LIGHT or darkness

Matthew 12 starts out by Jesus confronting the Pharisees about the way they changed the meaning of God‘s word, spreading satan’s darkness. Couldn’t they see the darkness they were spreading?

The Pharisees accused the disciples of meeting their selfish desires of hunger and breaking the Sabbath. They go on to persecute Jesus for healing a man’s paralyzed hand on the Sabbath. The Pharisees lived in darkness, but Jesus clarified God’s word, pushed their darkness back and spread His truth, His light.

I cannot begin to imagine the exhaustion Jesus felt at times. He would often retreat to be by himself with God, however, how many times when Jesus tried to retreat to a quiet place, He was followed by the crowds not giving him a moments rest or quiet time with God.

When I first came to know Christ, my pastor encouraged me to spend time alone with God every day, even 15 minutes. At that time, I had 3 small children and there was always activity in my house. It seemed impossible for me to spend quiet time with God because the world crowded my time with good and negative things.

I realized that if I wanted to spend quiet time with God, I would have to get up early before anyone else. At first it was easy to get up before everyone and do a 15-minute devotion. But 15 minutes turned into 30, 45, 60, 90 minutes.

I’m thankful I started that discipline then and continue it today, I need to start my day with quiet time alone with God, however, the world tries to follow me. My mind is often bombarded with thoughts of problems, worries and desires I have. I often have to pray for God’s help to block those thoughts so I can worship Him which prepares me to live each day in His truth. It is my responsibility to push back the darkness and allow more of His light, His truth, His forgiveness and His love into this world.

satan’s darkness is not always as easy to identify as we might think, satan is a master deceiver and hides his evil incredibly well. Can you recognize the darkness in your life?

  • In the world
  • In government
  • In your workplace
  • In your schools
  • In your churches
  • In your home?

3 times in chapter 12 Jesus confronted the Pharisees of twisting God’s word to something dark and confining. God’s truth is light and liberating, yet darkness has filtered into our churches. Loving everyone and allowing them to worship at our church is very important to help everyone find God‘s light, we are all sinners.

However, darkness has plunged its way into our churches creating division. Matt 12:25 Jesus says, “every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction”. People are changing the meaning of God’s word and the darkness is now overwhelming God’s house of worship where we come together to push back the darkness.

My quiet time every morning studying God’s word is vital:

  • Read God’s word and be able to discern what is or is not God’s truth in the world.
  • Pray, ask for God’s help to go into the darkness and love, not condemn or criticize

Matthew 11 & Rest

It is summer in the northern hemisphere where there is a generally optimistic view of the status of the pandemic. Covid 19 vaccines are becoming more readily available and worldwide there have been over 3 billion doses administered. As a result, people are starting to take vacations and there is some excitement in the air.

Not sure about you but I’m exhausted and ready for some rest. Work stress, pandemic stress, not having seen friends and family for two years stress, etc. The closing verses of today’s chapter (Matthew 11) were very timely.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  (Matthew 11:28-29)

First thought was yes, I am going to enjoy some rest and vacation time. Then praying over the same verses the thought came that “this isn’t about me” and its not the “rest” that I initially had in mind. Then some guilt with the realization that selfish worry was ruling my emotions. Worrying about things beyond my control. Nudging God out. I had “unrest” because I wasn’t putting all of my hope and trust in Jesus.

And so I repented and asked for God’s guidance, for wisdom. For my heart and soul to have the kind of rest that HE has in mind. I prayed for the new opportunities with friends and family to be fruitful, to be more focused on others and not myself. To share the reasons for my hope. If you pray a similar prayer you will not be disappointed.

Soul Taxi

One answer to prayer surprisingly arrived in a taxi. A couple days ago my boys and I were en route across town when a Christian song came on the radio (and it is a song we know and love). The driver started singing and the boys and I looked at each other with smiles and surprise. And for the first time in our lives, Peyton and I started singing out loud in a taxi, not caring whatsoever how bad we sounded. It was pure joy (and yes, I got a little misty). That was the kind of rest and rejuvenation God had in mind for my soul!

Father God, thank you for your word, for your timing, for revealing yourself in miraculous ways, for the rest that can only come from you. Thank you for listening and responding to our prayers. I repent of worry which is a symptom of a lack of trust in you. May our hearts seek rest in you who are eternal instead of the temporary things of this world. Amen.

Matthew 9, 10

Today’s reading:  Matthew 9, 10

The New Testament begins with four gospels all written about the same subject, the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.   They are each, however, written from a different perspective and to a different audience.

  • John was written to new Christians and non-Christians searching for truth.  His goal was to demonstrate that Jesus was (and is) the Son of God and the only source of eternal life.
  • Luke affirms Jesus’ divinity, but emphasizes his humanity.  Luke was written to Gentiles.
  • Mark was written to present the person, work and teachings of Jesus to Roman Christians, proving to them that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah.
  • Matthew was written to Jews.  His objective was to prove that Jesus was the Messiah for whom they had been waiting, and to provide a better understanding of God’s Kingdom.

Matthew was a Jew himself.  He understood Mosaic Law and was familiar with its rules/traditions/sacrifices.  In chapter 9 verse 13 he challenged the Pharisees, who were criticizing him for keeping company with sinners, to search for a deeper understanding of the Old Testament words from Hosea 6:6.

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners (Matthew 9:13).

God calls us to demonstrate faith in Him by showing love and mercy to others. True believers in Christ genuinely care for others, just as Christ did.  This, not empty ritual, is what God desires for His children.  This was hard for the Jews, who had been living under Mosiac Law for centuries, to fully understand and accept.  Under the new covenant, relationship replaced ritual.

Today, I spent the day celebrating the life of my great aunt Veva Appel.  After a visitation, funeral, graveside service, lunch and family pictures, the day was long and I was tired.  But I left with a full heart.  It was so fun to see cousins I hadn’t seen in many years and share stories of the crazy summer vacations we spent on Long Lake as kids.

I am part of the Appel family through my grandma Evelyn Doris Appel York.  But more importantly, our extended family is bound together by our faith in Jesus.  As I listened to the stories of Veva’s life, I left knowing she spent it showing love and care for others – the same mercy Jesus talked about in Matthew 9:13.  I am confident she was welcomed in to the arms of Jesus last Sunday with these words:

Well done my good and faithful servant.

 

Matthew 8

In reading Matthew 8 there are many accounts of Jesus. He starts by cleansing a leper, then honors the faith of the centurion, heals many, calms the storm, and casts out demons. He met the needs of the people and made a lasting impression on them and those who witnessed His miracles. Word spread quickly about this man who could do miracles and cast out demons.

While all the accounts are so good, I love the account of Jesus calming the storm in Matthew 8:23-27. The Sea of Galilee is not your typical body of water. It is a small body of water but it is 150 feet deep and surrounded by hills. The winds can whip up in a matter of minutes and suddenly your life is in danger. Storms pop up out of nowhere. The disciples didn’t leave land knowing the weather was going to be bad. They were fishermen and were very aware of the potential danger. I’m sure they had heard stories about fisherman before them that got caught in the storms on the Sea of Galilee and didn’t make it out alive. When this storm hit they experienced real human fear. They felt helpless in the midst of the harsh winds and treacherous waves. And Jesus had the audacity to sleep while they were fighting for their lives! The disciples were frantic and woke him up saying “save us Lord, we are perishing!”.  Instead of hopping up and immediately calming the sea and the wind, Jesus allowed the storm to teach them about faith. He asks “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”. He was exposing their natural response to fear in order to teach them where to put their faith in times of fear.  Jesus was challenging the disciples to look at life differently – through the lens of Jesus being present. They hadn’t experienced what it was like to look beyond their current situation and trust Him. Jesus was with them and after reminding them of His presence he proceeded to calm the storm and they were amazed!

While the disciples experienced an actual storm, our personal storms can be anything that cause our heart to stop and our adrenaline to pump. It can be finances, relationships, kids, health, work, driving on the freeway. Any one of these things can elicit a fear response in us. There are a lot of things to be fearful of in the world today. Jesus is saying that we don’t have to be fearful about the things happening around us because we have Him. God shows his power through these tests of faith by calming the storm so our eyes might be open to see that we are covered by the grace and the wisdom of God. He is working. Our human eyes cannot see the whole story.

This was a great reminder for me today as I have a few things that elicit a fear response in my life. It seems so cliche and “Christianese” to say “just have faith and everything will be OK”! But it isn’t cliche to know Jesus and really trust Him with your future and moments of fear. While the situation may not change, he has the power to calm our racing hearts and settle our minds. It may appear that He is sleeping as we experience our moments of fear, but we can cry out to Him as the disciples did saying, “save me Lord, I am perishing” and He will calm the storm. The more we practice trusting Him the more we will see Him.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.

Shelly

Enter His Gate

When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching. 

As we read Matthew 6-7 for today, I pray you will pause and see where God wants you to reflect and seek what God wants you to make clear to you on your journey closer to Him.  Jesus provides so much wisdom in these chapters that leave me thinking and praying for continued transformation.  Topics in these chapters include:

  • Giving
  • Prayer
  • Treasures
  • Worrying
  • Judging

These topics are all sections in my Bible underlined, highlighted, and have notes in the margins.  In prayer for open eyes and ears for today, I landed on a few verses that, for some reason, there was nothing.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate, and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.  Matthew 7:13-14

In the middle of one of the storms we had recently, it took my wife forty-five minutes to make a five drive.  As Jennifer drove back and forth, she ran into roadblocks and flooded streets that lead to some tears and fear.  Eventually, they made it home safely down a side street that led to home.  (prayers for everyone impacted by these recent storms)

What road or path are you on?  There are times when  I think I’m going in the direction, and I need to stop.  It seemed safe, and it wasn’t.  I follow the crowd and realize I’ve gone the wrong way.  God has a path laid out for you.

  • Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, submit to him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6
  • The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.  Proverbs 16:9 
  • The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in His way. Psalm 37:23 

The road seemed wide and perfect, but it led to a dead-end, just like Jennifer the other day.  God provides the perfect directions. The road that leads directly to Him.  Will you seek His path today? This world offers a path that can lead you in many directions.  Our Lord offers us one way.  I pray we are all seeking the narrow road that leads to Him.

Matthew 6:10 Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

 

Picture Source: St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church

Dig Deeper

 

Today’s Reading: Matthew Chapter 5

As I continue in Biblejournal club, I have continue to grow in my understanding of each blog and each biblical passage. As we enter this new section of the year with the New Testament, I can see each portion in a different perspective. For the majority of my life I have seen the books of the New Testament as the journey of Jesus and the apostles. It tells the different perspectives of Jesus and the many journeys of Paul and his letters to the churches.
As I read through Matthew, my perception has changed and evolve into one that really looks at the author and their experience and their testimony of Jesus and how it relates to me and others today. Each of the writers of the gospel have been appointed by the Holy Spirit to relay the gospel to us, but each had their own backgrounds and those influenced the manner in which they conveyed their experience. Matthew was originally a tax collector. We know that this is a profession that is still not highly adored. The reason is because they have been taught how to look for the most obscure information and gain the most wealth from it. He knew how to dig deep. Matthew in his writing digs deep into some of these experiences of Jesus.
In chapter 5, we are at the sermon in the mount. The beatitudes are given to us here. But in The Message version these become so much clearer and more profound. Jesus is telling us to look deeper at the law and find the true underlying meaning. We sometimes get the crust of the issue, but not the core.
Matthew 5: 3- 10

 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

9 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

Salt and light – Allow our life with God to be the seasonings to the others. We should be able to bring the essence of God through our walk.  We should enhance the love and life of others if we are part of God.
Murder – Not only killing the physical person, but stop killing the essence of the person. Don’t degrade your neighbor or kill their spirit.
Adultery and Divorce – these are not just the act, but the moral complexity that are attached. Jesus is telling us not to get raped up with the legal ramifications but look at the moral implications. He is telling us to see the heart more so than the body. The spirit and the soul more than the act.
Empty promises – When we interact with each other, do not put on a facade. Let your words be true and not contrite with useless hopes and religious platitudes. Be real with others and not fake.
Love your enemies – Do good to those that would bro you harm or have done you harm. Loving your enemies doesn’t mean to put yourself in harms way, but it means to not allow hatred and despair make you do things that you wouldn’t want to do. Loving your enemies allows you to control your emotions and actions in the midst of adversity and strife.
In the midst of our daily lives, we have to look at the deeper meaning of the journey.  When we experience joy and happiness, we must look deeper to give the same joy and happiness to others even.  They might be experiencing something traumatic in their lives.  If we are going through some difficult times, we may have to dig deeper to see how is this glorifying God in the midst of our trials.  Sometimes God uses us to be reflections of his amazing grace and love in our most tremulous times.  God is in control, we will show his glory.
Be Blessed.

Prepare the Way

For the past few weeks I have been preparing for my daughters’ high school graduation party, which happened this past Saturday.  There was lots of preparation inside and outside of my house that needed to be done.  Thankfully I had the wonderful talents of my mother to assist me in this endeavor.  There was lots of cleaning, planning, and purchasing in order to be prepared for 50+ people coming by to congratulate my daughter on a Saturday afternoon.  

I was relieved after the party.  Everything went well and everyone enjoyed themselves.  And, I was left with a clean, decorated, and newly put together home.  The preparation was hard work, but I got to enjoy the fruits of my labor well after everyone had left.  

In today’s reading, Matthew 3 and 4, we read of John who was sent to prepare the way for Jesus.  

The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, 

“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!  Clear the road for him!”

Matthew 3:3

John the Baptist was a man sent from God.  He was a prophet, a voice crying in the wilderness.  He was aware of his call and he separated himself unto this call of God.  His food and his dress was different.

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.

Matthew 3:4

John fasted and prayed and waited on God for all the details of his call and the work ahead of him.  All the people came to him to listen and to obey the message from God.  His message was so powerful and convicting, they did not even consider his strange dress or rough appearance.  They knew he was a man of boldness.

Can you imagine spending your life preparing the way for Jesus?  John the Baptist had one purpose:  to prepare people to know Jesus and God’s Son, the Christ.  John lived his life to let Jesus have the spotlight.

I put so much effort into preparing and planning for my party.  It sure makes me question how much time I spend preparing and planning for Jesus.  

John prepared himself daily by waiting upon God and getting his instructions from Him, so that He could prepare the people for Jesus.  This should be our main focus above all else, to help prepare people to Know Jesus as Lord.  Graduation to Heaven will be the culmination of our lives lived here on earth.  We need to focus on preparing the way for ourselves and all around us every single day!  We don’t know the appointed time for our graduation day to Heaven so we need to prepare daily.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.                      

Matthew 28:19

 

Matthew 1 & 2

Today’s writing is on Matthew 1 & 2.

With the conclusion of the book of Psalms yesterday, for the remainder of the year, our Bible Journal’s going to be shifting on covering the entirety of the New Testament. Please pray alongside us that our Father God would empower us and fill us with His Holy Spirit throughout this new series, so that we may continue bringing glory to Him.

With a change in series, and the halfway point for 2021 coming up shortly, it feels like a good moment for self-reflection. What has this year looked like for you? Has it felt like forever at this point, as if time has crawled to a standstill? Maybe you’re like me, and this last half-year has flown by in what feels like a blink. What has your walk with Christ looked like in that time? In what ways did you do well, and in what ways did you make mistakes to learn from? How did you navigate the difficulties that life has brought you in that time, and How did you call upon God for help through them when you needed Him? And how have you furthered your relationship with Christ, and come to grow closer to Him?

I read these two chapters of Matthew and see the cumulative effects of many people whose walks with God differ wildly. Some of these people in Christ’s genealogy were on fire for Him; some were very wicked people. Some worked towards building God’s kingdom out of hard work & reverence; for others, God used their mistakes and sins to create a way to bring glory to Him and demonstrate His true influence over man. God is working His plan for this world, whether we’re helping make a way for Him or just getting in the way. Whether it’s by doing good works to build up His kingdom, or displaying His ability to heal & change us, or simply acting as a vessel for His righteous wrath to display its power. And on day, we’ll all have to stand in front of the Lord and answer whether we helped Him or just got in His way. But what a blessing this can: even the most troubled, broken person can be of worth to God and be a part of His plan to redeem this world! How have your contributions to God’s kingdom reflected your gratitude towards Him in this way? Have your words & actions showcased the desire of someone who wants to serve the living God who has rescued them?

For example, I see Joseph as portrayed in these first two chapters of Matthew as a great example of someone willing to make difficult decisions in order to follow God’s will for him and further His works. Joseph listened to God when commanded, even though it meant making some incredibly counter-cultural choices that could not be easy to make. No one in that day would have blamed him for walking away from an unfaithful spouse-to-be and washing his hands of the situation. But when God spoke, Joseph listened and obeyed – even when the results put his life in grave danger due to King Herod’s self-conscious fear. What greater example for acting on faith could we ask for than this: to place your trust in God’s providence over your own life. In a time when God asks us to move in radically counter-cultural ways to display His love & changing grace, have you made bold decisions & actions to do what is right by Him rather than what is easy or comfortable for you?

Above all, this passage brings me great joy and makes me thankful for the gift of a savior in Jesus. I am amazed that God would do all that he has & suffer through the death of His perfect son so that we would be able to so readily afford life with Him. I am overjoyed that Jesus, fully God, would walk among us in order to truly know the plight of man as we do, so readily die on our behalf in our rightful place, and to be our perfect example on our own walk of life. I pray this sense of thankfulness and wonder would never escape us, that we would continue to hold this fearful reverence of our God that He truly deserves. I pray it would motivate each of us to better serve God every day, and desperately want to contribute to His kingdom with all we have.

Let All Things Praise the Lord

Today’s journal writing marks the final chapter of Psalms. Our Bible Journal team has written about every chapter, one hundred chapters written by eight authors, and fifty chapters from unknown authors.   The Book of Psalm is filled with love and adoration, struggle and strife, happiness and joy, and desperation and sadness.

Sound familiar?  The books of Psalm were written thousands of years ago, as mankind still struggled with balance and challenges related to everyday life.  The authors question God, implore to God, and ultimately praise God in the final chapter.   The chapters describe what many of us feel and experience today.

Psalm 150 concludes the book with this…

1 Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;

Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

2 Praise Him for His mighty acts;

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;

Praise Him with the lute and harp!

4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;

Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!

5 Praise Him with the loud cymbals;

Praise Him the clashing cymbals!

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord!

Do you feel like praising God?  Do you believe a relationship with God is right for you?  Or do you have questions?  Are you unsure why things happen and how that relates to God?

I choose to praise God, and it comes down to one verse.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Understanding God’s word can be complex.  It can be overwhelming, especially stories that are thousands of years old.  What I do know is that there is emphatic proof that Jesus walked the earth, and He was the Son of God.  I believe that Jesus came to earth to save man from ourselves.  I believe God, through Jesus, demonstrated how we are to love and treat others.  Man, has consistently fallen away from God throughout history and Jesus was sent to change our relationship with God.  If you need more proof of Jesus’ existence, read The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.

I can always do better, but I try to praise God through my prayers, the message and good news about Jesus I share with others, and my attempts to serve as an example how a relationship with God can change your life for the better.   Praise Him through the trials and tribulations.  Praise Him through the pain. Praise Him during the good times.  Our lives are about growing closer to our God and our faith can grow stronger through the good times and the bad.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 149

We celebrated Father’s Day last weekend. Throughout the weekend when I picked up my phone and scrolled through social media, most posts were related to the holiday. Kids were celebrating and honoring their fathers. They were writing words of gratefulness for the selfless acts of their dads and sharing memories of special adventures and everyday routines of love that they appreciated about their dads. Moms were praising their husbands for being awesome dads and posting videos of their husbands in their best fatherly moments. They were listing the reasons they most appreciated their husbands and the acts of service they found most endearing in their partners. I read many beautiful tributes to men from people who felt honored to be in family with great men…people who felt privileged to be able to share with the masses their love, honor and praise for their special man. Many of the Psalms read similarly to these Father’s Day posts. They are praising, honoring and documenting the attributes and acts that the Psalmists appreciate about our Heavenly Father. We’ve read almost 150 of them since the first of the year so we should be well versed in the hearts of these writers. We should be familiar with the words of praise and the honor they ascribe to our Father. The phrase that struck me this morning is “glorious privilege”. It is our glorious privilege to sing a new song to the Lord, to sing His praises with others, to rejoice in our Maker, to praise His name with dancing, to be delighted in by Him, to be crowned with victory by Him, to rejoice that He honors us, to sing for joy as we rest in bed and to let the praises of God be in our mouths! All are our glorious privilege!

 

As I read back over the list of praises described in this Psalm, I am overwhelmed by God’s love. I still, after almost 50 years of relationship with Him can hardly believe that the Creator of the universe delights in me. As I try to accept this one truth, my heart is filled with praise, gratefulness, wonder and awe. Out of 9 verses of truths and 150 chapters of truths in just this one book of the Bible, one sentence has the power to melt my heart and show me the value that God places on my life. Which truth undoes you?

 

My hope is that this past six months has changed the way we see and relate to our Heavenly Father. I trust that soaking in His praiseworthiness for so many days has renewed our sense of wonder and awe for who He is, how He relates to us, and what He has done for us. I hope we are more readily relishing in the glorious privilege of being His. I hope we are more grateful and aware of the good gifts He lavishes on us. I trust that praises of Him are running in our mental ticker throughout our days with less conscious effort on our part. I hope that spending this much time in one book of God’s word has made us different.