The Light has Entered the World

Verses:  Matthew 5:13-16

My thoughts about the verses:

Let us look closely at the light that has entered the world.  Before Jesus came into the world the world was without light.  Now people get very confused at this thought.  People have heard or read the Creation story and understand that God created stars, sun and moon that produced the light for the world.  Yet, that light was only a physical light. 

Spiritual light came into the world when Jesus was born.  Think back to the bright star that shined over the babe.  The light guided people to the feet of Jesus.  Jesus walked in this light his entire life. Yet, his walk wasn’t in the light of the star.  Jesus’s walk was in the spiritual light of God.

Jesus did not store up the light for himself.  His sole purpose of being born was to share the spiritual light to the whole world.  Jesus was the gift that the world had long needed.  Jesus was the Light which would take the world out of spiritual darkness and bring it into spiritual awakens.

We need to understand that Jesus did not come to persecute us but to heal us.  Jesus did not come into the world to judge us but to save us.  Jesus did not come into the world to condemn us but to set us free.  Jesus did not come into the world so that we may die he came so we could live. 

We have the opportunity to accept the Light that Jesus brought into the world today.  We have the opportunity to be set free from all the things that have keep us bound to our life of sin.  The gift is totally free no strings attached.  If you choose to accept Jesus in your life your soul will become awakened.  The light that came to the world will shine through your life.  You will be a new being.

True there are no strings attached to accept Jesus’s gift of salvation. Yet, here is where the awakening of the new being comes into play.  When you ask Jesus in your life your soul becomes flooded with light.  The Holy Spirit lives within you and you are changed.  You no longer desire to do the things that you did while you were in the darkness.  You will want to live your light for God because the light of Jesus is working within your life.

As a receiver of the light of God there will be things that are changed forever.  One of the things will change is the way you interact with others.  Christians understand that they need to share the light of God.  We have to understand that the light that we receive is a flame we cannot contain.  Therefor we are called to share the love of Jesus.

The question comes into play how do I show people the light that lives in our life.  First you can treat people equally.  Do not judge people that do not live up to your expectations.  Imagine what the world would be if Christians shared the gift of salvation with people just like them.  I have a feeling that the light would never had gotten to us.  Jesus did not pick and choose who was giving the gift of salvation.  He did not separate it by who people loved, what race people were, what abilities that they had or what their original religious beliefs were.  We as Christians are called to do the same thing Jesus did.

Secondly you will come to realize that people are watching the way you are living your life.  When you live your life putting God first you will see the true change that comes from having Jesus in your life.  Others will see this and will come to desire the contentment that we have.  For you will see that even when things seem impossible you will not fear because you know that Jesus is with you.  People who do not have Christ in their life will wonder how we can overcome obstacles that seem impossible.  The answer is simple we have a light that is faith in Jesus when we need it, it is there for us. 

It is through our example that others will find Jesus and understand the darkness that they are in.  They will come to accept that Jesus can give them strength that they need.  People will see the changes in your life and want the same thing for themselves.  They will be ready for you to tell them about God.  The truth is a church has only a few times a week to reach souls during worship and other activities.  Yet, Christians have every day all day long to share the love of Jesus. 

We can share the light of Jesus to the world.  Live your life so that others can see the power of Jesus in your life.  Share the story of how Jesus has changed your life.  Know that when things see impossible God will be there.  Allow others to see the strength that comes from your belief in Jesus.  Let the world see the light so you can pass and ember off to others.  As you pass the ember the person through faith can accept or deny Jesus.  If they accept Jesus that ember will become a new flame and the person will become a new creation in the light of Jesus.

Prayer:

We praise you for your love.  We thank you for the gift of eternal life.  We thank you for bringing an end to spiritual darkness.  Help us use the light that you have placed in our life to spread embers in other peoples life.  In the name of the Light of the World we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you asked the Light of the World to come into your life?  Are you living a life so that others can feel the light of the world?  Are you walking with God as the center of your life?  Are you allowing God to spark embers everywhere you go?

Believers will receive Blessings from God

Verses:  Matthew 5:1-12

My thoughts about the verses:

The majority of Christians have study the Beatitudes.  We think of them as the way to live our life.  We have learned to accept that we are to be humble.  We accept that we have to put God first.  We even accept that we are to treat others the way we want to be treated.  Yet, there is more to the lesson.

Reading the last line of the verses you will see that when we leave the beatitudes we will be persecuted.  We must go through hard times to really accept the love of God.  We are blessed if we accept the love and abundance of God. 

Yet, what does it take to truly understand the need of being persecuted.  Think back to the prophets.  Their lives were not easy.  Many of them went through difficult times.  They declared that the destruction of the Jewish nation was coming because of their sins.    The saddest part is that many of them lived through the persecution.  They were chosen by God to spread the news.  Yet the leaders and the community didn’t ask for forgiveness and turn from their ways.  Imagine trusting God and know what is coming and have to live through it because people didn’t accept the words given to you by God.  Therefor they lived through times of persecution.

The first beatitude talks about those that have great struggles.  When you struggle you come to accept that you need God in your life.  You become stronger in your relationship with God out of your need.  If you spend your whole life without struggles it is easy to think you do not need God in your life.  There is a highlight in the life that those who struggle.  In fact, there is a gift waiting for all that accept Jesus and that is the blessings of receive the gift of salvation.

The second beatitude talks about those that know that they sin.  They feel the need to have salvation.  They are searching for anything that can take away the sin and evil in their life.  People that do not think they do wrong do not feel the need of salvation.  They do not know what it is to mourn for a life without sin.  Yet, Jesus promises those that mourn over their sin.  The promise is that Jesus will give you comfort.  Through the gift of salvation you will find love peace and hope.  Your mourning over your sin will turn to happiness if you accept the gift of everlasting life.

The third beatitude talks about those that humbly come to God.  They realize that they are no match to the forgiveness and power of God.  They realize that they have to turn their lives over to God.  They realize that they need God in their life so that they can find peace.  People that do not understand how it is to respect God have a hard time of accepting the blessings God offers.  They believe that do not have to have God in their life.  Yet, those that come to God in humbleness will receive the promises given in times of Abraham.  They are given the blessings of ultimate peace for they inherit the gifts of eternal life. 

The fourth beatitude talks about those that seek the gift of forgiveness.  They feel deep inside that the only thing that will save them from the sin in their life is God.  They understand the need for God in their life.  Those that do not seek the forgiveness of God believe that they can do it on their own.  They see no need to have anyone save them from their life.  In fact, they do not understand that they have faults in their life that need to be forgiven by God.  Those that search for the forgiveness of God will be given that forgiveness.  They will have their need for the gift of salvation completed when they accept God in their life.

The fifth beatitude talks about those that do well for others.  They realize that they need to be kind and compassionate to others.  They have the ability to be merciful to others because of their commitment to God.  They are able to show mercy for they have received mercy from God for the sins that they have committed.  They have already found the gift of salvation and want to show that mercy to others.  On the other hand you have those that are unfair to others.  They misuse people because they have not accepted God in their life.  They walk around the world acting as if they are the judges of life.  Yet, they miss the fact that they are not the judges.  They do not understand that the only judge in life is God.  Those that show mercy understand that God is the giver of mercy.  They have felt that gift and they want to share that with others.

The sixth beatitude talks again about those that have had their heart purified.  They have accepted the gift of salvation in their life.  They now have seen the very glory of God.  It is through their acceptance of God that they are able to witness the love they need here on Earth.  Their acceptance of Christ allows them to internally know the Spirit of God in their lives.  Those that do not have a purified heart will never feel the presence of Jesus in their life.  They will live their life without being able to see the glory of Jesus.  The fact is that we all have a choice to have a purified heart.  Yet, there are so many do not accept Jesus in their life and therefor walk this world without feeling the very presence of God in their life.

The seventh beatitude talks about those that have made peace with God.  Simply put they have accepted the grace of God.  In accepting that grace they have become the

Children of God.  Those that have made peace with God are further called to help others find the peace that they have.  They need to show others what God has done in their life.  They need to tell people how to receive the peace that they have in their own life.  Yet, those that do not accept that peace will never find comfort in this life.  They may think that all is well yet when they pass from this Earth they will not have the gift of eternal life.  Peacemakers become the Children of God because they have loved God and God returns the love to them.  They have the gift of eternal life and have found the peace that outlasts this world.

The eighth beatitude talks about the persecution that believers face.  Believer’s lives are not always easy.  There are so many times that we face hardships.  We face people that reject us.  Being a child of God doesn’t mean that we live a life of complete peace.  Many times we struggle with illnesses and lost.  We struggle internally with doing the right thing.  Yet, there is a gift that believers are promised.  We are promised the gift of eternal life.  Even through our struggles we have the understanding that we will receive the gift of going to the Kingdom that God has established for all that believe.  This knowledge should help us overcome our struggles.  Those that do not have this eternal knowledge do not have God helping them through life.  Instead they have to face it head on.  Their lack of accepting God will lead to not having the promise of everlasting life.

The last beatitude goes back to the fact that people will attack those that believe.  Those that believe will be ridiculed.  People will stand up against them.  What makes it much harder for many to accept is that people who call themselves Christian will do some of the attacking.  We need to understand that not all people that call themselves Christian will believe the same way that we do.  It is crazy to think that persecution can come for those that are also persecuted.  We have to accept that we will have to deal with persecution because of our choice of accepting the gift of life.  Yet, there is also a reward for those that are persecuted and treated badly by others.  Those that are persecuted will receive blessings and rewards in the next life.  As long as you stay focused on serving God you will receive the blessings that no one can fully understand. 

We have to remember that struggles are going to happen in our lives.  Some will endure more struggles than others.  Yet, through our struggles we can grow closer to the one that can save us from ourselves.  We will be able to go before God with a pure blessed heart.  No matter what you are going through do not lest the struggles of this world keep you from knowing the promise that is to come.  The prophets were persecuted yet they live in abundant peace and love form their creator.  If we follow this same goal we will find peace and comfort.

Prayer:

We love you God.  We thank you for dying for our sins.  Help us to accept the gifts that you have in our life.  Help us understand that though we struggle if we have accepted you we will overcome.  Thank you for the gift of salvation.  Help us be the best Christians we can be.  Help us not fight with other Christians because of it leading to others accept you in their life. In the name of the Messiah we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you accepted Jesus in your life?  Are you struggling today with something that you feel that you will never overcome?  Do you need to grow your faith so that you can be there for others?

Are You Ready to Come to Jesus?

Verses:  Matthew 4:23-25

My thoughts about the verses:

When you read these verses you see Jesus’s gift to heal the physical ailments of humans.  Many people at the time were following Jesus and bringing their sick for this healing.  They had come to trust that he could heal anyone from any ailment.  They believed that he only had to touch him and they would be healed.

Yet, this was not the most important thing that Jesus did in this time.  Jesus was using his gift of healing to create a following.  One that would come to trust him and what he was saying.  He was able to preach to them and they continued to follow.

His gift of eternal healing was impacting their life.  They may not have understood what was truly happening in their life.  Yet, they knew that there was something special about this rabbi.  He was gifted not only with healing but also eloquent speaking.

They came from many different places around the area to see Jesus.  Jesus didn’t choose to heal people from one area his was there for all.  He didn’t choose to only heal people with certain illnesses he was there to heal all.

These lessons are something that we need to learn about Jesus.  Jesus is there for all who will come.  Jesus doesn’t and pick who he will heal.  We are given the healing that we need.  We often think that the most important thing that we need is our body healed.  Yet, there are many more times that it’s our Spiritual side that needs to be healed.  Know that if you reach out to Jesus you will be saved.

We also need to follow Jesus.  We need to understand that Jesus calls us to follow him wherever he may lead.  We have to understand that we need to come to Jesus.  Jesus is there calling us to come.  Jesus is there offering the gift of healing.  Jesus is there are offering the power of salvation.  Yet, it is up to us to go to Jesus to receive what we need.   

Prayer:

We thank you God for you ever enduring love.  We thank you Jesus for your love.  Help stir our minds and spirits to follow you.  Help us to accept the gifts that you have in store for us.  In the name of the Great Physician we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Are you willing to follow Jesus?  Are you ready to accept the gifts Jesus has for your life?

What Would You Do?

Verses:  Matthew 4:18-22

My thoughts about the verses:

If you have ever gone fishing you know about the amount of time that you sit there never catching a fish.  You might not even get a single bite.  Yet, there is something realizing about being out in God’s nature.  In some ways it doesn’t even matter if you catch anything because of the fresh air and the beauty around you.

Other days you go fishing and every time you throw in the line you catch a fish.  It doesn’t matter what kind of bait.  Often times you learn that you have landed into a school of fish.  Some of the fish you pull out are so little that you immediately throw them back.  Then some of the fish are so bit that you either keep it or take a picture with it. 

Those big fish are the ones that create our fish stories.  We love telling people about the big fish that we either caught or got away.  We want people to know just how great we are at fishing. 

These four men knew that feeling.  Their job was to cast nets day in and day out to feed their families.  They had a job that they thought was the most important one that they could ever have.  Then one day a man they didn’t know comes to the water and tells them to come with them.  What would you have done?

Immediately they leave their job and families and go with Jesus.  They do not know their future.  They do not know what will happen to their families.  All they knew is that they must follow.  Their heart was stirred.  They followed their spirit and went freely of their own will.  What would you have done?

They didn’t know what they were going to do in this point of their life.  It didn’t matter they just knew they had to follow.  It is only after they start following Jesus that they are told they would become fisherman of people.  They didn’t question this new calling.  They didn’t turn back and run back to their boats.  What would you have done?

This story has a lot to do with our lives.  Jesus calls us all to come and follow.  Those that accept that call have a stirring in their spirit.  They have realized that they need Jesus in their life.  When we go and follow Jesus we are actually turning our lives over to God.  Accepting the gift of salvation and turning away from our evil ways in life.

Then the calling is placed on our life.  We are called to serve God.  We are to become fishers of people.  We are to tell people our story.  We are to share the love that God has placed on our life. 

Yet, here is where things get touchy there are two choices to make when you are called by Jesus to come and follow.  First you need to choose if you are going to acknowledge your need for Jesus in your life.  Do you accept that you need the gift of salvation or do you think you do not need Jesus in your life?  Secondly, those that do accept Jesus in their life have to choose if they are going to do the calling placed on their heart.  Do you blindly trust Jesus will guide you where you need so that you can fulfill your calling or do you choose not to do what you are called to do?  What Do You Do the choices are yours?

Prayer:

Dear God we praise you.  We thank you for calling us to come follow you.  We thank you for the free gift of salvation.  We thank you for the putting a calling in our hearts.  We ask that you guide us.  Help us be the people that you have called us to be.  In the name of the True Fisherman of People we pray.  Amen

Questions:

You have the choice now.  You can choose to ask Jesus to come in your life and forgive you of your sins.  You can choose to follow the calling God has placed on your heart.  What do you do?

The Light has Risen Out of the Darkness

Verses:  Matthew 4:12-17

My thoughts about the verses:

Jesus learns that John has been imprisoned.  He leaves and goes to Capernaum to begin his teachings.  It is in these days that Jesus begins teaching that the Realm of God is near.  I wonder how many people realized how close they were to the Messiah.

Jesus is the light that the world needs to overcome the death and darkness of the world.  Every day we are bombarded by the evils of the world.  We face situations where we have to choose between God and doing evil deeds.  It is through the light that we are able to come to understand our need for salvation.

Without Jesus in our life we are living in darkness.  Our life is being led to a death that never ends.  Yet, the light has broken the darkness.  We can overcome the sentence of death that we are all sentenced to receive by the one and only judge.  Yet, the judge, God, will overturn that sentence if we will accept Jesus in our life.  If we choose Jesus as Savior we receive the gift of everlasting life.

We have to understand at the time Jesus walked the Earth people did not fully understand what was happening.  They had the impression that the Messiah would be a King that would finally defeat those that had held them captive.  They were not expecting a Messiah that would cleanse them from their individual sin.  You can almost imagine the looks on the people faces when Jesus was talking.  Many must have thought here is just one more prophet telling us the Realm of God is near. 

Yet, there were those in the crowd that understood what Jesus was saying.  They understood that Jesus was the promised Messiah.  They understood that the gift that they were receiving was not of a nation’s survival but, their own survival.  Jesus was what they had so long waited for.

We can hear these words today and understand that the light that is come into the world was for each and every one of us.  We have the choice to accept the light.  For those that accept the light we will never have to fear the darkness of death.  We also gain a responsibility that God calls us to do.  We are to share that light with others. 

Sharing the light is one of the most important things we as Christians can do.  Those that understood what Jesus was saying shared that story with others.  They came to understand and accept Jesus as their Messiah.  They didn’t have to witness Jesus in person.  They were able to see the change in those that had accepted Jesus.  That light continued to pass from one generation to the next.

Today we are that light.  In all you do make sure to pass the light to those around you.  Let people see that through their darkest moments if they would ask Jesus in their life all would change.  Let people see that you are a new creation that does not fear death.  Through your example you can share the light and you can guide people to the saving grace of Jesus.

Prayer:

We praise you God for your love.  We thank you for the gift of everlasting life.  We thank you for bringing the light to end our darkness.  Help us to accept your free gift.  Help us share the light to those that are walking in darkness.  In the name of the Risen Messiah we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you accepted the gift of salvation?  Have you accepted the light that leads from the darkness of death to everlasting life?  Are you sharing your story of everlasting life with those around you?  Are you sharing the light so people can find their way out of the darkness of death?

Temptation is a Daily Challenge

Verses:  Matthew 4:1-11

My thoughts about the verses:

We often think if we follow God fully with our heart we can avoid the temptations of life.  We walk with an air of confidence believing that we can overcome anything that comes in our path.  We feel that God will keep us safe.  We believe that we will not succumb to the temptations that come into our life.

We need to look at this story and realize just how much we are tempted daily.  Jesus was given three opportunities to turn away from God.  He was tempted in ways that none of us could ever imagine.  What would you have done if you were told that you would be given the authority over the whole world if you would just deny God as your redeemer? 

We are tempted on a daily basis.  We have things that come in our life that tempt us to walk away from the path God has chosen for us.  We often are so blinded by the temptations that we do not even realize they are temptations.  We may have people or institutions that we trust that are actually leading us down a path away from God.

Think of the thing that you most want to do.  Is this something that God wants you to do or is it something that would lead you away from God.  There are so many stories in the Bible that show us how people are tempted. 

Think back to Samson and his love for Delilah.  He is distracted by her beauty and his emotions that he misses what is right in front of him.  Delilah has been bribed to find out what Samson has that gives him his amazing strength.  In a night of passion he tells Delilah that he can never cut his hair.  It isn’t the hair that is important it is the fact that if he does cut his hair he has disobeyed God.  He gave his secret just because of the love of someone other than God.  He had been tempted by Delilah and gives in.  Yet, the story doesn’t end there.  He realizes that he has strayed from God and asks for forgiveness.  God gives that forgiveness to Samson.  When he is being put on display he asks God to use him and he is given the strength to knock down the temple and kill many Philistines. 

Now let us go back and look at the story of Jesus.  Satan is in his face tempting him.  Jesus has been fasting for forty days.  He hasn’t eaten or drank during this time.  He is wandering in the wilderness just like the Israelites had done as they left Egypt.  The difference is the way he handles the temptations that are put in front of him as stumbling blocks. 

The Israelites gave into temptation and turned away from God.  They actually made an idol to worship.  Yet, Jesus did not do the same thing.  Jesus even though tempted by Satan to worship him instead of God does not stumble.  In fact, he tells Satan on the third major temptation that we should not worship anyone except God.  Satan knows that he has failed.  Jesus cannot be tempted like we are. 

We can learn to overcome temptations that are major stumbling blocks in our life.  For example if you have troubles with alcohol do not go around alcohol.  If your stumbling block is gambling don’t go where you will be tempted.  If you know hanging out with a certain group of people will tempt you then choose not to hang out with them.  These are steps that you can take on a physical level.

Yet, you also need to prepare yourself spiritually.  To do this spend time reading the Bible.  You need to spend time with others that are Christians.  Take time to commune with God each and every day.  When you feel that you are being tempted turn your eyes back on God.  When you walk closer to God you will see that you have the strength to overcome temptations. 

The most important thing to remember is if you are tempted and you do go astray do not beat yourself up.  God knows that we will all stumble along the way.  None of us are able to face temptation and always walk away from it.  We need to acknowledge that we have stumbled and ask God to forgive us for what we have done. 

Look at the last part of this story and the many others where people were tempted by Satan.  God forgave them as soon as they realized their error.  Jesus, though he did not fall to temptation, was taken care of by the very Angels of God to help him regain his strength.  Samson was given the strength to strike back at the Philistines.  God forgives those that have accepted Jesus in their lives.  Acknowledge what you have done and ask God for the strength not to stumble again.  Yet, always remember if you have Jesus as your Savior you will always be forgiven by God when you ask for that forgiveness.

Once we accept Jesus in our life we have all our sins covered.  This doesn’t mean that we should go out and do whatever we want.  It means that when we stumble the blood of Jesus covers those sins.  We should do our best to always walk in the path that God has for us.  When you stumble do not fear that God will abandon you.  When you ask for forgiveness God will lead you back to where you need to be.  God will use you to accomplish things you thought were impossible.  Keep your eyes on God and be prepared for the good that God has for your life. 

Prayer:

Dear God we love you.  We praise you for your strength.  We thank you for your forgiveness.  We ask that you help us keep away from things that cause us to stumble.  We thank you for being there even when we go astray.  Guide us each and every day along the path that you have for us.  In the name of the Risen Savior we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you accepted Jesus in your life?  Are you living the life God wants for you?  Have you stumbled and fallen into temptation?  Do you need to ask God for forgiveness?  Do you need to give up something that might keep you from following God?