Jesus calls Matthew to "Follow me."

I have been re-reading the gospel of Matthew. Again, I am mesmerized by the word's of Jesus written in Red.

In Matthew 9: 9-13, Jesus calls Matthew to "Follow me."

Matthew was a tax collector. Tax collectors were not liked men in those days. They had a reputation for thieving & dishonest gain. Yet Jesus saw past that, and called Matthew to "Follow me."

Let's see if we can see ourselves in the Pharisees or as an invited guest of Matthew in these few verses here in Matthew 9. Here Jesus is at Matthew's house reclining at a table sharing a meal with presumably Matthew's friends. There at the table are "many tax collectors & sinners".

The Pharisees see this and ask why! "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" It can be very tempting to look harshly at the Pharisees at seeing how ostracizing they are but in actual fact don't we do the same?

Do we make swift judgments on people who do not fit our mold? Do we criticize those who don't have the same ideas on the way we should act & behave? Worse still do we label them and want nothing to do with them because, there is no hope - 'they will never change anyway...'

When Jesus heard what the Pharisee's asked, Jesus responded purely. Look with me as we look at this and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Also ask the Holy Spirit to transform your thoughts and judgments. Lord please help us understand! You actually instruct us to 'go and learn what this means.' we desire to understand Lord.

Matthew 9:12&13
"Those who are well have not need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous but sinners."

These word's are so pregnant with meaning it is sobering. The word picture of being sick & needing a physician is something tangible for us to relate to today. Let's ask ourselves the question, would we not take our child to the doctor if he was ill? Most definitely! The physical condition of our children is very important to us as parents. Here though, Jesus is talking about our spiritual sickness. Our heart condition. Are you aware of your heart condition? Are you sick in your heart? Is there unrest? Do you worship other gods? Do you have some idols in your life? Do you misuse the name of God? Are you keeping the sabbath day holy? How about your relationship with your mum & dad? Even though you are 60 years old, we are still required to honor them. Have you committed murder, or adultery? Are you stealing or lying? Are you coveting what the world has to offer? These are some questions that reveal our heart condition.

Dear friend - If you heart is sick there is good news! God sent His one and only son to call not the righteous but sinners! That's what I am! A sinner who has been saved by grace!

If you recognize that you have sin in your heart, or if you have never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, I urge you today to repent of your sins & to cry out to Jesus for forgiveness & ask him to be Lord of your life.

The Word's in Red bring life and freedom. Jesus came to save sinners. If you are saved, and you have tasted forgiveness, may I encourage you to read the Word's in Red & recall what Jesus did - why he came & then open your arms to weep with those who are sick...

because

His Wrath is Satisfied...

Don't Stop PRAYING!

If I attempt to say this any better then this man - I will fuddle it up - so let me share what he writes, and then share with you how this wisdom has effected me...

Charles Spurgeon
'At the Master's Feet'
Daily Devotional

Sacred Violence

'The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.'
James 5:16

Never cease your prayers. No time is ill for prayer. The glare of
daylight should not tempt you to cease, and the gloom of mid-
night should not make you stop your cries. I know it is one of
Satan's chief objects to make the Christian cease praying, for if he
could but once put up the weapon of all-prayer, he would easily
vanquish us and take us for his prey. But so long as we continue to
cry to the Most High, Satan knows he cannot devour the very
weakest lamb of the flock. Prayer, mighty prayer, will yet prevail
if it hath but time.
And while you never cease from your trust, nor from your
prayer, grow more earnest in both. Let your faith be still more
resolved to give up all dependence anywhere but upon God, and
let your cry grow more and more vehement. It is not every knock
at mercy's gate that will open it, he who would prevail must
handle the knocker well, and dash it down again, and again, and
again. As the old Puritan saying goes, "Cold prayers ask for a
denial, but it is red-hot prayers which prevail." Bring your prayers
as some ancient battering ram against the gate of heaven, and force
it open with a sacred violence, "for the kingdom of heaven, suf-
fereth violence, and violent take it by storm." He who would
prevail with God must take care that all his strength be thrust into
his prayers.



Aren't these challenging words? I was and am challenged by it. So often I ask God for something that is important, and then when it does not happen I think - OK - and stop praying... How dumb am I? - I need to learn to 'handle the knocker well, and dash it down again, and again, and again.' There are so many things that I attempt to pray for, and so many needs that we have as a family! I then become frustrated that there does not appear to be time in my day to pray for everything! In actual fact there is time in my day to pray... plenty of time... I need to prioritize my day to pray... reading that: 'Satan's chief object is to make the Christian cease praying,' moves me to action.

Dear God - Thank you for the words in James - 'the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.'

This is truly because of the cross...

where by -

Your Holy & Righteous Wrath is Satisfied

Character... I need a new one!

Building a Character House

I had never heard Mother’s voice like that, and I had never heard her call Father “Charles.” I thought my heart would pound itself to pieces while she was telling him what I had done. Hard as Father could spank, he never hurt me so much with a stick as he did when Mother stopped talking. He cleared his throat, and then he didn’t make a sound for at least two full minutes.

When he spoke, his voice was deep and dry, and I knew he must have been coughing a lot on the way home. “Son, there is no question but what the thing you have done today deserves severe punishment. You might have killed yourself or the horse, but much worse than that, you have injured your own character. A man’s character is like his house. If he tears boards off his house and burns them to keep himself warm and comfortable, his house soon becomes a ruin. A man with a ruined character is a shame on the face of the earth.”

~ LITTLE BRITCHES, BY RALPH MOODY ~

As I read that excerpt, I can’t help but thinking that we are building today the character houses we’ll live in tomorrow; that what each of us will become later in life largely depends on what we are now. J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) wrote in his book, Thoughts For Young Men, “Youth is the seed-time of full age, the molding season in the little space of human life, the turning-point in the history of man’s mind.” Are we taking that seriously?

We must understand that there’s a tsunami of “advances” coming that will profoundly damage all but the sturdiest character houses. We’ve got to be working now so that when the wave comes, we’re ready for it. Robert Freeman once said, “Character is not made in a crisis—it is only exhibited.” The crisis is coming, what we need to ask ourselves is, “What kind of character will this crisis reveal? Am I strong enough to resist sin? Am I consistent in saying no to temptation? Or do I only get by when there is nothing there to tempt me?”

Remember, the time is coming where it will become more and more difficult to avoid sin and more and more necessary to develop the strength of character to resist it, fight it, and conquer it.

The landscape is changing rapidly. We must turn to God and plead with Him to grant us the grace to strengthen our character now, before it’s too late. What would you think of a soldier who decided to learn to operate his AK-47 on the battlefield? Or of the parents that wanted to teach their baby to walk on a tightrope? You’d think they were crazy, right? But are you hoping to do something equally extraordinary by putting off the development of your character until you’re in the middle of the storm?

It is now that we must become acquainted with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is now that we must make the Bible our intimate guide and adviser. It is now that we must get a clear picture of the evil of sin. If we don’t get serious about these things today it won’t happen. Do not underestimate the power of habit—especially the habits of youth.

J.C. Ryle put it well when he said, “Habits are like stones rolling downhill, the further they roll, the faster and more uncontrollable is their course. Habits, like trees, are strengthened by age. A boy may bend an oak, when it is a sapling. A hundred men cannot root it up, when it is a full-grown tree.”

The prophet Jeremiah made the same point when he asked, “Can the Ethopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.”

If you can get anything out of this post, please, come away believing that you will become what you are and that you will live in the character house you build today. It will never be easier to serve God than it is right now.

This is borrowed from Rebelution!

God I want to Rebuild -

because -

Your Wrath has been Satisfied...

Psalms 90: by Joshua Harris

Some amazing thoughts & great teaching by Joshua Harris...

Praying you are encouraged & refreshed as you reflect & meditate on our Great God and King!

A Heart of Wisdom: Conclusion

"The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty...
So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom."
-Psalm 90:10, 12

Over the last week, I’ve been posting thoughts on Psalm 90, covering 4 characteristics of a heart of wisdom:

1. Stands in awe of the eternal God
2. Recognizes man’s insignificance
3. Acknowledges God as holy Judge
4. Runs to God for mercy

Every year, I make a list on a piece of paper, numbering 1-80. I use it to jot down milestones of God’s grace in the past, and look ahead and prayerfully consider what will be most important in the upcoming stretch of my life. I do know that I’ve got two driving priorities the next 15 years: to faithfully care for my family, and faithfully teach God’s word in this church.

I’d encourage you to do this, to sit down and consider where you are on your way to 70 or 80 years. Consider where God has brought you from. Consider how quickly your life will be over. Consider the holiness of God. How does that reality adjust your plans for 2007?

I don’t know what resolutions you’ve made (and which ones you’ve already broken) by now, 9 days into the New Year, but here’s something for consideration--How will we live this year if we number our days and have a heart of wisdom?

Here are some thoughts:

1. We will pursue satisfaction in God alone.

(Verse 14) What have you sought satisfaction in apart from God in the past year? When we see the fleeting nature of life, we see that knowing and being satisfied in the steadfast love of God is our greatest purpose. Let’s commit ourselves to being people who love and study and memorize God’s word. Let’s be people who pursue private communion with God. Who attend each Sunday meeting expecting to hear and be changed by God’s word. Let us be a people who pursue God in prayer.

[For those looking for a good Bible-reading plan, Discipleship Journal has a good one I've used.]

2. We will pursue holiness and cast off the sin that so easily entangles.

If we really see how short our time is on earth, if we see God in his holiness, would we make such allowance for sin? Verse 8 reminds us that there is no sin hidden from God. Where are you trifling with sin? Where are you harboring it? Where are you toying with temptation? Number your days and hate your sin. Flee from it.

3. We will be passionate about God’s work around us.

(Verse 16) If we number our days, our hearts are going to beat for the work of God in our local church. For the work of God in other countries. For the spread of the gospel.

4. We will spend ourselves for God’s glory.

Numbering our days doesn’t lead to timidity and fearful conservation of our life. It leads to boldness. To faith-filled risk taking. It leads to mountain-moving prayer. The missionary Jim Elliot said “Wherever you are be all there. Live to the hilt every situation that you believe to be the will of God.” What season are you in? Live it to the hilt.

There’s certainly a place for caution...but not when it’s motivated by desire to preserve our comfort and advance our selfish desires. Let’s attempt great things for our great King this year! What if we worried more about the lost than our comfort? What if we spoke with humble boldness instead of remaining silent. What if we attempted what only God’s power could enable?

Consider v. 17—Only what we do for him will last.

5. We will be humble, grateful and joyful because of the gospel!

In Psalm 90, we see Moses looking ahead with faith for God’s future salvation. Friends, we have seen it. And it’s more wonderful than words can express!

When we number our days, we will be humbled and will live in holy fear of our Holy God, but we will also run to and receive and rejoice in the glorious salvation that He has provided for us in Jesus Christ. This coming year will be marked by toil and trouble. For some of us, it will be our final year on earth, but because Jesus has come we can have joy and hope in it. Because Jes us shed his blood as the perfect once for all sacrifice in our place, our iniquities have been removed from us and God’s wrath has turned to favor. He is for us!

Lord, teach us to number our days in this life. Teach us to long for the day when we see you. Teach us to live our life for you and your glory!

Blessings -

because...

His Wrath is Satisfied!

Hows your day????

All dressed up & ready for the Christmas Eve service @ church were Caleb on far Rt & Abigail on far Lft played Mary & Joseph! Noah next to Abigail played a sheep & Beth & Belle sat cheering wildly with mum & dad!

These brothers are very protective & inquisitive of their littlest sister...

'Don't tell me I am not cute!'

Friends - I don't know if you sometimes base your day upon your circumstances or your emotions, but I have been learning to recognize that circumstances and emotions do play a contributing factor in our days, however they are not to be the primary deciding factor in our day! Does that make sense? Observe your feelings, & your circumstances - but chose to be a thermostat instead of a thermometer. Take every thought captive. Think on what is pure and lovely and good.

I often become discouraged when I discipline the kids out of anger, I speak harshly to my wife, someone is rude to me or my wife & kids, or worse yet - someone tries to cut in front of me while I am driving & I am singing my worship tunes... How selfish are they? - Then I am flooded with thoughts of condemnation! "looser", "you want to be a WHAT?" "You can't get along with anyone, what makes you think you can live in a community?" and then I recall scripture that I have hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Him, which says -He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it, until the day of Christ Jesus. Or - There is therefore now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and - If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness - and one of my favorites - God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. - This reminds me that I can try to hide my sin from my wife, children, mates or I can repent & confess it and deal with it now! For God sees it all & he is opposed to pride.

I challenge you to run to the cross & confess your sins and find freedom. Oh there will be consequences and there will be pain, but the joy and freedom in Christ - the one who was pierced for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities that we might have life - forgives us! Restores us! Renews us!

When you are having a bad day - your thoughts are haunting you - your feelings are running away on a roller-coaster ride - think of what God did for the world... gave his only begotten son!

because...

His Holy & Righteous Wrath had to be Satisfied!

That is love!

Borrowing from Bob Kauflin - Worship Matters

CLICK HERE & you will find where this has been borrowed from...

What encouragement!

January 02, 2007
Looking Forward to Heaven
I trust your Christmas season was peaceful and Christ-exalting and that you're starting the new year filled with fresh faith to embrace God's promises in Christ.
I've been trying to finish my book, which was due Jan. 1. Didn't quite make it. Lord willing, the book, Worship Matters: Priorities in the Pursuit of God, will be out in August, published by Crossway.
At the start of a new year our thoughts inevitably turn to goals we'd like to achieve in the next 12 months. Here's an unedited section of my book that has to do with goals. It's from the last chapter, "The Goal of Worship," where I describe ways the worship of heaven should affect us now. I pray it will be an encouragement to you.
Most of us realize we’re on a journey. We know we’re on our way to somewhere. But our vision is usually far too short-sighted and our goals too limited and temporal. If you’re in high school or your single years you might want to finish school, find a job, get married and have kids. If you’re already married your plans might include getting your kids through college, reaching the top of your career path, or making sure you have a sufficient nest egg for retirement. Or maybe you have your eyes on a new house, a sportier car, or some city you’d like to move to and settle down for the rest of your life.

God wants our eyes on a city, all right, but not one we can get to by car, boat, or jet. He has something longer lasting in mind. Since we were expelled from Eden, God has promised his people he would lead them to another place of rest, the “promised land.” However, even Abraham knew the promised land was not of this world.
By faith [Abraham] went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God (Heb. 11:9-10).
Abraham and other faith-filled Jews considered themselves strangers and exiles on the earth and were looking for “a better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Heb. 11:13, 16). The Promised Land of Canaan served as a picture of the land that every believer in Jesus Christ will inherit – heaven.
Our present life is like a pregnancy. We’re getting ready for birth. In one sense we’re already enjoying the benefits of the new birth. But there is much more to come. God doesn’t intend for us to be like a baby in his mother’s womb who thinks all life has to offer is dark, wet, and kind of cramped. Pregnancy, with all its changes, growth, and adjustments, is a time of preparation, not the final destination. We are traveling through a corridor which one day will open up into a panorama so startling it will leave us gasping for grace-drenched air. Our final years on earth aren’t the last stop on the train of our existence. In fact, in light of eternity, we’re still at the boarding station when we die.
Heaven teaches us that God doesn’t hand out all his riches in this life. Though we want an experience of glory here that will satisfy, amaze, and fulfill us, we will always be left wanting more. That’s the way God intended it to be. That “more” awaits us in the next life.
That’s one of the reasons we are commanded to celebrate the Lord’s supper “until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). Even as we feast at his table and proclaim the Lord’s death that reconciled us to God, our eyes are on the future wedding feast. We are among those who “have longed for his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8) because we recognize our citizenship is in heaven.

We look forward to that day when the great multitude stand in the nearer presence of Father, filled to all the fullness of God the Spirit, through whom they are united with the Son. There they will look around and within, and find only worship. Despite all the attacks of the evil one, the drag of indwelling sin and the seductive power of the idols throughout their long history, their song will be one of praise drenched with wonder. In them the commandment will be completely fulfilled: they will have no other God but him. And in them the promise will be fully realized: he is their God and they are his people. (Noel Due, Created for Worship, 238)
Whatever goals you pursue in 2007, I pray you'll find joy as you fix your eyes on the sure hope of heaven, attained for us through the sacrifice of our Savior.

I pray that you are encouraged -

because...

His Wrath is Satisfied!

Getting to the core...

I heard about a young boy who was called Worm by friends and peers. The reason he was called 'Worm' is because he continually kept his nose in books. This young man agreed whole heartedly to his nickname because he believed that an apple represents life and a worms job is to get to the core of the apple.

I must say that as I have pondered this young mans insight, I have been humbled and challenged.

How often do I just take a respectable man's words for fact instead of investigating and finding out if that truth is right according to scripture?

For example -

"If you commit suicide you can still go to heaven..."
"God helps those that help themselves"
"You got to do your part..."
"You don't need faith - you need to figure it out!"
"... there is God's permissive will & God's perfect will..."
"God wants us all to be rich..."

There are many others - but when you think about it - Worms work hard at getting to the core of the apple, don't they? We should work hard at uncovering the mysteries of Christ. I want to work hard at understanding who God is... don't you?

Psalms 119:25-32
Daleth
25 My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes!
27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! [2]

Notice all the requests, pleas & actions in these verses!

My soul clings - Give me - teach me - Make me - I will meditate - strengthen me - put false ways - graciously teach me - I have chosen - I set your rules - I cling - let me not be put to shame - I will run - enlarge my heart

A worm works hard at getting to the core of the apple...

May we as Christians work hard at understanding and gaining insight into the core issues of the heart!

only because ...

His Wrath is Satisfied