20150831 THE NARROW GATEWAY

THE NARROW GATEWAY

Matthew 7:13-14 "You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.  (14)  But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

The apostle John records Jesus giving us some clarity on this way. John 14:6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.

There are many selfish, self-centered, egotistical, and yes even seemingly religious ways to wind up in hell. There is only one gate into God’s Kingdom and that gate is Jesus. Claiming that is why people call us, “narrow minded.” My response to that is, “Yes I am, because Jesus said the way is narrow and that He is that way.”

The narrow road is difficult because we must repent of our own ideas about salvation and true religion and accept what God says about them. In choosing to accept the finished work of Jesus on Calvary we reject our own righteousness and our ability to save ourselves.

The narrow road is also difficult because the world says, “There are many ways to God. And only the worst of sinners will go to hell… if any.” To refute this makes us a target for the world’s disdain. We will be persecuted. Jesus promised we would have trouble in the world, but He also said to be of good cheer because He overcame the world.

Father in heaven, thank You for the way You’ve provided in Jesus Christ. May that message go forth today in the power of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus Name, AMEN!!!

20150827 JESUS GIVES THE READERS DIGEST VERSION

JESUS GIVES THE READERS DIGEST VERSION

Matthew 7:12 "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

If you ever wanted a guide to help you get day to day life right, this is it. Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. Treat others the way you wish to be treated. You want to be forgiven, forgive. You don’t wish to be cheated, don’t cheat others. You want mercy when you sin or make a mistake, show mercy to others. The list goes on and on.

Father in heaven, this is such a simple truth and yet we scrape and claw and fight to have more and to be ahead of the next guy. Forgive us and fill us with Your Holy Spirit power to love others, to treat others as we would be treated. In Jesus Name, AMEN!!!

20150826 GOOD FATHER GOOD GIFTS

GOOD FATHER GOOD GIFTS

Matthew 7:7-11 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.  (8)  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.  (9)  "You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?  (10)  Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!  (11)  So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.

Just as we are not to get tired of doing good things (Galatians 6:9), we are not to get tired of praying. As in all of this Sermon on the Mount, Jesus again deals with a matter of the heart. Jesus came in part to show us the true nature of our Heavenly Father. Our perception of Him is often one of a cruel task master glaring over the ramparts of heaven, just waiting for one of us to step out of line so He can smite us. But the picture that Jesus gives here is that of a loving Father who delights in blessing His children with “good gifts.”

The danger here is that we might see Him as some kindly old gentleman who turns a blind eye to the mischievousness of his grandchildren. No. Our Father is Holy and deserves our respect and worship and when we approach Him with the right attitude and with the knowledge of His love we can approach Him with boldness and without fear. Hebrews 4:16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

1 John 4:18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love.

Father in heaven, Thank You that we can boldly approach You without fear, because You do love us. Thank You we can bring every need, desire, request to You, knowing that You hear and that You will answer with the best answer. Today I pray especially for Your children who still walk about afraid You are set upon punishing them. Open their eyes to see Your love. Give all of us undivided hearts that respect You, worship You and truly understand the depth, length and width of Your love. In Jesus Name, AMEN!!!

20150825 THROWING PEARLS TO PIGS

THROWING PEARLS TO PIGS

Matthew 7:6 "Don't waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don't throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

This verse may seem harsh, especially in light of what has just been said about judging. The Greek word for the phrase, “people who are unholy,” is literally the word, “dogs.” Both dogs and pigs are unclean animals in Jewish dietary laws. Here they represent attitudes of contempt and rejection of truth.

Even though we are not to judge a person’s character or motives we still have the responsibility to warn the lost, and to correct our brothers and sisters who are walking in sin. Before we do this we are to search our own hearts and confess our own faults. Once this is done we can speak from a pure heart that desires the salvation of the lost and the reconciliation of our siblings in Christ. But what if they refuse to hear, or choose to mock us or worse? Hear what Christ told the disciples when He sent them out two by two. Mark 6:11 But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate."

Arguing with those who refuse to hear is like giving precious stones to pigs or giving something holy to a dog. In recent days I’ve seen several pictures of dogs who have all matter of destruction around them because it is in their nature to chew. One such picture shows a large dog with an innocent look on its face.  Behind the dog is a door, or at least what is left of a door hanging from one hinge. The entire bottom half of the door is shredded all over the room. The caption underneath says, “There was a spider. It’s dead now. You’re welcome.”

We can look at a situation like that above and chuckle at the humor, but it is serious business to save a soul from hell or turn a brother from some destructive behavior. If he mocks the holy message or disdains the truth we have no other recourse. Arguing will only aggravate the hearer and probably anger us. In our anger or frustration we will find ourselves sinning. I once heard a preacher say, “Don’t try to bathe a pig. It wastes your time, aggravates the pig and you will both just wind up covered in mud.”

So, don’t climb into the slop with them. No, instead knock the dust from your feet as a witness against them and walk away. Let God be their judge. You go onto the next person who will hear.

Father in heaven, grant us clarity of thought and wisdom when we must correct a brother and when we share the Gospel. May our lives preach loudest and may our words be shared with love and truth. Send Your Holy Spirit ahead of us to prepare the lost to hear, repent and be saved. Soften our own hearts to receive rebuke when we need it. In Jesus Name, AMEN!!!

20150824 JUDGING

JUDGING

Matthew 7:1-5 "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.  (2)  For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.  (3)  "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?  (4)  How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye?  (5)  Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

Don’t misunderstand this passage. Many try to use it to justify their own wickedness. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 Don't you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can't you decide even these little things among yourselves?  (3)  Don't you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life.

I believe what Jesus is making clear here is that we are not to judge motive or character. What we can judge is what is right and what is wrong based on the truth of God’s Word. However, before we attempt even that we must search our own life to see where we stand in accordance to God’s Word. We are to get our own heart and life right before we try to help someone else get right. That is not to say that we cannot tell the good news until we get our lives perfect. If that were the case we would never share our faith.

When we do judge a person’s character or motives we attempt to sit on God’s throne, a place none of us belong. What is the difference in judging an action and judging a person’s character? We can say, “That was a lie, it is wrong to lie.” What we cannot say with any certainty is, “Because you told a lie you are nothing but a liar.” From a purely technical point of view, yes a person who lies is a liar, a person who murders someone is a murderer, but we are not being purely technical here. We do not know the motive of the individual. Only God knows that and therefore, only He can judge the person’s character. We can only judge the action. When we choose to judge them further than that we set ourselves up to be judged with the same measure we use.

The same standard… I believe this is why alcoholics beget alcoholics and why abusers beget abusers and why drug addicts beget drug addicts. When a child grows up in an abusive home and judges her parents she sets herself up to become the very thing for which she judged them.

What can you do to set yourself free from past situations where you have judged another?

1.  Confess the sin of judging to God. Ask His forgiveness.

2.  Forgive the person you judged for whatever they did that caused you to pass judgment in the first place.

3.  Ask God to call back any judgments you made against another.

4.  Ask God to bless the people you have judged. (Or in the case of his or her death to bless the memory of them.)

Father in heaven, search our hearts. Show us those we have judged and help us to deal with this sin of taking over Your throne. Give us grace to forgive and to even bless those who have hurt us. Remove from our lives the devastating effects of having committed this sin. Thank You for Your faithful forgiveness and love. In Jesus Name, AMEN!!!

20150821 WORRY

WORRY

Matthew 6:25-34 "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  (26)  Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to Him than they are?  (27)  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?  (28)  "And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, (29) yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  (30)  And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?  (31)  "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?'  (32)  These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  (33)  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.  (34)  "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.

Worry is the opposite of faith and when we worry we show that we do not know how much our Heavenly Father loves us. 1 John 4:18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love.

Romans 14:17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Life is so much more than the sum of our daily necessities. Science teaches us that worry does quite the opposite of adding to our lives. It shortens our lives. Worry causes us to lose sleep, drives up our blood pressure, causes strokes and heart disease. This is only the beginning of the physical problems it causes. Now, some of you reading this will begin to worry that worrying is going to kill you. Don’t do that. Stop right now and take a deep breath.

Your Heavenly Father already knows what you need. Change your focus. Think differently. Seek His Kingdom and His righteousness. In other words make your aim in life to live a Kingdom life right now. In this Sermon on the Mount we’ve been studying, Jesus is telling us how to live the Kingdom life and how to live in righteousness. So today, when you start worrying about the next bill that is due, stop, take a breath and start looking for ways to live the Kingdom life. Yes, you may ask God to meet that need. Jesus told us to pray for our daily bread. Then give thanks for what you have and begin looking for ways to bless others.

Father in Heaven, Thank You for the blessings of Your Word. Thank You for Your provision in our lives this day. Remind us how much You love us. Do not let us forget and help us as we walk out the Kingdom life today. May we be found faithful in trusting You, loving You and loving others. In Jesus Name, AMEN!!!

20150820 MAMMON

MAMMON

Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Mammon in the KJV).

I mentioned the word, “mammon” a couple days ago and want to repeat Matthew Henry’s definition here. Mammon is a Syriac word that signifies gain; so that whatever in this world is, or is accounted by us to be, gain, is mammon.

The NLT translates mammon as money, but not all people desire money as much as other things and any desire that competes with God for our attention is mammon. You cannot serve two masters unless they are both in full agreement. The masters of this world are not in agreement with the Master of all.

Again we must go back to repentance which is to agree with God. With that in mind, God believes He knows what is best for us, and His first commandment is that we would have no other gods but Him. So it is our duty of love to Him to agree that He does know best and put Him first above all other things. It is to make Him our only god.

Some would say, “I have no desire to be rich. I just don’t want to have to worry about having enough.” What that really means is, “I want to see that my cupboards are full. I want my refrigerator to be full. I don’t want to have to wait on God to come through tomorrow. I want to know way in advance what tomorrow holds. I don’t want to have trust God.” Ouch!

There is a story about George Mueller at one of the orphanages he started. One morning when the children gathered for breakfast there was no food and no milk in the home. George had the children bow their heads and he gave thanks for the food that God was going to provide that day. He gave thanks in faith that what he hoped for would actually happen (Hebrews 11:1).

As George said, “AMEN” there was a knock on the door. Two deliveries arrived within minutes of each other. One was a milk wagon that had broken down right outside the orphanage. The other was from a bakery that had an over-abundance of bread that morning.

Father in heaven, fill us with faith to trust You. Show us if there are any other desires in our hearts that we bow to as gods. Cleanse us of this sin and focus our eyes on You. Give us undivided hearts that worship You. In Jesus Name, AMEN!!!