Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Matthew 8

Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” v4

As I posted yesterday, listening and understanding of God's message is not enough.  I am to do as the Word says - I must be in action.  Similarly, the power of action is reinforced in Matthew 8:4 where Jesus tells the man He just healed of leprosy to "not tell anyone".  Instead, go to those who claim you were not worthy to be in the temple - go to the priests - and demonstrate this healing.  Words alone will only do so much...Jesus recognizes this.  In person testimony and evidence of Jesus' as Lord is more powerful than hearing of it.

In the same way, I am called by Jesus to SHOW how Jesus transformed both my heart and my life.  This is indeed a great challenge.  I fall down on this challenge yet I know that Jesus can help me with it...I must trust that it is only Him that can help me.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus You are indeed a great God and You have healed me, and transformed both my heart and my life.  I know how You have blessed me.  Yet I am not deserving of such blessing and love.  I have faith in myself more so than I do You.  Thank You that You love me Jesus but please forgive me.  Please help me grow my faith and trust in You. Help me give up control of all aspects of my life to You.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."

Matthew 7

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." v24

Jesus says that the greatest commandment (Mark 12:30) is that we must love Him with all of our "heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength".  

In Matthew 7, Jesus provides another perspective on how this love manifests itself - through actions.  James says the same thing in James 1:22-24:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror  and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

My Prayer: Jesus, there is no other God but You - You are the creator, the provider, the healer, the teacher, judge, protector, conqueror....and SO much more!  Yet, I fall short in my love for You...even so You love me anyway.  How amazing You are!  Thank You that You love me Jesus, despite my sin.  Please forgive me for my lack of faith, trust, and love of You.  Please help me Jesus...grow in my heart and my life Jesus.  Take over my heart, my life, and transform me so that I am more like You and more pleasing to You.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 7

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. v21

Wow!  Challenging words indeed!  I do wish that do the will of Jesus.  

I recently posted on this topic and I pray that I can stay close to God to be aware of how He is directing me both in terms of the message and the methods - see also post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are truly amazing.  You are a great God that has created the heavens, earth and everything in between.  You love me, bless me, and You even died for me so that I could have freedom from sin and eternal life.  That You love me and do all of this is amazing.  I am not worthy of such love or blessing.  I am slothful.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me for my slothful nature - I seek my own comfort too often.  I must as I read yesterday understand that life is only available through the small gate and narrow road and that challenges await.  Please be on my side Jesus...help me as I desperately seek to please you Jesus.

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Matthew 7

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. v14

God does not promise easy lives.  In fact, He knows that difficulty and our ability to persevere leads to a higher level of spiritual maturity:

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  James 1:4

The questions I must ask myself then is how am I challenging myself in Christ to enhance my ability to persevere so that I can mature in my faith?

My Prayer: Lord, what a great God You are that You have such patience in me.  I am far from perfect and my sin seems to be endless.  I desperately seek to rid myself of this sin.  I know that You love me anyway, so thank You Jesus for such grace and kindness...and patience.  Please forgive me for my sin of judgement...for which I am guilty quite a bit.  Please also help me grow in my faith and in my love of You and others.  

For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 7

For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. v8

I do seek Jesus' help in so many ways: to love Him with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength; to love others; and to do as Jesus asks me to do.

These are all very difficult tasks and of course with Jesus's help I can accomplish these things:

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Phillipians 4:13.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus - You are great beyond words or even imagination.  That You love and bless me, and that You died for me is something that I cannot even fathom.  I am not worthy of such love and blessing.  I neglect you and I disobey You.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me Jesus!  Help me be the man You intend for me.  

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Matthew 7

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." V1-2

Wow...I have never read this verses before.  I have heard sermons on verses 3-5 below but not 1-2.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

Verse 1-2 are key in that God is so serious that we not judge that he says we are to be judged by the same measure that we use to judge others.  Pretty serious stuff...I am certainly guilty of this and the area that sticks out to me are people with whom I disagree politically.  And I use my anonymity to hide behind because I call this person or that person an idiot (someone I hear about on the TV or radio).

It's even worse that I hide behind my anonymity...this is cowardice.

My Prayer: Lord, You are a great God in that You love everyone equally - from the lowest of those in social standing to the highest.  Regardless of what we do, You continue to love Your children.  Your love for us, and of course for me, knows no boundaries.  What a great God You are indeed!  I am not worthy of such love and blessing - particularly because of my judgement of others.  Thank You that You love me anyway and no less.  Again an example of how great You are Jesus.  Please forgive me for my sin of judging others.  Help me rid myself of my sin. Help me be the man You intend for me. 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?"

Matthew 6

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?" v25

My worry reveals a focus of my heart.  Hand in hand to this discussion is being at the center of God's will.  Some people don't worry but they also don't try to live in the center of God's will.  You need to do both.  Not to say that I am able to do both but it is something I strive to do. 

I sometimes worry about my own weight, my own appearance, what others think, and also what is happening with Lisa or with Zach and Dustin.  

I really need the peace that is only available through Jesus Christ - see also post here.

My Prayer: Lord, You are truly a great God...a God who protects, defends and provides refuge from harm and evil of all kind.  And You provide it to those who ask, even if they don't deserve it.  How great is that!  I am not deserving of such love and blessing.  Thank You Jesus for providing it anyway.  Please also forgive me.  Help me grow my love of You and my desire to serve You.  Help me be Your humble and devoted servant.