Category: Matthew

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Lessons from Childhood

What lessons did you learn as a kid that you are still using today?

It’s amazing how many things we do as adults that we were taught as children. We no longer do them because we fear that we may get a whippin’ or because “mom” is still standing there telling us to but we do them because we know they’re right.

Look both ways before crossing a street

Brush your teeth before going to bed

Don’t run with scissors

Don’t talk with your mouth full

Chew with your mouth closed

Don’t tell a lie

Don’t pick your nose

Don’t tattle

Wash your hands after you’ve gone to the bathroom

Say, “Yes Ma’am” “Yes, Sir”

Don’t punch your sister

Pick up your clothes

Feed the dog

All of these things are simple and right, but we had to be taught to do them and now that we do them, we are better for it.

You know the same is true with Scripture.

“So be strong and brave! Be careful to do everything my servant Moses taught you. Never stop reading The Book of the Law he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land.

9 I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9 CEV

Joshua was taking over for Moses, leading over a million Israelites into the Promised Land. Big shoes to fill – he needed wisdom and courage. This was his instruction from the Lord…remember what you were taught, you will be successful!

Today I want to remind you what you were taught. Several times through Scripture the theme of all Scripture was summed up in two instructions.

“36 “Teacher, what is the most important commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. 38 This is the first and most important commandment. 39 The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ 40 All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 23:36-40 CEV

When we love the Lord with all our heart we will naturally or supernaturally love others as well. We learn from His example of love, unconditional love and we give. We give our time, our possessions, our acceptance, we give our very lives if necessary.

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” John 15:9-12 NLT

When the Lord gives us a commandment, He also gives us His strength to follow and fulfill it.

The words and instruction we hear from Christ as children in faith will be what we model as we grow to maturity in our Christian walk. Afterall, they are lessons from our childhood.

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Wood, Hay, Stubble

Each day we have the opportunity to build something lasting and meaningful or something temporal.

“But we must each be careful how we build, 11 because Christ is the only foundation. 12-13 Whatever we build on this foundation will be tested by fire on the day of judgment. Then everyone will find out if we have used gold, silver, and precious stones, or wood, hay, and straw.” I Corinthians 3:10-13 CEV

It’s important that we keep the eternal value of things in mind as we live our daily lives. Jesus’ example is the best we have. What’s really important is touching others with the love of Christ and being true to His word.

Strong as a brick house!

You remember how the story goes: three little pigs, one built their house of straw, one built their house of twigs, and one built their house of bricks. The big, bad wolf huffed and puffed and blew down the first two houses but when he came to the house of bricks he huffed and puffed and huffed and puffed and huffed and puffed and he couldn’t move the house.

Did you realize that’s an example of the believer who is standing on God’s word?

“You believers are like a building that God owns. That building was built on the foundation that the apostles and prophets prepared. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone in that building. 21 The whole building is joined together in Christ, and he makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in Christ you are being built together with his other people. You are being made into a place where God lives through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:21-22 ERV

The cornerstone or foundational stone for our lives as believers is Jesus Christ. We are in Him! And in Him, the Spirit of God dwells, so the Spirit of God dwells in us empowering us for victory.

“Whoever hears these teachings of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not fall because it was built on rock.

26 “Whoever hears these teachings of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell with a loud crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

Jesus is called the “Word made flesh” so when we accept Him as our chief cornerstone and realize that He is the true foundation for our spiritual lives we will be secure in our position of being grounded on the rock.

Following His example, obeying God’s word, and trusting in His promises give us the foundation to withstand the storms of life. The Father will build us together with others who also need to be strengthen.

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God Will!

Impatience is a destroyer of faith.

When we become impatient, we begin to try to work things out on our own – we wonder if God is ever going to come through – what’s taking sooooooooooo long? Those kinds of thoughts come from doubt and bring fear – fear that it is never going to work out right. Doubt and fear will choke out the promises of God’s word – they can outweigh faith, if we let them. We must stand with confidence in God’s word if we expect to see God’s promised fulfilled.

When I pray, I pray in faith, knowing that when I pray God’s word I am praying His will and this gives me confidence to know that He will answer.

” But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:6-8 KJV

“ We can come to God with no doubts. This means that when we ask God for things (and those things agree with what God wants for us), God cares about what we say. 15 He listens to us every time we ask him. So we know that he gives us whatever we ask from him.” I John 5:14-15 ERV

Abram followed God from his home out into the middle of nowhere because God made him a promise. A promise that he would possess great land and be the father of many nations. But Abraham never really took possession of the land he had been promised – he lived the life of a nomad – moving from place to place but all the time he held fast to God’s promise.

What is it that God has promised you? What have you left to follow God? No looking back – keep your eyes on the prize of the high calling of God. Don’t give up – don’t fall back. Move forward – continue to follow in obedience to what God has put in your heart.

“Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him…By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the One who had promised was faithful. 12 Therefore from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the grains of sand by the seashore.” Hebrews 11:6, 8-12

“Do any of you have a son? If he asked for bread, would you give him a rock? 10 Or if he asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? Of course not! 11 You people are so bad, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:9-11 ERV

Keep going knowing your Father in heaven protects and provides for His children. God can and He will!

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Stand Strong

Today I’m going to ask that you make this blog interactive. At the end of this writing I’m going to ask you to stand up – physically, stand up! Keep that thought in mind and read on.

The Bible is very specific in asking us to stand. We’re going to look at a few of those verses. Knowing where to stand is just as important as standing.

“To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord and in his great power. 11 Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks...13 That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.” Ephesians 6:10-13 ERV

Life has its battles for sure. But God has given us His promises of strength and power to succeed in the battles and the storms. Jesus compares our lives to a house built on a firm foundation, a house that stands strong in the storms.

“Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock. 25 Rain poured down, rivers flooded, and winds beat against that house. But it was built on solid rock, and so it did not fall.” Matthew 7:24-25 CEV

The book of Mark tells us about a physical storm that Jesus and the disciples were in. Look at what Jesus did.

“A very bad wind came up on the lake. The waves were coming over the sides and into the boat, and it was almost full of water. 38 Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The followers went and woke him. They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!”

39 Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm.” Mark 4:37-39 CEV

Here we see physical winds and waves, like the ones that were beating against the house on the rock. Jesus STOOD UP and took control. The wind ceased and the waves subsided.

Now, I have one more set of verses to share with you before we take our stand.

“I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers 17 and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love.” Ephesians 3:16-17 CEV

We are never asked to stand in our own strength. We are to stand on God’s word, in the armor He provides and to stand firm in His love!

Our Father will never leave us to stand alone. Physical storms or spiritual attacks we can be victorious. Now, join me and Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus!

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Knock – The Door Will Open

I posted this picture on my Facebook page five years ago.

It’s the front gate of our home, at that time, in Rio Rico. It was a quaint and cozy home. Nothing fancy but it was home.

There was a latch on the gate, had to keep the javelina, snakes and coyotes out but it was never locked. Everyone was welcome.

When I posted the picture of friend of mine added her comment of “knock and the door will open”. That’s for sure!

“Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. 8 Yes, whoever continues to ask will receive. Whoever continues to look will find. And whoever continues to knock will have the door opened for them.” Matthew 7:7-8 ERV

These were Jesus’ words as he taught the multitude about prayer.

Our Father in heaven isn’t holding out on us as some think. No, on the contrary He is wanting to give us His very best.

“You people are so bad (or natural)*, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him” Matthew 7:11 ERV *explanation is mine

Prayer is not about begging – it’s asking in confidence because we know our Father’s character.

A few months back I shared with you the words to a song that meant a lot to me when I was in my teens. It’s appropriate to share it again. “Welcome to My World”

“Welcome to my world
Won’t you come on in?
Miracles, I guess
Still happen now and then

Step into my heart
Leave your cares behind
Welcome to my world
Built with you in mind

Knock and the door will open
Seek and you will find
Ask and you’ll be given
The key to this world of mine

I’ll be waiting here
With my arms unfurled
Waiting just for you
Welcome to my world (welcome to my world)”

A secular song with a Biblical message.

“ So what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can stand against us. And God is with us. 32 He even let his own Son suffer for us. God gave his Son for all of us. So now with Jesus, God will surely give us all things.” Romans 8:31-32 ERV

I’m here to tell you when we knock the Father opens. He never leaves His children waiting on the outside. He’s there welcoming us. Welcoming us to His world!


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Praying With A Heavy Heart

This morning, I came to my prayer time and sat silent for almost an hour. There were no words, only a heavy heart for my family and friends, for those I do not know, for our world.

There has been so much tragedy, unrest, so many anxious moments, so many disasters. Yet in all of it there is a peace that only God can give.

“Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest. 29 Accept my teaching. Learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will be able to get some rest.” Matthew 11:28-29 ERV

These are the words of Jesus. John the Baptist said of Him, “He came to take away the sins of the world”. If anyone knew what it was like to carry a heavy load it was Jesus. Daily He was moved with compassion as He met the needs of those searching for a miracle.

He healed the lame, the leper, the blind, all manner of sickness and disease. He had compassion on those who were broken-hearted, imprisoned by demonic forces, and those held captive by betrayal and fear.

At night he would separate Himself and go away to pray. His heart would ache as He prayed for those who were rejecting the goodness of God and the love His Father had for the world.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets. You stone to death those that God has sent to you. Many, many times I wanted to help your people. I wanted to gather them together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you did not let me.” Matthew 23:37 ERV

The Lord knows the heaviness of a broken heart and He desires to carry your load. His desire is to give you rest.

“ Jesus, our high priest, is able to understand our weaknesses. When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He was tempted in the same ways we are tempted, but he never sinned. 16 With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:15-16 ERV

Yes, with Jesus as our high priest we can come freely to God’s throne and find grace, mercy, and kindness to help in our time of need.

As I sat still, in the silence, the heaviness lifted and I knew my prayer time was complete. My heart was filled with hope and my mind was filled with song.

“My life is in You, Lord
My strength is in You, Lord
My hope is in You, Lord
In You, it’s in You

I will praise You with all of my life
I will praise You with all of my strength
With all of my life, with all of my strength
All of my hope is in You”

Let me leave you with this. “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest”!

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Always and Forever

Yesterday I shared with you a few verses on the Father’s character that NEVER change. Today I want us to look at a few that are ALWAYS the same.

Realizing that God has chosen to hold Himself accountable to His word gives me such tremendous confidence in the Lord. He will ALWAYS keep His word.

Just this morning I was reading in the Psalms and saw this verse:

“The Lord is always kind to those who worship him, and he keeps his promises to their descendants 18 who faithfully obey him.” Psalm 103:17-18 CEV

This ties in with the verses we read yesterday from I Corinthians 13. Love, God, is never jealous or rude. There is also an always verse in I Corinthians 13.

“Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. 8 Love never fails!” I Corinthians 13:7-8 CEV

One of the last things Jesus told his disciples before He ascended back into heaven was this:

” Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” Matthew 28:19-20 CEV

I will be with you always is a promise without an end date. Always means exactly that – always.

Just a couple more before I end my thoughts on the Father’s unchangeable character.

“ I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume.” II Corinthians 2:14 CEV

Now, that’s a lot to process. ALWAYS kind, always supportive, always with us and always leading us to victory!

“Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, Lord.” Psalm 23:6 CEV

Forever and always our heavenly Father’s love will not fail.

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Thankful for Never

There are two words in the Bible that stop me every time I read them. Those words are never and always.

Today I want to focus on never.

“ Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” Hebrews 13:5 AMP

“Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 CEV

We can confidently go about our lives each day, knowing that we are not alone. Our Father has promised that He will never, under any circumstances, desert us! And He follows up with a second promise, He never changes. He is always the same. What He promised when the Bible was written is still a valid promise today.

Let’s take a look at a few more “Nevers”.

“Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth. 7 Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits.8 Love will never end.” I Corinthians 13:6-8a ERV

That’s a lot of “nevers”. But that’s how God is – never gives us, never stops trusting, never loses hope, never quits! God doesn’t quit us! Yes, we fail; we disappoint; we even walk away but God never quits us! He’s always there waiting, hoping, trusting, unfailing!

The “Never loses hope” part reminds me so much of the Prodigal Son’s father. The Scripture says that each day he would watch the road, looking for his son’s return. Even when we walk away from God the Father, He watches lovingly, patiently, unfailingly looking for our return.

Do we do the same with those that walk away from us, or do we just write them off? Love never fails – as we experience God’s unfailing love, we can begin to show the same to others.

Love never gives up!

Remember Peter asking the Lord how many times he had to forgive when he was wronged? Peter thought he was making some grand gesture when he asked, “seven times seven?”. Jesus brought forgiveness out of man’s perspective and into God’s when He told Peter, “seventy seven”. Love never quits and forgiveness is an act of love.

” Peter came up to the Lord and asked, “How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?”

22  Jesus answered: Not just 7 times, but 77 times!” Matthew 18:21-22 CEV

We must look at forgiveness from the Father’s point of view. He forgives and forgets even when it’s our 100th screw up of the day. He doesn’t give up on us – He’s always there waiting and reaching out to us. He’s never refused anyone yet.

I’m so thankful for God’s nevers. His love never fails!

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Heart Smart

So many advertisements and commercials encourage us to be “heart smart”. I agree but it won’t come from eating a certain cereal, taking a low grain aspirin everyday, or any other thing that man can advertise. My watch even tells me my heart rate when I’m out on a walk.

To be truly heart smart, take a good dose of Scripture every day.

” Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.” I Kings 8:61 ERV

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalm 27:14

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Matthew 22:37-39.

Good eating habits, exercise and relaxation are good for the bones and the emotions. Being founded on God’s word and focused on God’s presence is good for the entire person – spiritual, soul and body.

“I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.” Romans 15:13 CEV

“You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God’s right side. 2 Think about what is up there, not about what is here on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2 CEV

Keep your heart healthy today.

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How Not to Start the Day

My day started out a bit unusual. I got up started the coffee, opened the screen door to let in the cool morning air and sat down to read my Bible and pray. In very short order, I heard thumping on the patio, I opened the curtain and stepped out on the deck to see three javelina running across the pavers and two at the bottom of the steps.

I chased them off but they were in no great hurry to leave. It’s frustrating because they like to eat our plants and flowers.

Let me tell you, it doesn’t leave me in a very “spiritual” state of mind.

I heard in my heart, “Seriously Kristi, you’re going to let some wild javelina ruin the start of your day?”. I almost did. I was ready to start murmuring.

The Apostle Paul warns us about murmuring.

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing.” Philippians 2:14 CEV

” Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall. 13 You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations. 14 My friends, you must keep away from idols.” I Corinthians 10:12-14 CEV

We face the same kind of temptations as they early Christians did. Murmuring because we think things should be better; we’re being mistreated; everyone else has it better than us. Murmuring because we have wild animals eating our flowers – sounds pretty silly doesn’t it.

Then we are also tempted to worship idols, no, not the gold and stone statues but the idols of fame, success, pleasure, education, relationships. Any of these can draw us away for serving the Lord.

However the good news is this. God knows about these temptations and He has given us the power to resist them and escape their grasp.

Jesus didn’t come to make us miserable – not at all.

“A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came to give life—life that is full and good.” John 10:10 ERV

“ Don’t worry and ask yourselves, ‘Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?’ 32 Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these. 33 But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well. 34 Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself.” Matthew 6:31-34 CEV

Seems pretty silly to murmur about the small upsets of life. They take our eyes off the many blessings that God has given us. Don’t give the day over to complaining.

God gives us victory over complaints; it’s called praise. He promises to provide all we need. Take Him at His word!

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