Today’s message is based on
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:22-37‬ ‭
and it is so on time.
​
Jesus speaks to the soul
of two kingdoms
and explains how they are divided
by the Spirit/spirit that leads them.

Right after healing
a demon-possessed man,
who was blind and couldn’t speak,
the crowd began to wonder,
“Could it be that Jesus
is the Messiah, the Son of David?”

But the religious leaders said,
“No wonder he can cast out demons.
He gets his power from Satan,
the prince of demons.”

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said,
“Any kingdom divided
by civil war is doomed.
A town or family splintered
by feuding will fall apart.
And if Satan is casting out Satan,
he is divided
and fighting against himself.
His own kingdom will not survive.
And if I am empowered by Satan,
what about your own exorcists?
They cast out demons, too,
so they will condemn you
for what you have said.”

Can you imagine
being so foolish?
If Jesus received
his power from Satan,
then why would he perform that act?
I mean really,
if Jesus was working for Satan,
then why would He cast out demons?
He would be in a war against himself.

I love how Jesus turns this,
and gets the Pharisees to question
their own beliefs and practices.
He takes out His Sword
and uses it to cut straight to the heart.

Then Jesus said,
“But if I am casting out demons
by the Spirit of God,
then the Kingdom of God
has arrived among you.
For who is powerful enough
to enter the house of a strong man
and plunder his goods?
Only someone even stronger -
someone who could tie him up
and then plunder his house.”

Can you see?
The strong man is Satan,
the house is his kingdom -
which we know to be the world.
And the people are who he possesses.
The ones who still operate
under God's Genesis 3 curse.
 
In order for a human
to be set free from God's curse,
he must cast out the evil
and love God with all his heart.

Jesus said,
‘Anyone who isn’t with me
opposes me,
and anyone who isn’t working with me
is actually working against me.”

So there it is.
If a person opposes Christ,
who is the living Word of God,
then they are His opponent
and belong to the prince of this world.

Jesus said,
“So I tell you,
every sin and blasphemy
can be forgiven -
except blasphemy against
the Holy Spirit,
which will never be forgiven.
Anyone who speaks
against the Son of Man
can be forgiven,
but anyone who speaks
against the Holy Spirit
will never be forgiven,
either in this world
or in the world to come.”

You see,
anyone who speaks against Christ,
does not have the Spirit of God,
so how can they actually know?
They are just the walking dead -
totally ignorant of what is to come.
But anyone who speaks
against the Holy Spirit
is actually denying the voice of God,
they are rejecting
that which has been called.

The Lord said,
‘A tree is identified by its fruit.
If a tree is good, its fruit will be good.
If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.
You brood of snakes!
How could evil men like you
speak what is good and right?
For whatever is in your heart
determines what you say.”
“A good person
produces good things
from the treasury of a good heart,
and an evil person
produces evil things
from the treasury of an evil heart.”

If you want to know
the heart of a person
you can identify them by their fruit,
but “Beware of false prophets
who come disguised
as harmless sheep
but are really vicious wolves.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus said,
“And I tell you this,
you must give an account
on judgment day
for every idle word you speak.
The words you say will either
acquit you or condemn you.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:22-37‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“For the word of God
is alive and powerful.
It is sharper than
the sharpest two-edged sword,
cutting between soul and spirit,
between joint and marrow.
It exposes our innermost heart.
Nothing in all creation
is hidden from God.
Everything is naked and exposed
before his very eyes,
and he is the one to whom
we are accountable.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:12-13‬ ‭

Have you ever wondered
why Jesus warned
the people he touched
not to reveal who he was?

In Matthew 12 it says,
“But Jesus knew
what they (the Pharisees)
were planning.
So he left that area,
and many people followed him.
He healed all the sick among them,
but he warned them
not to reveal who he was.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:15-16‬

So many times,
in the scripture,
Jesus says things like,
“Pick up your mat and walk.”
“Be clean and tell no one,
but go straight to the priest
to be examined
and confirmed as cured.”
“Neither do I condemn you,
now go and sin no more.”
“Don’t tell anyone,
how your sight has been restored.”

I used to think that Jesus
was just being humble,
but now I believe it to be
so much more.

First, while Jesus healed
out of love
and compassion,
the physical miracle
was NOT his goal or mission.

He did not want people to focus on
the miracles he performed,
but rather he wanted them
to be transformed,
“To repent and sin no more.”

He wanted people to know
that he had the authority to bless,
by bringing them back
into relationship with God.

He wanted people to know
that His love is so strong
that he can reverse a curse,
resurrect people from the dead,
heal them, transform them
and give them new life again.

He wanted people to know
that He was Chosen,
God’s Beloved Son -
God's Faithful Servant.

The One who existed
from the beginning,
the Word that came into being -
the prophecy fulfilled.

Matthew says,
“This fulfilled the prophecy
of Isaiah concerning him:
“Look at my Servant,
whom I have chosen.
He is my Beloved,
who pleases me.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice
to the nations.
He will not fight or shout
or raise his voice in public.
He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
Finally he will cause justice
to be victorious.
And his name will be the hope
of all the world.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:15-21‬ NLT

Jesus knew his primary mission -
which was to be the Lamb of God,
the final sacrifice for humanity's sin.

He did not want public attention
of awe and wonder
to divert the real message 
from spreading.

But for us humans,
it’s hard to contain the excitement
when you have been touched by God.
You want everyone to know
where your hope comes from!
You want everyone to know
that you did not do it in your own,
and that all the glory goes to God!

You see,
“In the beginning
the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created
except through him.
The Word gave life
to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness
can never extinguish it.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:1-5‬ ‭NLT

Do you know
there are so many ways
to send out the gospel message.
The body of Christ is large
and has so many parts -
A deep breathing chest
and a glorious heart
equipped with hands and feet
and a nose and a mouth.

Some are prayer warriors
who offer great intercession.
The kneel on fire
in their prayer room.

Some hit the streets
to reach the homeless.
Some go to homes
to help families who are broken,
and some go to schools
to reach the children.

Some minister to
single moms and widows
who are poor and alone,
and some go to the ladies
who have had abortions.

Some are led to go into prisons,
and some are led to lead in their homes.
Some help release the bondage
of people who struggle
with drugs and alcoholism.

Some are led to teach the Word of God,
and open a church to form disciples.
Some are inspired to write lyrics
through music, poems and songs
to give people hope from their struggles.

Some go to fight in distant nations,
risking their lives to spread the gospel.
Some go undercover to find the lost,
the ones who’ve been sold
and prostituted.

Guard the good deposit
that was entrusted to you -
guard it with the help
of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
2 Timothy 1:14

Whatever it is
the Lord has laid on your heart
is the commission
He has given to you.

Yesterday, we learned that Jesus
and his disciples
broke the rules
of not doing work
on the day of rest,
just so they could eat.
And we saw,
that the religious leaders
were quick to point that out!

We also saw
Jesus’s quick response
as He let out the truth bomb!

He said,
Don’t you get it,
you crooked hypocrites,
you brood of vipers,
‘I want you to show mercy,
not offer sacrifices.’
For the Son of Man is Lord,
even over the Sabbath!”

Just as God said
through Hosea, his prophet,
over 700 years before
God came in the flesh.
“I want you to show love,
not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me
more than I want burnt offerings.”

And after that,
“Jesus went over to their synagogue,
where he noticed a man
with a deformed hand.
The Pharisees asked Jesus,
“Does the law permit a person
to work by healing on the Sabbath?”

(They were hoping he would say yes,
so they could bring charges
against him.)

And he answered,
“If you had a sheep
that fell into a well
on the Sabbath,
wouldn’t you work
to pull it out?
Of course you would.
And how much more valuable
is a person than a sheep!
Yes, the law permits a person
to do good on the Sabbath.”
Then he said to the man,
“Hold out your hand.”
So the man held out his hand,
and it was restored,
just like the other one!
Then the Pharisees
called a meeting
to plot how to kill Jesus.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:9-14
‬
The Pharisees were so damn thick!
They were so stuck
on the Law of Moses,
that they were blinded,
and they couldn’t see
the Lamb of God,
standing right in front of them.

Jesus was (and is)
the Word of God
standing in the flesh -
and they refused to believe him.
They wanted to kill him.

This was not good discernment.
They did not recognize
His Holy Spirit.

So let me ask you a question.
As you read my poems
and listen to these words,
Do you see Him?
Can you hear Him?
Or is there some form of religion
you are still stuck on?
Is there a piece of tradition
are you still chewing on,
or a lack of faith
you are still working on?

Don’t you know,
that “the old system
under the law of Moses
was only a shadow, a dim preview
of the good things to come,
not the good things themselves.
The sacrifices under that system
were repeated again and again,
year after year,
but they were never able
to provide perfect cleansing
for those who came to worship.
If they could have provided
perfect cleansing,
the sacrifices would have stopped,
for the worshipers would have been
purified once for all time,
and their feelings of guilt
would have disappeared.
But instead, those sacrifices
actually reminded them
of their sins year after year.
For it is not possible
for the blood of bulls and goats
to take away sins.
That is why,
when Christ came into the world,
he said to God,
“You did not want animal sacrifices
or sin offerings.
But you have given me
a body to offer.
You were not pleased
with burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin.
Then I said,
“Look, I have come to do your will,
O God - as is written about me
in the Scriptures.’”
First, Christ said,
“You did not want animal sacrifices
or sin offerings or burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin,
nor were you pleased with them”
(though they are required
by the law of Moses).
Then he said,
“Look, I have come to do your will.”
He cancels the first covenant
in order to put the second into effect.
For God’s will
was for us to be made holy
by the sacrifice of the body
of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
Under the old covenant,
the priest stands
and ministers before the altar
day after day,
offering the same sacrifices
again and again,
which can never take away sins.
But our High Priest
offered himself to God
as a single sacrifice for sins,
good for all time.
Then he sat down
in the place of honor
at God’s right hand.
There he waits
until his enemies are humbled
and made a footstool under his feet.
For by that one offering
he forever made perfect
those who are being made holy.
And the Holy Spirit
also testifies that this is so.
For he says,
“This is the new covenant
I will make with my people
on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
Then he says, “I will never again
remember their sins
and lawless deeds.”
And when sins have been forgiven,
there is no need to offer
any more sacrifices.
And so, dear brothers and sisters,
we can boldly enter
heaven’s Most Holy Place
because of the blood of Jesus.
By his death,
Jesus opened a new
and life-giving way
through the curtain
into the Most Holy Place.
And since we have
a great High Priest
who rules over God’s house,
let us go right into
the presence of God
with sincere hearts
fully trusting him.
For our guilty consciences
have been sprinkled
with Christ’s blood
to make us clean,
and our bodies
have been washed with pure water.
Let us hold tightly
without wavering
to the hope we affirm,
for God can be trusted
to keep his promise.”
Hebrews 10:1-23

Dear friends,
if we deliberately
continue sinning
after we have received
knowledge of the truth,
there is no longer any sacrifice
that will cover these sins.
There is only the terrible expectation
of God’s judgment
and the raging fire
that will consume his enemies.
For anyone who refused to obey
the law of Moses was put to death
without mercy
on the testimony
of two or three witnesses.
Just think how much worse
the punishment will be for those
who have trampled on the Son of God,
and have treated the blood
of the covenant,
which made us holy,
as if it were common and unholy,
and have insulted and disdained
the Holy Spirit
who brings God’s mercy to us.
For we know the one who said,
“I will take revenge.
I will pay them back.”
He also said,
“The Lord will judge his own people.”
It is a terrible thing
to fall into the hands of the living God.
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:26-31

In Matthew Chapter 12,
we learn that as Jesus
and his disciples
were walking through a grain field,
on the Sabbath Day,
Jesus was thanking His Father
for hiding His mysteries
from those who think themselves
wise and clever.
And as Jesus was offering
this prayer of thanksgiving,
His disciples grew hungry,
and began eating heads of grain.
As they did,
some Pharisees saw them
and protested and said,
“Look, your disciples
are breaking the law
by harvesting grain
on the Sabbath.”
Jesus responded,
“Haven’t you read
in the Scriptures
what David did
when he and his companions
were hungry?
He went into the house of God,
and he and his companions
broke the law
by eating the sacred loaves of bread
that only the priests
are allowed to eat.
And haven’t you read
in the law of Moses
that the priests on duty
in the Temple
may work on the Sabbath?”
And before they could process
their thoughts and emotions,
Jesus threw out a truth bomb!
“I tell you, there is one here
who is even greater than the Temple!
But you would not have condemned
my innocent disciples
if you knew the meaning
of this Scripture:
‘I want you to show mercy,
not offer sacrifices.’
For the Son of Man is Lord,
even over the Sabbath!”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:1-8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Can you believe it?
Jesus recited
the words from Hosea 6:6
when responding to those hypocrites!
But let us take a deeper look
at the Whole context.

God spoke
out of Hosea’s mouth
and said,
“O Israel and Judah,
what should I do with you?”
asks the Lord.
“For your love vanishes
like the morning mist
and disappears like dew
in the sunlight.
I sent my prophets
to cut you to pieces -
to slaughter you with my words,
with judgments
as inescapable as light.
I want you to show love,
not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me
more than I want burnt offerings.
But like Adam,
you broke my covenant
and betrayed my trust.”
‭‭Hosea‬ ‭6:4-7‬

These teachers of the law
just don’t get it!
The still think sacrifices
are better than love!
They are like many
teachers of the Word today -
who think you can replace
fellowship with God
with scripture memorization,
and teach that sacrificing time
to be in the Word is hard.
This is not the kind of heart
that God desires.

God says,
“I want you to know me
more than I want burnt offerings.”

You see,
Jesus is not about competition,
and He will not compete with the world.
He desires a heart that longs for him,
a heart that truly wants to know him -
not a heart that is distracted,
nor heart that is lukewarm.
If a person desires
to be in fellowship with God,
they do not have to be prodded!
They will be fully committed!
Their desire is to dive into scripture
because every Word of God
is like oxygen that gives them breath.
We have to be very careful
about how we approach scripture,
because we do not
want to be half-hearted.
We should first inspect our motives.
Do we see Jesus
as greater than the Temple,
or are we still approaching God
from a heart of lust?

“Do not love this world
nor the things it offers you,
for when you love the world,
you do not have the love
of the Father in you.
For the world offers
only a craving for physical pleasure,
a craving for everything we see,
and pride in our achievements
and possessions.
These are not from the Father,
but are from this world.
And this world is fading away,
along with everything
that people crave.
But anyone who does
what pleases God
will live forever.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:15-17‬

This morning I woke up
feeling nauseous.
I felt like there was mucous
clogging up my throat.
I felt sick to my stomach,
but I could not throw up.
So the feeling of nausea stuck.

It is now 5am,
And I’m lying here in bed.
As I do everyday,
I pick up my phone
and begin to write a poem.

Today’s poem is based on
Matthew 11, verses 20-30.
Lord, help me digest
the bitter words
that are about to come,
because I can already see
they you are saying the same thing
that you said in Luke 10.

Matthew 11 says,
“Then Jesus began to denounce
the towns where he had done
so many of his miracles,
because they hadn’t repented
of their sins and turned to God.
“What sorrow awaits you,
Korazin and Bethsaida!
For if the miracles I did in you
had been done
in wicked Tyre and Sidon,
their people would have repented
of their sins long ago,
clothing themselves in burlap
and throwing ashes on their heads
to show their remorse.
I tell you, Tyre and Sidon
will be better off on judgment day
than you.
“And you people of Capernaum,
will you be honored in heaven?
No, you will go down
to the place of the dead.
For if the miracles I did for you
had been done in wicked Sodom,
it would still be here today.
I tell you, even Sodom
will be better off
on judgment day than you.”
At that time
Jesus prayed this prayer:
“O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
thank you for hiding these things
from those who think themselves
wise and clever,
and for revealing them
to the childlike.
Yes, Father, it pleased you
to do it this way!
“My Father has entrusted
everything to me.
No one truly knows the Son
except the Father,
and no one truly knows the Father
except the Son and
those to whom the Son
chooses to reveal him.”
Then Jesus said,
“Come to me,
all of you who are weary
and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you.
Let me teach you,
because I am humble
and gentle at heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy to bear,
and the burden I give you is light.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:20-30‬ ‭

You see,
“from the time John the Baptist
began preaching,
the Kingdom of Heaven
had been forcefully advancing,
and violent people were attacking it.”
For “before John came,
all the prophets
and the law of Moses
looked forward to seeing”
the suffering servant.
But in this passage
we see towns of people
with little faith and great disbelief.

Who are the people of Korazin,
and Bethsaida and Capernaum,
and why does Jesus say
they will go down
to the place of the dead?

Well, these three towns
surrounded the Sea of Galilee,
and the people of these towns,
were first-hand witnesses to Jesus.
They saw Him performing miracles,
but they would not
repent for their sin,
and acknowledge Jesus 
as the Son of God.

He compared their generation to children,
sitting in the marketplace,
seeking self-satisfaction -
flitting from one desire to the next.
Lacking wisdom and spiritually lost.

Do you know -
“Wisdom shouts in the streets.
She cries out in the public square.
She calls to the crowds
along the main street,
to those gathered
in front of the city gate:
“How long, you simpletons,
will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers
relish your mocking?
How long will you fools
hate knowledge?
Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
and make you wise.
“I called you so often,
but you wouldn’t come.
I reached out to you,
but you paid no attention.
You ignored my advice
and rejected the correction I offered.
So I will laugh when you are in trouble!
I will mock you
when disaster overtakes you -
when calamity overtakes you
like a storm,
when disaster engulfs you
like a cyclone,
and anguish and distress
overwhelm you.
“When they cry for help,
I will not answer.
Though they anxiously search for me,
they will not find me.
For they hated knowledge
and chose not to fear the Lord.
They rejected my advice
and paid no attention
when I corrected them.
Therefore, they must eat
the bitter fruit of living their own way,
choking on their own schemes.
For simpletons turn away from me -
to death.
Fools are destroyed
by their own complacency.
But all who listen to me
will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭1:20-33‬ ‭

I say to this Generation,
Have you forgotten God?
Are you like
the children that Jesus speaks of?
Are you like the towns
that will go down with the dead?

Yes, the Word of God can be bitter -
but oh, it tastes so good.

Have you ever been stuck
in a PIT of despair -
A Personally Intense Trial
and it feels like God doesn’t care?

Have you ever asked God
to take the pain away,
and nothing happens,
no matter how much you pray?

Do you ever feel like God is distant -
like He’s too far away
to hear what you say?
And that your words of prayer
are shallow attempts
to make everything okay?

Well, Matthew Chapter 11
speaks to these thoughts and feelings.

Matthew shares a story
about John the Baptist
who was sitting in a prison
waiting to get beheaded,
and though Jesus did not save him,
He considered him
blessed and highly favored. 

Can you imagine?
Not only was he Jesus’s cousin,
but John prepared the way
for Jesus’s coming.
He proclaimed Jesus as Lord,
the Most High God,
who came in the flesh
to save us broken humans.
And yet, Jesus didn’t go to save him.
Instead, Jesus let John die -
as He carried out His mission
of building His glorious Church.
And all the while,
declaring John as blessed!

You may be wondering
how does that even make any sense?
How could a good God
let such a bad thing happen?

Let’s read.
“When Jesus had finished
giving these instructions
to his twelve disciples,
he went out to teach and preach
in towns throughout the region.
John the Baptist,
who was in prison,
heard about all the things
the Messiah was doing.
So he sent his disciples
to ask Jesus,
“Are you the Messiah
we’ve been expecting,
or should we keep looking
for someone else?”
Jesus told them,
“Go back to John and tell him
what you have heard and seen -
the blind see, the lame walk,
those with leprosy are cured,
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised to life,
and the Good News
is being preached to the poor.”
And he added,
“God blesses those
who do not fall away
because of me.”
Matthew 11:1-6

I found it interesting
that John the Baptist
was questioning Jesus.

He knew that he knew -
that Jesus was Lord,
and yet, in his despair,
he sent his disciples
to question Jesus’s authenticity.

It reminds me of Paul
telling God that he believes,
but still asking God
to help him with his disbelief.

I think this is what happens
to many of us,
when we are in a trial
and questioning whether God
is still with us.

Jesus responded
by bringing up all the miracles,
and then He said,
“God blesses those
who do not fall away
because of me.”

I think the mentioning of the miracles 
was to remind John
of all that He had done,
and the second response
was to remind John
that He is the chief cornerstone.

Jesus reminds John's disciples,
and all those that could hear, 
that He IS the stumbling block -
the stone which
“the builders rejected"
and the “chief cornerstone”
upon which His Church is built.

And I should note that
the builders’ rejection is a reference
to Christ’s crucifixion;
and the chief cornerstone is a reference
to Christ’s resurrection.
And all of this was foretold and spoken
through Isaiah’s mouth,
700 years before the birth of Christ.
Isaiah said,
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone
for a sure foundation.”
Isaiah 28:16

“God blesses those
who do not fall away
because of me”
means you are blessed
if you’re not offended
by God’s activity,
whether he changes your circumstance or not,
because He is God no matter what.
We must remember
that God is always working,
for a greater purpose,
despite our individual circumstances.
“And we know that God works
all things together
for the good of those who love Him,
who are called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28

John the Baptist
would have had to known
that he was blessed by God
despite being in prison
and being beheaded.
Just as we have to acknowledge
that our circumstances
are not a reflection of
God’s goodness or anger towards us.

As John’s disciples were leaving,
Jesus began telling the people
how great John the Baptist is.
He even said that John is Elijah,
the one promised to come.

Jesus wanted everyone to know
that John was who He claimed to be,
because John’s words and actions
prepared the way for Jesus’s ministry.

So let us remember
that God has a plan
that goes above and beyond
our individual circumstances.
And we can trust Him,
even when we are in the PIT.
Whosoever believes
despite earthly prosperity
has a true faith and is a true witness.

As long as you believe in Jesus,
the Rock of Salvation,
the cut stone described by the prophet, Daniel -
You can consider yourself
blessed and highly favored.

Today’s message
is all about acceptance.
But not in the way
we typically expect.
Because this kind of acceptance
comes with a price.

Jesus lays it down
in a way that can not be swayed!
He is speaking to his apostles,
the ones he is sending out.

Most people
who have never read the Bible
will probably be shocked
to hear how Jesus instructs.

Let’s look at what he says,
as recorded in Matthew Chapter 10,
“Students are not greater
than their teacher,
and slaves are not greater
than their master.
Students are to be like their teacher,
and slaves are to be like their master.
And since I,
the master of the household,
have been called
the prince of demons,
the members of my household
will be called by even worse names!”
He is giving them warning,
1. Do not think you can be
greater than me.
2. Get ready for the name calling.
and the disbelief.
And then he gives encouragement.
“But don’t be afraid
of those who threaten you.
For the time is coming
when everything that is covered
will be revealed,
and all that is secret
will be made known to all.
What I tell you now in the darkness,
shout abroad when daybreak comes.
What I whisper in your ear,
shout from the housetops
for all to hear!”
This is how I feel.
And this is why I write and post.
What I hear in my spirit
I have to shout out.
The Lord has made a sword
Come out of my mouth.
“Don’t be afraid of those
who want to kill your body;
they cannot touch your soul.
Fear only God,
who can destroy both soul
and body in hell.
What is the price of two sparrows -
one copper coin?
But not a single sparrow
can fall to the ground
without your Father knowing it.
And the very hairs on your head
are all numbered.
So don’t be afraid;
you are more valuable to God
than a whole flock of sparrows.”
Matthew 10:24-31

Jesus is reminding his apostles
of how valuable they are.
And they don’t have to worry
because the Father is with them.
As long as they fear only God,
then they will be just fine.

“Everyone who acknowledges me
publicly here on earth,
I will also acknowledge
before my Father in heaven.
But everyone who denies me
here on earth,
I will also deny before my Father
in heaven.”
Matthew 10:32

This declaration
by Jesus himself
should be enough
to get us off our butts!
Those who are ashamed
to speak out Jesus’s name,
will suffer
a horrendous consequence.

He said,
“Don’t imagine that I came
to bring peace to the earth!
I came not to bring peace,
but a sword.
I have come to set a man
against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law
against her mother-in-law.
Your enemies will be
right in your own household!"
Matthew 10:34-37

This message is also told
in Luke Chapter 12.
In the section
about the Lord’s terrible baptism.

We tend to think
Jesus is about fairytales and roses,
but the truth is
he came to complete
a very important mission!

He says,
“If you love your father or mother
more than you love me,
you are not worthy of being mine;
or if you love your son or daughter
more than me,
you are not worthy of being mine.
If you refuse to take up your cross
and follow me,
you are not worthy of being mine.
If you cling to your life,
you will lose it;
but if you give up your life for me,
you will find it.”
Matthew 10:38-39

Do you know what idolatry is?
It is loving something or someone
more than you love God.

This was a hard one
for me to understand.

But the truth is
our children our on loan,
We are to raise them
and then give them back to God.

He says,
“Anyone who receives you
receives me,
and anyone who receives me
receives the Father who sent me.
If you receive a prophet
as one who speaks for God,
you will be given the same reward
as a prophet.
And if you receive righteous people
because of their righteousness,
you will be given a reward like theirs.
And if you give even a cup
of cold water
to one of the least of my followers,
you will surely be rewarded.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10:40-42‬ ‭

It is very clear.
If Jesus sends you out,
and speaks through your mouth;
Or if you are a follower of Christ
and you do something nice,
then the Father sees you
as connected to His vine
and will reward you in Heaven.

Today we are continuing
with the directives of Jesus,
as he spoke to his apostles
before sending them out.
Jesus said,
“Look, I am sending you out
as sheep among wolves.
So be as shrewd as snakes
and harmless as doves.
But beware!
For you will be handed over
to the courts
and will be flogged
with whips in the synagogues.
You will stand trial before
governors and kings
because you are my followers.
But this will be your opportunity
to tell the rulers
and other unbelievers about me.
When you are arrested,
don’t worry about how to respond
or what to say.
God will give you the right words
at the right time.
For it is not you
who will be speaking-
it will be the Spirit of your Father
speaking through you.
A brother will betray
his brother to death,
a father will betray his own child,
and children will rebel
against their parents
and cause them to be killed.
And all nations will hate you
because you are my followers.
But everyone who endures
to the end will be saved.
When you are persecuted
in one town,
flee to the next.
I tell you the truth,
the Son of Man will return
before you have reached
all the towns of Israel.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10:16-23

There is so much packed
in these words!
Let me see
if I can do them justice.

First - what does he mean
“sheep among wolves”?
Basically, the sheep are people
who believe in Christ
who hear and obey
the words of God’s Spirit.
And the wolves do not.

This is why God tells us
to beware of wolves in sheep clothing
because people will be appear
to be Christian, but they are not.
They like to stir the pot,
Such is the mission
of witches and warlocks.

Shrewd as snakes means
they will need sharp judgment,
and have to rely on senses
that do not come from the flesh.

Harmless as doves
is self-explanatory -
Is means they will need to be gentle
and not harm someone else’s salvation.

But beware!

Jesus warns them
they will be turned over
to the courts and the synagogues,
both man-made constructions,
not built by God.

Jesus tells them not to worry
because it’s an opportunity
to bring the message of salvation -
and that God will be speaking
out of their mouths.

He goes on to tell them
about the division that will happen,
starting in families
and spreading through nations.

He says they will hate you
because you believe
that I Am - God in the flesh
who came to the earth
to set his children free.

They will hate you because
you take scripture into your heart,
and you believe that my Word
cannot be set apart.

He tells them not to push
but to go their own way,
when a town or a person
does not want them to stay.

The last part of this section
has me totally confused,
Jesus said,
“I tell you the truth,
the Son of Man will return
before you have reached
all the towns of Israel.”

I’m not sure what Jesus means?
Can someone help a sister out?

Does he mean
when he returns from the dead,
before ascending back into Heaven?
Or does he mean when he returns
to create his physical Kingdom,
in Jerusalem, at his second coming?

And what does he mean
before “they reach all the towns of Israel?”
Did the apostles go
to every Israeli town
before going out of their nation
to spread the Good News?
Or does it mean
the message being carried
will reach future generations
when the Israelites will turn from their ways
to create the 144,000 who have their Father's name
written on their foreheads
as foretold by John in the book of Revelation. 

This passage reminds me
of Luke 12, verses 49-59.
If you get a chance to go and read it,
It may help you out!
Jesus said to be ready for His return,
and in Luke 12
this is a portion of what he said,
“I have come to set the world on fire,
and I wish it were already burning!
I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me,
and I am under a heavy burden
until it is accomplished.
Do you think I have come
to bring peace to the earth?
No, I have come to divide
people against each other!
From now on families will be split apart,
three in favor of me, and two against
- or two in favor and three against.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:49-52‬

I believe that Jesus is sovereign.
He came to divide
the wolves from the sheep.
He is the great shepherd,
and his sheep respond to his voice,

Do you hear him?
​
#Maranatha

I want to tell you about one of the Bible passages
that has freed me from codependency bondage.
The message is told in the synoptic gospels,
but is not found in the gospel according to John.

Here it is -
Jesus told his apostles,
“Do not get any gold or silver or copper
to take with you in your belts;
no bag for the journey
or extra shirt or sandals or a staff,
for the worker is worth his keep. 
Whatever town or village you enter,
search there for some worthy person
and stay at their house until you leave. 
As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 
If the home is deserving,
let your peace rest on it;
if it is not, let your peace return to you. 
If anyone will not welcome you
or listen to your words,
leave that home or town
and shake the dust off your feet. 
Truly I tell you,
it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah 
on the day of judgment than for that town."
Matthew 10:9-15

You see,
I struggled for so long
with a codependent personality -
due to poor image and low self-esteem.
I wanted so much to be liked by everyone.
If I didn't have approval then I felt unworthy.
I lacked basic trust and struggled with intimacy,
and yet I had to fill everyone's need.
I had an exaggerated sense of responsibility
that was based on an image that was unhealthy.
But when God allowed my world
to come crashing down,
I finally let go and I let Him.
That was the best thing
that could have ever happened,
because now I know I am truly loved.
I am no longer bound by codependency
because I have learned 
to shake the dust from my feet
and walk in peace.

Jesus instructs those who are sent,
and He teaches them to speak
the truth in love.

He instructs his apostles on what to do
when others refuse to accept His truth.

He tells the apostles that if they are rejected,
it's because Christ was rejected first.

He says,
"You will be hated by everyone
because of me, 
but the one who stands firm to the end
will be saved."
Matthew 10:22

Peace is a blessing from the Lord,
it's part of the fruit of His Spirit;
so if the blessing finds no worthy recipient,
then it will fall back on those who gave it.

Go in Peace and bring Joy to the World -
because the Maranatha Message
​is raining down!

​#Maranatha