Foundations: Matthew - Day 12

READ: Matthew 11

John the Baptist was in prison. He was there due to his message that the Messiah had come and that repentance was required. He was preaching and not everyone liked it – especially Herod’s wife. The reason she was so inflamed about John was because John preached against sin. Herod and his wife had sinned. Herod had taken his brother’s wife as his own.  John spoke against this and was thrown in prison. While he was there he sent a message to Jesus. He wanted to know if all this suffering was really worth it. Could he just go a little easier on the message? Could he be a little softer on sin? Or, even worse, had he gotten it all wrong and Jesus wasn’t really the Messiah?

The beauty of this passage is that we see the humanness of John the Baptist. Often we put Bible heroes up on a pedestal and forget that they may have had a hard time hearing God, or ‘feeling’ forgiven, or knowing for sure what the will of God was. We assume that everything was easy or easier for them. However, in this chapter, we see the human heart of John… and he needed to be sure, he needed reassurance.

Many of us would rush to visit John in prison or send a token gift. Perhaps some of us would even apologize for all the pain and hardship he was suffering. But Jesus doesn’t go visit His cousin. As a matter of fact, John never saw Jesus again before he died.

Instead, Jesus sends back the exact words John needed to hear. First He points to His fruit. Jesus tells John about the miracles He has performed. The second thing Jesus says speaks directly to John’s situation. He wanted John to know He would be blessed if he endured to the end. Those who are not offended by Jesus will be blessed. This was enough to give John courage and strength to remain true to the message he had been preaching. This should give us courage as well.

Jesus had every opportunity to rescue John from prison. He knew John was there. He knew John was suffering was because of Him. But He didn’t stop John’s suffering. Instead Jesus spoke to John of blessing. Obviously this blessing was not during John’s lifetime. This should give us both confidence and hope. When tough times come it’s easy to expect God to rescue us or stop our suffering. Yet Jesus doesn’t always do that. There are times He does (think of how He calmed the storm when the disciples were on the boat), but not always. Jesus is concerned with our long-term benefit and blessing. Too often we give up on God or feel that He has abandoned us, when in fact He is trusting us to stay faithful to Him through our hard times.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.       How have you been ‘soft’ on sin in your own life or in the lives of others close to you because you either don’t want to admit a sin, or because you don’t want to offend? Ask the Lord to speak to you about taking sin seriously. Ask Him to give you His view of love toward you and others, while also giving you perspective on sin. Ask Him for His love  to fill you so that if you do speak up on the issue of sin you can do it with His love instead of your own judgment.

2.       John needed to hear from Jesus. He sent a message because He wanted reassurance. What are you going through right now that you need to hear from Jesus on? What do you need reassurance for? Ask Him to speak to you the exact words that you need to hear that will empower you to endure.

3.       How do you feel about the fact that Jesus doesn’t always ‘rescue’ people out of their suffering? Ask Jesus to give you His perspective on suffering. Ask Him to give you a passion and longing for eternal blessing.

Foundations: Matthew - Day 11

READ: Matthew 10

In verse 8 of this chapter we find these words, “You received without paying; give without pay.” Some have taken this to mean missionaries should not get paid. That’s a wrong understanding of this little sentence. This is actually telling the disciples, and us, that we are not allowed to withhold the gospel, or any part of it, because we haven’t received pay. It also applies to forgiveness. Jesus forgave us without any payment on our part, therefore we should not expect payment when we’re asked to forgive others.

This may seem easy to brush off because many of us A) don’t share the gospel often, and B) when we do, we don’t charge a fee. However, there are other ways we withhold the fullness of the gospel. Sometimes (although we might not want to admit this out loud) we actually don’t want someone else to be forgiven as easily as we were. We’d like to see them suffer… at least a little. People who have hurt us or who seem to fall into a category of ‘bigger-sinners-than-I-am’ should have to do something to prove they really mean it. Yet Jesus’ command to give without pay means just that: without financial payment, emotional payment… or any payment at all except Christ’s alone.

Matthew spends much of the remainder of this chapter talking about persecution and suffering for Christ. Jesus says that they will be like sheep among wolves. He is warning and equipping us. The last decades in our culture have caused us to forget this. We’ve developed a trust of the world. We expect good behavior, integrity, honesty, and acceptance of our faith. We’ve forgotten that the world can be a dangerous place for those who love God. Now we are shocked when ‘bad’ things happen and when our faith is ridiculed, sidelined, and criminalized in the news. But we shouldn’t be! Jesus told us we’d feel like we were living among wolves. And the western world hasn’t even begun to see how ferocious the wolves can get!

As we read this we could be filled with fear, panic, and sheer terror. Nobody wants persecution or tribulation or pain. However, Jesus doesn’t just tell us things will be hard. That would be terrible! He also gives us purpose, a plan and a promise.

Verse 18 says the purpose of persecution is so that we can bear witness. It’s like persecution will squeeze the glory of God out of us through testimony and through the very strength we receive from Him to live through it. The plan He gave us is powerful. It can be summed up in one word - endure. Plan for it. Don’t wonder if you’ll make it… plan on making it! Put things in place to keep you from giving up and that will encourage you to keep going! Finally, Jesus gave us a promise that the Father will speak through us when we are called to speak up for our faith. He has promised to be with us to the end of the age – not just until things get rough. And not only will He be there, He’ll also be speaking to us and putting His very words in our mouths.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.       Is there someone you secretly would like to see ‘pay’ for their salvation or forgiveness? Ask the Lord to speak to you about whether or not you have withheld forgiveness (or the message of the gospel) from someone until you think they are really ready, or really deserve it. Ask Him to forgive you if you’ve done this. Ask Him to fill your heart with true love for this person. Ask Him to give you a more clear understanding of how free your salvation is.

2.       How have you planned to endure to the end? What strategies and boundaries have you put in place in your life in order to ensure you don’t give up before you reach heaven? Ask the Lord to speak to you about how much He wants you to endure and the prize that will be waiting for you. Ask Him what you need to do today to be prepared for the hard days ahead.

3.       Many of us are filled with fear when we think about persecution. Ask the Lord to speak to you the truth of His promises. Ask Him to give you a word, thought, or picture about His promise to put words in your mouth when you are called on. Ask Him to fill you with supernatural peace and trust in the truth that He will help you through every single moment.

Foundations: Matthew - Day 10

READ: Matthew 9

Before Jesus healed the paralyzed man, He first forgave the man’s sins. Remember – this book is written to Jews who took pronouncements of forgiveness seriously. Only God can forgive sins! Even to say the words, “Your sins are forgiven” is to utter pure blasphemy! It’s no wonder that they grabbed on to that thought. But it was only a thought. Nobody had uttered a word – they had simply thought their accusations. Jesus addressed those thoughts as evil in their hearts.

It’s easy for us to entertain evil thoughts and think we will get away with it. Whether the thoughts lead to action or not, those thoughts are known by God and He will deal with them. We can’t hide behind the fact that we didn’t actually do the thing we thought of... simply thinking it is sin enough. And Jesus knows our thoughts.

Matthew put in one little verse (vs. 9) about how he was called as a disciple. Yet we learn so much from this verse. First, Jesus called Matthew while he was busy in the tax collector booth. He didn’t wait until a more convenient time. He didn’t wait until he was in a more acceptable location. Jesus went right to the very place so many avoided – the tax collection booth – and called Matthew. Second, Jesus told Matthew to follow. He didn’t beg, or plead, or give any reasons. He just commanded and Matthew followed. Matthew didn’t question or ask for details or take time to talk to friends and family. Jesus spoke, he obeyed. Oh, that we would be so inconvenienced yet still so obedient!

The next few verses we see Jesus dealing directly with the Pharisees who are not happy about the fact that He hangs around with sinners. If He really was God surely He’d know who these people really were! Jesus surprised them – again – by reciting a Scripture verse, Hosea 6:6. They would have known this verse by heart as well. Hosea 6:6 says, “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” The words ‘steadfast love’ are from the original word ‘checed’ or ‘hesed’. This word is most often translated mercy or great love or kindness. This word carries a that weight most English words can’t describe. ‘Hesed’ is the kind of mercy that pours out of a heart that never wavers in love and is the kind of love that gets dirty because it doesn’t hold back in awful situations.

The Pharisees knew what ‘hesed’ meant. Jesus used this verse at the very same time that He was mingling with the ‘bad crowd’ because He wanted them to understand: This is what love looks like. It doesn’t mean throwing money at the poor and hoping they get some. It doesn’t mean walking on the other side of the street to avoid the stench of body odor, or keeping people at bay so you don’t catch any horrible disease. ‘Hesed’ love is what Jesus showed: to rub shoulders with the outcasts, to love the unlovable, to eat with them, sit with them, laugh with them, and live with them.

When Jesus spoke those words of Hosea to the Pharisees their heads must have been ringing with the stark reality of both love and sacrifice. They were accustomed to great sacrifice in front of people for accolades. However, looking into the eyes of Jesus as He sat among the low-class outcasts, that old verse likely took on a new meaning. Love, true love, is sacrifice. And it is this kind of sacrificial love – to be seen with the unlovely, to touch the dirty, to sit with the lonely – Jesus requires of us as well. 

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.       Ask the Lord to speak to you about your thought life. Ask Him if there are thought patterns that are sinful, or contributing to stunted spiritual growth. God promises to never leave us without a way of escape from temptation, so ask Him for a practical idea on how to avoid sinning in our thoughts.

2.       What has Jesus called you to do? Have you quickly obeyed like Matthew? Delayed obedience can be disobedience. Ask Him to search your heart on this matter. Commit to any necessary adjustments.

3.       Ask Jesus to speak to your heart about whom it is that you find hard to love. Is it a people group? A specific person? Ask Him to fill your heart with ‘hesed’ for these people. Make a commitment to pray for the person/people God has brought to mind… not so that they would change, but for your own heart change toward them.

Foundations: Matthew - Day 9

READ: Matthew 8

In this chapter we find a key principle to live by. This is a principle, not a directive. Some have taken these very passages and taken them as personal, and even general instruction, rather than what they were: words of Jesus to a specific person.

In the first story Jesus told the leper not to tell anyone what He had done for Him except the priest. In the second one, He told the centurion that his faith had healed his servant. Next we see that He healed everyone who was brought to Him. Then Jesus told a scribe that following Jesus meant he’d not have a permanent home. The disciple was told he wasn’t allowed to bury his dad. Jesus then got into the boat with the disciples and calmed the storm and when he encountered the demon-possessed men He cast them into a herd of pigs.

These stories tell us how Jesus related to the specific situation and not necessarily how we can expect Him to relate to us. He might – but He might not. For us to receive healing and then not tell anyone is to hide the glory of God! If we expect God to heal everyone we pray for, we demonstrate that we haven’t understood this passage at all. Just because we follow Jesus doesn’t mean we can’t have a home or bed or that we can’t have funerals for our loved ones. No! Not at all. In each of these situations Jesus was speaking specifically to the heart of the person. The things He did and said were not rules for all-time. Sure he calmed the storm for the disciples but that does not mean He will calm the storm we find ourselves in today. And if the Lord frees someone from a life of demon-possession it does not mean there has to be a herd of pigs nearby!

A beautiful part of this chapter is seeing how personally Jesus dealt with each person and each situation. He knew the centurion’s commitment to submission and therefore He willingly extended healing to his household. His words cut to the heart of the scribe who wanted to know what was in it for him. And Jesus wasn’t saying that burying parents was bad, but rather pointing out that his heart that was not fully committed.

It’s sometimes our tendency to make rules out of what God has told us instead of accepting it as His words for us personally. Perhaps God has directed some of us to fast once a week. It would be easy to obey and be blessed for our fasting and then eagerly instruct others to fast once a week. Or not to watch TV, or to give up Facebook, or to give 20% of our income. We want others to experience the same blessing, yet we forget that the blessing doesn’t come from following a formula, but in listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and obeying what He tells us personally.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.       Ask the Lord to bring to mind anything He has told you personally, or that you have been convicted of, that you have then imposed on others – whether innocently or out of great intention. Ask Him if you need to release someone of a burden you have inadvertently placed on them. Confess if needed.

2.       Ask the Lord if there is a directive He’s given you that you have walked away from instead of obeying. If you have walked away without obeying, confess that to Him and make a commitment to obey immediately. If you have obeyed everything He’s required of you, thank Him for the way He has grown you in obedience.

3.       Ask Him if there’s something new He’d like you to obey so you can grow closer to Him. Thank Him for having such a personal relationship with you. Thank Him for loving you individually and giving you individual attention instead of lumping you in with the crowd.

Foundations: Matthew - Day 8

Read: Matthew 7

In verses 13-14 Jesus talks about the wide gate and easy way as opposed to the narrow and more difficult way. Jesus recognized that each person listening would have been familiar with the gates and roads around Jerusalem. The main roads were wide and had a significant gate allowing many people in at once. Security would be more difficult to ensure, therefore it would be the easiest way for anyone to enter the city. Narrow roads on the other hand would be more difficult to navigate. They were more likely to have thieves. Often they were uncared for and were in disrepair, so travel could be hazardous. Gates were often so narrow only one person could pass through at a time. Merchants would have to unload and abandon everything off their carts or go around to a larger gate. They were too small to bring baggage through.

For Jesus to say getting into heaven meant taking the narrow gate and difficult way is significant. The people would understand the risk involved. Following Jesus wouldn’t be about making life easier, but getting through the difficult things in order to enter eternal life. They  also would’ve had a mental picture of going through alone. Faith suddenly became a personal thing. They couldn’t get through as part of the whole Jewish community or the family they came from.

Verses 15-20 gives us clear indication of how we can be sure someone is a believer. Not only does this passage tell us what to watch for in others, this passage is also a warning for each of us. If we don’t produce good fruit then we will be cut down and thrown into the fire. The diseased tree produced diseased fruit. The good tree produced good fruit. The fruit gives us the indication of what is on the inside. If we want to produce good fruit, we have to be good on the inside. This is a critical teaching! Many times we work hard to produce good fruit – we serve, we volunteer, we give, we do, do, and do some more to look like we’re producing good fruit. However, if we’re not producing fruit from a heart that is fully engaged with God, restored and made whole by Him, there is no possible way to produce good fruit. Jesus was not speaking to the crowds about fruit as much as He was about the wholeness they could find in Him that would bring about good, healthy fruit. We will be judged by our fruit and that fruit will not be good unless the very core of who we are has been transformed by Christ.

The very next section in this passage, verses 21-23, speaks about those who do a lot of things for God, but don’t have a relationship with Him. There is a sense among many that Christianity is really about following the rules and doing the right things, even following a formula of sorts. We do devotions and we don’t cheat on our spouses or our taxes. It’s easy to begin to feel like Christianity is a religion based on works… even though we say we are saved by grace. Yet this passage is so clear that Christianity is actually based on relationship. We can do all the right things, but unless we listen to God, like Jesus listened to His Father, we won’t know if we’re doing the right things. We need to be in a relationship with Jesus that is dynamic. He will speak, we will listen and respond. This is His deepest desire: relationship. And those who don’t have that relationship will not be recognized as His friends at that moment when everything is revealed.

Journaling and Prayer

1.       What are your expectations about being a Christian? How have you prepared yourself to walk the narrow or difficult way? Ask Him if there is excess baggage you are carrying that you will have to lay down so you can enter through the narrow gate. (This could be material goods, emotional baggage, or relationships, etc.) Ask the Lord to give you a word, thought, or picture about how He will be with you as you navigate the narrow road. Ask Him to speak to you about how worthwhile eternal life will be once you have successfully entered that narrow gate.

2.       Ask the Lord to reveal to you whether or not you are producing good fruit or diseased fruit. Ask Him what steps you need to take in order to become more healthy and whole on the inside so that your fruit is also healthy and whole. Ask Him if you should book an appointment for personal ministry or visit with your cell leader or pastor, or spend extended time with the Lord.

3.       Ask Jesus to give you a picture, word or thought about how He sees your relationship with Him. Are you so focused on doing things for Him that you forget to listen to Him so you can obey Him? What steps does He want you to take to grow your relationship?

Foundations: Matthew - Day 7

READ: Matthew 6

The Sermon on the Mount continues in this chapter and as before, deals with heart issues.

Verse 16 has a very important word: when. The verse says: When you fast… It doesn’t say “if” you fast. Jesus’ assumption here is that His followers would fast, no questions asked. This section, therefore, has two things to teach us. The first thing is that fasting must be a regular part of our spiritual practice. If we are not already fasting on a regular basis, it would be wise to start. Traditionally, fasting means to not eat food. However, food fasts are not the only kind of fasts listed in scripture. Daniel fasted from lotions (or cosmetics). He also fasted from animal products and rich foods and wine. Some fasts require no liquids or food. And another fast in the Bible talks about fasting from sex. We need to inquire of the Lord what kind of fast He wants us on if we are unable to do a food fast for any reason. Even with severe health issues, there are still any number of things one could fast from.

The other thing that stands out in verse 16 is how we should fast. Literally it says to wash your face and put oil on your head. In Jesus’ time, people didn’t bath or shower every day, or even every week. However, they did wash their faces and do their hair. To do their hair they would put oil on it. This served to protect the hair from the elements, helped to style it, and often was a kind of oil that would keep insects out of the hair as well. So if we were going to interpret Jesus’ instructions for today, it might be something like: take a shower, do your hair, put on your make-up (or shave) and don’t let your appearance look like you are fasting. Put another way: do what you always do. The heart of the matter is not that we look good when we are fasting, or that we severely change our ways, but that we are not drawing attention to ourselves and our suffering. Fasting is hard. That’s part of the reason we do it. However, if we’re getting our egos and confidence stroked when people feel sorry for us, or congratulate us on our fasting, we have missed the whole point and our focus is on the praise of man, not the glory of God.

Verses 25-34 are about worrying. Each one of us has at least one thing that worries us. Some of us have so many things that worry us that we can’t count them! However, the Lord uses this passage to remind us that He is in control. He is sovereign. He loves us more than He loves the birds. So if we really, truly trusted His love for us… and if we honestly believed in His sovereignty… we would be able to freely live without worry because He is more than able to care for us with beauty and abundance.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.       Do you have a regular spiritual discipline of fasting? If not, ask the Lord how He wants you to begin to implement this into your life. If you do, ask Him if there are any changes He wants you to make to your current fast.

2.       What kinds of things do you do to draw attention to yourself either in prayer or fasting (or anything else) that could potentially be robbing you of eternal reward? Ask the Lord to open the eyes of your heart to see your true motives and actions in this regard.

3.       What is worrying you right now? Ask the Lord to speak to you in words, thoughts or pictures about how His sovereignty and love can take care of every single detail. Thank Him for His glorious provision.

Foundations: Matthew - Day 6

READ: Matthew 5

Matthew 5 begins the famous Sermon on the Mount. In order to understand this sermon well, we must remember Matthew is writing to Jews. Not only is Matthew writing to Jews, Jesus is speaking mostly to Jews, but also to Gentiles as they were part of the crowds that were gathered to hear Him speak. As you read through this sermon, ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten your heart with the message He wants you to understand.

In every topic Jesus covers in this sermon, He raises the standard. He usually begins with, “You have heard that it was said…”. This means you have been taught through an interpretation of the Scriptures or through tradition. Then right after that Jesus tells them what was meant by the Law in the first place. Each time it refers to the heart rather than just to actions.

On the topic of anger, Jesus said that they had heard murder was wrong. Of course they had! Do not kill is one of the commandments! However, Jesus now sheds light on what this really means. He says holding anger in our heart, or calling someone names with evil intent, or even holding a grudge is really the issue. The heart of the matter is when our relationships with others are broken and we contribute to that brokenness with attitude, words or actions. It gives us new eyes to read the commandment ‘Do not murder’. Instead of thinking, ‘I’d never do a thing like that!’ we are now guilty of breaking this commandment every time we hold a grudge or unforgiveness in our hearts.

Jesus does this again with the topic of adultery. He says in the ten commandments ‘Do not commit adultery’ and ‘Do not covet your neighbour’s wife’. Again, it’s an issue of the heart. We don’t have to actually commit the physical act of adultery to sin; just having a heart that thinks about illicit relationships is enough to condemn us. Whether it’s looking at pornography or fantasizing about someone who’s not your spouse (real or imagined) it’s the same as adultery in God’s eyes. The issue of purity is one of thought and heart. Actions reveal what’s in the heart. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus made it clear He will be judging not just our actions, but also our hearts.

Oaths or promises are another issue Jesus raised. In those days, it was understood that if they swore on a deity (on God or any of His names, for example) the oath or promise was binding. But they thought if they swore by something else, like heaven, or the hair on their head, etc. that it wasn’t binding. This way they could get away without keeping their promises if they changed their mind. Jesus told them their oaths were just as binding as if they had sworn by God’s name because God Himself made the heavens and owns them. God is the one who put the hair on our heads.  The point Jesus is making is not really about what we swear on at all! Again, it’s a matter of the heart. He is telling us we need to be sure that when we say “yes” or “no”, we will follow through. Our character should be such that our word alone holds the weight of an oath or a contract.

Journaling and Prayer

1.       Ask the Lord to speak to you about the three things in today’s reading (anger, oaths, adultery). Ask Him to show you if you have any sin to confess in any of these areas. Then ask Him if there are other things in the chapter He wants to highlight for you as areas you need to confess. In obedience, confess them as sin, and ask God to give you a pure heart.

2.       Spend some time in thanksgiving for the forgiveness God so willingly pours out when we confess and repent. Thank Him specifically for freedom in the areas you confessed sin.

3.       Ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes as you go through your day to the situations that come up that reveal a heart that is not pure or free from sin. Ask Him to give you a sensitive spirit to recognize His conviction and immediately repent.

Foundations: Matthew - Day 5

READ: Matthew 4

This chapter begins with an attack of the devil. Let’s take a look at what we can learn.

First let’s note that satan tempted Jesus after he had been fasting and praying. There’s a lie we sometimes believe that says ‘the more time I spend with God, and the more I fast and pray, the less I’ll be tempted.’ Jesus’ life is our example so we can say with certainty that praying and fasting will not always keep the devil away.

However, the second thing we must notice is that fasting, praying, and knowing the Scriptures helped Jesus fight against satan. Every time satan attacked Jesus with a temptation or accusation, He fought against it with Scripture. He used the very words of God – which satan knows full well – to resist the power of satan.

Thirdly, it’s after 40 days of fasting that Jesus is tempted. And He is tempted by the very things he’s starving for first… food! This is a reminder to us that when we are weak we must be on guard. When we’re tired, hungry, or mentally, spiritually, emotionally, or physically weak we become an easy target for satan. Knowing this, it would be wise to be prepared by having friends support us in prayer, having Scriptures memorized and taking care of ourselves before making decisions that could affect our eternity negatively.

Jesus did not send satan away at the first sign of his appearance. In the typical western church there would be one of two reactions to temptation. Either we don’t believe satan exists to tear us down, or we believe we need to send him away at the first whiff of his horrific presence. Jesus did neither. He recognized the temptations were from satan. But not until the third temptation did Jesus say, “Be gone, satan!”

Let’s be clear: satan is not a welcomed guest at any time! Neither should we ever entertain any of his temptations or lies, just like Jesus didn’t. However, we must be careful not to fall into the trap of believing that God always wants us to chase him away at the first sign of trouble. It’s possible that God wants to strengthen us for spiritual warfare or demonstrate His glory and power by coming to our aid. Whatever the reason, our first job is to resist. And then, having planted ourselves as warriors equipped by the Word and the Spirit, to send satan scurrying with God’s power and strength, not fear and trembling.

This passage also tells us of the calling of the first few disciples. It is unclear exactly what was said when Jesus called them. However, it is clear that they didn’t hesitate at all. They followed. They left their careers… in the middle of the day. They left their investment (the boat and all their fishing gear) behind and followed Jesus. How willing are we to leave behind everything to follow Jesus?

Verse 20 speaks directly to parents. Zebedee, James’ and John’s dad, was in the boat when they were called to be fishers of men. The boys left dad in the boat. Dad was left without his helpers. In his older age he didn’t have the men around he had hoped to have. He had likely been grooming them for this their whole lives… and they walked away in one conversation. This is an example to those among us who are parents. When we see the hand of God in the lives of our kids do we eagerly, and with our blessing, let them go even if it was never in our plan or vision? Or do we hold them back, challenging them to think about it just a little more, and consider the cost and what they’ll lose? We would be wise to learn from Zebedee – the dad who didn’t hold back the purpose of God in the lives of his sons.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.       Ask the Holy Spirit to help you evaluate whether or not you are developing strength in the Word, in prayer and in fasting so that you can be strong against the temptations of satan. Ask Him what steps you can take to grow even stronger in these areas?

2.       How well are you taking care of yourself to protect against the attacks of satan? Do you have a supportive group of friends you are willing to call on when temptation strikes? Are you memorizing the Word so you are ready to fight with power? Ask the Lord for direction on how to build in these areas so you are more prepared to fight the enemy.

3.       Ask the Lord to speak to you about whether or not you fight satan with fear and trembling or with power through the Word and His Spirit. Ask Him to give you a word, thought or picture of His power in you as you resist satan together with Him. Ask Him to give you a heart of courage as well as determination to prepare for the battle.

4.       For Parents: Ask the Lord if you have given your adult children the blessing they need to follow God according to how He calls them. If you haven’t, confess this to the Lord and ask Him for words of blessing for your kids. If your children are about to leave home, ask the Lord to give you His view of them and to move your heart to trust Him to lead them, love them, rescue them and redeem their mistakes for His glory. If your children are still young, ask God for wisdom and strength to train them to be willing to follow God.

Foundations: Matthew - Day 4

READ: Matthew 3

This passage on baptism portrays a few interesting points. Up until this point, the Jewish faith didn’t practice baptism, per se. They practiced ceremonial washing. Whenever they were considered unclean for any reason, a time of cleansing had to pass which ended in a very specific kind of bath. This bath was a symbol that they were again considered clean. The Hebrew word for the cleansing bath is ‘mikveh’ and means ‘a gathering of water’. The water had to be deep enough to completely immerse the whole body. Over time, mikveh had come to be understood as ‘immersion bath’ because of both the meaning and requirement. Mikveh was carried out during times of cleansing, but also was considered necessary when someone wanted to join the Jewish religion.

When John the Baptist came along, this idea of immersion, or cleansing bath, was not unusual for the Jews of the day. When John was baptizing though it wasn’t for physical cleansing, as the Jews were used to. This time it was a spiritual mikveh: they came confessing their sins and they were baptized. John’s baptism was symbolic of the cleansing that could happen on the inside.

The baptism John offered was very specifically for those who had repented. John told the Sadducees and Pharisees that they couldn’t be baptized. This must have been so offensive to them! They were the religious leaders, yet they couldn’t participate in the spiritual cleansing? No. John said it was because this baptism is a sign of the spiritual cleansing that comes from repentance. It is not the baptism itself that cleanses – unlike a mikveh bath. They couldn’t fake it on the outside and still be clean on the inside. The baptism is a sign of the cleansing that has already taken place. Someone who goes into the water for baptism must have already confessed their sins and repented.

John goes on to talk about another baptism that was still to come in the future: The baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. When the Holy Spirit came initially, He came with tongues of fire and filled those who had already committed to following Jesus. Water baptism was a public declaration of repentance and also a sign of conversion. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is also a sign of conversion, but this is a sign given by God, not by man. In the end of days there will be another baptism of fire. This baptism will also be a cleansing fire and a judging fire.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.       Think for a few moments about your own baptism or the baptism of others you know if you haven’t been baptized. How did that symbol of confession and repentance impact you?

2.       According to Jewish religion (and now Christianity as we follow in the steps of Jesus) baptism is a sign of conversion to the faith. If you have not been baptized, ask the Lord to speak to you about whether or not you have confessed and repented and are ready to make that commitment of obedience to publicly choose Christ as your God. If you have been baptized, ask the Lord to speak to you about continuing to live a life of genuine confession and repentance.

3.       First came the baptism of external cleansing (mikveh). Then came the baptism symbolizing internal cleansing (water baptism by man). Then came the baptism of the Holy Spirit (the filling of the Holy Spirit by God). Ask God – are you walking in the power of the Spirit? Ask Him – where are you grieving the Spirit?

Foundations: Matthew - Day 3

READ: Matthew 2

In this chapter we read about the wise men finding Jesus after He was born. They had seen a sign in the sky. As wise men, they were trained to watch the stars, rotations and movements of planets, stars and all kinds of heavenly bodies for all kinds of information. They were the astronomers (some might argue that they were astrologers) of the day. Magi, or wise men, studied stars, planets and other heavenly bodies to navigate, predict weather, teach science, and many other things. They also studied all kinds of prophecies and writings in the hopes they would be able to understand and predict more. These were the educated men of society.

It makes sense then that when they saw something unusual happen in the skies they immediately understood there was a significant thing happening. The specific sign they saw meant to them, according to what they had been taught, that a king would be born. However, this sign was so spectacular it couldn’t be a normal king. This was going to be a big-deal-kind-of-king. If they didn’t already know the Scriptures, they at least knew where they could look. Everything they saw in the sky was confirmed in just one verse. (They quoted Micah 5:2.)

They then travelled for a long time, possibly as much as two years, to find the baby. From possibly one verse and the signs in the sky they took great risk, bringing costly gifts to a baby born in a stable. When we see this we must acknowledge one thing: the signs in the heavens were the fulfillment of a prophecy so great that even those who once didn’t believe became worshippers of the One True God.

It’s not just the magi who took action on just one sign from God. Joseph did the same. When the magi left Bethlehem there was no way for Joseph to know that Herod had issued a decree for the death of all boys aged two and under. But God gave Joseph a dream. Just one dream. According to this chapter Joseph didn’t even wait until morning to talk it over with Mary and see if his nightmare might have been indigestion, or if he was interpreting it correctly! No! He just got up in the middle of the night and with intense urgency they packed up their things and left while it was still dark.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.       How does the Lord usually speak to you? Some hear Him best in nature, others through Scripture, or circumstances, or song, or words/thought/pictures in their heads, or dreams, or words of godly counsel, etc. Thank Him for speaking to you. If you struggle to hear Him or know when it is God speaking to you, don’t worry! He promises that those who love Him will hear His voice. Spend a few minutes asking Him to remind you of a time when He did speak to you and you obeyed or recognized Him. (Remember, conviction of sin is also God speaking to you! If nothing else, thank Him for speaking to you about your sin so you walk in repentance and life.)

2.       Ask the Lord to speak to you - how willing would you be to obey as radically as the Magi and Joseph did, bringing you cost and sacrifice? Confess any cynicism or skeptical thinking that keeps you from hearing or obeying what you hear from Him. Ask Him to grow in you a heart that is eager to obey when you are sure you hear His voice.

3.       Thank the Lord for using people outside the Jewish faith to help fulfill His prophecy (the Magi). Thank Him for how intricately and powerfully He orchestrated the announcement of the birth of His Son to the governing bodies of the day. Thank Him for literally moving the stars in the heavens as a sign of the birth of Jesus. Then spend some time thanking Him for the signs He has given us of Jesus’ second coming as well, and ask Him to prepare our hearts to recognize those signs when they happen.

Foundations: Matthew - Day 2

READ: Matthew 1

Matthew begins his gospel with a very important piece of information: the genealogy of Jesus. This is critical to all Jews if they are to believe Jesus really is the Messiah. They knew that the Messiah had to be in the line of David in order to be the King whom they were waiting for. Lines of ancestry are really important to the Jewish people and so Matthew takes time to fill in many names so every Jew can see that Jesus really does belong, by blood and by birth.

However, the Holy Spirit does not leave out the Gentiles in this genealogy either! In this list there are the names or references to a few people who were born Gentile: Rahab was from Jericho and part of a nation that were archenemies of Israel. Ruth was from Moab. It is possible that Bathsheba, the wife of a Hittite man, could have been Hittite as well, but of this we can’t be sure.

The interesting thing about these Gentiles in the genealogy is two-fold. First: it’s interesting that they are mentioned at all because they are women. Typically Jewish genealogies only list men. But in this case five women are noted: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. Their inclusion helps shift the thinking of the Jews to understand the value that God places on women. The second reason is because not all of them are Jewish. The Jews were very particular about the purity of lineage.  So the fact that Gentiles are in the line of Jesus show us God’s plan is very grand and includes any who turn to Him in faith. For example, Rahab and Ruth chose to follow the God of Israel. By this fact, they are just as much part of the pure lineage of Jesus as those who were born Israelites.

This gives us our identity today. Whether we are Jew or Gentile, when we give our hearts to the Lord and choose to follow His ways, our entire identity is changed. Although God was careful to have a legally pure lineage for His Son Jesus, He lets us know through Matthew that there are others who have spiritual rights to be in that line as well. As believers, this includes us.

Near the end of the chapter, two names are given to the Son of God: Immanuel and Jesus. Immanuel literally means “God with us”. This speaks to the fact that now, in the person of the baby born to Mary, we have the very nature of God in human flesh. That baby grew up, lived, died and rose again and is still Immanuel: God with us. The other name He was given was Jesus. Jesus is another form of the name Joshua. The meaning is “God who saves”. Even as we call on the name of Jesus we are reminding ourselves we are speaking with the God who saves… and is still with us.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.       Spend time thanking the Lord for allowing all people from all races to enter into a new identity with Him through faith.

2.       Spend some time thanking God for the value He places on women. Ask Him to give you the name of a woman or girl you can pray for today who needs to know they have value in Christ. Spend a few minutes praying for her.

3.       Thank God for the truth of His character revealed in His names. Thank Him for being with you and for saving you by His name. Ask the Lord to reveal to you how being Immanuel (God with us) or Jesus (God who saves) can make a difference with a struggle you have right now. Pray about your situation with this in mind.

Foundations: Matthew - Day 1

The Gospel of Matthew

29 Day Devotional

The book of Matthew is a powerful witness to the identity, life and teachings of Jesus. There are many riches to mine in Matthew for anyone who is interested in growing closer to the heart of Jesus. Our Savior came preaching, teaching and healing and He is ready to further His kingdom in and through us. The book of Matthew gives us a strong sense of what a kingdom-centered life looks like.

Matthew 4:17

"From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." 

INTRODUCTION

The Book of Matthew, it has been said, is a book written by a Jew, for the Jews, about a Jew. Matthew was a Jew who became a disciple of Christ. He was also a tax collector. This put Matthew in a tough position with his people. At the time of Christ Rome was in charge of Israel and therefore taxes had to be paid to Rome. However, the Romans didn’t want that job, so the position of tax collector was given to Jews. The tax collectors would bid for the job and whoever won the bid would get the “privilege” to collect taxes. They could tax the Jewish citizens – their own people – for everything. There were typical taxes for emergencies, roads, wheat, wine and transportation. But there were also taxes for anything with which the tax collector could come up. It was not unheard of for a tax collector to stop a pedestrian going home from the market and charge a tax for what they were carrying.  The tax collectors would have to give what they had bid to the Romans. Anything above and beyond this was their income. It’s no wonder the Jews hated the tax collectors! They were being gouged by their very own people!

Matthew, the tax collector, became a disciple even though he was likely hated by his own countrymen. Yet Jesus, a Jew, appointed him as one of his core. This book is his perspective on the life of Jesus.

Because of Matthew’s Jewish heritage, faith and culture, he was well-versed in the knowledge that he, along with every other Jew, was waiting for the promised Messiah. Matthew spends much of this book explaining and proving to the Jews how Jesus truly is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. He wants them to accept the truth that Jesus is the Messiah that they have been waiting for. For this reason, many of the parables, explanations, and examples may seem unusual as we don’t have the benefit of a Jewish culture to help us interpret them. However, through the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, every word in this book was also written for us today, to help us understand the Deity of Christ and the greatness of His salvation.

Finally, the coming of Jesus, Matthew emphasizes, is the coming of a specific type of kingdom. Throughout this book, the leader, values and rules for this kingdom are declared. As children of the King of this kingdom, we would do well to pay careful attention to what is said.

JOURNALING AND PRAYER

1.       In today’s world there are people who are considered ‘the least of these’ like the tax collectors of Jesus’ day were considered. Ask the Lord to bring a few people to mind who are often pushed aside or not treated with value. Ask Him to give you His heart for them. Spend a few minutes praying for their blessing. Take a few minutes to ask the Lord if there’s anything He would have you do to make sure they have access to the gospel – the good news about Jesus.

2.       Ask the Lord to speak to you about the truth of Jesus as a Jew. Ask Him if there is any hesitation in loving Him because of His race. Ask Him to grow in you a love for Him as a Jew, but also for His people.

3.       Take a few minutes to pray for the blessing and protection of the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. Specifically, if you personally know a Jew, pray for their blessing, and that they would come to know Jesus as Messiah before returns.