Tag: The Heart

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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!

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The Right Place

OCTOBER 4

MATTHEW 7:8_and he that seeketh, findeth…

Proverbs 20:27 says my spirit is God’s candle. We’ve talked a lot about candles in these devotionals. We’ve talked about the purpose of light—to dispel and overcome darkness. We’ve talked about candles set on candlesticks. We’ve talked about replacing the smaller candle and candlestick with larger ones as life moves on, and more light is needed. In this verse, a candle is used to in a different way – to gain insight into who I really am.

Now, the candle (my spirit) is used by God not to share light with others but—to search inside of me. God uses my spirit to shed light into my heart, and all that I am. He uses it to see what my heart seeks. Does it seek to know Him and make Him known, or does it seek to make me known?

Jesus told me to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Is that where He finds my spirit shedding light—on God’s righteousness? If God finds me seeking how to turn the other cheek, go the second mile, give to those who ask, and do good to those who hurt and use me, then He’s found me in the right place.

According to Jesus, if I’m seeking to live that kind of life—I’ll find it.

PRAYER

Almighty Father, I’m seeking the truth of Your kingdom. I’m seeking Your righteousness – to dwell in me. Thank You that I’ll find it. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                   

Christ knows if I seek righteousness—If so, I’ll find it!

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Jesus Gives Back Life

SEPTEMBER 24

MATTHEW 7:5_and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

Only the Pharisees and Jesus knew why they did not bring the man to their stoning party. Perhaps the woman had been lured into a carefully planned trap? We don’t know. But regardless of the circumstances of the event, we know this—she left that day free. 

She was guilty. She stood before powerful figures who could lawfully execute her, but she walked away unharmed. Those powerful figures were unable to complete their scheme because their own hearts condemned them. The Pharisees’ guilt hit them squarely in the face and there was nothing they could do but walk away.

When Jesus sent the woman away He said to her “go, and sin no more.” Those who want to look at this as Jesus excusing adultery miss the mark. Jesus didn’t excuse anything—He freed a woman from bondage. He gave her back her life with instruction to live it differently in the future. From the day we receive Jesus into our hearts, He does the same thing for each of us.

He was also pointing out one more thing. The hypocrisy of the Pharisees was so great it overshadowed the sin of the woman. She walked away free, and they guilty.           

PRAYER

Lord of All,                                                                                                              

You have given me life and set me free—praise Your name! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   

Christ gives back life to the lost—He says sin no more!

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Convicting Power

SEPTEMBER 23

MATTHEW 7:5_first cast out the beam out of thine own eye…

There were some missing parts of John 8 in our September 19 devotional. Let’s read them now: “6 … But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.”

I can’t help but see some humor in this. Knowing their hearts and the hypocrisy of the entire incident, Jesus ignored them. Perhaps He hoped that if He ignored them they would go away. No such luck. Since they wouldn’t go away, Jesus addressed them, “7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.’”

Talk about hitting the nail squarely on the head! Jesus sent conviction directly to their hard hearts.

Wouldn’t you love to know what He was writing – I would! Perhaps He was writing the man’s name. Maybe the man was even … a Pharisee! One thing is for certain, the Scribes and Pharisees cared nothing about the woman and intended for this to end in her death. She was only a pawn in their game to ensnare Jesus.

Regardless of what He wrote, it had enough convicting power to cause them to drop their stones and walk away. 

The religious leaders blew their whole scheme. They were the ones humiliated before the crowd in the temple, not Jesus.        

One last teaching about this lesson – tomorrow!

PRAYER

True Shepherd,  Lead me to the place of freedom! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.  

Christ is the True Shepherd—He defends me against evil!

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Heavy Bondage

SEPTEMBER 22

MATTHEW 7:5_first cast out the beam out of thine own eye…

The Scribes and Pharisees could not see or perceive as Jesus did. What Jesus saw in the heart of the adulteress woman was a mote in comparison to the judgmental beam in the hearts of the religious leaders. It was Jesus they were judging, far more than the woman.

Jesus did not set a precedent for a Get Out of Jail Free card for adultery. Remember, Jesus is about finding freedom! Adultery is heavy bondage. 

The Scribes and Pharisees were correct about their guilty verdict – adultery did carry a death sentence. However, there is a major flaw in their sanctimonious condemnation. AKA hypocrisy. Where was the man?

The law the Scribes and Pharisees were so anxious to have Jesus  enforce is found in Leviticus 20:10 (KJV), “And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.” The only way she could be an adulteress was if she were married. If she was not, the man could consider her as a prostitute, or use her any way he wished. If this were all about law enforcement, seems that something is missing. 

Instead of answering their accusations, Jesus began to play around in the sand.     

We’re not through yet – keep following!

PRAYER

True God, Help me know You never want me in bondage—Free me! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   

Christ does not make bondage easy – He frees!