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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (10/8): Matthew 7:15-23.

Oct8

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven….” Matthew 7:21.

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REVIEW – Do to others what you would like them to do to you. (Showing kindness first.) They may not always return the “good” back to you, but Jesus says this is the “gist” of the entire Law of God. And God demonstrated this in Jesus, sending Him to bear the wrath we deserved when we were still despicable sinners. Many people will not return God’s love and kindness with gratitude and belief. Instead, they will reject Him.

Many people will also choose the wide gate and easy way that leads to destruction. Some, a few, will take the narrow gate, thank God for their salvation, and walk the hard path. They will probably experience hate and martyrdom along the way, but will receive that promise of eternal life.

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Matthew 7:16-20.

Jesus then cautions them about false prophets (messiahs, preachers, televangelists). These may preach the “easy, wide, prosperous” way to God, but Jesus calls them “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” In other words, they might “look” like true Christians in a crowd, but take off that fake piety and there is a ravenous wolf-soul underneath, who wants to make YOU a child of hell, like him.

A ravenous wolf and a hungry, roaring lion both come from God’s arch-enemy. The devil wants nothing more than to lead people away from salvation in Jesus. He wants slaves to “works,” not free people of faith. And he doesn’t care if they are torn apart and devoured in the process. If he can’t get to Jesus, he will attack us, Jesus’ followers.

Beware! Be aware!

How? Jesus says you, if you are discerning, awake, and watching, will recognize them by their “fruit.” Yes, be a fruit inspector!

Women, and maybe men, shop for produce in the market. We pick up an apple, a tomato, an onion, or a bag of plums. We check them for bruises, rotten spots, and more. If we find slimy leaves on the lettuce or mold in the bottom of a box of berries, we put them back. We disregard them, turn our backs, and walk away. If we find a lot of this rot, we may even shop somewhere else.

Be that picky, that aware, that discerning in those who teach you – even on this blog!! Compare always with the Bible.

A market collects the rotten food and tosses it into the garbage bins to be hauled off. In Jesus’ time, they chopped down a diseased tree or vine and threw it into the fire.

If you can, take a few minutes and read Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:1-13.

“Let no one deceive you with empty words…”

“Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true…”

“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness…”

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Matthew 7:21-23.

And now comes the scary part.

Jesus tells them, those listeners on the hillside, that “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Not the false prophet. Not the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Not the slicked-down, grinning, gold-jewelry-bedecked TV evangelist, not even that sweet school teacher.)

He continues, “But (only) the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

“Not even the ones who say, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?” Nope. Not even those ‘miracle workers.’

Jesus says He will look at them and say… “I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness (or iniquity).”

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So… What IS God’s will?

John 6:40 – Jesus told the crowds at another time, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life.”

The fake believers are the ones who depend on their works to save them, not on faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus. They reject Jesus’ sacrifice and offer of eternal life. They want to do it “their way.” THESE are the ones who will be turned away.

And yes, some of these false witnesses, in Jesus’ time (think Judas), in our time, and in the tribulation to come, WILL (and did) PERFORM miracles and try to deceive the very elect!!

But God sees hearts, whether they are true or false. “I never knew you,” Jesus says.

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But Jesus DOES know His own.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28

Praise God!

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (10/7): Matthew 7:7-14.

Oct7

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“So, whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12

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REVIEW – We saw several “Don’ts” in yesterday’s study. “Don’t judge your brother’s failings before taking care of your own.” “Don’t give holy things to dogs.” “Don’t give ‘pearls’ to pigs.” (And the day before, “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth.” and “Don’t be anxious.”)

No one likes to be given all these restrictions. They feel like heavy burdens, like “THE LAW.” But they are for the good of the ‘Kingdom dwellers.” Today Jesus will show his listeners on that hillside the good and better way … even if it is quite narrow.

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Matthew 7:7-8.

“ASK, and it WILL BE given to you … SEEK, and you WILL FIND … KNOCK, and it WILL BE OPENED to you.”

As if they didn’t hear correctly, Jesus repeats this. “For EVERYONE who asks receives, and the one who seeks, finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.”

Did those people sit there dumbfounded, mouths half open? Did they ask themselves if these promises were honest-to-goodness true? In our day, we (or at least kids) might ask, “Is this Man a ‘genie with three wishes to grant?’

But Jesus is speaking of the goodness, kindness, and grace of His heavenly Father to those who come into His kingdom. To those who believe His gospel. To those whose hearts have been changed.

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Matthew 6:9-11.

Jesus gives examples from THEIR world, showing how this love, to a minor degree, works in their families.

“Which of YOU, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? (They look around at each other and shake their heads. Not me!)

Or, “If your son asks for a fish, which of you will give him a snake?” (Moms are aghast at THIS thought and frown at Jesus. No way!)

“No! You, who are evil (compared to the Lord God), know how to give GOOD gifts to your children. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ASK?”

You can almost see hope spreading through the crowd. Yes… God might answer our prayers. Jesus says He will. Can we believe it….?

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Much later, Jesus’ brother James repeats this idea in his letter. See James 1:17 says, “EVERY good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is NO variation or shadow due to change.”

God doesn’t change His mind. He is not ‘wishy-washy’ with His promises. What He says, He does. We can trust Him. So, Jesus says, ask Him, seek Him and His goodness, knock on the doors of heaven. HE WILL answer!

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Matthew 7:12.

“The Golden Rule.” You’ve probably heard it many times. It sounds glib, easy to do… but is it?

“So, whatever you wish that others would do to YOU, (you) do to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus says this “rule” is the gist of all the principles in the Old Testament.

At another time, He would tell them that to “Love God supremely, and others as yourself” was ALL the Law.

Jesus puts this “rule” as a positive statement. Whatever (good) you wish to be done to you … do that to others. (Of course, it doesn’t always follow that if we treat others well, they will respond back in the same way. But we have learned that our Father, who sees our good works, WILL reward us.)

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The Golden Rule was not new. Rabbis wrote it before Christ; you can even find it in Hinduism and Buddhism!! (Whoa!) BUT they always wrote it in the NEGATIVE. “What is hateful to yourself, do NOT to someone else.”

THINK ABOUT THAT. How is it different from what Jesus said? IS there a difference?

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Matthew 7:13-14

“Enter by the narrow gate…’

“… for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are MANY, for the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are FEW.”

Wide and narrow,

Easy and hard,

Destruction and life,

Many and few.

Two ways to heaven and eternal life are offered to people. The narrow gate is by faith, through Christ alone. This is true salvation in GOD’s way, and its reward is heaven. The wide gate includes all religions of works and self-righteousness. This is MAN’s way. It leads to hell.

Jesus emphasizes the difficulty in following Him – it’s like taking up a cross and being crucified!! (Matthew 10:38-39, 16:24-25) “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22)

True salvation is by grace alone, but it’s not easy. It involves knowing the truth, repenting, submitting to Jesus as Lord, and being willing to obey His word and will, wherever that leads. Not easy, but glorious.

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In this last section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus will continue to show the division between true believers and those who are “just coming along for the ride.” It will get quite serious…even scary.

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (10/5): Matthew 6:25-34.

Oct5

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” Matthew 6:33.

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REVIEW – What is at the CENTER of our thinking, our vision, and our emotions? Jesus said they should be on things “above,” towards the light, and on God.

“Where your treasure is, there will your HEART be.”

“If your EYE is healthy, your whole body will be full of Light.”

“LOVE and serve only one Master: the Lord God.”

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Matthew 6:25.

“Therefore… Jesus connects those “heavenly” ideas above to the down-to-earth worries we all have. He says that if our hearts are devoted to things above, our vision is centered on the light of truth, and we love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies… then we should not be anxious about anything.

Jesus instructed us to pray simply, “Give us this day our daily bread.” If we pray sincerely and with faith, why should we worry about food or anything else?

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Matthew 6:26.

Jesus tells his followers (sitting on the hillside and us too) to Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are YOU not of more value than the birds?”

As His listeners looked up and spotted some sparrows or gulls, they might have nodded slightly in agreement. “Huh, I never thought about that.”

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Matthew 6:27.

“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his lifespan?” We today would probably agree totally, and in fact know that anxiety and stress can actually subtract hours, days and years from your life.

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Matthew 5:28-30

“Consider the lilies of the field how they grow…” Surely this crowd glanced around at the flower covered hills, and perhaps even picked a small daisy or scarlet poppy growing by their knee to look at it closely.

“…they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” More nods as they really look closely at the intracacies of the flowers around them.

“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

Perhaps foreheads are wrinkled in consternation as they consider the velvety petals of the flowers compared to the roughspun material of their own tunics and robes. There’s a bit of doubt there as they doubt they’d ever have robes like Solomons. Perhaps their faith WAS small.

Then Jesus brings them back to His Kingdom.

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Matthew 6:31-33.

Since God takes such good care of His world – from the tiny birds that flit in the air to the fields of flowers covering the hills around Capernaum – “Therefore, DO NOT BE ANXIOUS! ”

“Don’t say, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink? or ‘What shall we wear?’ for your heavenly Father KNOWS that you need them all.”

God knows all of that. Trust Him.

“But seek FIRST the kingdom of God and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, and all these things will be added to you.”

Take care of the things God has called you to do… first. And He will take care of the things you need. No problem.

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.“Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness, Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust in Him, and He will act. He will bring forth YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS as the light and your justice as the noon day.” Psalm 37:3-6

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:31.

Again, Jesus is pressing them to look up to the things of God.

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Matthew 6:34.

“Therefore (the third time He uses the word in this section, Jesus is building on each truth, taking them deeper into the heart of God), “…do not be ANXIOUS about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

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But also, we are not to be PRESUMPTUOUS.

James 4:13-14 – “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead your OUGHT to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'”

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (10/2): Matthew 6:19-24.

Oct2

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

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REVIEW – Jesus finished a triad of ways you can honestly serve God rightly. He also showed how to turn them into ways to boast about yourself.

What is your REAL motive in giving to the poor? What does your prayer life look like? If you ever fast, who knows you are doing it? Jesus wants to make sure His disciples’ motives for these duties are pure, and not selfish and self-aggrandizing.

Give your offerings, pray, and fast “as unto the LORD.” Do them in secret so people don’t see and praise you. God will reward you in lasting ways you can’t imagine.

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Matthew 6:19-21.

Have you, or do you know of anybody who has ever had their home burglarized? A car stolen? A purse or wallet snatched? It’s disheartening! You get mad! That was MY stuff!

Have you ever left a tool or some garden equipment out over a season, only to find it rusted, dull, and useless when you wanted to use it? Now you will have to go somewhere and spend more money. Disheartening! You might even get mad.

Or when the weather cools, and you take out a wool blanket or sweater that you stored over the summer, only to find it full of holes? Disappointed, disheartened, and … well, can you get mad at a moth?

If this sounds familiar in any way…

Then you know what Jesus means in these verses. Our “treasures” are vulnerable to theft and decay, even if we take uber-good care of them. This earth, everything on it, and we ourselves are not built to last HERE.

Do you know this old song?

"This world is not my home,
I'm just a-passing through.
My treasures are laid out,
Somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me
From Heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home,
In this world any more!"

It came from these verses in Matthew.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there will your heart be.”

Where our treasure is…

What kind of treasure can be stored up in heaven for us? It may relate to these earlier verses in chapter 6 (4, 6, 18). “And your Father who sees in secret will REWARD you.

1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

That’s the treasure, the reward we should have our hearts set upon. So when we die, our desire will immediately fly to heaven.

Jesus told a parable (Luke 12) about a rich fool who built more and more barns to store all “his stuff”. Then one night God said his time was up. Then who got all that treasure? You can load all your gold into your coffin, but it isn’t going to heaven with you.

This actually leads into the next two verses…

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Matthew 6:22-23.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If that light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”

If your eyes (your heart) are focused on heaven and the things of God, and pleasing Him, then they are healthy, and you will see and live in “the Light.”

But if your eyes are “sick” and focused only inward on YOU and YOUR STUFF and all the PLEASURE you can get for yourself in the here and now, then your heart is full of darkness. And THAT darkness can be truly great.

And that leads us to the next very familiar verse.

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Matthew 6:24,

“No man (or woman) can serve two masters, for either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You CANNOT serve God and money.” (earthly treasure)

Try it. It doesn’t work.

If you love money, okay, let’s just say “like” the money YOU earn, you will not give it up easily except for yourself. It’s yours; you worked hard for it. You want to spend it…on yourself. It becomes your master.

And if you lose it in a bad investment, or it gets stolen, you are left with nothing. And you get MAD, disheartened… etc., etc.

Or, if God asks you to give to the needy, or even if you see a friend in need, you will keep that money hidden behind your back or in a cookie jar, and you will tell the needy person, “I’m so sorry. I just don’t have anything extra at the moment.”

You can’t love your hard-earned wealth, be devoted to it, carefully save every penny, and put it into wise stocks or a 401-K, and also give freely and generously to the needy or the Lord’s work.

Jesus is asking His followers on that hillside (and us) to guard our hearts, our eyes, and our money. Send our “treasure,” whatever it might be, on to heaven. Love Him, not our stuff, our money, or ourselves.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (10/1): Matthew 6:5-18.

Oct1

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:6

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REVIEW – The first of Jesus’ three warnings against hypocrisy in a believer’s life was about charitable giving. Yes, this is a good thing. Many people are needy and poor, and a believer who has been blessed by God with so great a salvation, not to speak of material things, should be willing to bless others with their help and finances.

But the WAY we give is also important. Jesus condemns those who make a show of it, who want people to see and praise them for it. These folks get their reward right then. God’s way is to give secretly and humbly. HE will see this and reward us.

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Matthew 6:5-8.

“When you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.”

Jesus warns us against hypocrisy in prayer. It’s hard to imagine this sin showing up in such a sacred action as communing with our heavenly Father, but Jesus says “when,” not “if,” it does. We’re sinners, so I guess we should expect our hearts to be tempted in this way. So how can we tell if our hearts are not right, even when we pray?

“They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners…”

There’s nothing wrong so far. We can stand to pray in church and Bible study meetings; we can even stand on a street corner and pray. Before the broadcast media we have today, street preachers often prayed and preached on street corners. It’s not the action, but the heart attitude.

“…that they may be ‘seen’ by others.”

Seen by others as ‘pious’. Seen by others as way ‘more righteous’ than any of them. Seen and even praised for their ‘dedication to God’. THIS is what Jesus condemns. This is what will NOT be rewarded.

“But when YOU pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who SEES in secret will reward you.”

Let’s make our prayer time private, between only the Lord and ourselves. Others need not see or hear our groaning, weeping, confessing, or thanking God. Alone with the Lord, we can pour out our hearts’ longings, fears, and disappointments. We can earnestly intercede for a friend or family member. We can also engage in joyous, exuberant praise.

See how honest this is? If we look for man’s praise, we could never speak to God in this way. (And He won’t respond anyway.)

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.What is the other way that Jesus says we are hypocrites in prayer?

“When you pray, do not “heap up empty phrases” as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard (by God) for their “many words.” Do not be like them.”

This is basically being in love with our own words. When we do this, we are really praying to ourselves, admiring how we say it, marveling at our lofty, theological speech, how beautiful and poetic it sounds. And if others hear these “great” words, all the better!

Example: The Pharisee’s prayer in the temple in Luke 18:9-14:

“ The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’”

This man was praying to himself, and to the people around him, while the “tax collector,” whom he considered a great sinner, prayed off in the corner to God alone. “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Whose prayer was “rewarded?” Jesus said it was the tax collector who went home justified.

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Matthew 6:9-13.

Then Jesus teaches His listeners, those who are following Him, His disciples… HOW to pray. “Pray then like this:”

The following words are so familiar to us, we could probably recite them in our sleep. But Jesus says this is the WAY believers are to pray. (NOT the actual same words.)

Notice first, the prayer begins with praise to our Father in Heaven, unlike how that Pharisee began.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…” Hallowed means “holy,” set apart. Psalm 111:9b says, “Holy and awesome is His name.”

We might begin our praying with these words. Dear God (or Father in heaven), “Your name is holy and awesome!” Then continue with the praise for Him that wells up in your heart.

If you need help, many of the Psalms praise the Lord beautifully, including more in Psalm 111. “Great and wonderful are Your works.” “Your righteousness endures forever.” “You are gracious and merciful.” “You remember your promises forever.” “Your word is trustworthy.” “You sent redemption to your people (Jesus).”

You could spend an hour this way in praise – in your room, with the door shut, alone with God.

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“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Before you put ONE REQUEST into your prayer, acknowledge that you willingly submit to all God’s purposes and plans for your life – for HIS glory.

Remember how Jesus prayed in Gethsemane? “Nevertheless, not MY will, but YOUR will be done.”

Remember also Roman 8:28. Perhaps even pray it: “Father, I know that, because I love You and You have called me according to Your own purposes, all things will work together for my good, even the things I consider trials. I trust You in this and submit to Your perfect will.”

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NOW that our minds and spirits are willing for God’s will in our lives, we can offer our requests, both for ourselves and for others. We can also confess our sins against Him and others, assured that He will hear and forgive, for He has promised. (1 John 1:9)

“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts (sins), as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

See how THIS humble prayer is so opposite the prideful, boasting words of the Pharisee?

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

We KNOW, that our holy God does NOT tempt us to do evil. (James 1:13), but He WILL allow situations where evil is present to tempt us, teach us, and strengthen (or humble) us.

Remember Job (Job 2:9 – allowing Satan to hurt Job in every way but death).

Remember Peter. (Luke 22:31 – allowing Satan to “sift Peter like wheat.”)

Of course, we don’t WANT these trials and may pray not to experience them, but God knows what is best for our spiritual growth. He may allow trials that hurt and seem like evil, but KNOW that He is faithful and…

“He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to ENDURE it.” And ultimately HE will receive the glory for our growth in holiness.

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Matthew 6:14-15.

Then it seems, Jesus goes back to expand on one point in that sample prayer. Forgiving others. “Or else… God will not forgive you.”

Yep, that’s a hard one. WE feel hurt, defiled, ridiculed, belittled, etc., etc., etc. WE want revenge. We do NOT want to forgive others (in our natural flesh). Even as believers, who have been washed in the cleansing blood of Jesus, totally forgiven and bound for heaven, even now, we often hold grudges.

Jesus warns against this, saying if we do, God will NOT forgive us.

WHAT? Does He take back our salvation, our assurance of heaven? NO! That eternal forgiveness is sure.

As with Jesus at the last supper with His disciples, they had been “washed” (saved by faith in Him). They needed only the dust of the world cleaned from their feet. DAILY sins need to be confessed. Grudges need to be released. Reconciliation needs to be made. This clears our heart, and God “washes our feet” so to speak.

Oh, and that feels so good. To be clean!

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Matthew 6:16-18

The third Christian duty – fasting – can also be corrupted by our pride.

Like with giving and praying, our fasting from food (or even other things that are important to us) for the sake of spending more time with our Lord, should be NOT visible to others. We shouldn’t go around with a gloomy face, a hungry look, drab clothing … so that people ask whats the matter, or assume we are fasting and praise us for our “holiness.”

This would be disgusting to God, I would think. No, as with the other things, our fasting should be a secret and precious thing shared only with our loving Father.

Self denial is personified in Jesus.

Let us look to Him always, who, “though he was in the form of God, did ot count equality with God a thing to be grasped,but made Himself nothing taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of man. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.” Philippians 2:6-8.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/30): Matthew 6:1-4.

Sep30

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“Beware of practicing your righteous deeds before other people in order to be seen by them…” Matthew 6:1

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REVIEW – Jesus has been teaching the crowd on the mountainside that those in HIS kingdom are righteous. They carry their obedience to the Law beyond the “letter” (the actual words) to the very heart of the Law and their God. Don’t do the least you can to obey the Law; instead, go beyond what you can to show love for your Father in heaven and to all people.

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Matthew 6:1-2.

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.”

Remember, Jesus is not saying these people were righteous. Even the uber-righteous-acting Pharisees fell FAR short of what God required. See Matthew 5:20. Jesus is talking here about righteous acts, the things they did, and WE do, that make us “feel” like we’re not so bad after all.

In this section (6:1-21), Jesus talks about giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting. Any or all of these can become a way to pump up our pride. Beware, because our “righteousness” comes only from the Lord.

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“Thus when you give…” Yes, we are to give to the needy. God WANTS us to do this.

Deuteronomy 15:11 “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’“

It’s not THAT we give our money, but HOW we do it, that Jesus calls attention to.

“…sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues (Can you imagine that?) and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.”

Jesus condemns giving our “alms” blatantly, boastfully, drawing attention to ourselves when we drop a dollar (or a hundred) in the offering plate or hand a coin (or a five) to a homeless man. Do we make sure someone is watching first? Do we wave our offering about so people look our way?

Beware, Jesus says, for you have your reward right there in the moment. No “treasure” is stored up for you in heaven for this selfish, prideful act. If man sees and approves of your actions, God usually does not.

So how ARE we to give to the poor, to missions, to the work of our church?

In secret.

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Matthew 6:3-4.

Jesus says, when you give, don’t let “your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”

What does that mean? Are we talking about husband and wife here? No, giving is actually something that a married couple should share.

Jesus implies you should give so discreetly that you don’t even mentally congratulate yourself or dwell on your own generosity. Keep your giving to the needy, or tithing to your church, a secret. (Okay, your church treasurer knows how much, but that’s another discussion.)

If you do this, YOU will feel better (guaranteed), and your heavenly Father (the One who really counts) will reward you. He SEES either way you give, but when you give “for His sake alone,” He will reward you.

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What kind of reward? You won’t know. OR…maybe you will. We have found that when we are faithful to the Lord in giving – in obedience and to please Him – He blesses us in so many ways we can’t keep up.

Read Malachi 3:10. Really! Do it right now!

And if you have time, read Philippians 4:14-19 too.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/29): Matthew 5:38-48.

Sep29

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 6:44

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REVIEW – Jesus has been comparing the Law and the teachings of the religious leaders to the principles of the kingdom of heaven. He taught how God’s rule on telling the truth when making a vow, and promptly fulfilling it, applies to all our promises. Don’t try to impress others by vowing extraordinary things. Don’t be known as procrastinators. Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain. Instead, let your promises be YES, I will do it, or NO, I can’t do it right now. Yes or No; nothing more. Then follow through if it’s a yes.

(NOTE: After yesterday’s post, I was convicted about a particular “vow” (promise) that I often fail to keep. When someone tells me of a struggle or sad situation they are dealing with, I often respond, “I’ll pray for you.” But then I don’t. I forget. It would have been better for me NOT to have promised (vowed).

So now, I will try to either stop right then and pray for the person or situation before we part, or I will write it somewhere (phone, notepad, palm of my hand) to remind me at my prayer time. Please, LORD, help me to be more faithful in keeping my vows to others and to You.)

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Matthew 6:38-42.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth…'”

Yes, that IS in the Bible. It’s in Exodus 21:24, and it includes WAY more than eyes and teeth.

“…if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

Leviticus 21:24 adds “fracture for fracture” and says this law applied to Israelites as well as other peoples living in their land.

WOW!!

BUT… the whole point is NOT personal retaliation. It’s judgment on an offense, ruled by a judge. Not by an individual, and not in the heat of the moment. It was for the protection of the injured, sort of an insurance policy. It was also a pretty good deterrent.

But what this law in Moses’ time REALLY accomplished was EQUAL punishment for the crime. A person who knocked out a tooth might lose a tooth too, but they were not to lose their life. And not everyone else in their family was to lose a tooth. The person guilty would receive just punishment, and then it was DONE.

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But what about Jesus’s words? “But I say to you, ‘Do not RESIST the one who is evil.”

This is about personal retaliation. It is NOT about a criminal offense or a military aggression. And it ties in with what Jesus will say next about loving your enemy. It is how a citizen of the kingdom of heaven, having the “attitudes” Jesus first explained, would respond to personal injustice.

“But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Didn’t Jesus do this with Pilate’s soldiers?)

“And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

“And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. (Think of Simon who was forced to carry the cross for Jesus.)

“Give to the one who begs from you, and “do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

Give up your personal rights (and/or your possessions) for the sake of the kingdom. Why? WHY should we do this???

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Matthew 6:43-48.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'”

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you … so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

“You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

WHOA! No way!!

But Jesus says, ‘Yes, way.’

Because even “tax collectors” (the worst people in the view of a pious Pharisee), even THEY love the neighbors who love them back. And yes, because even Gentiles (looked down on by ALL Jews) greet only their brothers and not others.

Jesus is telling His listeners on that mountainside that THEY (if they are to be citizens of His kingdom) must be different. Other people should be able to SEE the difference in them (like a city on a hill). They are to be like sons of their Father in heaven. They are to be PERFECT as their Heavenly Father.

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It’s impossible, you say. I say that too! We can never do all that Jesus says people of His kingdom do. We are sinners, imperfect, and on our best day, we are sinful enough to send us straight to hell.

So what are we to do? How are we to take Jesus’ words?

Little by little, Jesus is showing them (and us) that we CANNOT be perfect. We cannot even be good. We are sinners. It’s why we need Jesus, why He came.

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As these Jewish people knew so well from the Law, the only way anyone could approach a holy God was with a sacrifice; a substitute; that would die in their place after they symbolically laid their hands (and their sins) on its head before killing it.

Were they perfect? No. But when the holy God saw the blood of the lamb covering their sin, they could approach Him.

Jesus was showing them that picture, one step at a time. First, their sin and inability to be perfect; then that HE would BE the (only) way they could approach their Heavenly Father.

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“For our sake, God made Him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/28): Matthew 5:33-37.

Sep28

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“.” Matthew

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REVIEW – Last time, Jesus taught about adultery and divorce in His kingdom of heaven, where humility, gentleness, mercy, and purity of heart should be found. Betrayal in the form of unfaithfulness should be the ONLY reason for divorce, and even then, it would be better to confess your sins to one another (James 5:16), forgive, and be reconciled.

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Matthew 6:33-36.

“You’ve heard it said by those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn‘.” (See Leviticus 19:12, Numbers 30:2, and Deuteronomy 23:21, 23.)

In other words, if you make a vow to God or to another person, fulfill it quickly and completely. That’s pretty easy to understand. If you say you will do something, do it. Be honest and honorable.

Now you may have been “less than honest” in the past, so others no longer believe your promises. What are you to do?

In this case, Jesus says not to multiply your sins. “Do not take an oath, either by heaven or the earth, or by Jerusalem.” (to make it sound like you are really, REALLY sincere this time) For these are holy to God. Instead of making your vow or promise more sure, you are profaning the things of God.

(Isaiah 66:1 quotes the LORD saying, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.” Psalm 48:2 says that Jerusalem is “the city of the Great King,” referring to God, not David.)

Jesus says you aren’t even to swear “by your head,” for you can’t make one hair white or black. (Well, today, you CAN by using hair dye, but He means that when you swear, you can’t.)

And no one will believe you more if you “swear by your grandmother’s grave,” or your “class ring,” or by “crossing your heart,” or by “linking pinkie fingers.”

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Matthew 5:37.

So what is the solution for someone who sincerely wants to live in the light of the kingdom of heaven?

Jesus makes it simple. Just say “Yes.” Or “No.” And mean it. “Anything more than this comes from evil. (the evil one).

Start now; it may take a while for others to believe your promises. Like the LORD, your word should be true. Always.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/24): Matthew 5:17-26.

Sep24

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20

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REVIEW – True disciples of Jesus are “salt” and “light” to the world. Our manner of life, our “attitudes,” and our testimonies should cause others to thirst for Jesus. And by not hiding our faith, either in the world or in our families, we can show others how to find Him.

It’s not that His followers SHOULD BE salt and light; we ARE salt and light. So let’s allow Him to shake us out of our comfort zones, remove our timidness and fears, and change us into bold witnesses for Him.

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Matthew 5:17-20.

The Law.

Does Jesus teach “the Law”?

Now that the Messiah has come, do we ignore the Law?

What was/is the purpose of the law then, and now?

Right off, Jesus makes one thing clear to His listeners. He has NOT come to abolish (get rid of, or nullify) the Law.

Jesus said, “I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill the Law. Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one ‘jot or tittle’ will pass from the Law until ALL is accomplished.”

NOTE: Jots and tittles were the tiny marks that made up the Hebrew letters (like the dots over the i’s and j’s, and the crossing of the t’s in English).

Jesus fulfilled the “moral law” by keeping it perfectly.

Jesus fulfilled the “ceremonial law” by being everything the types and symbols pointed to.

And Jesus fulfilled the “judicial law” by exhibiting God’s perfect justice and ‘paying the wages’ of OUR sin on the cross.

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“Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same, will be called ‘least’ in the kingdom…” and “…whoever does and teaches them will be called ‘great’…”

Don’t ignore God’s law: obey it humbly, and teach it rightly.

And then that shocker!

‘Unless YOUR righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will NEVER enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The people saw and heard the religious leaders brag about keeping the last speck of the law (no, going over and beyond it!), and how they paraded their good deeds before all the ‘lesser’ people, even thanking God that THEY were not like those nobodies. How could anyone keep the law better than they?

Jesus saw right through the Pharisees’ shiny facade to the filth and defilement (pride, greed, hate) in their hearts. He would later call them out, comparing them to ‘whitewashed tombs’. No, the people of HIS kingdom were to exhibit true righteousness, which comes from acknowledgment of sin and godly repentance.

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Matthew 5:21-26.

‘You have heard that it was said…”

And now Jesus begins a section of “explaining” the heart and truth of the Law – those parts of God’s word that the Pharisees didn’t “get.” He begins the next six sections in Matthew five with these or similar words, then gives the text from Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.

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“…You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.” (Exodus 20:13)

Then, Jesus goes deeper into God’s law, revealing the heart attitudes that come BEFORE the act of murder.

“But I say to you that everyone who is ANGRY with his brother… whoever INSULTS his brother… whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to judgment, and… even the hell of fire.

WOW! Why?

Because those are “murder” in your heart and mouth. It just hasn’t come out in actions.

How often have I been angry with a loved one, insulted them, or called them offensive names!!! Jesus says these are worthy of judgment as much as murder. HIS kingdom is one of meekness, mercy, purity of heart, and a desire to reconcile with others. THIS is the heart of God behind the law.

So what is Jesus’ resolution to these angry attitudes towards others?

Don’t keep on going like nothing is wrong while you seethe inside (or perhaps plot violence!).

Jesus says to “reconcile with your brother and quickly come to terms with your accuser,” and only THEN can you come before Him with a “pure heart” and make your offerings. He will accept them now.

And you won’t end up in the hangman’s noose or in prison with a life sentence.

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(Oh, boy, has this smacked me in the face! I was recently very angry with my husband. I insulted him and called him a fool, in so many words. It has weighed heavily on my conscience. THIS is NOT how I must live in Jesus’ kingdom. Today, when he returns from work, I will apologize, ask for his forgiveness, and reconcile with him. And THEN I will go to my Heavenly Father and do the same.)

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/21): Matthew 4:23-25.

Sep21

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching… and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom…. and healing…” Matthew 4:24.

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REVIEW – Jesus called four men – Peter and Andrew, James and John – to leave their boats, nets, and fishing occupation to follow Him and become “fishers of men.” They did not hesitate.

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.Matthew 4:23.

Jesus’ ministry begins almost as a whirlwind throughout all Galilee. He taught in their synagogues, proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom on hillsides and at every opportunity, and He healed every disease and affliction among the people.

WOW.

Each sabbath in the synagogues, a certain passage from the Law, Prophets, or Psalms was read and taught. When Jesus attended, He taught them with authority rather than quoting the opinions of Rabbis or traditions. The people were amazed. (See Matthew 7:28-29)

Jesus would also proclaim the kingdom of heaven: that God was near, that people should repent and turn to Him, and live a life of humility, mercy, service, and sacrifice (see the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ to follow).

Jesus “healed EVERY disease and affliction among the people.” This was not only a show of mercy, but it confirmed His claim to be the Messiah. (See Isaiah verses below.)

Isaiah 35:5-6 says, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.”

And Isaiah 29:18-19. “In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.“

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Matthew 4:24.

“So His fame spread throughout all Syria.”

Whoa, I had to look this up. On most maps, Syria is a huge country north and east of Israel. Nowhere in the gospels does it say Jesus went there. (Yes, He did visit a Syro-Phoenician woman near coastal Tyre & Sidon to heal her sick daughter.) So, how did the people of “Syria” hear and bring Jesus their sick?

On a map that shows the territories of the Herods during Jesus’ early years, we see that Herod Philip ruled north of Galilee, Herod Antipas ruled Galilee, and Archelaus, then the Roman governors, ruled Judea and Idumea (south). But right in the middle, at the bottom edge of the Sea of Galilee and below, across the Jordan River, there was a section granted by Caesar Augustus to “the Province of Syria.” And also a small section over near the Mediterranean Sea by Mount Carmel.

Huh! Well, God’s word is never wrong. History and archaeology just take time to catch up.

And notice there was no limit to Jesus’ compassion and power. “They brought Him ALL the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, AND HE HEALED THEM ALL.”

(NOTE: Some say that by the time Jesus went to the cross, there was no sickness or disease at all in Israel. Quite a thought. If so, that would be quite a preview of the Millennial Kingdom!)

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Matthew 4:25.

Was it because of Jesus’ healings that the “great crowds” of people from all the areas around Galilee, down to Judea and Jerusalem, and even across the Jordan River flocked to Him?

Masses of people came, hobbling, being led, or bringing loved ones who needed to be carried (or corralled). They clogged the streets, pressing, pulling, and pressuring Jesus from all sides.

Did none come to hear his life-giving words?

Did none stay to sit at His feet, listen, and believe what He said?

Some.

A few.