Living Fearless

 Matt 26:35
Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.

Bold words from the mouth of Peter. I believe he meant it with all of his heart. That was Peter’s personality. He was not afraid to step out. He was the one who stepped out of the boat into the water when Jesus called out to Him. He was the one who drew out his sword and whacked off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest. Impetuous, acting quickly and without thought or care of the consequences. Here he is again, in the heat of the moment, speaking out without really thinking. Jesus, who knows our hearts better than we do, looks at Peter with a heart of compassion and says, “Peter, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me three times”. What a blow that must have been for Peter, but when the rubber hit the road, Peter gave in to his fears. Our humanity is so prone towards self-preservation. When the going gets tough, we take the road of least resistance. This proneness is made more evident without the help of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. We see a different Peter after Pentecost. Peter at Pentecost experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in His fullness.  (Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost…Acts 4:8)   Filled with the fire of God, Peter’s fear was gone as he spoke with boldness about Jesus. As newborn Christians, we have become a follower of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is with us, guiding us into all truth. The Holy Spirit will lead us to a place of full surrender. To a place where we give everything to God and allow the Holy Spirit to remove the proneness to sin. Being filled with the Holy Spirit does not dehumanize us, but it does empower us to live victorious and fearless where we are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we are tempted to fear, we can stand up to our adversary and truly say, "Though I should die, I will not forsake my God.”

Fishers of Men

 Matt 4:19,20
 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

The TV series, The Chosen, on Amazon Prime takes the liberty to fill in a lot of what might have taken place when Jesus encountered Simon-Peter, Andrew, James, and John. The two sets of brothers that would become 4 of the 12 Apostles who were called out of the world to begin a journey that would turn the world upside down. Scripture does not give us a lot of background information about these 4 men when Jesus called them to follow Him. But, we know that they were fishermen and making a living catching fish was not a lucrative career. It paid the bills, but their lives were simple and ordinary. They were ordinary Jews that lived day by day with the cares of life. They lived under Roman rule and were suppressed in spirit. They were governed spiritually by the Pharisees and High Priests, who were more concerned about their reputation than showing love and grace to their people. John the Baptist had already been preaching and paving the way for Jesus. The word was spreading that the Messiah would soon appear and would save the Jews from the bondage and tyranny of the Roman Empire. These fishermen would soon find out that this conquest to set the captive free was not from Roman rule, but from sin that ruled in the hearts of men. Their willingness to drop what they were doing and follow Jesus may not have been done with the right motives, but they knew there was something different about this man called Jesus. The love of God compelled these men to drop their fishing nets, leave the world they knew behind, and become fishers of men. Time will tell that these men would cast their net across Judea and many would be caught for Jesus..   

Chief in the Kingdom

 Matt 20:26,27

...But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Most people don’t like to be around bossy people. We respect leaders who are willing to lead by example. As I went through leadership training to become a school principal, this was one of the key principles that we were taught. There are times when a leader has to step up and make difficult decisions that are not popular, but they are done with the intention to better the school and community. Unfortunately, those who reach the top of the ladder are often tempted to allow the power of authority to take control of their personal aspirations and selfish desires. Seeking to be the “Chief” or the one who commands authority, must be done with humility of spirit, and recognition that they are there to lead and serve, and not to command or serve their own selfish interest. Aspiring to be at the top in the work of the kingdom, one must have a servant's heart. Jesus, our great example, washed the feet of the disciples, and laid down His life a ransom to save the world. Having a servant’s heart applies to all who are followers of Jesus, not just those who are gifted at leading. Being willing to clean the church, take food to a family in need, go visit someone who needs encouragement, help the elderly who are no longer able to help themselves, the list goes on. Your service may never be seen by others or may never be recognized, but Jesus sees your act of love and service. When the time comes to stand before God, He will say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew 25:21)

Eternal Life and Punishment

 Mat 25:46
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Matthew chapter 25 is filled with compare and contrast illustrations. We had ten virgins, five had oil in their lamps ready for the return of the bride, and five did not. Then there's the parable of the talents. There were those who invested wisely and those who did not. The destiny of their eternal soul was determined by how they invested what was given to them by their master. The parables illustrate that it is not enough to say you believe in God, but action speaks louder than words. The final story that Jesus tells does not say it is a parable, but a prophecy. The King will return to earth some day and final judgment will be given, and the destiny of the souls of people will be handed out. There will be those whose hearts are filled with love for God and others, and those who say they love God, but they live to please themselves, and turn a blind eye to those who are hurting and helpless. Many would like to use this passage of scripture to support the idea that good works and being a good person is all that is needed to have eternal life. But Jesus is speaking to his followers. There is more to eternal life than saying, “Lord, Lord.” Faith in Jesus is essential, but faith without works is dead. The debate of eternal salvation after a person confesses Christ comes into question with the words of Christ in Matthew chapter 25. There will be those who will not make it into heaven, and it will not just be those who live wicked lives. It will be a harsh reality to see that a person who experiences the forgiveness of sin will stand before God and find that they are on the left side of the judgment seat because they failed to live for Christ. It goes without saying that God and God alone is the final judge. It is our responsibility to be a true follower of Christ and do unto others as Christ has done for us. May we be found on the right side of the seat with the sheep, and hear the words of the King. "Enter into life everlasting."

No to Satan, and Yes to God

 Mat 5:37 (AMP)
But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’ [a firm yes or no]; anything more than that comes from the evil one.

“Don’t you understand the word “No! When I say “No”, I mean “No.” These are words often spoken to someone, often a child, who persists in asking for something they want. There is no budging or compromise. Our minds have been made up. Our statement is final, we have decided what is right and will stick with it. Satan will tempt us to take another course that God has already set before us. “This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.” (2 John 1:6). There are countless stories of those we know that started out to run the race, but failed to say “No” to the devil, and “Yes” to God. Satan tempted Eve in the garden, “Has God said.” God already told Adam and Eve they were not to eat from the tree with the forbidden fruit. Instead of telling Satan “No”, Eve started to listen to Satan, and was deceived by his words. Saying “Yes” to God and “No” to the devil requires help from a higher source of power. The Holy Spirit is able to give us the grace and strength to overcome the temptations of the devil. The chorus we sing, “I'll say, yes Lord yes to Your will and to Your way. I'll say, yes Lord yes, I will trust You and obey. When the Spirit speaks to me, with my whole heart, I'll agree, and my answer will be, yes Lord yes”. It should be the cry and desire of our heart.  Let us say “No” to Satan, and “Yes” to God! 

The Thorns of Carnality

 Matt 13:7
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up and choked them.

The thorns in our lives that keep us from growing in our faith and grace take on many shapes. The main throne that keeps our roots from getting firmly established and grounded in the Lord is the thorn of carnality. Carnality is not a popular topic among many progressive thinking “Christians”. Many feel it is a thorn that can’t be removed, we just need to keep them from overtaking us. But scripture says, “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be (Roman 8:7). This thorn keeps many from growing and being all that God desires one to be. The carnal mind is pulled toward self and the desires of the flesh. It seeks to make sure that self is first and is cared for. Paul said we are to present ourselves a living sacrifice to God, fully surrender our heart, soul and mind to the will of God. Take self off the throne and put Christ first in our lives. This work of living sacrifice is also called sanctification. Allowing God to set us up apart, making us a holy vessel for His service. The Holy Spirit is given right away to move in us, and through us to accomplish the will of God. The thorns of carnality often spring up unaware and choke out the seed of the Gospel that was planted. The things of the world and the cares of life have a way of stifling Christians from growing to maturity. God’s desire is to remove the thorns in our lives so that we can be fruitful for the kingdom and live in harmony with the will of God

Baptism of Believers

 Matt 28:19
Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

After Jesus was risen from the grave, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were told by the angels to go tell the other disciples that He was risen. As they ran to tell them, Jesus appeared to them. The excitement and wonder was overwhelming. First, they saw an angel, then they were the first to see Jesus face to face. Sorrow was turned to joy as they were told to go tell the disciples that He would meet them in Galilee. It was on a mountain in Galilee that Jesus gave His disciples the mission to tell the world that He died on the cross for sinners, and that He was the resurrection of life. That all power was His and the Holy Spirit would come to give them the power to turn the world upside down. 

The account given to us by Matthew is one of the many scriptures given to us that teach baptism and the doctrine of the Trinity. Being baptized does not bring salvation, salvation is only accomplished by confessing and believing in Jesus. But one cannot ignore the commandment given to us by Jesus that baptism is an important sacrament after one comes to believe. It proclaims to the world that we have made our choice. We are followers of Jesus, and He is the Lord of our lives. A systematic study of scripture will show that baptism is plainly taught in scripture. As believers, we should encourage those who come to Christ to proclaim their faith by being baptized. To argue that one cannot get to heaven without it is to be ignorant of the plan of salvation and the reason Jesus died on the cross. But as followers of Jesus, one should desire to proclaim Christ by being baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, just as Jesus commanded.

House of God

 Matt 11:17
’‘My house shall be called for all nations the house of prayer’? But ye have made it a den of thieves.”

It was the practice and conviction of the church I was saved in to keep the house of God sacred. All exchange of money for whatever purpose was to be done outside the church walls. Food was not to be eaten inside the church sanctuary. This included the basement, and any edifice connected to it. The premise of these strict rules is based on this passage of scripture. I do appreciate the reverence and respect that was given to God’s house, even though I think they have taken this scripture beyond the purpose it was intended. We need to keep the place we gather together to meet God special. We have entered into the presence of God, we are on holy ground. The sanctuary is not a playground or the marketplace, it is a place to “take off our shoes”, lift our hearts, and hear the word of God. 
Like the fig tree that Jesus had cursed on its way to the temple, the Jews were not bearing fruit that was pleasing to God. Their hearts were full of greed and selfish living. They did not care about being true worshipers of God, they used their religion and the temple to pad their pockets. Jesus saw the hypocrisy and the fruitlessness of their lives and manifested His wrath against the way they were blaspheming the House of God. Like the fig tree He cursed and withered away, Jesus was demonstrating His displeasure and anger at the sin of His chosen people. They were all about appearing good on the outside, a tree with leaves, but hearts far from true followers of God. The Jews were not bearing the fruit that God intended them to bear. As believers, it is not enough to be called a Christian, but God desires that our lives bear fruit unto righteousness, living our lives to be like Christ.

Foundational Truth

 Matthew 22:29
Jesus answered and said unto them, “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

Foundational truth of scripture is critical to have the correct interpretation and application of God’s word. Apologetics, defending the doctrine of Christ, is built on the premises that God is alive and desires a relationship with His creations.  Jesus shined this truth to the Sadducees, they assumed that there was no life after death, and tried to argue their teaching with the God of the universe, the one who laid the foundations of the world, and Himself was the Resurrection of life. If they could only see the futility of their efforts and the err of their ways. The Bible is given to us to show us the way to salvation and guide us in our daily walk with Jesus. The purpose of scripture is to lead us to eternal life everlasting. Understanding scripture for this purpose is essential and must be the foundation on which all other interpretations of scripture are given. In essence, Jesus told the Sadducees, “your premise is built on faulty thinking, you should be focusing on God's power to work in the lives of people, and God’s power to give life everlasting.” It is important that we rightly discern God’s word, for all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. (2 Tim 3:16). Jesus is in the Word, and the Word is with us. He has also provided us with His written word that we know the path He desires for us. Let us not get caught up with logistics and philosophical rhetoric to persuade the minds of people, but our focus is on the transformation of lives and showing others the power of God to give new life.

Exceeding Great Joy

 Luke 2:10, Mat 2:10
The angel brought “good tidings of great joy” to the shepherds… The wise men, when they saw the star, “rejoiced with exceeding great joy”

The shepherd’s eyes were amazed as they heard the good news! The Messiah was born, the Savior who will change the world had condensed into the human race. Like  the wise men, they probably rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Their joy exceeded the merriment of being happy. Joy filled their hearts to overflowing. They saw the significance of this historical event. 

Greeting others with, “Merry Christmas” is to wish people a happy holiday season as they gather together with friends and family. Smiles are seen on parents and grandparent’s faces as they watch the children unwrap their gifts, excitement in the air as the child opens the present they have been wanting for days. No doubt, happiness fills the home. The songwriter penned it well:
 “It's the most wonderful time of the year. 
With the kids jingle belling. 
And everyone tells you to be of good cheer.”
But to the believer, Christmas is more than being merry with our loved ones, it is a time of great joy! A celebration and remembering the joy of salvation that Jesus came to save people from their sins. Exceeding great joy transcends human emotion. It is an eternal joy that is sealed in the heart that all is well with our soul. Jesus came to earth that we might have joy and have it more abundantly.  Circumstances in life may not always be filled with happy emotions and merriment, but it can be filled with great joy that we are a child of the king, and he knows us by name. As welook at the star that hangs in the church or in your home, may we also rejoice with exceeding great joy, knowing that Jesus came and died for us. In Him, we have real joy. Joy unspeakable and full of glory!

The True Church

 Matt. 6:18
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock (Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; Eph. 2:20) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

A Church is born. Not a building or edifice, but a body of believers that unite together in one spirit. Born of the Father, made through the death of Christ on the cross and the resurrection, that the gates of hell could not prevent. This Church is a spiritual structure bringing together all who put their trust in Jesus Christ. He is the foundation, the chief cornerstone that all who claim Him as Lord and Savior can stand firm. Regardless of our origins or birthplace we are fitly put together to worship Him in the beauty of holiness. We gather together on the Lord’s day, we come to church, a physical building, a place we have dedicated as the house of God. It is not the Church, but a church where a group of believers come together as part of the Church for the purpose to worship, grow in grace, fellowship, and share our burdens. Some have said that the church is a “hospital” for the sick, a place for sinners to find Christ, and for those who need spiritual and physical healing. Therefore, the doors of the church are open to all who desire to know or find God. The church is not exclusive, but inclusive to both sinners and saints. Membership into this physical church varies from church organizations. To guard against heresy, statements of faith are put in place to maintain the doctrine of Christ and moral values of the church that are taught in scripture.  Such statements should not preclude or restrict worship of God according to the dictates of one’s heart. All are welcome, especially the child of God who is part of the Church that is built on the chief cornerstone. In the house of God, the wall of division are broken down and all come together as one in Christ to honor and glorify Him. He is the Rock, His church will prevail.

Doing Good on the Sabbath

 Mat. 12:12b
…So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 
The Pharisee in Jesus time made many laws based on their scripture interpretation of the Torah. It was clear in the Torah that work was not to be done on the Sabbath. “Six days you shall labor, and do all your work,  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work..”(Ex 20:9,10). It was one of the Ten Commandments God gave to Moses. From this, the Pharisee broke down the daily tasks that they thought were things that should not be done and things that were allowed on the Sabbath. They were man made rules that were brought about by human interpretation. I don’t claim to know the mind of God in regards to what can and cannot be done on the Lord’s Day (Christian Sabbath), but God did set apart one day of the week and made it special. Jesus did not do away with keeping this day special, but He did correct the mis-interpretation that the Pharisee had. “And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:37,28) The Sabbath was not made to bring man into bondage, but was made to provide man a day to rest from their labors to focus on the things of God. Jesus said it was a good thing to help others and to minister acts of mercy on this day. Reaching out to help others who are hurting and are in need of God’s touch. What this looks like in today’s world and culture may not look the same for everyone. We should approach the Sabbath with the expectation of doing good. In the spirit of keeping the Sabbath holy, we avoid work that we normally do the other six days. We stay within the spirit of the law to do what is good and right. Let us enter into His house with thanksgiving on Sunday morning, let us put aside those things that distract us from worship and do what is good on the Sabbath. 

The Great Physician

 Matt. 2:17
 “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The job of a doctor is to diagnose an illness and determine what needs to be done to bring healing. Humanity has been struck with the disease of sin. An illness that brought about the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden. Jesus came to bring healing and  provide the remedy for sin.  Healing can only happen when one realizes that they are sick, that sin has caused the heart to be dark and broken. The cure for sin is available for all, but only those who realize their condition and are willing to accept the cure can be healed. The righteous, those who don’t feel a need for healing have blinded and denied their sinful condition. Christ is not able to heal those not willing to accept the cure. We all must realize that we are sinners, and in need of a Savior. Jesus came to save those who are sick and desire the touch of Jesus. Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Are you sick with sin, He is the Great Physician, He will heal you of all your diseases.

Ask God in Prayer

 Matt 6:8
..your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask him.

We come to God daily, not because we always need something. It is good to keep in touch daily with our heavenly Father. He does take pleasure in our petitions, and He entreats us to “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. and all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Asking God in prayer helps us to realize that we depend on Him, that our life is in His hands and we can’t do anything without His help. Volumes of books have been written on the subject of prayer, and not enough pages can be written about what God wants to do for us through prayer. The prayers of the hypocrites stem from spiritual pride and arrogance. They ask so that they may be seen for their ability to speak eloquently, and appear that they are spiritually enlightened. Their hearts are far from God, and God turns a deaf ear to their request. It is but vain repetition, without sincerity of heart. Our heavenly Father is all knowing, and already knows what we need. We don’t need to form a perfect prayer in our asking, we just need to come to Him with a humble heart and contrite spirit. Bow your head, bow your knees, but most importantly, bow your heart, and ask.

Learning to Forgive

Mat 18:27
Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Jesus, desiring to show his disciples what forgiveness looks like, told the story of the king that forgave his servant, but the servant would not forgive the person who owed him money. The king, hearing about this, could not tolerate the injustice and changed his mind, and required his servant to pay it all. The moral of the story is, If you want forgiveness, you also must be willing to forgive others who did you wrong. Forgiveness is a willful choice that is made because the love of God constrains us to forgive. We realize that we are sinners and in need of forgiveness. Jesus, who died for you and me, paid the ultimate price and forgave us saving us from eternal damnation. When we feel that we have been betrayed or wrongfully accused by someone, it comes with real pain and disappointment. Forgiveness does not always come easy and sometimes over time, the pain eases up, but never goes away. David Branon writes in Our Daily Bread, “Forgiveness at its fullest can be realized when both parties move toward healing and reconciliation. And while it doesn’t remove the effects of harm done or the need to be discerning in how to address painful or unhealthy relationships, it can lead to restored ones—testifying to God’s love and power. Let’s look for ways to “extend forgiveness” for His honor.” We forgive because He has forgiven us, and He is our great example of how to live each day of our lives.

To Be Perfect

 Matt. 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Is this even possible? 

The words of Jesus to be perfect must be a mistake. A misinterpretation of translation of the manuscript. How can man with all of his imperfection be told to be perfect? What message was Jesus trying to convey to His followers? I don’t believe that Jesus was speaking of doing everything perfect and without error. Man is not all knowing as God is, he only sees things from one perspective, God sees and knows the hearts of men. So, the command to be perfect must have some other meaning. The messages given on this mount by Jesus were matters of the heart. The essences of man’s soul, the motives of man’s heart. A follower of Christ will seek to love not only His friends, but also his enemies. To be perfect like the Father is to have a heart that loves all people regardless of their actions. A heart that harbors hate is imperfect and does not reflect the image of Christ. The scripture can be read in this way, “Be ye therefore a lover of people, even as your Father which is in heaven loves people.” This is only made possible if one is in Christ and the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to love without reservations.

Salt of the Earth

 Matt 5:13
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
 
The familiar scripture of Jesus teaching on the mount off the lake shore of Galilee, now known as the Sermon of the Mount was given to His followers. They were given a glimpse into the true nature of what it will mean to be a true follower of Christ. Jesus is the true salt of the world, and to follow Him means that we also are the salt of the earth. Sermons have been preached of the significance of being the salt that makes a difference. Salt that has lost its true properties of salt is of little use and is no different that any other dirt mineral that is used to trod upon. If we are to be His disciples, then our life must make a difference. It can be said that a life that follows Christ will make a difference in the world, if such a person is not making a difference, then they are not truly following Christ.

A New Lifestyle

Matthew 5: 3

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus came to save the world from sin, but He also came to teach us how we should live. The sermon on the mount was given to God’s people. The people of Israel were God’s chosen people, called to be a Nation who followed the law of God. They were good at keeping the ceremonial law and the OT commandments, but Jesus came to teach them a new law, a law that needed to be written on their hearts. The keeping and fulfillment of this law would come when full salvation was made available by his death on the cross and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The essence of true Christianity goes beyond keeping a list of rules of behavior. God did not abolish the rules of behavior, but dug deeper into the lifestyle of those who called themselves children of God. Blessed are those who are poor in spirit, those that mourn, who are meek, who thirst and hungry after righteousness. They show mercy, and have pure motives, Those who seek to be at peace with all men, and those that will stand for what is right in the face of losing their life. The attributes of a godly life goes beyond the abstaining of evil and sinful behavior, it is a lifestyle that is to be like Jesus. 

When You Give

 Matthew 6:3,4
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth…That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

When you give your resources to help someone, don’t go around bragging about it. Let your giving be done without fanfare. God sees your heart, and sees your sacrifice. He knows the motive of the heart is to show kindness and your desire to support the work of the Kingdom. In His own time, He will award you for what you do for others. Give to please God, and not to please man.

One Day at a Time

 Matthew 6:26
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are ye not much better than they?

We worry about many things in life. It is the way our minds and emotions work. We worry about money, relationships, health, the wellness of others, both spiritually and physically.  Jesus tells us, “Take no thought.” Take your life one day at a time. Today God is able to provide, today, God is taking care of you. Tomorrow will be what it is, and there is nothing you can do about it today. We live in the here and now, and now is the time to believe. Now is the day when we trust God for our daily needs. “Give us this day, our daily bread.” Let us rest in knowing that He holds the future, and nothing will happen without His permission. Take no thought about tomorrow. Hold on to God today.