Category: Gospels
Great reward for following Jesus!
Scripture reading for January 27th: Matthew 19
Key scriptures for over-comers: Matthew 19:27-29 “Peter answered Him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children of fields for My sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.””
Jesus had just asked a rich young ruler to give away his wealth to the poor and follow Him. The young man felt that the cost was too high and sadly went away from Jesus. This caused the disciples to question Jesus about their own salvation and the reward that they might get from following Him. Jesus gave them a powerful promise that staggered their minds and stretches our imagination about our own reward! Jesus told them that they would be judges on thrones in the time of renewal when He returned to rule on His Father’s throne. They would also receive back a hundred times more than they left to follow Him plus get “eternal life”! If you left a farm of 100 acres, then you would get back another of ten thousand acres! If you gave up one home, you would have a hundred houses!
Observation for over-comers: As over-comers, we will be staggered by the extent of reward involved in the simple act of following Jesus! Whatever you have to give up, it will be worth it! You can’t out-give God! “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:24-25)
Protect the precious children!
Scripture reading for January 26th: Matthew 18
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Matthew 18:3-6 “And He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” “
Jesus used a little child as an example of the kind of heart and spirit that each person must have to enter the kingdom of heaven. Becoming great in God’s eyes involves simple trust, like a little child. When we honor and welcome children, Jesus said we are in fact welcoming Him! This is a powerful statement that should cause us to have a high view of children.
On the contrary, Jesus warned that if anyone caused a child to sin that that person would be held to the highest accountability and stand in a place of severe judgment! Our culture today often exposes children to the most horrible sins. Child sexual abuse and sexual slavery is rampant and the use of drugs and alcohol have exposed countless children to sin and violence. Television and video games have opened the hearts of children to sin and rebellion and demon possession. This will bring terrible judgment on those called to protect and teach children the ways of God.
Observations for over-comers: Be especially aware of children in your life and pray for them. Keep a child-like attitude in your relationship with God. “We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done. . . .Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget about His deeds but would keep His commands.” (Psalm 78:4,7)
Mountain-moving faith!
Scripture reading for January 25th: Matthew 17
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Matthew 17:18-21 “Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Jesus demonstrated the power of faith to his unbelieving disciples when He cast out the demon from the boy with severe seizures. They had tried, but had failed and Jesus had severely rebuked them, calling them an ‘unbelieving and perverse generation’. When they questioned Him as to why, He clearly told them it was a lack of faith! Jesus was hard on them because He had given them authority to cast out demons when He called them to preach. (Mark 3:14-15) They had failed to use what was given to them to advance the kingdom of heaven and spoil Satan’s hold on the lost and hurting. This walk of faith is essential for over-comers in these last days.
Observation for over-comers: All it takes, according to our Lord Jesus, is faith the size of a mustard seed and we can move mountains! “You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. . .It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.” (Psalm 18:28-29,32)
The reward of following Jesus!
Scripture reading for January 22nd: Matthew 16
Key Scriptures: Matthew 16:24-27 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul. For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done.”
Following Jesus is not a part-time calling! We can’t keep one foot in the world and one on the path of Jesus. Jesus’ path led to the cross and Christ called His followers to take up their cross in order to follow Him. Jesus called for a complete sell-out and a denial of self-interest and pursuit of worldly wealth. Nothing we gain here in that respect can purchase our souls, and in fact, we can lose them in the process! Jesus, the Son of Man, will come with His angels to bring reward for those who overcome and successfully follow! This ought to motivate each believer and test our hearts concerning our commitment to follow Jesus.
Observation for over-comers: When we lay our life down for Jesus, we actually gain what money and fame cannot buy! Let’s embrace our cross and follow hard after our Lord! “Do not wear yourselves out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” (Proverbs 23:4-5)
Beware of hypocrisy!
Scripture reading for January 21st: Matthew 15
Key verses: Matthew 15:7-9 “You hypocrites!” Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.”
Hypocrisy is very simply ‘play-acting’; putting on a show to please an audience. The Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus day had devised many man-made rules to give them control over the people and make people think that they were super-spiritual. The fatal flaw in their thinking was the fact that nothing is hidden from God! (Hebrews 4:13) Jesus knew what was in men’s hearts and correctly took the prophesy of Isaiah to reveal their false worship and failure to worship God in spirit and truth!
Hypocrisy is rampant in the time we live. Everyone tries to play to the audience of their peers and even in church try to appear as ‘super-spiritual’! God wants our hearts to be pure towards Him and for each person to come humbly before Him. He wants our true worship, not just rituals taught by men. He doesn’t want us putting on a show or saying nice words or singing great love songs to Him when our hearts are full of adultery, lying, idolatry and sin! (Matthew 15:18-19) Be quick to repent of any hypocrisy in your life!
Observation for over-comers: Stay humble and honest in your relationship with God and Christ. Ask God to search you and reveal areas in need of repentance. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)
Listen to the Master!
Scripture reading for January 20th: Matthew 14
Key Scriptures: Matthew 14:14-16 “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away, you give them something to eat.”
Would you rather give orders or take them? Of course we like to give orders! We have been conditioned by our world, culture, and sin-nature to want to be in control. The original disciples were no different. They came to Jesus with a plan to take care of a huge crowd of people as darkness was fast approaching. They had figured it all out–just sent them away before dark to find bread in the villages!
But Jesus had orders of His own! He turned the tables on His disciples and told them to take care of them by feeding them right on the site! He did this immediately following His own bout with grief over the execution of His cousin, John the Baptist. He had compassion on the multitude! Love moved Him to motivate His disciples and send them out to feed this multitude of over 5000 men plus women and children! Taking the meager resources available, these two loaves of bread and five fish were blessed and broken and given to the disciples. As they gave them away, they multiplied in their hands to feed the multitude with much left over!
Observations for over-comers: Jesus set the example of serving and calls His disciples to listen to the Master and do what He says. This will result in an overflowing abundance! “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withhold unduly, but comes to poverty. The generous man will prosper and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:24-25)
Precious knowledge of the Kingdom!
Scripture reading for January 19th: Matthew 13
Key Scriptures: Matthew 13:10-13 “The disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” “He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see, though hearing, they do not hear or understand.””
Jesus used parables, stories about common aspects of the time and culture in which he lived. Through these stories, He revealed the secrets of the kingdom of heaven to those with ears to hear and hearts that sought to learn truth. But to those who had harden hearts and a closed spirit, the stories brought nothing of interest or value.
Those that had teachable and humble hearts gained an abundance of knowledge and had an abundance overflowing into their lives and the lives of others. Those that failed to gain the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven would eventually loose everything! In this way, Christ’s teaching brought accountability and judgment to all. This is why Jesus came!
Observations for over-comers: Over-comers must guard our hearts to keep them open to the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven and seek truth with eagerness and sincerity. “Surely You desire truth in the inward parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” Psalm 51:6
All will give account!
Scripture reading for January 18th: Matthew 12
Key Scriptures: Matthew 12:36-37 “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Words can be spoken easily and carelessly. Words are powerful and penetrate deeply into the souls and hearts of those who receive them. Words can give life and hope or words can condemn and destroy. Words set the course of our lives and the wise are careful to use words because they understand that they must answer to God!
Jesus warned His disciples about their careless use of words. He told us all that we will one day give an account for “every careless word” we have spoken! This should give us cause to stop and think before we speak! James, Jesus’ half brother, tells us, “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger”. (James 1:19) Our words will either bring us reward before the Lord’s judgment seat or cause us to be condemned and suffer great loss!
Observations for over-comers: God gave us two ears and one mouth so we should use each in proportion! “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21
Rest for our journey!
Scripture reading for January 15th: Matthew 11
Key Scriptures: Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Many religions call for their followers to “work, work, work!” There are rules to keep and rituals to follow in order to please deity. Sometimes followers get tired and weary of all the works and rules and really never know when they have done enough to insure that they please their ‘gods.’
But Jesus did miracles of healing and provision proving who He was and how much God the Father loved people. He only asks His followers to believe on Him and follow. He invites all to come and rest in what He has done for them by paying for their salvation and fully pleasing God the Father by His own complete obedience. He asks His disciples to come to Him and learn about His heart to love and serve by receiving the Holy Spirit. Following Jesus is like rest for weary souls compared to the “work, work, work” of religion. His yoke is easy and His burden was light!
Observation for over-comers: Stay away from the religion of works! Rest in Jesus and learn from His humble and gentle heart of loving service. “My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from Him.” (Psalm 62:1)
The blind receive sight!
Scripture reading for January 12th: Matthew 9
Key Scriptures: Matthew 9:27-30 “As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When He had gone indoors, the blind men came to Him, and He asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”; and their sight was restored.”
Blindness is a horrible affliction that cuts us off from many of the pleasures of our world. Darkness is the companion of the blind and they need assistance to get around. In this story, two blind men call out to Jesus for mercy! They address Him as the “Son of David”, a messianic title. Jesus went inside, apparently not interested in addressing these requests, but the blind men follow Him. We are not sure how they found their way, but they were persistent and Jesus questioned them about their faith: “Do you believe I am able to do this?” They answered with an affirmative, “Yes, Lord!” Jesus then simply touched their eyes and told them that they would receive what they believed! Immediately their sight was restored!
Observations for over-comers: Persistence in prayer–calling out to Jesus–is essential in overcoming “impossible” situations. We will receive what we believe! “Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)