“The time has come for all good things to come to an end,” we say as we wrap up a project with good friends. For Randy and I it was serving as directors of church camps with a staff of good friends all focused on pointing the way to Jesus to kids of all ages. When the week was over we were super tired physically but pumped up spiritually as we saw lives changed through the week. We gave it all we had and more because of Jesus living in us. Our only goal was so others would know Jesus, too.
The kids at camp, along with the auxiliary staff, didn’t want to leave by the end of the week because of all the friends they had made. No one wanted to get back to “normal life.” But there was something more that we didn’t want to lose. For a whole week we had been secluded from the world’s noises and chatter, undistracted by media’s pull to tell us what to think and how to behave. We had been with Jesus only, learning about Jesus, prayers of confession with cleansing from Jesus, with giving all our time, focus and energies to Jesus. It was a blessed week, indeed, but we had to close the week by reminding the campers that this was NOT the end, but a new beginning to live a different life with Jesus who will guide them spiritually in all they think, say, and do. Jesus is with us now and will be with us always—His promise that does not fail.
Jesus walked the earth with an unwavering purpose, sent to seek and to save the lost and reconnect them to God. He did this work with a few friends who became as close as brothers and sisters to Him and to each other. As they walked and talked, observed, and learned from Him, they knew He was indeed exactly who He said He was—Son of God, the promised Messiah. After three years of healing, seeking lost people who had been discarded in life, along with teaching wisdom that gave clarity to God’s Word, His followership grew in popularity. Everyone knew He was different than anyone they had ever met. They had never heard teaching words of wisdom delivered with such authority before Jesus. They loved Jesus and honored Him. They were drawn to His compassion and love for them.
Jesus now looks over Jerusalem. How He must weep inside for He knows that this is the beginning of the end of his walk on earth. He knows not all people believe in Him and will soon bring His time on earth to an end. Jesus knows that the cheers of the crowd will soon turn to jeers as His life is cruelly taken from His earthly body.
But Jesus also knows that His final sacrificial week on earth will be the beginning of eternal life for all who believe in Him—for generations upon generations to come! THIS is why He came. THIS is why God sent Him—so that we might be saved from our sins that separate us from God.
The crowds only know that the infamous Jesus has come to their city.
Those who are against Him are appalled at the spectacle.
Matthew 21, The Message
The Royal Welcome
21 1-3 When they neared Jerusalem, having arrived at Bethphage on Mount Olives, Jesus sent two disciples with these instructions: “Go over to the village across from you. You’ll find a donkey tethered there, her colt with her. Untie her and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you’re doing, say, ‘The Master needs them!’ He will send them with you.”
4-5 This is the full storyof what was sketched earlier by the prophet:
Tell Zion’s daughter, “Look, your king’s on his way, poised and ready, mounted On a donkey, on a colt, foal of a pack animal.”
6-9 The disciples went and did exactly what Jesus told them to do. They led the donkey and colt out, laid some of their clothes on them, and Jesus mounted. Nearly all the people in the crowd threw their garments down on the road, giving him a royal welcome. Others cut branches from the trees and threw them down as a welcome mat. Crowds went ahead and crowds followed, all of them calling out, “Hosanna to David’s son!” “Blessed is he who comes in God’s name!” “Hosanna in highest heaven!”
10 As he made his entrance into Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken. Unnerved, people were asking, “What’s going on here? Who is this?”
11 The parade crowd answered, “This is the prophet Jesus, the one from Nazareth in Galilee.”
THIS is Jesus who has come—and He is coming back someday soon to claim His own.
Lord,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for saving us and reconciling us to God by taking our deserved place of punishment for our sins. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who merely offend us. Help us to live like the redeemed!
Open our eyes, Lord We want to see Jesus To reach out and touch Him And say that we love Him Open our ears, Lord And help us to listen Open our eyes, Lord We want to see Jesus…
(Written by Bob Cull)
This chorus of my youth returns to play in the background of my mind as I read this passage this morning. Two blind men know that Jesus is near from hearing the chatter of the crowds. They hear what He is doing among the people; but their sight prevents them from physically seeing Him and knowing Him personally. How do we know they know who He is? They cry out to Jesus, telling world—”Son of David” “Master”! They know He is the Merciful Messiah who was promised to come. They know He is Messiah come, but they want to be able to see Jesus—really SEE Jesus in all His glory.
Matthew 20, The Message
29-31 As they were leaving Jericho, a huge crowd followed. Suddenly they came upon two blind men sitting alongside the road. When they heard it was Jesus passing, they cried out, “Master, have mercy on us! Mercy, Son of David!” The crowd tried to hush them up, but they got all the louder, crying, “Master, have mercy on us! Mercy, Son of David!”
32 Jesus stopped and called over, “What do you want from me?”
33 They said, “Master, we want our eyes opened. We want to see!”
34 Deeply moved, Jesus touched their eyes. They had their sight back that very instant, and joined the procession.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
The world blinds us at times to the power of Jesus within us. We are easily overwhelmed by unexpected circumstances. Our sight is blocked from our view of the One who can save us and help us through all situations of life. We suddenly lose sight of hope, trust, and faith in the One who can change everything with a just one word. And then we remember, nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible with God. When God is for us, who can be against us? —No one.
Son of David, have mercy on us!
Our faith moves the heart of God! “Deeply moved, Jesus touched their eyes.” Instantly these now fully sighted men who wanted to see Jesus could now join Jesus in His work to seek and to save the world. As a result:
Eyes open to the work ahead.
Eyes open to the power of God at work in His Son.
Eyes open to His compassion and love expressed throug healing.
Eyes open to the Messiah who would soon demonstrate His love for all who believe by enduring torture, being nailed to a cross for all the sins of the world, laying His life down for the punishment we deserve.
Eyes open to the watching Jesus defeat death and in a final victory, rise again for all to see!
Eyes open to seeing Jesus after resurrection to hear their assignment command from Him to “go and tell and make disciples, teaching them…”
Eyes open to the Hope of Glory. They saw Him in all His glory which validated what they knew and believed. Jesus was, is and is to come our Savior and Lord of all. God ordained His Son in the Highest place of honor in His Kingdom as King of kings and Lord of lords. (Philippians 2)
How’s our eyesight? Do we need a checkup? We all do! Sometimes our eyesight is blurred by circumstances that challenge our faith in God who knows exactly what we are going through. We must realize that nothing escapes His notice! So, call out to Him as the once blind men did. Pray in Jesus Name for what we really need—to see, really see Jesus at work in our lives. Pray for ears to be opened to hear His voice above the useless chatter of the world that distracts us.
I’m reminded of the story of Elisha who prayed for his servant who was in a panic over what was about to happen in battle. All his servant could see was the enemy with great numbers on the horizon about to descend on them. “Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” – (2 Kings 6:17)
WOW! This is the glory of the Lord always at work in our lives, too! We need to pray for opened eyes to see Him at work!
“’Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet (Elisha) answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them'” (2 Kings 6:16). Realizing his servant could only see what was happening in the natural, Elisha asked God to open his servant’s eyes so he could see what was really going on in the spiritual.
We can also prayer that pray for help in trouble! Jesus told us this truth… “Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” John 16:23-24
“Son of David, have mercy on us!” “We want to see!”
For many of us, it’s easier to become distracted and caught up in what the enemy is doing around us than to keep our eyes steadily focused on the Lord. Sadly, some believers in difficult situations believe they have to fight their battles on their own, leading many to turn to worldly tactics rather than applying spiritual principles. But like Elisha requested for his servant, rather than thinking we’re all on our own in the conflict, we can ask God to open our eyes to see Him in the midst of our circumstances.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”—Jesus
Son of David, Son of God, have mercy on us—we want to see!
Lord,
Open our spiritual eyes to all that you are while realizing what you are doing even today. May we see your glory at work all around us and give you praise the moment we realize that it is you all along. How great are you, Lord! You never leave us, you never sleep, you are for us not against us, you love us beyond human understanding and fight all our battles as we fall to our knees in humble gratitude. There is no one like you! You are my Hope. You are Life! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
We make choices with every breath we take with every hour passes, every day of our lives. It begins with waking up. Do I get out of bed or sleep in a little longer? Do I get up at all? Do brush my teeth now or wait until I eat breakfast? Do I eat breakfast or skip it? What clothes will I wear today? What shoes? Well, it depends on what I need to do today. Do I go to work or call in sick? When you have kids still at home. The choices multiply and get more complicated when the choices they are making do not comply or match your choices. Who is in control or our choices? We are. God gave us free will to choose. What we choose affects our lives and those lives around us.
All we choose to think, say, or do is driven by the decision we have made to follow Jesus—or not. To follow Jesus is a commitment to be like Him in the way we live our lives. If we choose being like Jesus then we have chosen to be one who serves, not one expecting to be served. This or that? Not making a decision is a choice made, too. We have chosen to live life on our own with no help from the God who created us and loves us and wants His best for us. Choosing has consequences. Decisions carry responsibility. There are only two choices. This or that.
God does not force us into this decision to love Him back or accept His Son’s deliverance because God wants us to decide for ourselves. He will not step in until we choose to allow Him. Know this: Our Father is looking over all the earth for those who have decided to follow Him with willing, excited, expectant, committed, attentive, joyful, open hearts full of Hope believing their sins are gone because of His Son, Jesus. God looks because He loves to help, bless, lead and guide those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. THIS, or that which is not of God?
“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him”(2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV). What does He want to do when He finds such hearts? He wants to strengthen them for they have chosen to drink from the Cup of Jesus’ salvation.
Matthew 20, The Message
To Drink from the Cup
17-19 Jesus, now well on the way up to Jerusalem, took the Twelve off to the side of the road and said, “Listen to me carefully. We are on our way up to Jerusalem. When we get there, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the religious leaders and scholars. They will sentence him to death. They will then hand him over to the Romans for mockery and torture and crucifixion. On the third day he will be raised up alive.”
20 It was about that time that the mother of the Zebedee brothers came with her two sons and knelt before Jesus with a request.
21 “What do you want?” Jesus asked.
She said, “Give your word that these two sons of mine will be awarded the highest places of honor in your kingdom, one at your right hand, one at your left hand.”
22 Jesus responded, “You have no idea what you’re asking.” And he said to James and John, “Are you capable of drinking the cup that I’m about to drink?”
They said, “Sure, why not?”
23 Jesus said, “Come to think of it, you are going to drink my cup. But as to awarding places of honor, that’s not my business. My Father is taking care of that.”
24-28 When the ten others heard about this, they lost their tempers, thoroughly disgusted with the two brothers. So Jesus got them together to settle things down. He said, “You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.”
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
THIS OR THAT?
Oh, momma! What a contrast of thinking between the mission of Jesus and the mission of the mom of James and John. Her timing, bless her heart, (as we say in the south), was astronomically and astonishing awkward! Did she not hear what Jesus just said? Obviously not. Jesus just told his guys about how he will be brutally beaten and terrorized then crucified, die but then rise again on the third day.
Mom only heard the rising again part and immediately wants her boys to be the greatest in God’s Kingdom, after Jesus, of course. This stage mom wants her sons to be higher and greater than the rest of the disciples. Why didn’t James and John shush her? Mom! But they were thinking the same thought.
Has she not heard Jesus’ teaching or watched Him serve? It doesn’t matter to stage moms, what matters is that their children achieve the highest praise and positions of honor. Stage moms are prevalent today! Back to this one…Mom has not chosen well. She does not know what she is asking, says Jesus, who handles the awkwardness as only Jesus can.
Have you ever been in deep conversation of importance with a small group of people when a person steps in to interrupt with something so unlike what is being discussed that you feel sorry for them? I am cringing with embarrassment for this mom! How awkward! But Jesus handles the situation by asking James and John if they can drink from the Cup. The Cup is the mission of Jesus and is of greatest importance. This presents James and John with a decision to make that will affect their relationship with Jesus/God for eternity. THIS or that?
The other disciples get angry after the awkward asking for power and position. Jesus reminds them—again—of what it means to follow Him, to be more like Him in every way. “He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchangefor the many who are held hostage.” THIS, not that of which the world expects. THIS is the mission of Jesus sent by God, the cup of decision to save people held hostage by their sins. Jesus will set them free!
THIS OR THAT? Take a minute to reflect…
Are we willing to drink the Cup, share in His sufferings, as we get to know Jesus more? (See Philippians 3:10)
Are we willing to be obedient, following Jesus’ command to go and tell others His story of redemption? —No matter how awkward doing this might seem? (Matthew 28)
Jesus saves, we merely point people to the One and Only who saves and forgives. We honor Him.
Are we willing to serve, not expecting to be served? This changes our perspective of life.
Are we seeking to put others’ interest ahead of our own?
Do we seek God first in the morning and listen for his voice all day long?
Do we really believe what God said and what Jesus did for us really real? Our behaviors will reflect what we truly believe in our hearts.
This or that? Choose wisely. Choose Life.
Lord,
I don’t want to be like James and John’s mom. I don’t want that. I want to be more like you. I’m learning daily what this means. There will be troubles in this world, skirmishes with the one who wants us to choose him instead of you, but you have already overcome and won this battle. I choose you because You chose to save me. Thank you for this lesson of humility. Thank your for loving us so much you laid down your life for our sins, setting us free to love like you.
One, two, three o’clock, four o’clock, rock Five, six, seven o’clock, eight o’clock, rock Nine, ten, eleven o’clock, twelve o’clock, rock We’re gonna rock around the clock tonight
Jesus is really rockin the great reversal of Kingdom of God thinking and behaving versus what and how the current world thinks is “fair” to his followers in this parable. Jesus, the Rock of our salvation, wants us all to clearly understand what Kingdom of God thinking looks and acts like so we believers will begin to approach life living in this way. It is indeed a great reversal of thinking for his disciples—and later for us.
Lord, we ask that you cleanse our hearts, renew, and transform our minds, feed our souls, and restore the joy of your salvation that Kingdom of God thinking provides. In Your Name, by your Power working within us, Amen
Matthew 20, The Message
A Story About Workers
20 1-2 “God’s kingdom is like an estate manager who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and went to work.
3-5 “Later, about nine o’clock, the manager saw some other men hanging around the town square unemployed. He told them to go to work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. They went.
5-6 “He did the same thing at noon, and again at three o’clock. At five o’clock he went back and found still others standing around. He said, ‘Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?’
7 “They said, ‘Because no one hired us.’
“He told them to go to work in his vineyard.
8 “When the day’s work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his foreman, ‘Call the workers in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to the first.’
9-12 “Those hired at five o’clock came up and were each given a dollar. When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, ‘These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.’
13-15 “He replied to the one speaking for the rest, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn’t we? So take it and go. I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. Can’t I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous?’
16 “Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first.”
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
It does not matter how long but that we believe in our Savior. It does not matter when we began to serve our Lord but how we serve with hearts of gratitude for “hiring” (calling), offering (inviting) us a better life, and rewarding us by saving us and including us as part of His Kingdom family!
One of two thieves on either side of Jesus as He is being crucified turned his mocking to begging when he was about to die. He turned to Jesus for repentance. Jesus forgave him and said, “truly, you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) That’s how the great reversal of thinking works. God decides what is “fair”—we do not.
God is infinitely beyond human thinking. God is the Original Love that knows no boundaries. His love is unchanging. His love is for us, not against us. His love causes Him to grieve when he watches us fall into the traps of evil that cause harm to us.
God’s mercy and grace also goes beyond what humans think is deserved and gives as gifts of “fairness”. What is fair and right to God is that NO ONE perish but that all be saved from their sins. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 The gift of grace is there, ready for us to receive as we believe. His mercies are new and fresh each morning as we hold up both hands to grasp and retrieve them. God is good. God is so, so, good.
The Great Reversal of Kingdom of God thinking and behaving is magnificently taught and demonstrated by our Perfect Example, Jesus Christ, the Rock of our Salvation. (Philippians 2)
God knew we would not be perfect as we navigate this world, so he provided Perfect Forgiveness—Jesus, His Son. God provides the only Way out of the punishment we deserve for all our sins. That Way is Jesus who embodied Truth. By believing Truth, we are reconciled and reconnected to God who is love. We are given Life eternal which begins the moment we believe and repent of our sins, not matter what age or how “late” in life we begin to believe.
No one deserves it but our merciful God gives it—that is His nature and preference for God is love. (1 John 4) To know God is to know real love.
To God be the Glory!
Lord,
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will rejoice and be glad all day long and into the night for you are my salvation, my strength, and my song! I will rejoice with the angels in heaven when another soul comes to you! No matter when they come to you; we have learned not to judge or complain that they waited until the last hour of their lives. We pray that no one perishes! Thank you for reversing our thinking! Help us to live what you teach!
“Teacher, so, do I just have to be good to go to heaven?” This was the question asked by one of the six-year-olds in my Sunday School class one day. I was busy preparing their craft pieces to hand out to them. I had a lesson planned that day and just about ready to deliver it when asked this important question. “Everyone tells me to be good but is that all?” she went on to ask. The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and led me to stop the previously planned lesson and put the brakes on what I thought would be a good lesson. Jesus reversed my thinking. “This child wants to know Me and you need to tell her” I heard Him whisper to me in that still small voice.
I explained salvation in first grade language. The Holy Spirit had already prepared her heart. We prayed together, first me by example then her. She had the faith of a child who was ready to believe, accept, and follow Jesus as the One who made her “good” enough by forgiving her of all her sins while helping her by His Spirit living in her with the hard stuff of life now with praise and rejoicing later with Him in heaven. She understood and could not wait to tell her mom and the rest of the church! She ran to tell them all!
When we come to Christ, our thinking is reversed from thinking selfishly like the world. We seek to do life more and more like Jesus taught and lived. We turn to God first to see what HE wants us to be and do each day of our new lives of relationship with Him. Kingdom of God thinking is the opposite of what our enemy would have us think. This is what Jesus calls the Great Reversal in our passage today.
“Let the children come to me…” –Jesus
Matthew 19, The Message
To Enter God’s Kingdom
13-15 One day children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: “Let the children alone, don’t prevent them from coming to me. God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.” After laying hands on them, he left.
16 Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 Jesus said, “Why do you question me about what’s good? God is the One who is good. If you want to enter the life of God, just do what he tells you.”
18-19 The man asked, “What in particular?”
Jesus said, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself.”
20 The young man said, “I’ve done all that. What’s left?”
21 “If you want to give it all you’ve got,” Jesus replied, “go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me.”
22 That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crestfallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go.
23-24 As he watched him go, Jesus told his disciples, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God’s kingdom? Let me tell you, it’s easier to gallop a camel through a needle’s eye than for the rich to enter God’s kingdom.”
25 The disciples were staggered.“Then who has any chance at all?”
26 Jesus looked hard at them and said, “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.”
27 Then Peter chimed in, “We left everything and followed you. What do we get out of it?”
28-30 Jesus replied, “Yes, you have followed me. In the re-creation of the world, when the Son of Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule, starting with the twelve tribes of Israel. And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields—whatever—because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life.This is the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first.”
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
It is natural for us to want to be first, be the best, clamor for attention while pushing and shoving our way to the top. Is it hereditary of environmental, (the great debate) that causes a first grader to run, knocking down anyone who gets in their way, to be the first in line to go anywhere? As a public school teacher of first graders, my observance of this behavior daily caused me to grieve over all the ways these little ones did that caused harm to each other—just to be first in line. It didn’t matter where we were going, the fight was on at the sound of the bell—like Pavlov’s dog! They were conditioned to fight for position!
But, isn’t this act by six-year-olds just a microcosm of what the world teaches and demonstrates to us daily? We are bombarded with phrases such as “Be you, be the best, be the leader, do it your way, have it your way, be first, listen to no one but yourself, you know what is best for you”—and worst of all—”follow your heart.” God says our hearts deceive us so that is not a good choice at all! (Jeremiah 17:9-10, Proverbs 4:23, Romans 14:13)
The Great Reversalof thinking is to seek others interest ahead of your own. Wait, what?! Yes! See Philippians 2 for the Greatest Example of Reversed Kingdom of God thinking and behaving. Here is a portion…
“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Philippians 2:3-8
Follow God’s heart! For only God is good!
Matthew, Mark, and John all quoted and they expounded this “first shall be last and last shall be first” teaching of Jesus! So, it’s probably pretty important for us to learn, moving away from what is natural, hereditary and environmental to what is spiritually healthy and appropriate for Kingdom of God living!
“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”—Jesus
(Matthew 20:28) See Matthew 20, Mark 10 and John 13 for the complete parable describing yet again the great reversal of thinking and behaving that will become a part of all who believe and follow Jesus by giving all of ourselves to Him.
The little girl who came to Jesus that day in Sunday School would later suffer a few months later from a pain in one of her legs that would not go away. Her parents took her to the doctor. Through many tests for validity, they would discover an aggressive, fast-growing cancer in that leg. From the knee down that leg was amputated to prevent the death of this precious child. She would go through months of chemo, losing her long beautiful hair, going to school and church faithfully while weakened by the chemicals in her body used to fight the disease.
She fought fearlessly, for she had Jesus—her Savior and Lord. Everyone who met her, remarked about how courageous she was, always smiling and joking as she went through a time of suffering that would have tested the faith of a person much older than she was. I admired her and told her with every visit.
Let the children come to Me, says Jesus, “God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.”
Ah, The Great Reversal! The Kingdom of God is made up of people with childlike faith!
Jesus changed the mind of his disciples but did not change the mind of the rich man. Has Jesus changed your mind? Think about it, I am. Let’s take all the time we need to evaluate how we think with how our thinking affects our behaviors.
EPILOGUE
I recalled Jesus’ words one day as I watched my first graders clamor for position to be first in line. I didn’t say a word, but just waited until the scrambling was done. First graders notice more when you are silent than when you are reprimanding repeatedly. So, I just stood there. I calmly took the hand of the victor of first place in line and said, “Follow me.” I turned the line around putting the first at the back with the order reversed. I then said, “the first will be last and the last will be first today.” “Let’s go.”
Nothing more was said. They got it. There was less shoving and pushing to be first because they never knew when I would do the great reversal of line order.
However, after a while, some would fight to be last—just in case. Ugh. Teaching and learning never ceases. None of us have arrived.
Lord,
Thank you for never giving up on us, always teaching us by your example. We are not perfect but we certainly perfectly forgiven. Thank you for showing us what it means to love fully, serve cheerfully, and give all we have joyfully. This reversal of thinking brings me peace. The Greatest Reversal trading hopelessness and helplessness for the Hope and Help I have in You! Thank you, thank you, thank you! And thank you for all the experiences of life, good and bad, that teach us and draw us even closer to You. We see what you doing here…to prepare us for eternity with you.
Love will keep us together Think of me babe, whenever Some sweet-talking girl comes along, singing her song Don’t mess around, you’ve just got to be strong, just stop ‘Cause I really love you, stop I’ll be thinking of you Look in my heart and let love keep us together…
I have been married for fifty-two years to a man of God who always has my back because of His love for God first which has enhanced his love for me. This next passage bothers and challenges many people. How it affects people depends on the what they think love and marriage is. Although the Pharisees are actually baiting Jesus with a Mosaic law passed down through the ages to allow for the protection of those divorced and left behind without help, Jesus brings them back to God’s original design and thought about “two becoming one” in a union of all that is holy—“holy matrimony”.
What is our aptitude about marriage? My husband, who counseled many before the marriage ceremony as a former pastor, would ask questions that required deep thinking. The responses he would hear readily showed their aptitude and knowledge of a real, authentic marriage of grace as they put the other’s interests ahead of their own. Most often, two people come together with two different ideas and expectations of each other. In counseling, the two people in front of the pastor will adamantly declare that no matter what, our love alone will keep us together…as the Captain and Tennille sang many years ago. But the deeper question is, what kind of love are we talking about? What is our aptitude about love in marriage? Our behaviors will immediately reveal the kind of love we have in our hearts when finances become challenging, disagreements over leaving dishes in the sink arise, along with the plethora of other life stuff that demands our immediate attention. Will that love truly keep us together? Do conditions arise that affect the depth of our love for each other?
God designed the union of two becoming one with Adam and Eve. From the beginning of that first union, Satan entered with a goal to break this union apart. Anything that comes between God and mankind desecrates what God intended as holy. Temptations will always be presented in our lives, married or not, that will distract us from God and His love, mercy, and grace.
Read and listen to how Jesus deflects the rule of divorce discussion and redirects them to talking about what a Godly marriage looks like. “Not everyone is mature enough to live a married life. It requires a certain aptitude and grace.Marriage isn’t for everyone,” says Jesus to the crowd and to the baiting Pharisees who miss the point of most discussions with Jesus.
Matthew 19, The Message
Divorce
1-2 When Jesus had completed these teachings, he left Galilee and crossed the region of Judea on the other side of the Jordan. Great crowds followed him there, and he healed them.
3 One day the Pharisees were badgering him: “Is it legal for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
4-6 He answered, “Haven’t you read in your Bible that the Creator originally made man and woman for each other, male and female? And because of this, a man leaves father and mother and is firmly bonded to his wife, becoming one flesh—no longer two bodies but one. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart.”
7 They shot back in rebuttal, “If that’s so, why did Moses give instructions for divorce papers and divorce procedures?”
8-9 Jesus said, “Moses provided for divorce as a concession to your hard heartedness, but it is not part of God’s original plan. I’m holding you to the original plan, and holding you liable for adultery if you divorce your faithful wife and then marry someone else. I make an exception in cases where the spouse has committed adultery.”
10 Jesus’ disciples objected, “If those are the terms of marriage, we haven’t got a chance. Why get married?”
11-12 But Jesus said, “Not everyone is mature enough to live a married life. It requires a certain aptitude and grace. Marriage isn’t for everyone. Some, from birth seemingly, never give marriage a thought. Others never get asked—or accepted. And some decide not to get married for kingdom reasons. But if you’re capable of growing into the largeness of marriage, do it.”
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
One of the most heartbreaking responses Randy received in counseling a couple was, “Don’t worry, we know if this whole marriage thing doesn’t work, we can just divorce and move on with our lives.” Randy’s response? “Then don’t get married. Going into marriage with that attitude shows you probably don’t have the maturity it takes to stay married.”
Isn’t this what Jesus is really saying here in this passage? “Not everyone is mature enough to live a married life…it requires a certain aptitude and grace.”
But if you’re capable of growing into the largeness of marriage, do it.”
Growing into the largeness of marriage depends on the love we have for God. We don’t really know love unless we know God who is love. (See 1 John 4) Two people who have committed themselves to God, who believe Jesus died for their sins, who follow His Holy Spirit voice in obedience to God’s will, and who are growing in the realization of the depth of love God has for each one of them separately are more apt to understand the “largeness” of a growing, thriving love in “holy matrimony”.
What is holy matrimony? Marriage becomes holy matrimony when people focus on honoring God and serving the other person at the same time.
What I have learned through the years of my own marriage is;
The closer I am to Jesus, the closer I am to Randy.
The more I realize the depth of love God has for me, the more deeply I love Randy. This is the “largeness” of marriage!
The greater my gratitude is to God for His love, mercy, and grace, the more I am apt to give love, mercy, and grace to my beloved husband.
Marriage, “holy matrimony”, is about our aptitude, attitude and gratitude toward God with a love that grows to bear the holy fruits of God’s character growing within us. See Galatians 5 for the “list”. Divorce isn’t the issue. How to get out of a relationship isn’t the issue. What God intended for our best is the real issue based on a love that goes beyond our wildest imaginations.
Lord,
Thank you for your love for both of us individually and as a couple. Thank you for loving us through all kinds of circumstances that challenge the strength, tenacity and depth our love. Thank you for teaching us your love so that we might love better still. Thank you for daily cleansing our hearts, renewing our minds, feeding our souls, and restoring the joy of your salvation at work within us—all because of your relentless, unconditional, great love for us.
I love you—to infinity and beyond! My husband and I try to race each other to saying this catch phrase taken from a kid’s movie, Toy Story. It’s a fun way to express our love for each other. (When our grandkids were younger, this movie was on a loop in our home!) This phrase reminds us of the love we have for each other that is infinitely everlasting.
Even on challenging days, with Jesus at the center of our being, our love never changes and does indeed go beyond infinity! Possible? Yes! This kind of love “covers a multitude of sins” and disagreements we might have in our marriage. This love prompts us to quickly forgive, no matter what, an infinitely number of times. This love goes beyond our wildest dreams and imagination at times when we see God at work in us—building His character inside us that goes to infinity and beyond! We are both a work in progress.
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:8-10
Before Peter wrote the passage above, while still in “training”, he asked Jesus about the act of forgiveness. Impetuous, speak first-think later, bold Peter got the nerve to ask Jesus, “How many times do I have to forgive?” Jesus replied, “To infinity and beyond”! Okay, He really said, “Seventy times seven” but it implies the same attitude.
Peter learns a valuable lesson that will stay with him, transforming his small thinking to greater than thinking as he lives to please Jesus.
Matthew 18, The Message
A Story About Forgiveness
21 At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, “Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?”
22 Jesus replied, “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.
23-25 “The kingdom of God is like a king who decided to square accounts with his servants. As he got under way, one servant was brought before him who had run up a debt of a hundred thousand dollars. He couldn’t pay up, so the king ordered the man, along with his wife, children, and goods, to be auctioned off at the slave market.
26-27 “The poor wretch threw himself at the king’s feet and begged, ‘Give me a chance and I’ll pay it all back.’ Touched by his plea, the king let him off, erasing the debt.
28 “The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He seized him by the throat and demanded, ‘Pay up. Now!’
29-31 “The poor wretch threw himself down and begged, ‘Give me a chance and I’ll pay it all back.’ But he wouldn’t do it. He had him arrested and put in jail until the debt was paid. When the other servants saw this going on, they were outraged and brought a detailed report to the king.
32-35 “The king summoned the man and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn’t you be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?’ The king was furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire debt. And that’s exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of you who doesn’t forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy.”
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
Forgive as God has forgiven you.
“Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 MSG
“If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11
Here’s what I’m learning about the righteous act of forgiveness:
Forgiveness sets us free to love to “infinity and beyond,” God helping us.
Forgiveness helps us see life from a different, life-giving, perspective.
Forgiveness restores the joy of Jesus’ salvation at work within us.
Forgiveness builds character. An unforgiving heart tears down what Jesus is trying to build in us.
Forgiveness renews our minds and transform our whole being.
Forgiveness is obedience to the One and Only we love the most because He loved and forgave us first! He is the One who supplies all we need to forgive freely and ungrudgingly—Jesus.
The more quickly we forgive the faster peace returns.
I have more to learn to reach infinity and beyond!
Want to be like Jesus? Peter, who learned forgiveness well from Jesus writes later:
“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls”. 1 Peter 2:21-25
While on the cross for our sins, Jesus prayed forgiveness: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” Luke 23:34
Wow. Can we pray that prayer for those who merely offend us without thinking, for those who will never say they’re sorry, or for those who are hurting so they hurt others? I pray the answer is yes.
Lord,
How can we not forgive those who hurt us? When we sin, we sin against you. Forgive us our sins AS WE forgive those who sin against us. Deliver us from the evil of unforgiveness. Lesson learned.
“Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” Psalm 100:3
Sheep are weird but fun to watch. My grandpa raised sheep. I learned much by watching him relate to and work with his herd. The sheep knew his voice and came when he called—immediately. Sheep, however only know what is in front of them. Sheep follow other sheep until the Shepherd comes to herd them to greener grass with a source of water nearby. The Shepherd knows what the sheep need at any given time. When one wanders off, he knows he needs to go after it. The Shepherd counts and examines the sheep often as he protects them from dangers with ways to keep them healthy and strong. The Shepherd has a unique relationship with the sheep and the sheep know and follow the recognizable sound of His voice.
Sheep tend to follow their noses as they just want to eat their fill. Sometimes, the sheep butt heads as they get in each other’s way to the food or water. The Shepherd will watch to see if He needs to intervene but most times, they work it out on their own. Sheep do not realize other sheep want what they want, too.
Sheep love to be near the Shepherd who leads them. Sheep are selfish. They will sometimes push and shove their heads and bodies as battering rams as they struggle to get attention from the Shepherd. They have a strong relationship with the Shepherd but do not realize they have a relationship, good or bad, with other sheep in the flock.
Sheep are jealous. If the Shepherd leaves them for a moment to tend to a wandering sheep, some will wander off too, just to get the attention. When the Shepherd carries a lost sheep back to the fold, they don’t care, they just want to be fed. The Shepherd looks for sores or other infections and applies special oils to bring healing before it spreads. The other healthier sheep crowd around the Shepherd to get some, too. Amusing, really.
At the end of the day, the Shepherd calms the flock as they rest together. The Shepherd never leaves. He is always with them, protecting them, as he watching over them even as they rest.
Matthew 18, The Message
Work It Out Between You
12-14 “Look at it this way. If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one? And if he finds it, doesn’t he make far more over it than over the ninety-nine who stay put? Your Father in heaven feels the same way. He doesn’t want to lose even one of these simple believers.
15-17 “If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you’ve made a friend. If he won’t listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won’t listen, tell the church. If he won’t listen to the church, you’ll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God’s forgiving love.
18-20 “Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
A relationship with the Shepherd is vital for Life. He is everything we need.
The Shepherd wants us to know and relate to Him so well that when He speaks, we recognize His voice and follow Him to what we need most.
Our relationship with the Shepherd is directly proportionate to our relationship with others. As we realize the depth of the relentless love Jesus, the Good Shepherd has for us, our capacity to love each other grows exponentially! We are in the same herd seeking the same Shepherd!
Love God. Love each other. Jesus says all that we are and all that we do depend first on obedience to these two commandments as number on and two on the Top Ten chart of all commandments!
The Shepherd recognizes, notices needs and cares for all His sheep. We don’t need to butt heads over getting what we need. We will all receive what we need when we need it most.
The Shepherd loves His Sheep so much He laid down His life so that they would all be saved.
It delights the Shepherd to see his sheep play well with others.
The closer the sheep get to the Shepherd, the closer they are to each other.
The Shepherd is always with us, through thick and thin, good days and bad, guiding us to all that we need.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23
I loved being a first-grade teacher. As a young adult wife and mom, I remember embarking on my first career assignment. In fact, my husband and I both felt “called” of God to pursue teaching degrees in college so we could be teachers in public schools where darkness tried to overshadow the Light of Christ. We wanted to be different, to be His Light, and make a difference in the lives of those little ones who needed someone they could trust.
As we taught, however, we noticed that their trust and faith was easy to gain. We also learned that we should not take this trust lightly. My first graders believed whatever I told them! So, as those little eyes looked to me for help, my love for them grew. I wanted to give them the best I had. I wasn’t aiming to be the greatest teacher, but instead took more joy in helping the students realize their full potential.
Here’s what I discovered from this realization of their faith in me as a believer in Jesus:
Childlike trust with real, authentic faith in the Master Teacher is the greatest and highest calling of all!
But sometimes, church, we can be childish. And oh, how that grieves the Teacher…
Matthew 18, The Message
Whoever Becomes Simple Again
18 At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, “Who gets the highest rank in God’s kingdom?”
2-5 For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, “I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me.
6-7 “But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t. You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time!Hard times are inevitable, but you don’t have to make it worse—and it’s doomsday to you if you do.
8-9 “If your hand or your foot gets in the way of God, chop it off and throw it away. You’re better off maimed or lame and alive than the proud owners of two hands and two feet, godless in a furnace of eternal fire. And if your eye distracts you from God, pull it out and throw it away. You’re better off one-eyed and alive than exercising your twenty-twenty vision from inside the fire of hell.
10 “Watch that you don’t treat a single one of these childlike believers arrogantly. You realize, don’t you, that their personal angels are constantly in touch with my Father in heaven?
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
We learn what breaks the heart of God in this retort of Jesus to His disciples who are vying to get the top spot, to be the greatest in His Kingdom. They are not childlike but childish in their arrogant thinking and behavior. The Master Teacher brilliantly makes His point while driving home how childish they were being by calling over a child to stand with Him and in front of the “class” as an example of childlike faith. “Return to square one,” says Jesus. Go back to elementary school and remember how you treated the Teacher with humbled respect, trust, and childlike faith, as one believes everything the Teacher says! Where is your focus?!
Church, are we childish or childlike in our faith and works? Let’s evaluate.
Childish behaviors vs. Childlike behaviors
Childish:
We feel justified to be a bully of self-righteousness to anyone, including the pastor, who does not agree with what we say or do what we want.
We say things like, “this is the way we’ve always done it,” as the final answer.
We seek tradition over relationships.
We dig in with arrogance when a new idea to reach people is brought to the table.
We make the comment, “they know the church is here, what else is there to do.”
We want to be completely comfortable in church and will complain if we are not without hesitation.
We campaign for position and power because we give more, work harder and feel deserving of the attention.
When we want a different pastor, we slander his family.
We expect great performances from worship leaders with great sermons we think others should hear as we sit back to applaud—or not.
We bully new believers who are not “turning a new leaf” in their behaviors quick enough so they can be more like them.
We push and pull, trying to get our own way in all things called “church.” We feel righteous in doing so.
We do not accept everyone as they are. We accept only those who look and talk like us.
Our first thought is self-satisfaction.
Childlike:
We accept all who walk into our lives as people God sends to walk with us.
Our first thought is not judgement but compassionate love.
We realize the depth of love God has for us and extend that kind of love to others.
We are open to what God wants to do in and through his church so others will know His Son and be saved.
We realize ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
We are sinners saved by grace.
We are grateful for all that God has brought us through in life.
We are grateful for all He has provided for us and will provide now.
We are grateful to be alive with abilities to serve the One who saved us.
We lean on His everlasting arms because Jesus is our Hope of eternal life.
We are joyful and expectant contributors to the Kingdom work.
We don’t put the pastor on a pedestal of performance but encourage leaders with prayers of protection for them and their families. We know the “devil prowls”.
We understand “joy unspeakable and full of glory” when we see another person come to Christ and grow in their faith. Jealousy is avoided at all costs.
We come alongside other believers for encouragement knowing that we are all in need of a Savior who wants to be Lord of our lives.
Jesus is Lord of our life—all of it—not just the “go to church” part.
We know that going to church does not save us or make us good. Only God is good. Only Jesus saves us and makes us whole.
We know what God expects of us as we trust fully in Him, leaning into what Micah 6:8 says, “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.”
We know that we cannot be good without the power of God’s Holy Spirit living in us to help us grow in goodness. Only then can our childlike faith bear the Holy fruits of the character of Jesus Christ; “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
We love God. We trust God. Our faith is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness—not our own.
We forgive because Jesus forgave us. We know that nothing we have done is beyond His capacity to forgive because of His relentless love, mercy, and grace. So, then, we forgive others who have hurt or offended us.
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:20-21
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying each other.” Galatians 5:24-26
“What’s more,when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me.” –Jesus
LORD,
Forgive us when we fall to flesh, those childish behaviors, draw us away from you. Help us to love each other, forgive each other, like you love and forgive. Break our hearts of those things in us all that break your heart, so we will be less likely to join in childish thinking and behaving. I pray this as your child who believes all that you say
We are taxed for every enjoyable thing on earth, it seems, right?! Our income is taxed when it comes, when it is saved and then used later, and then as it is used to purchase what is needed. But even so, we trust that the taxes we pay to the treasury of our country, state, and city are fair and reasonable. Yes, I know what you are thinking, but we do have the right to change the situation with our vote.
Let’s go back a couple of thousand years to the Roman occupation of the land Jesus is walking on with his disciples. In Rome, the taxes were anything but fair. The people didn’t get a vote. Every person paid more than what they had or they were jailed or killed. Most were earning a living to pay taxes to Rome! The Romans were oppressive, cruel leaders who used and abused the people under their power. The religious leaders were pawns of manipulation under Roman rule. They each thought they had the upper hand. The people were forced to obey both the Romans and the religious leaders who also taxed the people. Fear was the factor in play.
So, when “tax men” came to Peter and inquired if Jesus paid taxes, Peter quickly responded, “of course,” without really knowing if The Teacher paid taxes or not. The Fear Factor, which plagues Peter later as well, caused Peter to say yes just to avoid the conversation and resulting consequences.
But Jesus knew what Peter said and did…
Matthew 17:24-27, The Message
When they arrived at Capernaum, the tax men came to Peter and asked, “Does your teacher pay taxes?”
25 Peter said, “Of course.”
But as soon as they were in the house, Jesus confronted him.“Simon, what do you think? When a king levies taxes, who pays—his children or his subjects?”
26-27 He answered, “His subjects.”
Jesus said, “Then the children get off free, right? But so we don’t upset them needlessly, go down to the lake, cast a hook, and pull in the first fish that bites. Open its mouth and you’ll find a coin. Take it and give it to the tax men. It will be enough for both of us.”
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
Fear blinds wisdom. Peter responds without thinking it through. He avoids truth with a lie to alleviant trouble for the moment. We always make our situation worse by lying. A better response could have been, “let’s go ask Jesus.” Instead, Peter tries to handle it by himself.
Jesus confronts Peter. Jesus knows our hearts. He knows that what guides our hearts will be reflected in our behavior. Fear is in the heart of Peter when the tax men approached him. Jesus lovingly, and with a little amusement, corrects Peter, the fisherman, with a plan to pay the taxes. This is yet another lesson in thinking before you speak, Peter! Jesus’ love for Peter has not changed. Jesus’ love never changes for us as He corrects us in our thinking and behaving.
Jesus sends Peter,the fisherman by trade, to do what he does best—fish! Jesus brilliantly helps Peter with a way out of the mess he made with a plan of action that suits Peter’s abilities. I love it! Jesus has done that for me repeatedly. He will do it for you, too, when you come to Him with a heart of complete trust and obedience for the One who knows us best.
Cast the hook. Pull in the first fish. Open its mouth. Pull out a coin. BAM—taxes paid! Nothing, absolutely nothing, is impossible with God!
Fear is driven out by the love of Jesus! Trust and obey, for there’s no others way…
Lord,
I love this story of your glory revealed through Peter yet again! I love how you love us! I love you, Lord, with all my heart, mind, and soul. The more I realize the depth of love you have for me enables me to love others even more with deeper thoughts of the same mercy and grace you have extended to me. I love how your love drives out fear, reminding us that you are for us, not against us, even when we need correction with action. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 