Here in Matthew 4, John the Baptist was now imprisoned and we see Jesus pick up his message and continue to proclaim it, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” calling men to turn away from their sin and turn to God, for the kingdom of heaven is near.
Some would say it’s a harsh message to preach, to go out and tell people that they are sinners walking in darkness, and that their only hope of escaping judgment and going to heaven is to repent and turn to Jesus. But it is not just the truth, it’s the truth that saves! It’s the truth that brought us out of darkness into the light, it’s the message that saved us, that led us to repentance.
Now it surely can seem harsh to some who hear it, but that harshness shouldn’t come from us and the way we share it, but when the truth is spoken in love with compassion, it can change hearts.
That’s how Jesus shared it, with great love and compassion. We would do well to go out and do the same.
Pastor Doug Hardin
Forgiveness can often be a difficult thing to have. This verse shows us the importance of forgiveness. If we forgive others, we, too, will be forgiven, but if we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven. The key to forgiveness is remembering how much we have been forgiven of. When we realize how much Jesus has forgiven us, it helps us to forgive others. As Christians, we are in the forgiveness business and you will never look more like Jesus than when you forgive others. So when you feel like you can’t forgive someone for what they did to you, remember how much you have been forgiven of.
For the King,
Daniel Batistelli
Sarcasm is something that I don’t generally lack in. I will say when there are those who are seeking to persecute me or bring harm to me, I can tend to run to sarcasm and quips to defend myself. I am here to tell you, that is not what the Lord would have from any of us!
In Matthew 5, Jesus says, “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” Blessing the opposition is in stark contrast to not only our flesh, but to the world. If we show love for only those that are doing good to us, what’s the difference? Those that don’t know Jesus do the exact same thing
I challenge you today to pray and think about who you can bless today that does not deserve it and is in opposition to your faith. See how the Lord would use that to demonstrate the wonderful love He has shown to us.
Blessings,
Pastor Sean Boehm
In his opening greeting, Paul is identifying his readers. He had not, at the time of this writing, visited the church in Rome. The church had organically grown from those that made their way to the great city after the Pentecost in Jerusalem and those that had come from churches established elsewhere.
Paul doesn’t mention the believer’s love for God but rather that which is far more fundamental – God’s love for the believer. WE ARE LOVED BY GOD! Get used to it.
“Called to be saints” means kept holy by being set aside for dedicated use. As Charles Spurgeon put it, “They were not called because they were saints, but they became saints through that calling.”
This letter to the Romans applies to us today and we should walk in these promises and be thankful that we are loved by God and are “called according to His purpose.”
Set aside for Him,
Pastor Gerard Deleeuw
Christians, being the varied group we are, tend to handle adversity in many different ways. Some really struggle when anything goes wrong. They toss their hands to the sky and list their complaints to Facebook in frustration. Though they know God loves them, they just wonder why that love isn’t more tangible at this point in their lives.
Meanwhile, there are others that seem to handle difficulties with a supernatural calm. Sure they’re having problems, but they’re not going to let this ruin their day. It’s possible the second group has taken the advice of the above verses. They’ve read God’s word, been instructed by it, and it has indeed given them rest during their days of adversity.
We all have to make the choice whether we’re going to be the complainers or the conquerors. God wants to rest in Him and we can do that by applying His word to our hearts and lives.
Resting in Him,
Pastor Ron Kitchell
I know it is God’s will His people are filled with joy. Happiness is circumstance driven, it is affected by outward conditions. Biblical joy, however, is the product of the presence of the Holy Spirit in a life and the truths of God buried in a heart. As such, we can find great joy even in the midst of the worst of times because we know God’s Word and His heart and His promises. Your experience with His joy in your life today will reveal to you how much of His Word dominates your outlook. I pray it will be the most joyful day of the week to date!
Joyfully in Him,
Pastor Jack Abeelen
This does not seem to be a very encouraging verse for a devotional, but let’s dig a little deeper into the story. In the verses that follow, the disciples gathered around Paul, and he rose up and went back into the city, spent the night, and the very next day, departed for Derbe to continue on with his missionary journey.
Paul was someone who led by example and he demonstrated his relentless commitment to the gospel by not missing a beat because of the “setback” he had just encountered. When it came to ministry, Paul was a man of tenacity, purpose, and resolve. In each of the ministries God has called us to, we are going to experience setbacks, diversions, and distractions. However, may we imitate Paul (1 Corinthians 4:16) and by the power of God in our lives, overcome any obstacles that come our way.
Jeff Mericle
As I read this passage, I am reminded of how God made each one of us unique in our own way. We all have different skills that we can train and refine. If practiced enough, that skill will almost appear flawless by others. God gives all of us specific talents and gifts that He can use to bless our lives and be a blessing to others. Unfortunately, it’s easy for man to become “puffed-up” when it comes to status and achievement, as if we had something to do with it.
Pride is defined as arrogance, inordinate or unjustified self-esteem, and models a life apart from the ways of the Lord. The scriptures give us many warnings as to the dangers of pride and the destruction it brings, namely because pride is a by-product of sin. If you notice, the center of both pride and sin is “I”. When man becomes so full of himself, there is no room for the Lord. A man’s pride will only bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor (Proverbs 29:23). But, sometimes confidence and skill can be mistaken for arrogance and pride. Only God knows the intention of our heart. His desire is that we would honor Him, not boasting in works for our own vain glory, but through our works that He would be known. May our lives place Jesus on center stage, being emptied of ourselves and filled with the beauty of His holiness. Lord, may You be seen in me!
In His glory,
Tom Moore
Have you ever given to someone or donated to a charity or church and just had to tell someone the good you just did? Have you done something that you knew would bring recognition? Or do you only do things that would bring you recognition? Jesus here makes it clear. If that is your attitude towards giving, you have your reward. God not only loves a cheerful giver, but He wants all the glory.
Jesus is not at all suggesting that you put on a black hat and dark glasses when you give, but He’s telling us when you give, you don’t need to shout it to the world. Let the only person who knows you gave be the Lord who even sees you in secret. Let Him be the One who rewards you openly.
Joshua Navarro
God had told the people of Israel that the land He had promised to them would someday be theirs to possess. Enemies and giants filled this land, but the Lord said He would give them the land. God’s people needed to trust Him and they needed to patiently wait upon Him to work while they walked forward with their Lord.
Sometimes God brings quick victory to us over a ruinous sin that had previously held us captive. Other times, He leads us in achieving the win in our lives little by little; one battle at a time.
When progress in our lives seems to be frustratingly slow, we can take comfort in knowing that He will complete the good work within us; He will allow us to inherit the land of promise. Rather than being brought down by looking at the land yet to possess, we can rejoice over the territories that we have conquered so far in Him.
Today, let’s press on. Let’s never stop until we have taken the land entirely that He intends for us.
Jeff Deal
