relationships (Matthew 11:1-15) Confidence vs Doubt

(Matthew 11:1-15)

1 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

2 Now while in prison, John heard about the works of Christ, and he sent word by his disciples, 3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or are we to look for someone else?” 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 those who are blind receive sight and those who limp walk, those with leprosy are cleansed and those who are deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is any person who does not take offense at Me.”

7 As these disciples of John were going away, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces! 9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:

     ‘Behold, I am sending My messenger ahead of You,
     Who will prepare Your way before You.’

11 Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been treated violently, and violent men take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. 15 The one who has ears to hear, let him hear.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

All people fall short of God's grace and need His salvation in order to enjoy and experience a personal relationship with Him for all eternity.  And it doesn't matter who you are or how "good" you think you are, we all struggle with sin.  "Sin" is a term used in archery, meaning to miss the mark.  God is holy and cannot have a relationship with sin.  Even with just "a little bit of sin" means that we are not holy!  We are not perfect.  

That was the bad news.  And if a person just stops listening at that point, they will be left feeling hopeless and offended.  But here is the good news.  Jesus died for all sin, and for all people, of all time, so that when anyone humbly repents of their sin and believes in Him, we are saved, reborn, cleansed by His blood, forgiven of all sin (and remembered no more), and covered by His righteousness!

Now, even after becoming a believer, we will still sin.  No one is above this.  Even though the disciples (apostles) walked with the Lord Jesus in flesh, they struggled.  Even though John the Baptist had baptized Jesus and heard God's voice, the prophet, John the Baptist struggled, as we see in the verses above.  This is why God offers us His grace - and patience.  This is why God gives each believer His indwelling Holy Spirit to help us, guide us, empower us, as well as convict us when we stumble... because we will stumble and doubt.  

We will mess up, and as soon as we realize, it is to our benefit to confess our sins.  And it is okay to doubt and ask questions, but the latter should always follow the former.  To just remain in doubt leads to more doubt, and more doubt, and then to hopelessness and destruction...  So, just like John the Baptist did, it is important that we continue to go to God and His word and ask questions and continue to seek His truth, in order to establish a trust that leads to confidence in the Lord God.  In fact, we are told in God's word...

(Philippians 2:12)  So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

While Christianity is a journey of growth, the most important aspect of our faith is growing closer to the Lord in a personal relationship!  The more we get to know Him, the more we will trust and obey Him.  The more we trust and obey Him, the more we will get to know Him!  There is absolutely no doubt that God loves and cares for us!!!

relationships (Matthew 10:40-42) True Family

(Matthew 10:40-42)

40 “The one who receives you receives Me, and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 The one who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and the one who receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person shall receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

The key verse (verse 40) and the main point is that those who believe in God, have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who came in flesh, to be fully man while still being fully God, in order to pay the price for all sin, so that He can forgive those who humbly come to Him and repent, so that we can have a personal relationship with the Lord.  And as we love God, we will love God's children, as well as all people.

If one cannot love, help and fellowship with a true believer in Christ, then they are not really Christians (Christ-followers).  Having a relationship with the Lord is what all believers have in common, and in this, when we are all following and living in God's will, there will be unity.  In this, God's work will be done!  

It is one thing to get along with other Christians who tend to be on the same level as ourselves, but are we showing the same love and respect to our spiritual leaders?  As well, are we showing the same love and respect to the "little ones" within the family of God.  While we will experience blessings and consequences based on our words and actions while still on earth, it is when we get to heaven, all believers will be judged and rewarded according to the good deeds that we have done, with right motives, which is to speak and act in God's love, strength, wisdom, guidance and righteousness, all to His glory.  By our fruit, and by our love, people will know that we are Christians!

relationships (Matthew 10:34-39) Dealing With Divisiveness

(Matthew 10:34-39)

34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a person’s enemies will be the members of his household.

37 “The one who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and the one who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And the one who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 The one who has found his life will lose it, and the one who has lost his life on My account will find it.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

While there is nothing new under the sun, we are experiencing a lot of divisiveness in our world today.  And while social media can be used for good, like all things, it can be used for evil, so we need to be aware and cautious.  Obviously, not everything we see or hear is true.  Therefore, we should keep in mind a few things as we navigate this world and the relationships around us:

- those who hate God will hate His children

- there are religious and political factions who will convince people that Christians and Christianity is the enemy (there are even "Christian" churches that twist what the Bible says in order to convince people to hate true Bible believing Christians)

- therefore, as believers, the Lord God and His word needs to be first in our lives

- as we are in a relationship with God, we are to pray without ceasing (talk to Him about everything!!!)

- it is okay to have moments of doubt or weakness, just remember to continue seeking out the truth and trusting in the Lord

- the Lord God is truth, wisdom, peace, love, joy, and He is sovereign (omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent)

- avoid getting close to anything, anyone or any group that teaches people to fear and hate others, and to trust in them, in ourselves, or in other things

- avoid getting into debates and contentious arguments

- love and pray for those who hate us and hate God

- pray for God to give us the opportunities to share His love, peace, hope and joy, all with His love, wisdom and strength, and all to His glory!

relationships (Matthew 10:26-33) True Courage

(Matthew 10:26-33)  [regarding those who persecute believers, because of Jesus]

26 “So 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, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not be afraid of 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 two sparrows not sold for an assarion? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than a great number of sparrows.

32 “Therefore, everyone who confesses Me before people, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before people, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

A young Christian man, who was being interviewed, was asked why so many young adults were flocking to the church.  His reply was, "It takes a great evil to move an entire generation of people towards the Lord."  It is very interesting that in times of upheaval and danger, unbelievers search for truth, purpose, peace, joy and the love of God.  Also just as interesting, in times of upheaval and danger, many people who consider themselves believers, will abandon their "faith".  The question becomes:  were those people truly believers in the first place?  

One cannot simply go through the motions, just saying and doing what is expected.  With sincere and humble hearts, a person will repent and confess their sins, and accept the forgiveness that Jesus offers, accepting Jesus into their hearts (souls).  Then, His indwelling Holy Spirit will literally change that person from the inside out.  It is in this that we are spiritually born again, becoming a legitimate child of God.  Our salvation and relationship with the Lord God is secured forever!  Therefore, no need to worry or fear!

Since God will never leave or forsake His children, it is up to us to strive in our relationship with Him.  BECAUSE it is a relationship of love, He asks that we to go to Him for everything, in all things.  No matter what is going on around us or happening to us, when we learn to continuously trust in, and fully depend on our heavenly Father, we can experience His strength, peace and joy, and exhibit His love, peace and joy to others with courage and boldness!

relationships (Matthew 10:24-42) Emulating the Master

(Matthew 10:24-42)

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he may become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they insult the members of his household!

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

Wow... there isn't any bigger insult than to say that Satan is someone's master or head of their house!!!  Yet, if one hasn't made the Lord God their Master, Savior, Lord and King, well then... Satan is technically their master.  It is each individual's choice as to whom you want to follow and emulate.

In the Jewish culture, it was an honor and a privilege to become a student, and so, students (disciples) didn't just want to learn from their teachers (rabbis), they wanted to be just like them, in every single way.  As they were walking behind him, the student would literally try to walk exactly in the same way, and even step onto the exact same place that the teacher had just stepped.  The ultimate hope was that they would become master teachers themselves, all the while giving respect and credit to their teacher.  

In the same way, we should desire, not just to learn from Jesus, but desire to be just like Jesus, and give Him all the respect and all of the credit... but even more so!  Jesus deserves all of the glory and honor because without Him, all of this would be impossible.  Only the Lord can set us free from our slavery to sin, because He has paid the price, and redeems us by His shed blood.  Therefore, only the Lord can change us from the inside out.  So when we make Him our Savior, Lord and King, we will understand and desire to be "slaves to Christ" - the perfect, benevolent Master, who will help us and guide us in His way of love, peace and righteousness!

relationships (Matthew 10:21-23) We Have Choices

(Matthew 10:21-23)

21 “Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

23 “But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

We might say that we live in odd times, but, we have always lived in odd times.  Some eras are odder than others.  And currently in our countries, for over a decade, there has been a large force at work to silence and remove Christians and Jews.  This comes from radical groups that have somehow banded together and somehow have convinced quite a few Americans, Canadians and Europeans that Jews and Christians are the enemies to democracy, law and order, civility, equality, and freedom of speech and belief - MEANWHILE - the radical groups are actually the ones who are against all of these things in their attempts to gain control!

There's a Canadian group trying to ban certain Bible verses.  A U.S. governor tried to ban the entire Bible!  In the U.K., Christians have been arrested for silently praying in their homes, because they lived in close vicinity to abortion clinics.  Churches all over the world are under attacked.  In countries that are communist, and in countries run by terrorist regimes, Christians literally are thrown into prison for life, tortured and or killed.  Well... these dictators will even massacre their own people, even if there's only a hint or suspicious threat of them stepping out of line.  

Violence is clearly on the rise.  Police officers and their spouses and children, are receiving death threats, and have been attacked.  If someone doesn't like what someone else stands for, they feel entitled to kill them, like with the Luigi Mangione case.  And... we just saw the assassination of Charlie Kirk!  Why?  Because he was simply trying to encourage young adults to freely get together and discuss topics to see that we can hear opposing viewpoints to gain understanding, and see that we don't necessarily have to hate or fear each other.

A young man, who was being interviewed, was asked why so many young adults have been flocking to the church and becoming Christians.  His reply was, "It takes a great evil to move an entire generation of people towards the Lord."  In this world of hatred, fear, divisiveness, unreasonable idealisms, and rampant unfair criticisms, people have realized that what is missing in their lives is grace!

While we are to demonstrate love and grace to all of those around us, the Lord tells us here that we do not have to remain in unhealthy situations of persecution.  These situations will happen, and in those times, we are to continue looking to the Lord, and leaning on Him for His strength, love and wisdom to sort through these things.  Then, along the way, seeds of hope and the gospel message will be sown.  But it is clear that the Lord does not want us to place ourselves into those circumstances!  

All the more reason and evidence of why we should choose to date and marry another Christian!  It is also an extremely strong reason why we should choose to make other steadfast Christians our close friends and mentors!  All the more reason to embrace the love and grace of the Lord, and see that it is good!

relationships (Matthew 10:16-20) We're Not Alone

(Matthew 10:16-20)

16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be as wary as serpents, and as innocent as doves. 17 But be on guard against people, for they will hand you over to the courts and flog you in their synagogues; 18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings on My account, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who are speaking, but it is the Spirit of your Father who is speaking in you.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

As believers, we are not to be naive.  There is a level of knowledge and understanding that we should have about the world around us.  At the same time, we are to strive in remaining innocent, which is to trustingly and obediently live in the righteousness of Jesus.  

In this fallen, broken world, there are terrible things that happen to all people, but the Lord is giving us a heads up, that, just because we have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, people will target us.  Those who are not seeking for truth, will be the ones who hate and fear the truth, and they will be looking for ways to silence the truth.

While this might sound scary, we are told not to worry or fear anyone or anything.  God is sovereign!  He is with us!  He is fighting our battles!  And as we remain steadfast in the Lord, if and when something happens, we can know that God has allowed this for a reason, as verse 18 says.  

As well, verse 20 should give us great courage and confidence, because the Lord will work for, in and through us, even regarding what to say in those trying times!  When God allows us to go through something, He will be there with us, every step of the way.  We just have to remember to take His hand, rely and trust in Him, and remain focused on God and His will, in His strength, love, wisdom, peace and joy!