prompting me to keep building faith stronger and stronger. Amen.

God Is A God Of People....Not Of Rules

Matthew 12:5-8  -   And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath?  I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple!  But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

 

Jesus had been walking through a grain field after one of his long days of healing…teaching and modeling compassion to the large crowds that followed him everywhere he seemed to go. They had helped themselves to the grains they passed….breaking open the hulls of the seed to eat the nutritious meat of the seeds as they walked. It was the natural way that God sustained the disciples and His Son’s physical needs.

 

A debate arose shortly after because the Jewish leaders saw the act and called it “work.” They wanted to trap Jesus into admitting He had broken one of the laws that Moses was given by God on Mount Sinai. They were relentless….as they kept rewording their accusation is different ways…clearly bent on proving their interpretation of the law was correct and binding on all people. 

 

Jesus answers… and the parables He told to help them understand the problem with their thinking clearly show that God was very concerned with our attitude…and the way we interpret any of the commands He gave us to live by.  One of our tasks in life is to make sure that we hold people more important than rules.

 

Jesus was not advocating the breaking of a rule for any reason…He was telling us that compassion….mercy….the physical….spiritual….and mental human needs we have override the precept of the rule He left us to follow.  Resting on Sunday was important….we need to spend time relaxing to allow our physical bodies to recharge and replenish the energy we expended through the week doing the work that provides for our needs. There is a huge difference in flipping burgers through the week because you are a cook at Cheddars….and flipping a burger on your backyard grill Sunday afternoon to feed your family as you relax and fellowship together.

 

One last thought for those of you who still feel the true Sabbath is a Saturday for my Catholic friends…or Sunday for most of my other protestant friends. I believe that when God allowed that veil to tear in the Tempe the day Jesus gave up his life for us on that cross…that the concept of only one day being the Sabbath changed. Jesus builds a personal relationship with all His followers. Just because a person has to work on the day you consider to be ‘your’ Sabbath…doesn’t mean they are breaking this rule either. Oh how I wish there were more alternative Churches that opened their doors EVERY day of the week to accommodate the many days that people consider to be the resting day. God clearly teaches that part of the recharging we should do on our resting day is to worship and praise Him. It’s kind of hard to worship on your own all the time….corporate worship just isn’t available to all people that must work on the traditional days most reserve as the Sabbath.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are a God of people…not pf rules.  Forgive me for the times that I have wrongly clung to a rule….forgetting the importance of the attitude you are trying to teach me through the adherence of it.  Help me to always consider the person more important than the rule…and show the kind of love….mercy…compassion and healing that you modeled for us through your son Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Don't Let Doubt Steal Your Joy

Matthew 11:2-6 - John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”  Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—  the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.  And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.’”

 

John the Baptist had been put in prison.  His many hours of alone time must have played with his faith and he began to doubt his calling. He even sent some of his followers to inquire of Jesus. Jesus immediately sent word back to him that He was who he thought when he as preaching in the wilderness.  Jesus went on to praise John to all that had gathered around Him that John was one of the greatest prophets…even the one who had been predicted…the replacement for Elijah...that would be sent to prepare the way for the Messiah.

 

Perhaps it was John’s separation form the task he had been called to that played with his mind. He could not understand how he could prepare the way for Jesus if he was sitting day after day in a jail cell. He was so humble that he did not once think of the many who had searched out the Christ because of his preaching.  He did not consider that he was in prison because his words stirred the hearts of so many.  It made him doubt his calling altogether.

 

I have to admit that I have shared John’s thought process many times.  I think that I have figured out my calling…then something happens to test it…to refine it…to teach me something unpredictable about it. Instead of calling out to God to sustain me and help me strengthen my faith…I find myself questioning what I thought I was supposed to do.

 

Jesus spoke of our need to joy in trials and persecutions because they build our faith and teach us valuable lessons that deepen our convictions and faith many times.  I love the way James 1:3 words this concept.  It says…. “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.…”

 

It is a great reminder to not let doubt steal the joy and peace God lays on our hearts when we know that we know that we know that God is on His throne and he has charged us with a specific task to do….no matter what tries to hinder us from completing that task.  Those hindrances allowed by God....but sent by satan…were sent to try and stop the spread of God’s word in the obedience of the faith we discovered.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have charged all believers with a job to do. We are all called to a specific way of spreading your truth and love to others. Forgive me for the times than I have doubted my purpose…and lengthened the time that it took to teach me the skills I needed to be effective for you.  Help me to stand strong like Peter and Silas…so that when I am faced with a road block the next time I will use the time to praise you in the storm you sent to teach me my next skill. Amen.

Love Anyway

Matthew 10:40-42 - “Whoever receives you, receives Me. Whoever receives Me, receives Him Who sent Me. Whoever receives a preacher who speaks for God because he is a preacher, will get the reward of a preacher who speaks for God. Whoever receives a man right with God, because he is a man right with God, will get the reward of a man right with God.  For sure, I tell you, anyone who gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he follows Me, will not lose his reward.”

 

Jesus had called his disciples to him and charged them with going out and doing the same work he had modeled for them. He gave them all authority to heal….cast out demons…..and preach the news that the Kingdom of God was near.  He told them to give freely as they had been given to….and not concern themselves with what to take with them or where to stay. God would provide all that they needed while they were about his work.

 

He warned them that it would not be an easy task.  Many people would treat them badly…reject the love they tried to share with them. He told them to move swiftly through as many cities as they could …reaching as many Jews as they could. They should remember to never fear the things that could hurt or kill their physical bodies….what mattered was the spirit that only God could give life or death.

 

What a great reminder that the key to being an effective disciple is our attitude toward what we have been asked to do for Christ.  Our effectiveness is not measured by the number of people who think we are right….but the attitude with which we share what he has given us to share.  We should give freely from the resources he has blessed us…with no thought of any return. The seeds we plant with our testimonies of what he has done for us may not grow till sometime after we have planted them. It reminds me of the poem credited to mother Theresa….who clearly understood this concept:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

            If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

            If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway.

           If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

            What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.

            If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

            The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

         Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

         In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that what I do for you is purely because I love you…and that should compel me to love all people…regardless of how they treat me or receive me. Forgive me for being that person who picked and chose who to love and what kind of love to show them.  Widen my concept of love this morning…and give me a compassion to love all people…no matter what I get in return.  Amen.

We Are Called To Love And Show kindness To ALL People

Matthew 9:11-13 - The proud religious law-keepers saw this. They said to the followers of Jesus, “Why does your Teacher eat with men who gather taxes and with sinners?”  Jesus heard them and said, “People who are well do not need a doctor.  But go and understand these words, ‘I want loving-kindness and not a gift to be given.’ For I have not come to call good people. I have come to call those who are sinners.”

 

Jesus spent much of his time healing those that came in desperate need of his touch.  He loved them all and commended them for their faith. He stopped on the way to his hometown to call a new disciple one day. He sat and ate at this tax collector’s home with all the sinners that gathered to share the meal with them. He corrected the religious leaders that took issue with his choice of Matthew….and all the corrupt people that reclined at the table with them….but Jesus let them know real quick that His greatest mission was to save the sinner…he wanted all of us to show loving kindness to all people…especially the ones that do not know Him at all.

 

Jesus spoke harshly to the Jewish religious leaders that constantly tried to question His methods and power. They did not see Him as the Messiah…but a threat to the lives they had built from following rules so strictly all their lives. They were so blinded by the need to follow a rule that they forgot the real reason for the rule in the first place.  Jesus was all about saving people…not rewarding them for the goodness they bragged about to others.

 

It is a huge reminder to me that God’s word requires me to have a loving merciful heart.  There are plenty of people out there that do not know Christ at all. Some know of Him….but have rejected Him for some reason.  If my life is to be modeled after Jesus….then I cannot be afraid to go to the ones who need Him most. He will shine His light through me and let them see the one hope that can turn their lives of sin around for the good.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I am called to be a worker for the harvest that you are trying to bring into heaven with you. It is not enough for me to feel my place there is secure…but you have called me to share my testimony with others so that they may have a spot there as well. Forgive me for the times that I have shied away from talking to someone because of their past.  Help me to be a worker who is bold and trusts that you will give me all the light I need to show them the hope they can have in you if they believe.  Amen.

Let Go Of The World...Follow Jesus Anywhere He Leads

Matthew 8:18-20 - Jesus saw many people and told them to go to the other side of the lake.  A teacher of the Law came to Jesus. He said, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”  Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes. Birds have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”

 

The crowds followed Jesus down the hillside where he had been teaching them. They saw many people healed from diseases such as leprosy….paralysis….and high fevers. Each person healed had an amazing faith in this man they barely knew to fix whatever was wrong. It wasn’t just the fellow Jews that trusted in his supernatural powers.  Even a Roman centurion came to ask Jesus to heal his servant’s child.  His faith was so strong that he believed Jesus could heal him from across the distances with a simple word telling the ailment to go.

 

Jesus saw a danger in following Him just because of the healing he could do….just because they believed in what he was teaching them. He used the words of one Religious leader who bragged he would go anyplace Jesus went to remind us of the high cost of following Him. Jesus knew in that moment that these people would never follow Him all the way to the cross….scripture in 2 Chronicles 18 and 1 Kings 22 even prophesied that fact to Him.

 

I admit that I am one who lacks the faith of these people that were healed by Jesus. I want to think that I am strong enough to follow Him no matter what…but hold back because of family responsibilities or fear of the future that might hold for me. I have let go of many material things in my life…but the reality is that I cling to several things that I should be able to let go of more easily. I am so like that religious leader…ready to speak out and say that I will follow God wherever he leads…but timid on the inside…knowing that my heart has a hard time thinking of giving up everything for Christ.

 

I want to be more like those people that Jesus healed….heart so desperate for Jesus to heal them that they immediately stopped and gave Him everything else that they had. They knew in their heart that He was their sole means of survival. I do believe I have made a good start…for I Know without doubt that my worst day with Jesus was far better that my best day without him.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I constantly need to let go of more of the world…so you can fill me up with more of the childlike faith that will give me the power that you used to heal and help the people that came to you.  Forgive me for the times that I have clung to things that I  thought I needed….thinking that they would bring me happiness and success.  Show me how to let go of anything that holds me back from deepening my faith in you to the point that I too can use the great power of you r love to help others.  Amen.

Build Your House On The Rock

Matthew 7:24-25 -  “Whoever hears these words of Mine and does them, will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain came down. The water came up. The wind blew and hit the house. The house did not fall because it was built on rock.

 

Jesus brought to a close the time he spent teaching them on the mountain.  He continued the theme of humility as he spoke to them about fixing their own problems before judging others….making sure that your deepest conversations about holy things were with those that shared the faith….asking for good things…treating others the way we want to be treated…realizing that the entrance to Heaven is a small gate that requires constant work for the Lord…and guarding our hearts and minds against the many false prophets that would arise to confuse the truth. Just being religious was not enough…..our walk has to math our talk.

 

He concluded this important time with an illustration they would all understand.  He told them that they should think of God as their rock…to be wise and build only on that foundation.  God was the sturdiest thing that they could pin their hopes and future on….nothing that was built on Him would ever be blown away or destroyed.

 

Samuel called God the Holy rock in 1 Samuel 2:2…He said…. “There is no one holy like the Lord. For sure, there is no one other than You. There is no rock like our God.” Jacob blessed his son Joseph in Genesis 49…he called him a fruitful tree….completely connected to the rock that was God. Moses drew water for the people of Israel from the rock God told him to strike in Exodus 17.  God told Moses to protect his eyes in the clef of the rock as he passed by to show Moses His glory in Exodus 33.  Gideon watched as fire came out of the rock he was using as an altar and consumed the meat and bread he offered as a sacrifice in Judges 6.

 

I had one last thought when I read through the 156 references to the word rock in the Bible….and got to this one in 1 Peter 2:8. It says… “The Holy Writings say, also, “Christ is the Stone that some men will trip over and the Rock over which they will fall.” When they do not obey the Word of God, they trip over it. This is what happens to such men.”  God told us to build on the rock…not try to climb away from His protection.  I was convicted instantly of the many times I have tripped over God trying to manipulate his commands to fit my own selfish needs.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that You are to be the rock on which I build everything in my life. Forgive me for the times that I went my own way and chose sand that blew straight away under my feet.  Forgive me also for the times that I tripped foolishly over the very rock to were trying to give me a foothold on because my eyes were fixed on my own selfish needs instead of your will and purpose for my life.  Help me to see clearly the rock that you want to be for me…so that the house I build will be the house that You want me to build for You.  Amen.

Worry Is damagingTo Our Mind....Body....And Spirit

Matthew 6:25-26 -  “I tell you this: Do not worry about your life. Do not worry about what you are going to eat and drink. Do not worry about what you are going to wear. Is not life more important than food? Is not the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds in the sky. They do not plant seeds. They do not gather grain. They do not put grain into a building to keep. Yet your Father in heaven feeds them! Are you not more important than the birds?

 

Jesus continued to teach the disciples wherever they went. The lessons included the importance of humility when praying….fasting …giving….or doing any act of kindness.  He called those who do things for the wrong reasons hypocrites. He warned them how damaging money can be to their focus on God…then he launched into this important teaching on worrying.

 

He told us simply not to worry…that it would not change the outcome in the end one bit.  He said that he cared much more for us than the animals and birds that he clothed and cared for in nature…that God promised to care for our every need.

 

Worry is damaging to our mind….body and spirit.  It affects our physical body by raising blood pressure and creating stress. It affects our sleep routines and interferes with healthy eating in a negative way. It attacks our mind and spirit by consuming our thoughts….putting the center of our thoughts on ourselves instead of God. It reduces productivity and decreases the good we could do for the kingdom if we were centered more on God’s plan for our lives. It decreases our trust in God…and produces an unhealthy fear of the future.

 

It reminds me to hold fast to one of the scriptures I do not have to google to remember where it is. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God knows the plans he has for us…and they are plans to prosper us…not harm us. He wants us to have hope for our future…not fear…(translation mine.) I cling to that promise often….and it helps me not to worry so much about the timing or exact details of that marvelous plan…to trust that God is working something great to insure that I am cared for at just the exact level that will be best for me.  The level that will insure that I learn everything I need to learn to be an obedient worker for him.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to guard against worrying about all things in life. Forgive me for the times that Have not placed my full trust in you…and let worry consume me and take my focus off of you.  Help me to be so centered on you that I don’t let worry catapult me into a time of pity…or concern over things that do not matter to my relationship to you. Let my thoughts be so consumed with serving you that I am amazed by the blessings that come when I am obedient to you.  Amen.