Matthew Chapter 10

Matthew 10 has been called the “Little Commission” because it’s directed to the Jewish believers of the early church, as opposed to the “Great Commission”, which is directed to everyone. 

Matthew 10 begins with Jesus calling unto himself the twelve disciples, then giving them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease.  He then calls each disciple by name and urges them to go to the lost sheep of Israel with the message, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand”.  The healing and expulsion of demons were part and parcel of helping the lost to pay attention, hear the primary message and be won over as believers.

Jesus spent much of the rest of the chapter warning the 12 disciples not to fuss, not to wait for perfect conditions, not to travel with all kinds of bulky supports.  He wanted them to travel as he did, with just a single set of clothes and relying upon the kindness of strangers and provision from above.  He wanted them to travel light and depend upon God for their every need.  I can only imagine how many caravans of camels and donkeys they would have tried to load if they were trying to anticipate their every future need.  Enough already!

Many years ago, I had a dream.  In the dream, I was in a large crowd and, all of a sudden, healing oil began to emerge from my forehead!  This had never happened before but I knew instinctively it was oil for healing and very precious.  I ran to the kitchen and began rummaging through my cupboard, discarding cup after cup as not being appropriate to contain this healing oil.  As I rummaged, the oil began to curdle and I quickly realized that if I didn’t select a cup immediately there would be nothing left for healing.  I was able to salvage a bit but, at least in my dream, no one was helped by this divine oil. 

As I look back on that dream, I wonder… What if I had caught the oil with my own two hands and shared it with everyone in the crowd?  What if I had not stopped to fuss, to wait for the perfect conditions?  What kind of healing might God have done among the people I was already with? 

Being somewhat fussy by nature, that dream was a wakeup call for me to regularly lay down my fussiness, realize He is the one working through me anyways and that my task is to remain connected to Him and let the Holy Spirit flow as He will through me, imperfect as I am.  He is the Vine, I am the branch.  Stay connected to Him and the rest will flow.     

In a weird way, my waiting for the “perfect container” was actually a form of arrogance that the Lord used to reveal some of my hearts’ condition.  My goodness, what did the container of God’s healing oil need to look like for it to be selected?  The value was in the oil, not in the container.  So it is today.  We are vessels of the Lord, sent out by Him to draw other beloved people unto Himself.  How fortunate are we to even be selected to have a part in this?  My task is to remember that Jesus will use me exactly as I am, exactly how I think, exactly how I look – for His glory.  My part is to be willing to be used.  Amen.         

Matthew Chapter 9

Just before reading this chapter I had been lying in bed praying for my mother.  Praying for her was so hard for me, I know I cannot imagine what life is like for her.  I could not put myself in the place of an 80 year old women who has lost her husband of 62 years, or who is living alone for the first time in her life, or who is having memory issues and fears that her adult children may press in and take away some of her freedoms by insisting on in-home care or assisted living.

To the bleeding women Jesus said “your FAITH has healed you”.  To the blind men (plural) who called out He said “do you BELIEVE that I am able to do this?.. and then as he touched their eyes he said “according to YOUR FAITH will it be done to you” and their sight was restored. 

There are so many lessons in this chapter where crowds of people were flocking to Jesus because people were realizing that there is no one like Him.  But the lesson that spoke to me today was, “just bring your Mom to me IN FAITH, I KNOW her needs and I have the POWER to help her”.

Matthew Chapter 8

Matthew chapter 8 reads like a fast-paced action movie to me.  The chapter moves swiftly from scene to scene with Jesus healing the sick, Jesus praising and challenging followers, and concludes with Jesus exercising authority over nature and demons.  Jesus is in control.  Jesus is all-powerful.  What stands out to me in this chapter is how people respond differently to this all-powerful Jesus.

The leper and the Roman officer demonstrate great faith.  “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”  “Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.”  Jesus heals the leper and praises the Roman officer for having a faith unlike any other in all of Israel.  Can you imagine what the Pharisees and his disciples thought about that statement?  Both of these outsiders demonstrated a deep faith and trust in Jesus and his power to heal, and for that they were rewarded.

A follower in verse 21 makes a seemingly innocent statement about returning home first to bury his father.  The response from Jesus is startling - “Follow me now.  Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead”.  I find this response terrifying.  Jesus doesn’t allow this disciple to set any conditions or limits on discipleship.  Total commitment is the cost.

When things get rough out on the lake, the disciples react fearfully.  Jesus responds – “Why are you afraid?  You have so little faith!” – and then calms the storm.  Having seen Jesus perform many powerful miracles, why are the disciples afraid?  Don’t they know Jesus will take care of them in the storm?

At the end of the chapter, a whole town tells Jesus to go away and leave them alone.  Jesus heals two violent men from demon possession.  In the process, the demons are allowed to enter the pigs and the herd rushes down a hillside for a final swim in the lake.  The herdsmen flee to a nearby town and tell everyone what happened.  I guess they didn’t like what it cost to heal these two men.

I can relate to all these characters in this chapter.  Sometimes I want Jesus to go away.  The cost of following him seems too high.  I’m often afraid when things get difficult, and sometimes my faith is strong.  How can I be more often like the Roman officer and less often like the fearful disciples?

In the end, it is the beginning of the chapter that is most important to me.  When the leper asks to be healed and clean, Jesus says “I am willing”.  The all-powerful Jesus who can calm a storm is willing and able to heal and cleanse me.  How can my faith be more like the Roman officer’s?  Keep my eyes on this Jesus, his character, his authority, his power, his willingness to forgive and save, and keep them off myself and my performance.

Where do you see yourself in this chapter?

Matthew Chapter 7

This chapter is filled with nuggets of truth that the Lord has given to us to use and to follow in our everyday lives. For me, what stood out the most in this chapter was seeing how I should not be judging others. 

How can I easily see faults in others and eagerly point out their wrong doings when I don’t see my own faults or admit that I have them. In truth, I should be open and honest to looking inwardly at myself in this same manner that I judge others. In simple terms, when did I become judge and jury?  In verse 5 we see how Jesus rebukes hypocrisy when he says “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.”  From this verse we see how we need to be willing to hold ourselves accountable to the same judgment we put on others. Ouch! These are strong and powerful words. Am I without sin -- not by a long shot! I fall short day in and day out. This chapter was a good reminder that we cannot pass judgment on others, unless we are without sin. My take away is that the standards or rules that I put on others should be the same for me. I see this truth exemplified in my parenting. I need to ask myself, “How can I set a standard for my child that I am not willing to follow?” To me it can easily be summed up with the old adage that says, “Treat others how you want to be treated.” 

Matthew Chapter 6

In Matthew Chapter 6 Jesus is teaching the Jews (and us) how to live.  He instructs us that giving should be done from the heart and in private.  And in so doing we will receive rewards from the Father who sees everything.  He also teaches us how to pray and fast and gives us the “Lord’s Prayer” as a guide.  Emphasizing how important it is for us to forgive those who have sinned against us.  He also teaches us about money and possessions and that we cannot “serve two masters”.  Meaning money can enslave us if we put our faith in it.  We should put our faith in God and not worry about everyday life as our Heavenly Father already knows all our needs.  This chapter is a great guide for us.  It is reassuring to me to know that God already knows everything about me and he provides for me in every way that is important.  He provides me peace and the reassurance that He will take care of me no matter what the circumstance.  Sometimes it’s difficult to see God’s hand in my life in the present.  But looking back, I can see how He has taken care of me.  Maybe not the way I would have expected, but always knowing that He has a plan for me and that it is good!

Matthew Chapter 5

As I sat down to read Matthew 5 I felt overwhelmed.  There is so much in this chapter how do I touch on only a few words?  So I prayed “Lord help me grab hold of what you want me to zero in on.”  I then read the chapter and I knew.  

For those who know me, you know that I am a pretty busy person.  I don’t sit still very well.   Growing up I was taught that it was a bad thing.  “If you would just sit still you could…understand, learn, do better!”  I was taught that I was different, broken and not like the other “good” kids.  It wasn’t until I was in my mid 30’s that I understood that I was just as my Father wanted me to be.  I was created with purpose and design.  What a breakthrough that was.  I felt liberated until the next lesson came.  

Busy people say, “yes” a lot.  A sweet friend told me, in love that I should say “no” more often.  But that is not who God made me to be.  But I did listen to that sweet friend who told me this and realized what I needed to change was how I was doing things, mostly in my own strength.  Another game-changer!  Matthew 5:3 says, “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”  I needed Him!  If I was operating in my own strength I would become overwhelmed and self-critical.  God designed my to have the ability to be busy and to find joy in it but even more importantly he designed me to need Him.  I have a new prayer, “ Lord help me do no more and no less than what you have called me to do.”  With this new prayer I have peace and a closer relationship with my savior.  They only way I can hear Him is if I listen.  This requires me to stop before I go, but brings me so much peace and joy. 

Matthew Chapter 5

This is the test of the blog for Matthew 5.

Matthew Chapter 4

I’ve seen the picture of Jesus walking in the desert weakened from hunger being approached by Satan, in my mind’s eye many times. Sometimes the image is that of a perfectly groomed Jesus untouched by the elements. Other times it’s that of a chapped lipped Jesus weak from the lack of food and water He could hardly sit up. What I never seem to envision is Jesus armed for battle.

Satan must have thought Jesus was vulnerable due to his weakened physical state. After all, he was fully man (as well as God, so perhaps Jesus would be open to his suggestions? He attempted three times to get Jesus to act independently of the Father’s will. He tempted Jesus to act without waiting on God’s provision, to test the Father by placing himself in danger, and to rule the world as King of Kings without going to the cross. Jesus defeated each temptation with the word of God. 

In verse 8, “…the devil took him [Jesus] to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”

It brings me great comfort to know that because our Lord suffered temptation, He understands our struggle. He understands, and He has shown us how to battle against it. He has armed us with His Word, being able to say “For the Scripture says…..” is key to being armed for an attack. Soldiers learn to use their weapon by practicing with it. The more they use it, the better they are yielding it.

We all have areas that leave us exposed to attack. For me trusting God as my sole provider is a vulnerable area. I don’t need special visions, I’ve found a small whisper of doubt can be very effective. If I’m not on guard, I’m prone to worry. That worry leads to decisions from my reasoning rather than going to prayer or seeking wise counsel. When armed for battle I remind myself the Lord is where my help comes from as He watches over my life (Psalm 121). I’m not to worry about food or clothing because God will care for me (Matthew 6:25-34). God is with me wherever I go; I don’t have to lose heart or take matters into my own hands (Joshua 1:9). I’d love to say I have mastered the art of slaying temptation through years of practice. I’m a soldier still in training, learning from the Master. 

Matthew Chapter 3

I’m encouraged this morning from reading Matthew 3, reminded that God does not look upon man from the outside, but He looks at the heart.

John was a bushman. A wild lad who looked like he just returned from a walkabout in the Aussie outback. Verse 4 says it like this, "John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.” Visually, I imagine he was a sight to behold… and likely his smell was also something to remember. However he had a heart that was tuned to God, an intimacy with the Creator such that God would reveal the secrets of heaven and allow him to proclaim the forecoming of Jesus. 

“I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am— so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

God chose this rugged man to perform one of the most sacred Christian rituals on His son, Jesus' baptism. This moment would not only signify the beginning of Jesus earthly ministry, but it was a prophetic anointing and proclamation of who Jesus was.  God spoke from heaven and and declared Jesus as his dearly loved Son. Wow!

I’m sure in that moment John the Baptist was both humbled and in awe, a simple bushman baptizing the Son of Yahweh, God almighty. 

God looks at the heart, not at outwardly appearances. He wants to use you in powerful ways, just like he did with John. May you walk in intimacy with God today.

Matthew Chapter 2

When I started reading and realized that the passage was about a story that I have heard countless times in my life, I immediately thought of the stereotypical manger scene.  You have Mary and Joseph standing, Jesus in the manger, a few Shepard men off to one side and the three wise men on the other with their gifts in hand. You also can’t forget the star over the barn where everyone is gathered.  

I challenged myself to read it again and to read it with fresh eyes, to look for things that are sometimes missed. Too often, we put certain stories into a box rather than asking God to reveal something new to us about Him. With all of that being said there were a few things that stood out to me. 

The first thing that really stood out to me is the star that the wise men were following.  It made me ask the question, “Was this star only visible to them?” In my mind it seems like if there was a really bright and obvious star it would have attracted others as well, not just the three.  Verse 9 says, “…And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.” This makes it sound like the star was moving.  This implies that God wanted the wise men to see it but not others. Was it elusive? Was it a star at all? I find myself wrestling with questions in how all of this went down and what actually happened.  

I was also impressed by how many times God came through revealing the perfect plan to different people involved. Three different times God seems to intervene, causing a course correction.  The first time is in verse 12 when God warns the wise men in a dream to stay away from King Herod. The second is in verse 13, when the Angel of the Lord appears to Joseph warning him to flee Bethlehem to Egypt.  Then it happens a third time in verses 19 and 20 when the Angel of the Lord instructs them to return to the land of Israel. 

I find myself wishing God would guide and direct my steps in such a clear, obvious way that I couldn’t miss it, that it would be so obvious there would be no question.  For me, I find that I can often convince or explain my way out of truly listening and following in those moments, those moments where the Holy Spirit is leading. 

I believe with all of my heart that God still speaks and still leads, much like He did with Joseph and the wise men.  I think that we can often convince ourselves that it is not God and that it is coincidence.  My prayer is that I, as a follower of Jesus would be in tune with the voice of God, that I would hear it loud and clear and that I would follow boldly.