Live As One Who Has Been Rescued From Sin [Matthew 1]

18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

19And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. 20But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." 22Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23"BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."

24And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

Even though we may not be celebrating Christmas isn't it appropriate to remember the story of Jesus' birth? It is a great reminder of His humble beginning. It is a story of disgrace and intervention. it is translated by the angel as being what will save God's “people from their sins” and bring God to dwell with them. May we never grow tired of being reminded of His coming and the reason He came it. If we have received this Jesus we are saved from our sins and we have God in us. May we walk today believing this to be true.

I (Verna) know I have read this passage many times before but what really struck me today is Joseph's response. The angel told him these things and he woke up and did just as the angel had commanded him. Maybe it is because of storybooks and movies but I have pictured Joseph reluctant and needing persuasion before he decided to marry Mary. Not this Joseph. This Joseph woke up and did exactly as God had told him. No wavering. No asking everyone else what he should do. There is a sense of the Spirit giving him the determination to carry through all that had been commanded him - even calling His name Jesus, months later. This is a man who left us the example of living in full belief of what God said.

Praise:

Lord, I praise you for through Your Spirit. Cause me to believe in the same way as Joseph and walk, without hesitation, as one who has been saved from my sins and has God abiding in me.

Worship the Shepherd King [Matthew 2]

1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." 3When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
    6'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
         ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
         FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER
         WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'"

Did you come today looking for your king?   Did you come to worship Him? Worship Him because He came to shepherd God's people. He came as a ruler to shepherd. A ruler to shepherd? Shouldn't a ruler come to rule in order to lead us? Instead He comes to lead us as a shepherd leads. One who lives among us not off in a palace. One who is known by His sheep who can hear His voice. In John 15:3-11, Jesus tell us that He is the good shepherd, "He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice" (Holman CSB).

Do you recognize His voice? Do you know Him? In the rest of the chapter we see Joseph two more times following immediately when the angel of the LORD speaks to him in a dream (vs. 21 and 22). He followed God because he recognized God's voice.

Praise:

May we know the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for His sheep, so intimately that we recognize His voice and worship Him in response.

God Takes Delight in His Son [Matthew 3]

13Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" 15But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. 16After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

God announced it to the world - Jesus is His beloved Son and He takes delight in Him! He is well-pleased with Him. Marvel with me today this announcement. It means something for you and me who have His beloved Son living in us. We are those who are being transformed by God's grace to be like Christ. You and I are His beloved child too and He is delighted with you and me.

Praise:

As you see God's love for Christ, may you know the length and width, height and depth of God's love and Christ's love for you and be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:18-19).

Jesus Faces Tests Triumphantly [Matthew 4]

1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.
3And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." 4But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" 5Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU';and 'ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" 7Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'"
8Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." 10Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'"
11Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

Do you remember what happened right before this passage? God had confirmed in public that Jesus was His loved Son and how pleased He was with Him. Then the Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted. What a gift to have the truth of God's love seared into His heart and mind as He dealt with deception and temptation. You have the same opportunity each day as you read His word to have His words of endearment burned into your heart and mind. Do you sense what a difference it would make for you to know His love as you face deception?

Praise:

You are the Lord who is the only One worthy to be worshiped and served. Cause me to stand firm in the truth of who I are in Christ when the testing comes.

You Are The Light Of The World [Matthew 5]

14"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5 is an amazing chapter beginning with a list of those who are blessed. According to Jesus, the rich and famous, the most religious, the good looking, etc aren't those who are blessed. It is the humble people who live honestly and fervently for God in their spiritual poverty who will be blessed. These are the ones who know they are nothing and exchange that nothing for God's grace and blessings each day.

Matthew 5 ends with Jesus' interpretation of some of God's laws making the standard even higher than it was before. Jesus gave a standard so high that none of us could keep to it. But praise God that Jesus died to enable you to not only live according to the law by His grace, but when you do, you will stand out like a light in a dark place. And by your good works of God's grace, God will be glorified in your life (see verses above).

Praise:
We praise You for being our Father in heaven. Cause us to embrace our poverty and humbly go to You each day and exchange our darkness for Your light so the world may through our good works, glorify You.

Seek First His Kingdom [Matthew 6]

33"But seek first His kingdom
    and His righteousness,
    and all these things will be added to you.
34"So do not worry about tomorrow;
    for tomorrow will care for itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6 (and 7) is a continuation of the words and wisdom of Jesus that began in Matthew 5. As I (Beth) prayerfully read and reread chapter 6, some things began to pop out at me. First, verses 1-18 are summarized by verse one:

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them;

Jesus repeatedly used the words "in secret" in describing spiritual practices like praying, giving and fasting. Man's natural tendency goes totally against the idea of doing right things in secret. Along with "in secret" was the word reward. So as you put off your natural tendency to let people know how spiritual you are and put on letting God's grace flow through you God's way, there will be a reward for you. Think about it, you can get praise of men now, or you can have God's reward for eternity.

The next thing that caught my attention was at the end of verse 24:

“You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Jesus talked about wealth from verse 19 to the end of the chapter at verse 34. He explained very clearly that God knows how to take care of you and your needs and that He wants to take care of you. However, He can't if your focus is on you providing for yourself. And so we come to the final famous verses of Matthew 6:33-34 as written above.

Praise:

We praise You, Father, that You take care of us. You know our needs and You promised to meet them. Cause us not to worry about tomorrow but to seek Your righteousness instead.

Hear and Act [Matthew 7]

24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man... 26"Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man...

As Jesus finished His discourse that began in Matthew 5, He emphasized the importance of these words He had spoken to them. These words demand action. However, as I consider what the Lord expects of me through these words; to not judge others, to not give what is holy to swine, to treat all people as I would like to be treated, to enter the narrow gate, to recognize and stay away from false prophets, and to understand that not everyone who says Lord, Lord is going to be in the kingdom (even though they did miracles) because they did not know Him, I (Beth) feel overwhelmed and inadequate. How can I enter the narrow gate where few will enter? I know what a mess I am and that I deserve to go on the wide path to destruction. And then tucked among all of these expectations of our Lord, are the most awesome encouraging words that give me great hope:

7"Ask,and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8"For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Praise:

I praise You, Father that you are waiting for me to ask so that You can give. May I be as the wise man who hears and acts upon the words of Jesus because I keep asking You to do it through me, as I seek You and knock on Your spiritual door through prayer.

Who Was This Man? [Matthew 8]

In Matthew 8, Jesus stopped talking and began acting and His actions spoke volumes about who He was.

Jesus

Touched a leper and healed Him - showed fearless compassion and ability to heal
Healed Centurion's servant - showed Jesus' authority to cause things to happen at a distance (head of a spiritual hierarchy)
Marveled at the Centurion's faith - showed how Jesus values faith
Touched Peter's Mother-in-law's hand and healed her fever -showed a willingness to be intimate in healing her
That evening they brought many to Him and He cast out demons and healed them - showed a willingness to minister to many
He had no place to lay His head - showed humility
He told the man to let the dead bury the dead - showed that there was a window of time for Him on this earth
He calmed the storm - He had authority over the weather
He cast the demons out of the two uncontrollable men - showed His authority over many demons

Take a minute to pretend that you were there watching these things that Jesus did in Matthew 8. What sort of conclusions would you make about this man, Jesus? Pray that as we read through the gospels in the weeks to come, we will continue to watch Jesus and hear His words and be blessed by His life as never before.

He Felt Compassion For Them [Matthew 9]

35Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. 36Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.38"Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

Throughout Matthew 9 Jesus went from one encounter to another as people came to him to be made whole again. He graciously dealt with each person with compassion and power. However, throughout chapter 9, opposition from the scribes, Pharisees and others began to surface as Jesus did His healing work. Jesus responded to the opposition with grace and truth.

Then as chapter 9 comes to a close, we read the words above and learn even more about Jesus, the Son of God.

Jesus

Went through all the cities
Went through all the villages
Taught in their synagogues
Proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom
Healed every kind of disease
Healed every kind of sickness
Saw the people
Had compassion on the people because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd
Asked the disciples to pray for the harvest - workers are needed

We praise You, God, for the tireless, compassionate and powerful work Jesus did while on this earth. Praise God that He is still tireless, compassionate and powerfully working through His Spirit in us today. May you walk with Him in His work today.

He Felt Compassion For Them [Matthew 9]

Jesus

Praise God for the tireless, compassionate and powerful work Jesus did while on this earth. Praise God that He is still tireless, compassionate and powerfully working through His Spirit in us today. May you walk with Him in His work today.

Do Not Be Afraid - Let God Take Care of You [Matthew 10]

26"Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

27"What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. 28"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29"Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31"So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

These words were spoken to the 12 disciples before Jesus sent them out. He told them that He knew He was sending them out like sheep among wolves (v. 16) but still all the way through this passage He exhorts them not to be afraid. Why? Because nothing happens (not even a sparrow falling to the ground) without your Father's consent. And just in case you are thinking that surely there are some things God is not bothered with, He adds that even the hairs of your head have been counted.

Fear. It is the thing that keeps us from moving. It means "to hold in highest value." As I (Verna) read that Jesus sends us out like sheep among wolves, I immediately have fear. I hold in highest value that sheep are vulnerable and need to be protected from wolves not sent out among them. But what He is calling me to hold in highest value is my Father who is protecting me. He is even going to speak through me by His Spirit (v.20).

May we walk today fearing (holding in highest value) God, our protector, who considers us valuable enough to not let anything happen to us without His consent. As we recognize the other things we fear may we exchange them for the truth about God's character.

Come To Jesus and Find Rest [Matthew 11]

25At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.

26"Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 27"All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Are you weary today? Are you caring heavy burdens? Jesus is offering you rest. He is calling you to come, be united with Him in a way that ties you together as you walk. As you walk with Him in commitment you will learn from Him. You will learn to know the Father as the Son knows Him. Jesus will humbly and gently reveal the truth about the Father, Lord of heaven and earth. As you learn who He really is, you will grow in trusting Him and the walk will be easy and light. Isn't this what your heart longs for?

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, because He cares about you." 1 Peter 5:6-7 (Holman CSB). It will require being humble - acknowledging that we need God and asking Him to cause us to cast our burdens on Him.

We praise You the You are longing to carry our burdens for us, walk beside us and to give us rest. May we humbly take His yoke upon us today.

Truth and Love [Matthew 12]

14But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

15But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, 16and warned them not to tell who He was. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
    18"BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN;
         MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED;
         I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM,
         AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.
    19"HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT;
         NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS.
    20"A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF,
         AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT,
         UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY.
    21"AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE."

The Pharisees did not like that Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath. Jesus even told them that "the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." They began to conspire against Him, plotting how they might destroy Him.

I love that He was aware of their plotting, left to go somewhere else but the crowds kept following Him. Still He kept healing them. As He warns them not to tell who He was in order to fulfill what Isaiah had prophesied years ago, we see more revealed about Jesus and His Father's relationship.

* Jesus is the Father's beloved

* The Father's soul is delighted by Jesus

* Jesus will proclaim justice to the ones who are not Jews

* He will not be heard in the streets arguing and shouting

* Even the Gentiles will hope in His name

Once again we see that He came with authority but it was a quiet, serving authority. Remember the King that came to serve as a Shepherd. It is hard to keep those two thoughts together but Jesus is consistently blending them together in all He does and says. Truth and love at the same time. Justice and hope. Judgment about sin and at the same time compassion and mercy. May we learn from Him today as we observe these incredible combinations. He will heal us as we embrace both His truth and His love.

The Righteous Will Shine Like the Sun [Matthew 13]

36Then He left the crowds and went into the house And His disciples came to Him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."

37And He said, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. 40"So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 41"The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43"Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. 44"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

In this chapter Jesus begins to speak in parables to the people about the kingdom of heaven. The parables were stories about something in life that they could relate to with spiritual truths woven into the story. The disciples didn't understand why He was speaking to the people in parables. He told them "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." He then quotes Isaiah again who describes this people's heart as having grown callous and their ears hard of hearing. Because of the state of their hearts Jesus is talking about things they do understand, like wheat, fish, pearls, etc. and engaging their minds so that they ponder the spiritual truths He is giving them, instead of outright rejecting them.

So what do we learn from the parable about the wheat and the weeds? The kingdom of heaven is here in the world where the Son of Man has sown the sons of the kingdom and the enemy has sown his sons. They are living together until the end of the age when the "Son of Man will send out His angels and gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness" and they will be thrown into the blazing furnace. (Holman CSB). Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father.

This kingdom is the treasure worth seeking. Sell everything and buy that field. Place all that you have on the fine pearl. You will shine like the sun in your Father's kingdom if you are indeed a son of the kingdom. We praise You Father for sending Your Son and for establishing Your kingdom. May all the things of this world grow strangely dim in the light of Your glory and grace.

He Is Certainly the Son of God! [Matthew 14]

22Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away.
23After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.
24But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.
26When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
28Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
29And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!"
34When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent word into all that surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick; 36and they implored Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were cured.

When reading this story I am right there with those guys. I have sailed at night, fighting a storm. I would be terrified too, if I had seen Jesus walking on the water. Would I be brave like Peter and want to test the waters? Probably not. But if I had blundered into that I certainly would have felt the same terror when I saw the wind. And I would have doubted too.

Are you picturing what is happening? The wind just stops as Jesus and Peter get into the boat. All doubt is now gone - this is certainly the Son of God. He has command of even the wind. Add to it that they had that morning watched Jesus feed 5000 men plus women and children with five loaves of bread and two fish. This is a turning point in the disciples faith - they are not convinced that Jesus is God's Son.

May we worship Jesus today by recognizing the amazing things He is doing and declaring Him to surely be the Son of God.

Jesus Satisfies [Matthew 15]

32And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, "I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way."33The disciples said to Him, "Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?" 34And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven, and a few small fish."35And He directed the people to sit down on the ground;36and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.37And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full. 38And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39And sending away the crowds, Jesus got into the boat and came to the region of Magadan.

Jesus satisfied the over 4000 people with 7 loaves and a few fish. You can trust Him to satisfy your needs. May you look to Jesus in your time of need.

We praise Jesus for:

being willing to challenge the Pharisees and scribe

having mercy on the Caananite mother and daughter

healing lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others

having compassion on the people and feeding the 4000

What Will You Give in Exchange for Your Soul? [Matthew 16]

"24Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.26"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27"For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS."

How can I come after Jesus? I must deny myself, take up my cross and follow Jesus. I am not exactly sure what God means about taking up my cross but I think it is connected with being willing to lose my life for His sake?

We praise You that Jesus, the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels. Keeping sight of that truth makes the things I desire on this earth not even worth gaining. Cause me to be willing to follow You completely today.

Get Up and Do Not Be Afraid [Matthew 17]

1Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. 3And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!" 6When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. 7And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, "Get up, and do not be afraid." 8And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.

Jesus chose three disciples to accompany Him up the mountain. They watched Jesus transfigure before them with "His face that shone like the sun and His garments as white as light." They marveled at this and even when Moses and Elijah showed up to talk with Jesus, Peter's response was excitement and a willingness to build places for them to hang out. Not one of the disciples seemed to be afraid when they saw these miraculous things. But when the voice of God spoke from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him,” the three men fell face down to the ground and they were terrified. It wasn't until Jesus "touched them" and told them "not to be afraid" that they were even able to look up.

Being with Jesus and experiencing His miraculous life did not provoke fear in the disciples, but the voice of God melted all their strength. We serve a terrifying God who can send strong men shivering to the ground with just a few words... and words that were not even fearsome or threatening. But Jesus who is comfortable with the awesome God of the universe is also comfortable with frail and broken humans, takes the fear out of standing before a holy God with His touch and words.

What an awesome God we serve who provided a link between man and Him in the person of Jesus Christ. We praise You for Jesus who died to save us from our sins and made us able to boldly with great confidence able to enter into the presence of a holy God without fear. (Hebrews 4:16) May we enter the throne room of God often with confidence through Jesus Christ.

Like A Child [Matthew 18]

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"2And He called a child to Himself and set him before them,3and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4"Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

When I (Beth) was a child, I couldn't wait until I was old enough to be on my own. I was dependent upon my parents to take care of me, to provide everything that I needed. They got to decide when I got up and went to bed, what I ate and where I got to go. It was a relief when I finally was old enough to get that parental yoke off my shoulders. However, by the time I was 23 years old and a young married wife, I was ready to end my life because of my eating disorder. Life felt like a living hell and I was tired of fighting. That is when I gave my life to Jesus. I remember telling Him, "I don't know if you are real, but if you can fix this mess I am in, I want you in my life." From that day, my life began to change for the better. It was quite a few years before I realized the truth of Matthew 18:1-4 and began in earnest to let Jesus run my life and learn to be His obedient child. Over 20 years later, I still struggle against His parental yoke, but each year, by His grace, I am a little more like a child and so blessed as a result.

We praise You God for giving children to be examples of humility Thank You that You want us to be like little children. May we become like a child and be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

The Impossible Standard [Matthew 19]

21Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." 22But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. 23And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24"Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?" 26And looking at them Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

The Christian life is impossible. Jesus said it pretty clearly in the verses above. Although He was talking about getting saved, it is also true concerning living the Christian life. I (Beth) heard those words from the pulpit the first and last time some 20 years ago. At that time, God had me in such a weak place that those words not only resonated in my mind, but they pierced my heart and I knew they were true. I had been trying to act like a Christian with all my strength and without much success. This sermon by a visiting pastor was a turning point for me. It took a while to figure out how to stop trying and to let God do the impossible through some really painful stuff, but that's another story. Over the years I have been learning to let God do the impossible through me. When I am surrendered, He is faithful to do amazing things in my life.

We praise You God that all things are possible with You, even what seems impossible to us. May we grow in surrendering to You, the God of the impossible. Your amazing power is at work moving each person to salvation.

In His Kingdom Things Are Different [Matthew 20]

January 23, 2010

28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

In His kingdom, all people are the same before Him without preference according to salvation date or the amount of work done for Him. This world in which we live is all about preference. If you have seniority or money or great talents, you get ahead of the rest. His Kingdom is different. In this world, we are driven to accumulate wealth for ourselves. In His Kingdom, generosity is the norm. His Kingdom is different. In this world, kings and presidents are exalted and are protected. They have people who will die to keep them alive. Jesus, God’s chosen King was sent as the King who would die to keep us alive. His Kingdom is different. In this world, servants are at the bottom of the social system, but in His kingdom if you want to be great, you will be a great servant. His Kingdom is different. And He is a different kind of King, one who came to serve His enemies and give His life so that some could be part of His Kingdom, a Kingdom like no other.

We praise You, Jesus, for coming to serve us. You served us by giving up Your life. You ransomed us with Your death and resurrection. Cause by Your power to live in Your kingdom even while we are on earth.

He Silenced Their Questions with a Question [Matthew 22]

15Then the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in what He said.
34But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
37And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 38"This is the great and foremost commandment.
39"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' 40"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."
41Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42"What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?" They said to Him, "The son of David." 43He said to them, "Then how does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying,
    44'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
         "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
         UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET"'?
45"If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his son?" 46No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

This is the last week of Jesus' life and the leaders have questioned Him at length. They were trying to trick Him into saying something that would condemn Himself. He has answered some of the questions directly and some with parables. But the question about which is the great commandment is their last formal question. His answer is love. Love God with all your heart, soul and mind. Love your neighbor as yourself.

Then Jesus asks them a question. What do you think about the Messiah that has been promised? "Who's son is He?" They know the scriptures well so they answer with confidence, "The son of David."

Then Jesus quotes David as saying, "THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD," and asks how David could call Him 'Lord' if He is his son? They could not answer.

I (Verna) have been pondering all morning why that was such a hard question for them. They knew it was true but they couldn't answer why it was true. Did the answer point to the truth that Jesus was the Messiah and they didn't want to hear that truth? Were their ideas about scripture so entrenched with preconceived ideas that they were not even willing to think about the answer?

May we be willing today to let Jesus ask us hard questions about what we believe the scripture says. May our hearts be open to consider what truth the Holy Spirit may be asking us to look at with new eyes. And above all, let us ask Him to cause us to love God with all our heart, mind and soul today.

I praise You, Jesus, that You are the Son of God. You are sitting at God’s right hand. This is the truth proclaimed through all of Scripture.

Jesus Speaks the Truth with Love [Matthew 23]

5"But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6"They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.
8"But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9"Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10"Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11"But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12"Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
37"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38"Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39"For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'"

In this chapter Jesus told the crowds and His disciples to do what the Pharisees told them but not to do what they did. They gave others loads that are too hard to carry, they are hypocrites, blind guides, blind fools, and like white-washed tombs. Read the chapter to see all the evil they actually do in the name of "being the righteous ones."

I love the mixture of speaking the truth with love that Christ demonstrated in this chapter. He looked at the city of Jerusalem, where the temple is housed, where these blind leaders are leading the people astray and said, "How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, yet you were not willing." What a tender picture of His heart for His people. He longs to care fur us and comfort us but He waits until we are willing.

We praise You, Jesus for Your tender heart for Your people. May we be humble and willing today to let You press us close to Your heart protected under Your wings. May our heart beat with Your’s as we are close enough to listen.

Are You Ready for His Coming? [Matthew 24]

32"Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.
34"Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. 36"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
37"For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.38"For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
40"Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41"Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. 42"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.
43"But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44"For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

"This is why you must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." (Matthew 24:44, Holman CSB) I want to be ready. I want to be alert. But life is so distracting. I think about His coming and look forward to it at times. Most of the time it is far from my mind.

Why is it so important to think about His return? It keeps life in proper perspective. The thought that He could come today - does that change what I would do today? It does. Things that I think are important at this moment would fade from the picture. And yes, I would want to get ready.

He is near, He is right at the door! His words will never pass away. May we live today without distraction. May we live from a pure and simple devotion to Christ (1 Cor. 7:35), knowing that He could return for His elect today with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30).

Jesus Speaks the Truth with Love [Matthew 23]

5"But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6"They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.

8"But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9"Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10"Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11"But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12"Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

37"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.

38"Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39"For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'"

In this chapter Jesus tells the crowds and His disciples to do what the Pharisees tell them but not to do what they do. They give others loads that are too hard to carry, they are hypocrites, blind guides, blind fools, and like white-washed tombs. Read the chapter to see all the evil they actually do in the name of "being the righteous ones."

I love the mixture of speaking the truth with love that Christ demonstrates in this chapter. He looks at the city of Jerusalem, where the temple is housed, where these blind leaders are leading the people astray and says,"How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, yet you were not willing." What a tender picture of His heart for His people. He longs to care fur us and comfort us but He waits until we are willing.

We praise You, Jesus, that you long to gather Your children together. May we be and willing today to let You press us close to Your heart protected under Your wings. May my heart beat with Your heart as I stay close enough to listen.

I Was Hungry and You Fed Me [Matthew 25]

31"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32"All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
34"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
40"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' 46"These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

This conversation follows the parable of the talents. A man goes on a journey and gives his possessions to his slaves. One he gives five talents, another two and another one - to each according to his own ability. After a long time the master comes back to settle accounts with them and they show him what they have earned. Both the ones who invested them have doubled the amount and the master called them both good and faithful slaves. But the one with one talent was afraid of his master and buried the talent he had received. The master took away his talent, calling him a evil and lazy slave and sending him into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

I have never really understood this parable but today as I looked at it in combination with the conversation about the sheep and goats I am beginning to wonder if Jesus is talking about faith. It is growing faith that distinguishes the sheep from the goats and the good slave from the evil. When we by faith feed the hungry and invite the stranger in, we are doing it to Jesus. To Jesus? Wow, that makes me want to keep investing in faith.

Rejoice today, good and faithful servant, because God is growing your faith. When we see "the Son of Man come(s) in His glory, and all the angels with Him, ...on His glorious throne," it will be a joyous occasion. He will say to you, "Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

A Day to Remember [Matthew 26]

These were Jesus' words during His last hours before His death:

1When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, 2"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion."

11"For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. 12"For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial.

18And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"

24"The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!

26While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body. "27And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

32"But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee."

38Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me."39And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."

42He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done."

53"Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54"How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?"

63But Jesus kept silent and the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God." 64Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN."

75And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.

This is Jesus' last day on earth. His words during that day were packed with rich insight, most of which was lost on the disciples until much later. What do we learn from His words? He was tenderly trying to prepare His followers for what was to come. He reminded them often that the Scriptures had foretold the events that were about to unfold. He was also aware of what He personally was about to endure in order "for many to have forgiveness of sins."

In His emotional struggle and sorrow we also see His embrace of the Father's will. The peace that envelops Him as He laid aside His own will is evident as He walks through the events of the night.

May we with grateful hearts, lay down our will and embrace what the Father has for us today. "For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in His steps. He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth; when reviled, He did not revile in return; when suffering, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to the One who judges justly." (1 Peter 2:21-23, Holman CSB.)

P.S. While reading Matthew I (Verna) was intrigued with this Peter who wrote those words above. He was mentioned by name a number of times. I went back and wrote down all the specific things about him and put it together in a blurb called, "Who Is Peter?' It was very insightful to see his growth in his relationship with Jesus. You can read it on the website under Community, under "Leader's Pearls of Wisdom."

Truly This Was the Son of God! [Matthew 27]

37And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

38At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. 39And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads 40and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

41In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, 42"He saved others; He cannot save Himself? He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43"HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'" 44The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words.

45Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"

47And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, "This man is calling for Elijah." 48Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49But the rest of them said, "Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him."

50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

54Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

As I (Verna) am pondering the things the mockers said to Jesus, I see myself among their ranks. Haven't I said some of those same words in my mind? "If God is really God, why didn't He ______________? (Save this person from suffering? Stop the man who blocked my husband's promotion? Kept this child from doing that deed?) But today I am seeing that the answer to all my questions is the same as the answer to the mockers questions. Why didn't God save His Son from dying on the cross? His love for me. He was willing to suffer and die so that I may have life with Him. He loves me so much that He was willing to endure the greatest suffering ever suffered in all history - to die not having done any wrong thus not deserving one ounce of suffering or death.

May I today receive God's answer to my questions. He truly is the Son of God whose great love for me sent Him to the cross. Everything He does or allows is for the purpose of wooing me into that great love.

The Women Were the First to Know [Matthew 28]

5The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.6"He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.

What an amazing ending to an incredible story. I am especially intrigued by the fact that it was women who met the angel and were the first to hear the news that He was risen. What a gift for those ladies to have the eternal privilege of this discovery. And then, as they went to tell the disciples, Jesus met them on their way. Even though in the structure of the church and the family, men are over the women, Jesus showed the women how precious and important they were to him in many ways throughout his life and here after His death and resurrection. And He emphasized in His teaching (as seen earlier in Matthew) that although the men were to lead, as leaders they were to be great servants caring for the church, the women and the children, not lording over them.

Women need to know these things in a world that doesn't build them up to become the women God designed for them to be. Often I see women competing with their husbands for significance in the workplace instead of complementing them. Women are significant in God's Kingdom and their role as wife and mother is worthy and sufficient. There are other women who haven't the privilege to become a wife or Mom, and God blesses these women, too, as they seek Him for what He has for them in this world.

We praise you Father for raising Christ from the dead. Thank You that You chose to give the news to the women first. May we appreciate Your creation of women and encourage women to find their significance in You and not in the world.

Beth and Verna, 1/5/2010