A Free Gift for You!

We continue our study in Matthew.  Today's reading comes from Matthew 26:17–30.  In these few verses we are reading about Jesus at the Passover meal with his disciples and He is telling them what is about to take place.  In this passage Jesus talks about being betrayed.

I do not think there is one person who wants to be that person that betrays Jesus, but there was one who did, namely, Judas.  Just like other sins it started with a thought.  Then that thought turned into an action when he went to the leaders and took the 30 pieces of silver, but even then he still had time to turn around and change his course of action.

The thing is Jesus died to save us from our sins.  Jesus died for Judas and Jesus died for you and for me.  We all sin and come short of His glory.  The Good News is we have a Savior who died to save us from the wages of sin, which the Bible tells us is death.  We all sin, but we all do not need to suffer the wages of sin – eternal death.  We can have eternal life instead by simply calling on Him and recognizing our great need for His salvation.

To receive the benefits of Jesus’ death (verse 26) we must ‘eat’ and ‘drink’ (verses 26–27) of Him.  What does this mean?  We partake of Christ by trusting in Him (see John 6:47).  Food and drink sustain our lives just as believing in Jesus sustains us.  In my own life I depend on Him, often times moment by moment.  When hard things happen I know I can rely on and trust Him to get me through, but it is not just in the hard times, but all times having that knowledge and awareness that without Christ I am nothing.

As Stephen Dray points out, Jesus appealed to Judas in a gentle way as He does us.  Jesus showed His love for Judas.  (Surely, that was the main purpose of verses 20–25.) But Judas still chose to be against Jesus.  Jesus has shown great love for you and I as well.  Will we respond in kind with love for Him by accepting His free gift and following Him or will we keep on our own path like Judas did?

Father in Heaven, I come to You, not on my own volition, but because of Who You are and what You have done for me.  I thank You that I am able to enter Your throne room and come to You because of Christ’s blood that covers me and makes me righteous in Your eyes.  I admit that without You I am nothing and I am in need of a Savior and LORD in my life.  As the old hymn says, I need You every hour!  Thank You for calling us in gentle ways and loving us so completely!  Thank you for giving us the free gift of Your Son, Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus our Messiah.  Amen & Amen.

Called and Blessed

 

“There are right-hand and left-hand errors; the tempter is busy courting us into by-paths. It is happy if, by the counsels of a faithful minister or friend, or the checks of conscience, and the strivings of God the Spirit, we are set right when doubting, and prevented from going wrong.” – Matthew Henry

 

Scripture:  “Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord … 14 Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left …”  Deuteronomy 28:10, 14

 

“… if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently … Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.  Galatians 6:1b, 2, 7-10

 

This came from our daily reading in Deuteronomy 28:1-19 and Galatians 6

 

 

Observation:  There is great blessing in following after the Lord and following what He tells you to do.  On the flip side however He will NOT bless you or what you are trying to achieve if you are going against Him.  You are either for God or against Him.

 

This is why Paul writes how important it is for us to help each other, to hold one another accountable.  I have learned this year more importantly how valuable accountability can be.  I believe it is a biblical principle and we can see it here in Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

 

On the other side though, it is important that we are sow and reaping in the Spirit of God and not just in fleshly things.  Paul warns us not to be DECEIVED, which tells me that it is easy to think you are doing something “for God” for “for His Kingdom” when you may just be pleasing your own fleshly desires.  We need a heart check before the King of Kings to make sure that we have not turned to the right or to the left. 

 

CHALLENGE QUESTIONS:  One way you can do a HEART CHECK-UP is to ask or see where your focus has been lately.  I’m writing to myself as much as anyone reading this today.  Are you focused on earthly things or heavenly things?  Where have your thoughts been lately?  What goals are you setting for yourself?  Are you spending more time in prayer or on Pinterest?  Are you spending good time in the Word or on the Web?  Are you serving others or serving yourself and spending time focusing on “me” time?  I’m not saying Pinterest, the Web or taking me time is bad, but here is where the deception lies … and sometimes it is a fine line (making it easier to be deceived [and deception was in the first sin]) … I think it is a subtle drifting away from the things of God.  If He tells you to do something and you start on the journey with Him then we need to make sure our focus is such that we finish the journey with Him.  Sometimes we get in a groove and we sort of “take over” like a kid learning to ride their bike, “I got this mom”, and the next thing you know they are riding off into the “wild blue yonder” by themselves.  Let’s just make sure today that we are set on God’s track and doing things His way (not ours) and that we are staying on the road of blessing and that we haven’t drifted and are heading in the wrong direction.  If you continue to read on in the passage of the blessing and curses He says if we are not following Him there are consequences (curses) for not obeying Him and for forsaking Him.  He’s not saying these things to be mean, but as a warning.  So today it’s good just to check your heart before Him and make sure you are walking in the way of obedience.

 

Application:  Do a heart check-up with the LORD.  To make adjustments where necessary and daily make sure that I am not turning to the right or to the left, but always listening for and following hard after Him!

 

“When ye turn (or are about to turn) to the right hand, and when ye turn (or are about to turn) to the left thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, ‘This is the way, walk ye in it.’”  Isaiah 30:21

 

This thought by some to be an allusion to schoolmasters, who stand behind their scholars, or at their backs, to guide, teach, and instruct them; and by others to shepherds following their flocks, who, when they observe any of the sheep going out of the way, call them back; or to travellers, who, coming to a place where are several ways, and being at a loss which way to take, and inclining to turn to the right or left, are called to by persons behind them, and directed in the right way. – Gil’s Exposition

 

Jesus is THE way, THE truth and THE life!  Way in THE WAY!

 

 

 

(Click on the picture above to hear My Lighthouse by Rend Collective)

 

Prayer:  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

 

You are known and loved.

You are known and chosen.

You are known and called.

You are known and blessed.

Fountain of Life

 

Read:  Deuteronomy 4:1-40; Psalm 36; Mark 13:31-37

 

S.O.A.P.

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer

 

S:  “ … if you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul … Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.”  Deuteronomy 4:29, 39

 

O:  Moses is giving some final words to the people.  In this chapter he issues several warnings to be careful (shamar – to guard and observe).  Hear what I am about to teach you he says; observe carefully what I have already taught you.  Be careful.  Watch yourselves carefully.  Teach them to your children.  Watch yourselves carefully. 

 

These are words like we might give our children if they were about to embark on something without us; perhaps if they were going to be out with their friends.  Moses tells them they are going into the Promised Land, but he will not be with them.  He gives them these warnings to be careful several times because he knows what is in store for them once they cross over and what temptations they will come upon.

 

Be careful!

 

How were they to do that?  By keeping their eyes on the LORD and guarding the Word of God and all that He had been speaking to them in the wilderness.  Several times Moses reminds them about the different times the Lord had spoken to them or given them special instructions like the Ten Commandments.

 

Psalm 36 reminds us that with the LORD is the Fountain of Life!

 

A:  Whatever we embark on in this life let it be by keeping our eyes squarely fixed on the LORD and by guarding and protecting His Word in our hearts so that it may go well with us.

 

P:  Abba, Father, How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!  Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.  You preserve us.  You are our refuge!  Help us to be on guard and stay alert in these end of days.  May we keep our eyes on You and keep Your Words in our hearts.  May You continue Your great love to those who know You.  Your Words says that Heaven and earth will pass away, but Your Words O Lord will never pass away.

Amen & Amen.