You Must Act

DECEMBER 7

MATTHEW 7:24_and doeth them…

Jesus’ masonry skills move to the next step – doing. Doing requires action. Get up and do something!  Do what? Obedience to Jesus’ teachings you have studied the past year!

You can heed every teaching of this sermon, but until you act upon those teachings—they are powerless. This requires dedication. Doing trusts God to help when you can’t help yourself. Doing requires time in prayer, asking, seeking, and knocking on how to live Jesus’ teachings—not just read them. 

If you make rules but never enforce them, they cannot achieve their purpose. If you mix together all the ingredients for a cake but never bake it … okay, I confess I love batter … but it’s not a cake until it is baked.

Knowing and believing are only part of the process. You must act. You may believe there are rewards for attitudes of humility, meekness, mercy, purity, and peacemaking, but believing is not doing. You can believe anger is as deadly as murder, but until you curb the anger it still controls.

You can believe in sexual purity, inside and outside of marriage, but if you are not living purity, your belief is powerless.

Remember, to have power—connect to the Source!  

PRAYER

God of Power, Please give me the power to live what I believe. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ wants me to act on His teaching—He helps me!

What Jesus Wants

NOVEMBER 22

MATTHEW 7:21_Not everyone…

Jesus gave Himself for everyone.

His teachings are for everyone.

He wants everyone to live free.

He wants everyone to have wisdom which comes from the Bible.

He wants everyone to seek and find understanding and knowledge.

He wants everyone to abide in His love.

And He wants everyone to share His love through their own heart—with each other.  

Jesus’ inclusiveness shows up again – everyone.  You want to be a part of His everyone. However, there are times when Jesus blind sides with reality. You would just as soon pass over some of these realities, because in reality, you only want life to be about love, joy, and peace.

I Corinthians 2:13-14 (KJV), “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

 To avoid the hard spiritual realities of life—is a foolish mistake!

PRAYER

Only Mighty God,Please give me spiritual discernment to know the truth. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                                      

Christ’s spiritual discernments are realities—Teach me!

I’m Saying It Again

NOVEMBER 16

MATTHEW 7:19_Every tree…

This life is hard—for everyone. Some people may appear to never have trouble, but you’re only seeing the surface. Everyone has struggles in this earthly life. 

I believe I’ve said that the Bible is about truth, and truth is about freedom. I’m saying it again.

I believe I’ve said that Jesus wants you to live free. I’m saying it again. 

I believe I’ve said that Jesus wants you to be alert to the devil and his schemes, so you can escape the bondage into which he desires to snare you. I’m saying it again.

When Jesus ate His last Passover meal with His disciples He let them know that everyone will face hard times. John 14:26-27 (KJV), “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”  

I really like that Jesus assures me the Holy Spirit will remind me of these Creation Principles.

Jesus’ peace conquers fear.     

PRAYER

Immanuel, Thank You for giving Your peace to me when I face trouble. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.     

Christ is peace over fear—He gives it to me!

A Prerequisite

OCTOBER 23

MATTHEW 7:13_Enter ye in at the strait gate…

Jesus teaches there are two ways to enter this trip called life. Each entrance has a gate. He said to enter at the strait gate. A path designed to lead you to treasure—an abundance of treasures. Treasures only God can give—which make them far more valuable than anything the world offers. Things like: I Timothy 6:6 (KJV), “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” Contentment is one grand treasure! Stop and think for a moment what life would be like if you were content. That means you would be satisfied—not constantly wanting, changing, or re-arranging. It does not mean you shouldn’t ask, seek, or knock for improvements. It simply means you know the peace that comes with being satisfied. 

Notice a requirement prerequisites this kind of contentment—godliness. When you enter at the strait gate, you will find godliness before you find contentment.

Psalm 5:8 (KJV), “Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.” 

Psalm 31:3 (KJV), “For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.”

Psalm 25:4 (KJV), “Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.”

Ask God to help you enter at the strait gate.

PRAYER

Righteous Lord, I don’t know if I can find the strait gate, but I can follow You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                 

Christ leads to the strait gate—I will follow Him!

Awesome!

OCTOBER 5

MATTHEW 7:8_and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

Why do you knock? The door is closed. You’re on the outside. You want to come in. Or at least you want the door opened.

There are many doors you will knock on in life. You knock on the door of love—to give and receive love from the people in your life. You knock on the door of joy—to give and receive joy from the people in your life. You knock on the door of peace—to give and receive peace from the people in your life. You knock on the door of success—you want to receive success and perhaps there may be a way you can give it.

Jesus teaches to knock on the door of service. That’s not something you’re naturally inclined to do. John 13:16 (KJV), “Verily, verily, I [Jesus] say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.’

Jesus also says in Mark 10:43-45 (KJV), ” … but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45 For even the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Jesus says to knock on the door of serving others is to become like Him.

Awesome!

PRAYER

God Who Helps, Help me have a servant’s heart and become like You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.              

Christ wants me to serve others—He will teach me!