I pray these blogs that have been posted and those that are to be posted will be fruitful and really bless my brothers and sisters. It is a joy to serve in this manner to you. God is good.
These chapters are here seperated as in the NIV
7:1-6 Judging Others
It is good that we judge soberly to be as iron to iron and sharpen one another in the body of Christ that we be more like He is. In the same type of judgment when it is seen beneficial to encourage it is this same type of judgment that is beneficial to rebuke. Many love to use this verse in their defense when it comes to sin they love. I like what Paul Washer said concerning these "Twist not scripture lest ye be like Satan." -1 Cor. 5:12 -
Just as it is absurd for me (or probably any of us) to sit down with the Royals and try to give them advice about being a professional baseball player when I myself am no professional, it is the same when I see someone who has sin that I am not in victory over and begin to try to minister to their need as a blind man leading another blind man. Also, Oily rags aren't very good for cleaning a bug covered windshield.
7:7-12 Ask, Seek, Knock
God wants to give His children good gifts. James wrote of the reasons one may not receive. - James 4:2-3 - Whatever is received in the Lord it is to further glorify Him and not to lead us away from Him. Praise Him for those things He does give, and offer them up to Him as Abraham offered to God what was given him. - Gen. 22 - All that is, is the Lord's.
7:13 The Narrow and Wide Gates
We reap what we sow, for the believer in Christ if we are to enter into life as God desires we must continue in our repentance and turning away from sin. Only then can we have life as He desires us to have. As we further our life in Him we should be more and more 'narrow minded' and discover the fulfillment that is in Christ.
7:15-23 A Tree and Its Fruit
For seeing fruit in others' lives it takes patience. One thing is that we ought not to expect a recent convert to be a well established tree. We need to look through the eyes of the Spirit to see whether someone's 'fruit' is real or fake. Some bad fruit is easier to see than others but in general, if it exalts Christ and the truth of the gospel, it is good fruit.
7:24-29 The Wise and Foolish Builders
Jesus ends the sermon on the mount with a statement to do and not to just hear.
- James 1:22-25 -
8:1-17 The Man with Leprosy, The Faith of the Centurion, Jesus Heals Many
We are healed by His touch - v. 3,15
We are healed by His word - v. 3,13,16
8:18-22 The Cost of Following Jesus
The man here is not asking to attend a funeral, but to wait until his father dies and afterward he will follow Jesus. In many ways it still happens today, after I get a good job, after I get married, when I'm done with school . . . . . But this buildup of self sufficiency leaves no room for submission to the authority of Christ as Lord over one's life.
8:23-27 Jesus Calms the Storm
When our faith is weak God will often meet us where we are to reaffirm that He is in control thus strengthening us in Him.
8:28-34 The Healing of Two Demon-possessed Men
Demons are under the authority of Jesus. Demons counterfeit that which God does, instead of truth they give lies, instead of offering life they bring death, as the Spirit of God comes into man, demons copy this by possession.
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As in yesterday's reading of the Beatitudes, Jesus again talks about the bearing of good fruit is a result of a true follower. I have met a lot of friends who have different beliefs than I do and believe that their works are what produces salvation. I've had times in my life where I don't feel like a "good Christian" if I don't read my Bible every day but I realize that all God wants from me in a quiet time is to spend time with him. This study is something I look forward to and it is just so awesome to get in the Word of God because you want to and not because you have to!!
ReplyDeleteThe faith of the Centurion is an awesome passage. I love where it says that "when Jesus heard this, He marveled." I wonder if I ever use my faith to do something awesome for the kingdom that causes Jesus to marvel. This passage makes me want to strive to not let my struggles restrict my faith to a small box, but to show it as the Centurion did! I recently read a status on facebook that said "Don't tell God how big your storms are, tell your storms how big your God is."
Lastly, I love how Jesus casts out the demons. There isn't an epic fight or anything, the demons know they are whipped before Jesus even says a word! Their first statement is one of fear when they consider Jesus has the power to torment them until the day of judgement. The next thing they do is beg Jesus to send them into a herd of swine and Jesus says "Go." I find comfort in the power of God that in that whole passage Jesus only says one word, "Go." What an awesome and powerful God we have!!
There's a lot in those two chapters! The thing that really stood out to me this morning was the transition to 7:12, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
ReplyDeleteOf course we're all familiar with the Golden Rule, but I thought it a bit curious that it showed up where it did, following this statement: "how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" I think I've got the connection, as verse 12 really sums up all of what Jesus has said so far in His teaching and He's now about to transition to the two paths and wrap things up.
So what hit me this morning was this: God is a giving and loving God, and therefore He wants me to be giving and loving as well. That's the basis for all that He calls me to do here: He wants me to be like Him. Just as I heard Dave Ramsey say God wants us to give because He is a giver, and Monday night we saw that God wants us to keep our word because He always keeps His, so too does He want me to love like He does.
So my takeaway this morning can be summed up in this: In all I do, I want and need to reflect the heart and character of my God.