‘ 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 …
Just Looking Good Isn’t Enough, Devotional Matthew 5:21-32
Just Looking Good Isn’t Enough Just looking good isn’t enough for God. As long as my focus is on my goodness and my effort to be good—or even my effort to be good in front of others, this section makes no sense because Jesus is not talking about meeting minimum standards, looking good, or just getting by. He is talking …
Salt and Righteousness, Devotional Matthew 5:13-20
Salt and righteousness, seek that which is real instead of the appearance of it. If something loses the essence of what it is and only the appearance remains, it is useless. In Jesus’ day, salt had many impurities, and when the salt washed away, the impurities remained. Then as now, many people like the Pharisees are concerned about the outward …
Temptation: It Depends on Your Direction, Devotional, Matthew 4:1-11
Temptation: Relevance? A discussion of temptation is only relevant when I seek a relationship with God. If my desire conforms to my own definition of good or to a casual, convenient, socially, postmodern, acceptable definition of good; a discussion of temptation remains relative. With no outside standard, I do essentially what I want as long as I don’t commit a …
- Page 2 of 2
- 1
- 2