Posts
timewithgod.blog-city.com — November 2010
Matthew 9 -- What Jesus Saw
As I read of the paralyzed man carried by his friends on a mat, Matthew telling his own story of his miserable existence as a tax collector, the synagogue leader's despair at his daughter's death, and the woman who'd been bleeding for mos
As I read of the paralyzed man carried by his friends on a mat, Matthew telling his own story of his miserable existence as a tax collector, the synagogue leader's despair at his daughter's death, and the woman who'd been bleeding for most of her life, the two blind men who could suddenly see and the man who'd been unable to speak being able to talk and sing for the first time in his life, I found myself becoming focused of what Jesus knew. Being fully divine in that fully human body, did He see each of the people He met with a kind of X-ray spiritual and physical vision? Could He look at the individuals in a crowd and see their needs, their dashed dreams, their hopes and their physical infirmities? I think absolutely so. All around Him, we He hyper-aware of each death that was occurring, knowing that each person who'd never encountered Him was destined for hell? Did that knowledge drive him in His ministry?
It's clear that He saw the shallowness of the Pharisees, and it's clear that He knew the sin-state of everyone He encountered. No wonder there was an urgency about Him.
Father, give me Your eyes to see these things. Let me not be overwhelmed by the enormity of it all, but instead show me where to start. I want to be Your hands and feet on this earth.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
It's clear that He saw the shallowness of the Pharisees, and it's clear that He knew the sin-state of everyone He encountered. No wonder there was an urgency about Him.
Father, give me Your eyes to see these things. Let me not be overwhelmed by the enormity of it all, but instead show me where to start. I want to be Your hands and feet on this earth.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Matthew 10 -- Worthy Or Not
"Those who love their father or mother more than they love Me are not worthy to be My followers. Those who love their son or daughter more than they love Me are not worthy to be My followers. Whoever is not willing to carry the cross
"Those who love their father or mother more than they love Me are not worthy to be My followers. Those who love their son or daughter more than they love Me are not worthy to be My followers. Whoever is not willing to carry the cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me."
Today was the first time I believe that God homed me in on the "worthy" parts of what Jesus was saying. When I'd read this before, it always seemed that Jesus was keeping us in our place in a way, letting us know that there's no way that we could be worthy of Him, and of course when we talk of grace, that's what we do believe -getting something we don't deserve.
But there's a positive tone to this as well, in that Jesus is telling them and us that we can be worthy of something beyond all we know in this life. For He calls us to be His disciples. Nothing within ourselves is of worth that would cause Him to call us, but the very fact that He chose us is where we get our worth. And the standard He puts in place here is not unattainable. Once I thought it was. But Jesus wants us sold out to Himself, "with no shadow of turning." He knows that such a life is our purpose for being and is the very best that God has to offer. If we try instead to buy the lie of Satan, we will shortchange ourselves, and God doesn't want anything less for us that His best.
Father, I see in this that the best way I can love my boys, or my parents, is to be 100% sold out to You, for in doing so, You work in my life to make me a man after Your own heart, enabling me to love them as You do.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Today was the first time I believe that God homed me in on the "worthy" parts of what Jesus was saying. When I'd read this before, it always seemed that Jesus was keeping us in our place in a way, letting us know that there's no way that we could be worthy of Him, and of course when we talk of grace, that's what we do believe -getting something we don't deserve.
But there's a positive tone to this as well, in that Jesus is telling them and us that we can be worthy of something beyond all we know in this life. For He calls us to be His disciples. Nothing within ourselves is of worth that would cause Him to call us, but the very fact that He chose us is where we get our worth. And the standard He puts in place here is not unattainable. Once I thought it was. But Jesus wants us sold out to Himself, "with no shadow of turning." He knows that such a life is our purpose for being and is the very best that God has to offer. If we try instead to buy the lie of Satan, we will shortchange ourselves, and God doesn't want anything less for us that His best.
Father, I see in this that the best way I can love my boys, or my parents, is to be 100% sold out to You, for in doing so, You work in my life to make me a man after Your own heart, enabling me to love them as You do.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Matthew 11 -- A Whole New Perspective
"Come to Me ... for My yoke is easy and My burden is light." The picture comes to mind from the early days of America, where the farmer has two oxen yoked together, and he's plowing his field. The plow is fastened in betw
"Come to Me ... for My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
The picture comes to mind from the early days of America, where the farmer has two oxen yoked together, and he's plowing his field. The plow is fastened in between the two oxen, to the yoke, which spreads the load of the plow breaking the earth not just between the two oxen, but also all the way around the necks of both oxen in as comfortable a way as possible.
We're oh so tempted to see Jesus as the farmer, ourselves yoked together with others being the oxen, with the plowing being our duties to God here on this earth.
But my commentary paints an entirely different picture. The plowing amounts to God's will for our lives over the course of our lives. Yet what's most surprising is what fills in the rest of the picture:
"We are yoked with One who gives sufficient grace for every time of need ... The fatal mistake for the believer is to seek to bear life's load in a single collar. God never intended a man to carry his burden alone. Christ therefore deals only in YOKES! A yoke is a neck harness for two, and the Lord Himself pleads to be One of the two. He wants to share the labor of any galling task."
Catch that! He's not the farmer handling the plow, with us bearing the load. Jesus wants to be yoked with us, sharing the load. We aren't bearing some burden alone. He's right with us, step by step, sharing His strength for the task, no matter what we're doing.
Father, thanks for that new view of things. What a difference that makes! Thank You for giving me Your Son not only as my Savior, but also as my partner for this life, sharing my loads, keeping me on the right path, and causing resistance when I'm ever tempted to veer off course.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
The picture comes to mind from the early days of America, where the farmer has two oxen yoked together, and he's plowing his field. The plow is fastened in between the two oxen, to the yoke, which spreads the load of the plow breaking the earth not just between the two oxen, but also all the way around the necks of both oxen in as comfortable a way as possible.
We're oh so tempted to see Jesus as the farmer, ourselves yoked together with others being the oxen, with the plowing being our duties to God here on this earth.
But my commentary paints an entirely different picture. The plowing amounts to God's will for our lives over the course of our lives. Yet what's most surprising is what fills in the rest of the picture:
"We are yoked with One who gives sufficient grace for every time of need ... The fatal mistake for the believer is to seek to bear life's load in a single collar. God never intended a man to carry his burden alone. Christ therefore deals only in YOKES! A yoke is a neck harness for two, and the Lord Himself pleads to be One of the two. He wants to share the labor of any galling task."
Catch that! He's not the farmer handling the plow, with us bearing the load. Jesus wants to be yoked with us, sharing the load. We aren't bearing some burden alone. He's right with us, step by step, sharing His strength for the task, no matter what we're doing.
Father, thanks for that new view of things. What a difference that makes! Thank You for giving me Your Son not only as my Savior, but also as my partner for this life, sharing my loads, keeping me on the right path, and causing resistance when I'm ever tempted to veer off course.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Matthew 12 -- Joy In Dealing Misery To Others
Boy, the Pharisees were a piece of work! How anybody can find joy in dealing misery to others is amazing! It's that very attitude that exposes their sin nature the best - no compassion, no love; just one-upsmanship! They grip
Boy, the Pharisees were a piece of work! How anybody can find joy in dealing misery to others is amazing! It's that very attitude that exposes their sin nature the best - no compassion, no love; just one-upsmanship!
They griped and accused Jesus' followers of working on the Sabbath when they broke off a few heads of grain to eat, yet said nothing about the priests who butchered sacrifices on the Sabbath.
They dared Jesus to heal a man with a crippled hand on the Sabbath, when they should have been overjoyed at the possibility that he could be healed.
A blind man who also couldn't speak needed mercy more than most, and Jesus readily made him whole. The Pharisees decided to accuse Jesus of using the power of Beelzebul (the ruler of demons) to force the demon out that had caused the man's problems. Yet there were Jewish exorcists who were their friends, and these people too would see how inconsistent the Pharisees were in their accusations.
Despite all they'd witnessed Him doing, they still demanded a miracle from Jesus as a sing. How fitting that He answered, "Evil and sinful people are the ones who want to see a miracle for a sing."
These people were just like many politicians today, who grab hold of power and don't want to let go. They'd rather destroy the country than admit that they are wrong. Unfortunately, we even see the same thing in our churches today. "The way it's always been" seems to be Satan's rallying cry of deception to many Christians.
Father, please open the eyes of any who have been deceived by Satan. Help them to discover if they've made it "all about themselves." Seek after them and call them to change their hearts and minds to You.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
They griped and accused Jesus' followers of working on the Sabbath when they broke off a few heads of grain to eat, yet said nothing about the priests who butchered sacrifices on the Sabbath.
They dared Jesus to heal a man with a crippled hand on the Sabbath, when they should have been overjoyed at the possibility that he could be healed.
A blind man who also couldn't speak needed mercy more than most, and Jesus readily made him whole. The Pharisees decided to accuse Jesus of using the power of Beelzebul (the ruler of demons) to force the demon out that had caused the man's problems. Yet there were Jewish exorcists who were their friends, and these people too would see how inconsistent the Pharisees were in their accusations.
Despite all they'd witnessed Him doing, they still demanded a miracle from Jesus as a sing. How fitting that He answered, "Evil and sinful people are the ones who want to see a miracle for a sing."
These people were just like many politicians today, who grab hold of power and don't want to let go. They'd rather destroy the country than admit that they are wrong. Unfortunately, we even see the same thing in our churches today. "The way it's always been" seems to be Satan's rallying cry of deception to many Christians.
Father, please open the eyes of any who have been deceived by Satan. Help them to discover if they've made it "all about themselves." Seek after them and call them to change their hearts and minds to You.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Matthew 13:1-23 Changing My Soil Type
Jesus told the story about the seed planted in 4 different types of soil, and every time I read it, God seems to peel away another layer of the onion. Verses 14 & 15, quoting Isaiah 6:9-10, talk about the heart of the nation of Israel.&n
Jesus told the story about the seed planted in 4 different types of soil, and every time I read it, God seems to peel away another layer of the onion.
Verses 14 & 15, quoting Isaiah 6:9-10, talk about the heart of the nation of Israel. My commentary said, "Israel's heart had grown dull and their ears were insensitive to the voice of God. They deliberately refused to see with their eyes. They knew that if they saw, heard, understood, and repented, God would heal them. But in their sickness and need, they refused His help." That's like a patient who gets a diagnosis for a treatable disease choosing to die instead!
About the seed which fell on the road, it said, "The hard-packed pathway speaks of people who refuse to receive the message. They hear the gospel but do not understand it - not because they CAN'T but because they WON'T ... Satan cooperates with them in their self-chosen barrenness."
WOW! When we just up and decide that we don't like a message and that we're not about to be swayed by it, our willfulness amounts to self-chosen barrenness. If we had a choice to live in a lush forest or a dry lakebed in Nevada, what's the logical choice? Why can't we see that here? This is just outright selfish stubbornness of will.
The person represented by the rocky soil loves what he hears - at first - but when tribulation or persecution comes, "he decides it isn't worth it and abandons any profession of subjection to Christ," my commentary said. It reminds me of getting hyped up about a NordicTrack or an exercise regimen like P90X and watching the luster fade after a few days or weeks. It spells lack of commitment.
The person represented by the weedy ground "hears the word in a superficial way," my commentary said. "They appear outwardly to be genuine subjects of the kingdom, but in time their interest is choke out by the cares of this world." When we keep ourselves in the midst of those weeds, we soon get very tired of fighting against them.
"The good ground represents a true believer. He... hears the word receptively and understands it THROUGH OBEYING what he hears." I was watching a show with my son last night about all-time-great football players. Their #1 pick was Jerry Rice, and I thought of him as I read this description. They told of his training regimen, of his running up and down the hills around his home, of his stamina, and the way he never tires. He's bought into the idea of being a world-class athlete and knows what his body is capable of. He also understands the hard work it will take to keep it there. By combining belief, commitment, and action, he realizes the results of that belief. We can do the same spiritually. For us, belief, commitment, and obedience are the key, and they together unlock fertile spiritual soil that will yield more than we could ever dream!
Father, that's the kind of soil I want in my heart. Where You see clods or rocks representing areas I don't care to hear about from You or don't want to obey, bust them to dust. Break up my resistance and stubbornness and cause me to hear Your voice clearly. I don't want self-chosen barrenness ever again in my life.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Verses 14 & 15, quoting Isaiah 6:9-10, talk about the heart of the nation of Israel. My commentary said, "Israel's heart had grown dull and their ears were insensitive to the voice of God. They deliberately refused to see with their eyes. They knew that if they saw, heard, understood, and repented, God would heal them. But in their sickness and need, they refused His help." That's like a patient who gets a diagnosis for a treatable disease choosing to die instead!
About the seed which fell on the road, it said, "The hard-packed pathway speaks of people who refuse to receive the message. They hear the gospel but do not understand it - not because they CAN'T but because they WON'T ... Satan cooperates with them in their self-chosen barrenness."
WOW! When we just up and decide that we don't like a message and that we're not about to be swayed by it, our willfulness amounts to self-chosen barrenness. If we had a choice to live in a lush forest or a dry lakebed in Nevada, what's the logical choice? Why can't we see that here? This is just outright selfish stubbornness of will.
The person represented by the rocky soil loves what he hears - at first - but when tribulation or persecution comes, "he decides it isn't worth it and abandons any profession of subjection to Christ," my commentary said. It reminds me of getting hyped up about a NordicTrack or an exercise regimen like P90X and watching the luster fade after a few days or weeks. It spells lack of commitment.
The person represented by the weedy ground "hears the word in a superficial way," my commentary said. "They appear outwardly to be genuine subjects of the kingdom, but in time their interest is choke out by the cares of this world." When we keep ourselves in the midst of those weeds, we soon get very tired of fighting against them.
"The good ground represents a true believer. He... hears the word receptively and understands it THROUGH OBEYING what he hears." I was watching a show with my son last night about all-time-great football players. Their #1 pick was Jerry Rice, and I thought of him as I read this description. They told of his training regimen, of his running up and down the hills around his home, of his stamina, and the way he never tires. He's bought into the idea of being a world-class athlete and knows what his body is capable of. He also understands the hard work it will take to keep it there. By combining belief, commitment, and action, he realizes the results of that belief. We can do the same spiritually. For us, belief, commitment, and obedience are the key, and they together unlock fertile spiritual soil that will yield more than we could ever dream!
Father, that's the kind of soil I want in my heart. Where You see clods or rocks representing areas I don't care to hear about from You or don't want to obey, bust them to dust. Break up my resistance and stubbornness and cause me to hear Your voice clearly. I don't want self-chosen barrenness ever again in my life.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Matthew 13:24-30 and 36-43 What Are Tares, Really?
The old word "tares" has always simply represented careless weeds to me. According to my commentary, though, the most common tare found in Israel is bearded darnel. It is a poisonous grass which is almost indistinguishable from
The old word "tares" has always simply represented careless weeds to me. According to my commentary, though, the most common tare found in Israel is bearded darnel. It is a poisonous grass which is almost indistinguishable from wheat when they both first begin growing. By the time one can tell the difference, the roots have become so intertwined that pulling up one will also pull up the other.
The servants asked about clearing the field, but the farmer told them to wait until harvest. Of course, the wheat and the darnel will both compete for sunlight and moisture, which will somewhat diminish the yield of wheat, but there's no really good way to do otherwise.
In the later verses, Jesus explains that the wheat represents God's children who've been sown into the world by conversion. The darnel represents children of the wicked one. They may look exactly like children of God, but when the harvest comes, they will be found out and will be burned in the eternal fire. As my commentary put it, "Satan has a counterfeit for every divine reality. He sows the world with those who look like, talk like, and to some extent, walk like disciples. But they are not genuine followers of the king."
We may not know this side of heaven who in our lives are the wheat and who are the weeds, but God knows. It seems vital then that we ask God to shield us from the influence of those who truly do not belong to Him and also to let our lives be so representative of Him that, if a friend does not know he's a "darnel", then God can us our lives to expose the counterfeit and thus increase the harvest for Him.
Father, I know the Kingdom on earth right now consists of both possessors and professors. Those professors are the ones mentioned in this parable. Guide me to know the difference and to have discernment to be able to shine the light of Your Truth upon them. Do what only You can do - turn darnel into wheat.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
The servants asked about clearing the field, but the farmer told them to wait until harvest. Of course, the wheat and the darnel will both compete for sunlight and moisture, which will somewhat diminish the yield of wheat, but there's no really good way to do otherwise.
In the later verses, Jesus explains that the wheat represents God's children who've been sown into the world by conversion. The darnel represents children of the wicked one. They may look exactly like children of God, but when the harvest comes, they will be found out and will be burned in the eternal fire. As my commentary put it, "Satan has a counterfeit for every divine reality. He sows the world with those who look like, talk like, and to some extent, walk like disciples. But they are not genuine followers of the king."
We may not know this side of heaven who in our lives are the wheat and who are the weeds, but God knows. It seems vital then that we ask God to shield us from the influence of those who truly do not belong to Him and also to let our lives be so representative of Him that, if a friend does not know he's a "darnel", then God can us our lives to expose the counterfeit and thus increase the harvest for Him.
Father, I know the Kingdom on earth right now consists of both possessors and professors. Those professors are the ones mentioned in this parable. Guide me to know the difference and to have discernment to be able to shine the light of Your Truth upon them. Do what only You can do - turn darnel into wheat.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Matthew 13:31-58 Two Things The World Needs
After Jesus told His parables, He left to return to Hishometown of Nazareth. There, wherepeople knew His siblings and His mother, they remembered the ordinary life He’dlived as a child, knowing He’d not been trained by any rabbi, sc
After Jesus told His parables, He left to return to His hometown of Nazareth. There, where people knew His siblings and His mother, they remembered the ordinary life He’d lived as a child, knowing He’d not been trained by any rabbi, scribe, or priest. They didn’t like that,“and they found it easier to cling to their ignorance than to acknowledge the truth,” my commentary said.
Few miracles were performed there. “Unbelief largely hindered the Savior’s work in Nazareth … It was not because He could not do the works; man’s wickedness cannot restrain God’s power. But He would have been blessing people where there was no desire for blessing, filling needs where there was no consciousness of need, healing people who would have resented being told they were sick,” my commentary said.
WOW! Doesn’t that fit today! People still feel the same way! Until there is consciousness of need, people won’t hear. And they do resent being told they are sin-sick.
Father, these are two things Satan has used to blind the world from seeing Your truth. Yet they must understand them before they can draw near to You. Please bring about consciousness ofneed and an understanding of how sin-sick they really are. Then lead them to You for incredible blessings.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Matthew 14 -- What Is Holding Me Up?
Jesus decided that He needed to rejoin His disciples. In our way of thinking, there was just one problem - the disciples were on a boat in the middle of the sea in a storm, and Jesus was on shore with no boat. But what would be a problem
Jesus decided that He needed to rejoin His disciples. In our way of thinking, there was just one problem - the disciples were on a boat in the middle of the sea in a storm, and Jesus was on shore with no boat. But what would be a problem for us was not even a hindrance to Jesus. After all, He was the agent of creation who at God's direction put it all in place. When He'd commanded water to "be", the atoms had squirted out of nothingness and quickly bonded to form water.
So why is it then so amazing that this same agent of creation should be able to walk on that water? All creation waits with baited breath for commands from the Creator, except perhaps the ones created with free will.
The molecules of water heard their Master's desire to walk across them to the boat. They were thrilled to have the opportunity to comply with any request from Him. So as each footfall of the Master touched them, they readily firmed up, stopped their tossing about, and supported Him fully.
When Peter asked to Join Jesus on the water and Jesus answered, "Come," those same molecules again determined His will and hurriedly arranged themselves in rank and file to support this creature named Peter who they didn't know, but whom their Master had called out. It didn't matter to them, other than that Jesus wanted him to walk on water.
On Peter's part, that act of stepping out of the boat and doing something no other human had ever done (except the One standing before him) required belief. My commentary says, "Peter sensed that Jesus' commands are His enablements, that He gives strength for whatever He orders." And he stepped out of the boat onto firm water! How intriguing that must have felt, sensing and seeing nature bend to the will of Jesus, and being part of it! It was a moment intimately shared with the divine. Time ground to a halt and the wind was silenced. But then the whole enormity of what he was experiencing came crashing down on him, and Peter lost his focus, then his footing. He cried out to the perfect rescuer - "Lord, save me!" And with the touch of His hand, Peter was once again walking on the surface and back into the boat.
I wonder if, for the rest of his life, Peter kept recalling the feel of it all? Did he constantly kick himself for that one slip of focus? I kind of doubt that he dwelt on the negative, for our encounters with the God of the Universe tend to outweigh everything else in our lives.
Father, I too believe that Your commands are Your enablements for me. You will provide the strength and anything else I need to be right in the middle of Your will. When You say, "Come," I simply have to believe.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
So why is it then so amazing that this same agent of creation should be able to walk on that water? All creation waits with baited breath for commands from the Creator, except perhaps the ones created with free will.
The molecules of water heard their Master's desire to walk across them to the boat. They were thrilled to have the opportunity to comply with any request from Him. So as each footfall of the Master touched them, they readily firmed up, stopped their tossing about, and supported Him fully.
When Peter asked to Join Jesus on the water and Jesus answered, "Come," those same molecules again determined His will and hurriedly arranged themselves in rank and file to support this creature named Peter who they didn't know, but whom their Master had called out. It didn't matter to them, other than that Jesus wanted him to walk on water.
On Peter's part, that act of stepping out of the boat and doing something no other human had ever done (except the One standing before him) required belief. My commentary says, "Peter sensed that Jesus' commands are His enablements, that He gives strength for whatever He orders." And he stepped out of the boat onto firm water! How intriguing that must have felt, sensing and seeing nature bend to the will of Jesus, and being part of it! It was a moment intimately shared with the divine. Time ground to a halt and the wind was silenced. But then the whole enormity of what he was experiencing came crashing down on him, and Peter lost his focus, then his footing. He cried out to the perfect rescuer - "Lord, save me!" And with the touch of His hand, Peter was once again walking on the surface and back into the boat.
I wonder if, for the rest of his life, Peter kept recalling the feel of it all? Did he constantly kick himself for that one slip of focus? I kind of doubt that he dwelt on the negative, for our encounters with the God of the Universe tend to outweigh everything else in our lives.
Father, I too believe that Your commands are Your enablements for me. You will provide the strength and anything else I need to be right in the middle of Your will. When You say, "Come," I simply have to believe.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Matthew 15 -- Where It All STARTS
I think too many of us "Gentiles" come back with a "Take THAT!" to Jews when reading verses 1-20. Their (to us) strange eating restrictions appear to be wiped away with a few words from Jesus. But that's not what&#
I think too many of us "Gentiles" come back with a "Take THAT!" to Jews when reading verses 1-20. Their (to us) strange eating restrictions appear to be wiped away with a few words from Jesus. But that's not what's in view here.
As my commentary said it, "True defilement is moral, NOT physical ... No material thing is evil in itself; it is the abuse of a thing that is wrong."
The Pharisees had a long list of "do not eats" and "just how to eat what's left". They were certain that the wrong foods could make a person ceremonially unclean to the point that they wouldn't be allowed into church. Jesus turned their rules upside down by saying, "What people say with their mouths comes from the way they think; these are the things that make people unclean."
It's our heart --"the corrupt source of human motives and desires" -- that's the problem. So many times we (and the Pharisees particularly) don't want to admit that our hearts are defiled, but it's part of our sin-nature. Our sins begin with impure thoughts, direct from that area. When we roll them around in our mind long enough, they erupt in depraved words, often followed by evil acts. Oh that we could convince ourselves that it is indeed the thought that counts.
And the very second that we realize that such a thought is in progress, like an antivirus program our minds should quickly shut it down, encapsulate it, and destroy it to prevent further moral infection.
Father, I find that my sin happens when I allow myself the pleasure of dwelling on sinful thoughts. All too often, it is evident that I'm buying into Satan's lie that I'm entitled to at least experience the thought if I'm not allowed to have it progress to words or even actions. But Your Son plainly tells us that we must fight this battle at the core of our being, not at the edges. Please help me to equate it with spiritual terrorism, which must be rooted out at the source. Disavow me of any belief that I'm entitled to anything, for I've given it all to You.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
As my commentary said it, "True defilement is moral, NOT physical ... No material thing is evil in itself; it is the abuse of a thing that is wrong."
The Pharisees had a long list of "do not eats" and "just how to eat what's left". They were certain that the wrong foods could make a person ceremonially unclean to the point that they wouldn't be allowed into church. Jesus turned their rules upside down by saying, "What people say with their mouths comes from the way they think; these are the things that make people unclean."
It's our heart --"the corrupt source of human motives and desires" -- that's the problem. So many times we (and the Pharisees particularly) don't want to admit that our hearts are defiled, but it's part of our sin-nature. Our sins begin with impure thoughts, direct from that area. When we roll them around in our mind long enough, they erupt in depraved words, often followed by evil acts. Oh that we could convince ourselves that it is indeed the thought that counts.
And the very second that we realize that such a thought is in progress, like an antivirus program our minds should quickly shut it down, encapsulate it, and destroy it to prevent further moral infection.
Father, I find that my sin happens when I allow myself the pleasure of dwelling on sinful thoughts. All too often, it is evident that I'm buying into Satan's lie that I'm entitled to at least experience the thought if I'm not allowed to have it progress to words or even actions. But Your Son plainly tells us that we must fight this battle at the core of our being, not at the edges. Please help me to equate it with spiritual terrorism, which must be rooted out at the source. Disavow me of any belief that I'm entitled to anything, for I've given it all to You.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Matthew 16 -- Starting With The End In Mind
In another book I'm reading, mention was made of something author Stephen Covey said in his book 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People - "They start with the end in mind." I thought of that as I was reading verse 27: "The
In another book I'm reading, mention was made of something author Stephen Covey said in his book 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People - "They start with the end in mind." I thought of that as I was reading verse 27: "The Son of Man will come again with His Father's glory and with His angels. At that time, He will reward them for what they have done."
My commentary linked the two together: "The only way to have a successful life is to project oneself forward to that glorious time, decide what will really be important then, and then go after that with all one's strength."
Start with the end in mind - Jesus has already told us He'll be coming back - to gather His church; to reward those who've sought after Him; and to judge those who haven't. Not much of a decision there after all.
Father, thanks for opening my heart, mind, and soul to You and what Your Son was doing here on this earth. Thank You for revealing how it all with end up. Now cause me to continue to seek after You, for Your promises are great, and Your ability to keep them is even greater. I am called to represent the interests of my King. If I miss that, I miss everything.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
My commentary linked the two together: "The only way to have a successful life is to project oneself forward to that glorious time, decide what will really be important then, and then go after that with all one's strength."
Start with the end in mind - Jesus has already told us He'll be coming back - to gather His church; to reward those who've sought after Him; and to judge those who haven't. Not much of a decision there after all.
Father, thanks for opening my heart, mind, and soul to You and what Your Son was doing here on this earth. Thank You for revealing how it all with end up. Now cause me to continue to seek after You, for Your promises are great, and Your ability to keep them is even greater. I am called to represent the interests of my King. If I miss that, I miss everything.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
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