I usually keep my “thanks” until the end. However, this month I want to give “thanks” up front. What each of you have done, and are doing for this ministry, is beyond words. Your faith in what Jesus is doing through this ministry is amazing. Your love for all the saints, even those in prison, is appreciated. Truly, the Spirit of God lives in you. Paul also heard and experienced the love of others who were involved in love “for all the saints”. As he gave thanks to God for them, so I also give thanks to God for touching your hearts in love for this ministry. “Therefore, because I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I never stop giving thanks for you as I mention you in my prayers.” Ephesians 1:15, 16. Each of you have been called, chosen by God to a special mission: to keep this ministry going. The devil has tried very hard to destroy it many times, but the Lord has been able to touch your hearts to never give up and keep it going for Him.
For years I have been “giving thanks for you as I mention you in my prayers”. I have each of you, like Paul, memorized in my mind. In the morning when I awake I express my thanks for each of you by name. I talk to the Lord about each of you by name. I lift each of you up before the Lord and pray that He will bless each of you according to your needs.
Luke 6:13 to Luke 6:49
And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
What a mix. Churches normally choose people who are “like us”. Jesus chose a representative mix of the society they lived in. By doing so, they could reach the greatest amount of people. From hard working and boisterous Peter, James and John, to the religious quiet one, Andrew. Simon the Zealot who was “fighting” for his nation, and His traitor Judas. In other words, the disciples represented the whole world’s population in microcosm, Jesus is letting it be known that He rejects no one willing to come to Him. All are welcome. Even traitors. But what we do after He calls us is up to us.
And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.
At this point in time the church hadn’t yet made a decision about Jesus. Oh, sure, they didn’t like it that He was drawing great crowds, but they hadn’t yet decided to kill Him. They hadn’t yet put out an intifada against Jesus. Therefore, the people were “free” to come and listen to Jesus. They came to be “healed of their diseases” and to be cured from unclean spirits. Most didn’t come for truth. They came for what they could get. No different from the churches of today. They “come to Jesus” for what they can get from Jesus and their church. It’s sad, Jesus offers them eternal life but they are not interested. They want church and the blessings of this world; not the life Jesus offers.
And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
As long as the church did not condemn Him, the “crowd sought to touch Him”. How different it would be in a couple of years. In our own lives, how quickly our attitudes can change by the influence of those we value. Mob rule! We must never let the world, or anyone in our lives, do our thinking for us or influence us away from our own investigation of the truth.
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Before teaching the people the conditions for getting into Heaven, He demonstrated those conditions in His own life. He was poor. He blessed the poor. He walked among the poor. Most church people claim to be blessed because they are well off. Because of all the stuff they have. Christians of today just aren’t listening to Jesus.
On the other hand, “He lifted up His eyes on His disciples”. Why did He do that? Could it be He was attempting to prepare them for what was to come in their lives? Was He trying to forewarn them? Why? Because many of His disciples were “rich”. Levi Matthew was rich. James and John belonged to a family that owned their own business and had employees. I am sure Judas was not poor. Each was striving in his own way to avoid being poor. Would they be willing to accept the life Jesus was about to offer them? The kingdom of God is only for the poor.
“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
Are we to go around “hungry”? No. The hungry shall be satisfied. Same with weeping. There are times when we may go hungry and probably will weep because of our hunger and situation. But if we trust in God we will be satisfied and rejoice.
Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
Do we deliberately go about making ourselves odious so people will exclude us, revile us and spurn us? Of course not. At least I hope not. In order to be blessed in these situations you must be hated, excluded, reviled and spurned because you live in obedience to Jesus. Because you love as Jesus loved. Because you accept all people, even if others refuse to have anything to do with you.
Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
Yes, we can leap for joy and rejoice. The Christian’s perspective is to be completely out of sync with the rest of the world. While the world is striving for worldly and church praise and glory, Christians are striving to be praised by Jesus and to receive the reward He offers. People read right over the words and refuse to examine them. Basically, what Jesus is saying is, the “fathers”, the church leaders and founders, were the ones who rejected the prophets. Same today. The churches are rejecting the truth of Jesus revealed in the Bible. They don’t want what Jesus taught. They don’t want to be poor.
“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
When we look at the examples given in the Bible, we find that Christians in both Old and New Testaments were never “rich”. They were always giving to those in need as they did the work of God. Boaz was a Christian. He was giving much of his crops to the poor. David gave his wealth to the building of the temple for God. Those who allowed themselves to become “rich”, such as Solomon, allowed their riches to take them away from God. I have learned an interesting concept. God has all the riches in the world and when we use His riches for His work, He just keeps supplying. But when we hoard His riches, the Lord can’t give us any more.
“Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
Are we to refrain from laughing and eating enough to be full? No. This is referring to those who gorge themselves, eating to excess. They do not worry about taking care of God’s body. They laugh at restraint and self-control. They are using God’s gifts and abundance for their own gratification and laugh at the poor and needy.
“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
People want to hear what will make them “full” and “laugh”. Comedy shows are watched by millions of people. They don’t want to hear truth for that would make them feel guilty. The media is filled with acceptance of those who misuse their bodies. They “speak well” of sin and those “false prophets” who propagate sin. Churches are doing the same. We are not to do anything to “get praise”. All praise is to go to Jesus who gives us everything for which people praise us. However, that is not the same as a simple “Thank you”. We are to be gracious, loving and kind. Giving gratitude is not the same as praising people or our churches for their “show”.
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, . . .
No matter what the circumstances, always show the love of Jesus by being kind, gracious, courteous, polite and civil. Hard? Oh yes! I’m doing everything I can to practice the love of Jesus. Old habits are hard to surrender, but we must change our lives, attitudes and thoughts. We must let the Spirit of God control us, not our old habits, churches, friends or family.
. . . bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Tough for one who has been abused. The prayer we are to pray is not a mechanical prayer, but a heartfelt prayer for their change and your forgiveness of them. Many will pray for those who have cursed them, hurt them and abused them, but the heart is full of malice and revenge while they pray. Feelings are so hard to change. I know! We must change our hearts to be like Jesus. Let God be the avenger. He is very good at that. We just love.
To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.
It is amazing how possessive we are of our things and opinions. Our hearts are on things instead of on Jesus. It isn’t wrong to have things, but we must never take possession of them in our hearts. Things can be replaced, but eternal life can never be replaced. God can give you more things. Just love and share and give and trust God to bring justice. He will.
Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.
That doesn’t mean you can’t protect your goods. It’s a heart thing. The ministry has a fence around the property to protect God’s “goods”. This ministry needs the fence to do the work God has given me to do. It is no different than the walls built around Jerusalem to protect it from the enemies of God. Jesus doesn’t have the time to go into nuance. The Old Testament goes into the nuance. Jesus is trying to awaken thought so people would search the Old Testament for truth. If and when a worthy person requests from this ministry, we give. Over 45,000 inmates and people in need of the truth have asked for our books and other material. As I have the funds, I supply their need. Because of your love for God I am able to supply books and material to hundreds of inmates who request each month.
And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Most of us would not be stealing from others. We would not be begging from others if we really didn’t need it. We do to others in a sane and rational manner as we would want them to do to us. The same is true with our ideas and opinions. How do you treat those with different ideas and opinions?
“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
That really is our problem. We love those who love us. I know I do. I had no love from my family while growing up. I find myself drawn to those who show love to me. But then I found out some were just trying to get something in return. If they couldn’t get what they wanted, the “love” vanished. Most churches work on the same principle.
And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
Christmas is full of doing “good” to those who did “good” to us. We give trying to bribe “good” from others. We give to get what we want. We give to repay what others have given. Of course, we give because we know they are expecting us to return the “giving”. It is all a game. God doesn’t count any of it in our books for righteousness. I wonder if our “books for righteousness” have even been opened in Heaven? If so, how many pages have you filled?
And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
Have you ever gone looking for “credit”? How excited you get when you are approved and think the lender loves you and cares for you? No, they are looking for profit. All they care about is your ability to pay it back with interest. Is that how you “lend”? And by the way, lending isn’t just about money. How about your time and emotions?
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
“Expecting nothing in return”. Yep, that is the problem. Coveting. Greed. Self-seeking. Down deep inside most who do good have nothing to do with “doing good”. It has to do with expecting something in return. Being “kind to the ungrateful and the evil” is not accepted in today’s world. When was the last time you befriended a sex offender? Would you take in a murderer? Or how about an inmate? Have you been kind to one who has offended you? It is easy to be kind to those who are kind to you. But perceived hurt, evil and unkindness in others is our excuse not to be “kind” to them. Therefore, you lose out on your heavenly reward because you are not a son or daughter of God. I thank all of you who are working with me to “do good” to those who cannot repay.
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Matthew stated it this way, “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect”. Unless we live as our Heavenly Father, perfect, merciful, kind and generous to those the world thinks are unworthy, then we will have no place in Heaven. We were not worthy of life. Jesus was perfect in His mercy to us and gave His life that we may have life. Are you being merciful?
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; . . .
As of this writing I have not seen my children since 1991. As “Christian” as they may think themselves, their lives are full of judgment, unforgiving and condemnation of me. When we live in our own little worlds of hate, revenge, judgement and condemnation, we are living in a prison that is destroying us. When we open up the prison doors we have created in our lives and walk out into the arms of Jesus, we will find the joy of living in Christ. To forgive from the heart is a very hard thing to do. Yet, if we want to be forgiven by God, we must love and forgive as God forgives.
. . . give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Give yourself to those you have been avoiding, hating, judging and condemning. Watch what happens. You may be looked upon with suspicion. I understand that completely. Duke was abused for 4 years. By the time he came into my life he had no idea what love was. He was afraid of people since he thought people were torture machines. It took three years of hard and persistent commitment to finally convince him that he was loved. Now he doesn’t want to be away from me. However, he had all fun and play abused out of him. In order to help him I went to the animal shelter and picked up a three month old for him. At first, Duke wanted nothing to do with Butch. He would growl, snarl and avoid him. But Butch would not give up. He thought all that growling, snarling and avoiding were just games. Finally Duke gave in and now they play, run and wrestle. It brings me great joy to see them having so much fun together.
In our lives, let us never give up in bringing joy, love, happiness and forgiveness to those who have hurt us or that we may have hurt by our attitudes and behaviors. Let us live as Jesus lived. We also will bring great joy to Jesus when He sees us having much fun together.
He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
Parents, churches and society are all blind men leading people to a pit. The pit of fire is waiting for all who refuse to live as Jesus lived. Knowing perfect theology won’t get us into heaven. Reading the JKV won’t get us into heaven. Knowing all the prophecies won’t get us into heaven. Belonging to a church or denomination we think has “perfect” truth of the Bible won’t get you into heaven. Getting into heaven has to do with our behavior: living as Jesus lived: perfect.
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
In the world today, parents, teachers, churches and government are trying to be “teachers”. And yes, they are fully training people to be just like themselves: sinful! We need to be teachers after the design of Jesus. Do you really want people to be like you?
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
It is amazing how often we stick our “log” into the lives of others but refuse to clean up the “log” in our own lives. Over and over again I hear and see people trying to clean up the “log” in others while their own lives are filled with a forest of logs. I get phone calls and letters from people trying to stick their logs in my eyes.
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
By this time in His discourse, Jesus is getting a bit “angry”. Notice the word “hypocrite”. When Jesus started this discourse He was talking more directly to His disciples. Then He turned His attention to include the people. But by this time in the discourse He is talking about “disciples” and “teachers” and is directing His teaching more towards the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Those who claimed to be “teachers” of the people. He is angry. Anger is not a sin. A righteous anger is of God. Paul, when told of a man having sexual relations with his father’s wife was angry. But when the man repented and turned away from his sins, Paul told them to accept him back with love and forgiveness as Paul had forgiven him. That is the loving anger of God. It is about helping others to change their lives. Our anger is usually based on hypocrisy and hurt feelings.
You see, in order to take the “log” out of people’s lives, we must desire to see clearly ourselves. Only through the eyes of Jesus are we able to see clearly. Removing logs takes great care. If they are trees that have been growing awhile, one must ascertain where to begin cutting. Great skill is needed. Then, when the “log” is about to fall, be sure to get out of the way. Otherwise it may hit you.
“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, . . .
In the Old Testament, God talked a lot about Israel as trees and vines. They were to produce good fruit in the Old Testament. But when they refused they were destroyed. Jesus is simply reiterating again Old Testament warnings against the leaders of Israel. If they didn’t start producing good fruit they also would be destroyed. Amazing how we forget our past. I think we need more history lessons. In the USA today there are those who don’t want you to know your past. Without knowing our past, we destroy our futures.
. . . for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.
Even little children are known by their actions. There are those children who are sweet, kind, obedient, unselfish and loving. Then there are those children who are mean, hurting and destructive. Prisons are full of men and women who were once children. What example are you giving children to follow? Are you living such good lives children will be able to pick good fruit from you?
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Let us put a watch over our mouths and actions. Let us train ourselves to live as Jesus lived. Let the world see who you are by your words and actions. This isn’t about putting on a show, we need to train our actions so the “abundance of the heart” will then show the character of Jesus.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
This one sentence baffles me. People who claim to be “Christian” along with churches and denominations who run around claiming Jesus as their Savior and Lord, but they don’t act or speak as if Jesus is their Lord. They want Jesus to be their Savior, but Lord? Oh no. They claim to have “Jesus in me”, but they refuse to live in obedience to Jesus. They do not want to “do what I tell you”. Jesus told us to be perfect, stop sinning and to keep the Ten Commandments to get our eternal life. Why don’t we listen? Why don’t we obey?
“Never, till exemplified in the sacrifice of Christ, were the justice and the love of God more strikingly displayed than in His dealings with Moses. God shut Moses out of Canaan, to teach a lesson which should never be forgotten—that He requires exact obedience, and that men are to beware of taking to themselves the glory which is due to their Maker.” PP 479.
“Exact obedience”. We are to be legalists for God! By “every word” that God has given for our eternal life. Legalism to man or church won’t get you into heaven. Only a legalist, “exact obedience” to the Ten Commandments will get you into Heaven. Keeping the feast days, holy days, church rules, rites, services or sacrifices will never get you into heaven. Claiming to “love” without “exact obedience” to the Law of Love, is not love. That is what Satan claimed in Heaven. He claimed that all we needed was “love”. But without the understanding of what true love is, “love” becomes selfish and destructive lawlessness of the devil.
Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
Very few are digging deep foundations to find the Rock of Jesus. Few are hearing the words of Jesus. Few are doing the words of Jesus. Few will be able to stand against the storm that is soon to shake the world.
The phrase, “who dug deep”, is interesting. He didn’t just kick some sand or dirt out of the way with the toe of his foot. The old trailer I was living in would rock and roll with the winds. It would leak when it rained. The rats and other critters found lots of ways to come in. When we laid the stem wall for the new trailer construction, we dug down to about four feet in those areas we put the rebar. Then, the part of the rebar sticking out of the concrete went through the plate and was screwed down tight. When the 100 mph winds came, along with earthquakes, the trailer never moved. Solid!
But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
While surfing the internet the other day, I came across a program about sunken cities. Several of these cities were around the Mediterranean Sea. Some were off the coast of Greece and Egypt. Why did they sink? It was stated that some of the cities were built on sand and had no rock foundations. Interesting, don’t you think?
Most are building their future on ground without any foundation on the words of Jesus. They hear, but do not listen. They hear, but do not do. There will be a great storm in a few years. However, few are preparing their lives. Few are building on the Rock of Jesus and His words. It is all about the sand of my church, my denomination, my opinions and what I want to believe. Nothing but sifting sand! What foundation are you building on?