He Took Up Our Infirmities, Matthew 8:1-17

‘ He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases,’ verse 17, closes this section and is a reference to a portion of the prophecy about Jesus in Isaiah 53 where in verse 4 it says, ‘ Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering.’ These miracles of Jesus foreshadow something greater than physical healing. The physical healing …

Counterfeit Christianity, How to Avoid: Matthew 7:21—29

Counterfeit Christianity might have an outward appearance of the real thing, but it is really just appearance or form theology. Counterfeit Christianity lacks the depth of a relationship with Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. In this passage is the essential difference between religion and Christianity. Religious people stand before Jesus and point at the things they have …

Ask, Seek, Knock – Matthew 7:7-12

Ask, Seek, Knock Ask, Seek, Knock must be viewed in context of seeking the kingdom first. Then God provides understanding of true needs. Read chapter six again. Ask, seek, knock, and he will give me what I need for the day whether that be material, physical, spiritual, or intellectual. At this point in my study, if I ask, seek, knock, …

Judging George Zimmerman

Judging George Zimmerman has been a national pastime for several months. Yesterday’s post relates to this discussion of judging George Zimmerman. Many love judging people in the lime light and press. Judging George Zimmerman remains the norm. I confess that I must remain vigilant myself each day, identifying, rooting out, and confessing judgmental thoughts. This ugly national pastime of judging George Zimmerman …

Judging Others the Way You Want to Be Judged, Matthew 7:1-6

Judging others is wrong I am told. I hear this and I think perhaps I cannot decide what a person has just done is wrong. This passage doesn’t mean I if I see a bad behavior or hear an unkind word or witness a crime, I can’t think it wrong. What I cannot do is make a decision about that …

Done in Secret: A Measure of Belief, Devotional Matthew 6:1-18

‘ Done in secret’ sometimes carries a seedy connotation. These three things done in secret express  spirituality, Jesus says these things done in secret provide a measure of his reward. He emphasizes focus on my relationship with him, not on how others view me. Jesus wants me to focus on him, on depending on him to do the impossible, not …