Step Four spreads over four weeks. During these four weeks we continue to read about the patriarchs, from Genesis, and the life of Jesus, from Matthew. It is intriguing to see throughout the Bible how many similarities can be seen in the lives of the faithful, prominent characters that we come across.
Step 4: Week 7 of our study takes us to Matthew Chapters 15-21.
Overview:
In these passages many of the patriotic citizens would have eagerly have followed anyone who could promise them hope of freedom, perhaps we would since a similarity here with the citizens of that day. Jesus of Nazareth obviously had the power to overcome rulers of that day, the miracles that were done showed that. However contrary to their hopes and expectations Jesus was not to establish the Kingdom at that time. Jesus had already rejected the temptation to grasp human glory and take power for Himself. His Kingdom was to be a future one and would be given to Him by His Father. First Jesus must conquer sin in order to free men from its bondage and from death. All who desire to follow Jesus must have first and foremost concern for the Kingdom of God, and then secondly for the politics of this world.
SUNDAY - Matthew 15 - Jesus knew that sin arises from the heart (or mind) of man. It is that which needs cleansing (verses 18-19).
MONDAY - Matthew 16 - Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah) and he is the Son of God (verse 16). He foretold his death (verse 21). Would-be disciples must follow the path of self-denial (verses 24-26).
TUESDAY - Matthew 17 - The transfiguration of Jesus was a foretaste of Jesus in glory as future King. See Matthew 15:28 and 2 Peter 1:16-17.
WEDNESDAY - Matthew 18 - To be ‘as little children’ (verse 3) means to be trusting (not childish), taking God at His word.
THURSDAY - Matthew 19 - Everlasting life and joy in the coming Kingdom will be given to those who follow Christ (verses 27-29).
FRIDAY - Matthew 20 - Jesus knew what was going to happen to him (verses 18-19). The Old Testament had foretold it. He believed he would be raised from the dead (verse 19).
SATURDAY - Matthew 21 - Verses 1-11 only partly fulfilled Zechariah 9:9. The rest will happen when Jesus comes again as King of the world.
MATTERS OF THE HEARTAs we begin the month of February, what images come to your mind? The picture to the left of course is a reminder of Valentine's Day coming up. "The month of Love", right? Who is your One True Love? Who is your heart true to?
S - Scripture: Matthew 15:1-39
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is far from me ... For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies ... (v.8, 19)
O - Observations:
Our hearts must be right with Him.
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee [as] my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, [but] their heart goeth after their covetousness. Ezekiel 33:31
My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. Proverbs 23:26
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23
Now the works of the flesh are (see Galatians 5 for list) ... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance ... If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Excerpt from Galatians 5:19-25
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:7
A - Application for me today:
Is this "heart transplant" something I can do, no, of course not. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in me as Galatians clearly said, but it is one of the KEYS to victory in our walk with the King of the Kingdom of Heaven.
P - Prayer in response:
Father, do your work in me by the power of Your Spirit. Show me areas I need to confess to You that are in my heart LORD. Give me Your WORD for these areas of my life. Heal me, change me. You came to seek the lost LORD. Please let me have persistent faith that will not give up like the woman in this passage in Matthew 15. Let me fall at your feet and worship you.
Take this month as an invitation to fall totally in love with your One True Love ... your Beloved, your Dodi ...
Behold, thou [art] fair, my Beloved, yea, pleasant. Ahhh ... the voice of my Beloved! My Beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. My Beloved [is] mine, and I [am] His ... Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved ... I sleep, but my heart waketh: [it is] the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, [saying], Open to me ... I felt sick with love ... My Beloved [is] the chiefest among ten thousand ... His mouth [is] most sweet: yea, He [is] altogether lovely. This [is] my Beloved, and this [is] my Friend ... I [am] my Beloved's, and my Beloved [is] mine ... Make haste, my Beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices ... Even so, come, Lord Jesus, come! Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song ...Click Here To Play My Beloved
Friend, do not wait until it is too late, open the door to your One True Love!
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. I Corinthians 15:58
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