Matthew 7:14-20 presents us with a story of a desperate father. A father who has watched his child be tormented over and over. He has watched him be harmed over and over. I imagine that there have been times he has held onto his child desperately trying to protect him. Any parent would be desperate to solve this problem. He first brings him to Jesus’ disciples. They were unable to heal him, so he brings him to Jesus.
Stepping back from this specific situation, we can realize that parents everywhere face desperate situations. A friend of mine has a son with stage 4 cancer in young adulthood. I can’t imagine the shock and the pain they went through as they tackled that problem. Knowing them I do know the first place they went for answers — prayer to their heavenly Father! That should be our answer to the darkest hours and the desperate times we can face, as parents or not. Having the right source of comfort can make all the difference, even when things don’t work out the way we would want. Our faith should be placed in the ability and faithfulness of our God and not in our own ability.
Jesus uses an interesting comparison in this passage with a mustard seed. It’s small; small enough that if one was by itself along your path, you probably wouldn’t even notice it. It does, however, have great potential. It can grow into a tree that you would notice, that could give shade to you and refuge for the birds. It would be significant. Jesus tells them that if they had faith like the grain of a mustard seed, nothing would be impossible for them. Faith that is not placed in themselves, but in God and in His power. We need genuine faith in the one power that changes everything!
From desperation to coming face to face with Jesus…this father found what he was looking for. Jesus healed his son. No more stress of watching to see what happens next. No more holding on tightly to keep him safe. This is the kind of change that Jesus brings to our lives. If we will have faith in Him, trust Him, and follow Him, He will change our lives. We will look back and see such a stark difference that we wonder how we ever lived that way. Follow Jesus, walk in the light, find salvation in Him. That is His invitation.
In Matthew 10:1-15, from our reading this past week, Jesus sends out His apostles to proclaim, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He gave them power to heal, raise the dead, cleanse leapers, and cast out demons. These powers are mighty and amazing, but given with purpose. They needed to prove that what they were proclaiming was from God and not just something made up. The text doesn’t tell us how they reacted to being sent out. I don’t know if they were nervous, afraid, doubtful, etc. We all feel at least some amount of nervousness when we approach someone to tell them about God. We wonder about the best approach to use, whether we will have the answers for their questions or whether they will react kindly or with malice. Jesus even warns them that there will be some who are “worthy” and those who are not. If someone wouldn’t listen, they are told to shake off the dust from their feet — a judgment upon them as well as a relief of feeling guilty about a person’s response. In fact, Jesus states that it would be “more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town” that would not listen to the truth.
Embedded in this account from Matthew 10 is something else we need to see: dependence and trust. They are told to take no bag, 2 tunics or staff or sandals. In other words, nothing extra. They needed to trust God and the power of His word upon the hearts of the hearers. “The laborer deserves his food.” If an honest heart hears their words and heeds them, that person sees the value in what is being proclaimed and will provide for them. This is the will of God – that those who preach the good news should be supported by those who heed and appreciate the words they speak from God.
My takeaway from this reading was trust. Trust the word. Trust God. Do the work. Good considerations for us today as we take on another week of service to the Lord.
Seeking God is a fundamental part of our faith as well as our daily spiritual walk. It means more than just seeking to learn about Him. It means seeking truth, understanding Him, and walking the path of righteousness that He lays out for us. Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” The writer makes it clear that seeking God is essential. Unfortunately, there are many people who think they are seeking God but go about it all wrong. They go by feelings fueled by their own interests and desires instead of seeking the truth revealed in the Word. We are to be transformed by the truth we find in His word, not the other way around.
Psalms 63:1-3 says, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.”
You can read the words of David here and feel the eagerness of His search for God. One might say, “Hadn’t he already found God?” Seeking is not a one time effort, but a lifetime endeavor. David is expressing how deeply he desires to know and follow God. Even in the midst of turmoil, that effort pays off in peace, joy, and trust. Seeking God is a refreshment to the soul.
In Matthew6:33-34 Jesus says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Seeking is given priority. There are many “important” things we must do, but this is of utmost importance! From morning to night, God should be our first priority and we cannot put a priority on the kingdom without the knowledge to guide us. Knowledge that God offers freely in order to inform and guide us.
Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”
The Lord is willing to guide us. Are you willing to seek?
Everyone likes a good underdog movie. One where someone must rise to a challenge and beat the odds. Much of the movie is usually centered around tragedy, overcoming limitations, and finding the will to push forward despite fear or circumstance. In some ways, we are the main characters in our own underdog story. We are under constant attack, and we cannot overcome without help. We must rise to the challenge with the help of the Lord!
Rising to the challenge means accepting our limitations, relying on the power and might of God, letting go of fear and doubt, and moving forward in faith. By accepting these things, we find strength that we never before thought possible. Strength that displays the work of God in our lives.
Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12, relates his own struggle with difficult circumstances. He states that he had a “thorn in the flesh” and he prayed 3 times for it to be removed. The answer he received was not the one that he expected – “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (vs 9) By letting go of the idea that he could be rid of this thorn and embracing that God would carry him through anyway, he found strength and said in vs 10 “I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Life or our physical condition may not be what we expected or desired, but God’s power is not limited.
Jesus teaches us that rising to a challenge can be filled with anxiety but overcome by trust. In Matthew 26:39 he prays concerning His coming death (sacrifice), “let this cup pass from me.” But he also said, “not as I will, but as you will.” Anxiety is not overcome by getting what we want, but by trusting God. We must be people of courage, just as Jesus teaches us to rise to the challenge.
Philippians 4:12-13 states, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” In order to rise to the challenge of our faith and circumstances of life that we face, our strength must come from God. If we try to only rely on self, we will falter. If we rely on God in faith, then we will stand. Paul was not only able, but willing to suffer these things so he could serve God and his brethren.
Some days are more challenging than others. Hiding from the challenges won’t help. Rising to the challenge by embracing our faith and our dependence on God will carry us through. Rise to follow Jesus and face the challenges!
There is a lot that can discourage us while we are isolated because of the coronavirus. We can’t do a lot of the things we are accustomed to doing, especially gathering together as members of the Lord’s body to worship and study together. It has been a little over a week and I can feel the difference. I miss each and every one of you. You all are in my thoughts and prayers daily. In addition, every day that we turn on the news, we are bombarded with doom and gloom (I will give a little credit here – some news outlets are trying to find a silver lining and give some positive reports as well). It can be very easy to be discouraged!
Make no mistake that our adversary, the devil, is using this time to weaken your faith, erode your will, and convince you to give in to temptations to doubt and sin. This is one of those occasions, like Jesus after fasting in the wilderness, when Satan thinks it is the perfect opportunity to tempt you. Heed the words of Peter:
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:6–11)
We need to recognize several important points Peter is making:
If you will humble yourselves before God (which includes submitting to His will), you will find comfort. You will be able to cast your anxieties on Him. He does not get tired of hearing our troubles. He cares for us and wants us to rely on Him.
We need to recognize that Satan is always watching. He is looking for an opening in your spiritual armor so he can attack you (Ephesians 6:16). If you are not equipping yourself with the help from God that He offers, then you are opening yourself up to attack. Without the full armor of God equipped, that attack will get through.
We must be on our guard, fully equipped with that armor of God, but we must also provide resistance. No soldier puts on their equipment for battle and then sits down on the battlefield to do nothing or merely to watch! A soldier is expected to resist the enemy and follow the lead of their generals. Fight back! We are at war every single day, coronavirus or not!
If you will resist, Satan will flee (James 4:7). Satan is patient. When he encounters resistance, then he will retreat and wait for another opportunity to present itself. This emphasizes that we need to always be on guard, but also that we cannot rest (spiritually) just because the current battle is over. If we do this, then we merely hasten the next attack.
You aren’t the only person experiencing these issues, whether it be the isolation or it is some temptation or situation that you endure. Every one of us is in a battle for their souls. That means there is strength we can gain from each other but it also means that it is extremely likely that whatever you face today, one of your brethren has already faced in their past. Seek wise counsel (Proverbs 11:14).
God’s grace is all we need. He will take care of us. The goal of every Christian is to go home.
It is your choice how you react to the present distress. You can be discouraged or you can find encouragement through the scriptures and the promises God has made to us. He cannot lie, and He has proven Himself faithful. Let us choose to be encouraged!
