Jesus told stories about what the Kingdom was like. The Great I AM told stories to reveal what was really in man's hearts. Shouldn't we?
WHO is willing to come to the wedding feast dressed in righteousness? Don't miss it!
Matthew 22:14 "Many get invited; only a few make it." Strange Story Line. One of the biggest days of your life and they don't want to share it with you? Yet, those who did come didn't really care either---just came for a handout.
WHO is willing to take a look at what he is doing with his money?
"Then give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his."
WHO is willing to believe that God is able to move into our lives this day just like He did for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob?
Matt. 22:33 - HE is the God of the Living, I AM the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, and my God this very day. It's not I WAS but I AM!
WHO is willing to serious look at the stirrings of your idolatrous heart?
Matt. 22: 37 -40 Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.'...'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."
WHO is willing to stop putting people on pedestals?
Matt. 23: 1-4 The Pharisees are competent teachers but it's all spit-and-polish veneer, packaging bundles of rules---loving to sit at the head table, basking in prominent positions. "Don' let people put you on a pedestal (23:8). Wow, that is so prevelant in our Christian celeb society. "Don't set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Like authors and speakers and mega church preachers. Save that authority for God; let Him tell you what to do."
WHO is willing to simply be yourself. Let others tell you what's on your face.
"Do you want to stand out? Then step down (23:11). Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty (23:12).
WHO is willing to throw away the "record books?"
Matt 22:13 "I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees! Frauds! Your lives are roadblocks to God's kingdom. You refuse to enter, and won't let anyone else in either.
You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God's Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or leave it. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required. Do you have any idea how silly you look, writing a life story that's wrong from start to finish, nitpicking over commas and semicolons?
What life story are we writing? Has God set us up? How can we do these things? Do I even want to be myself? What are all these stories stirring up in your soul?
11 -12"Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.
ReplyDeleteI want my life to count for plenty, not plenty of stuff, but plenty of souls. I claim for the kingdom, the souls of my children, grandchildren and family. I will take responsibility to pray for them until they are Kingdom children. I don't like reading about the Pharisees, they remind me of myself, always looking for the law, not looking at the love. I accept the challenge, I believe He is able to move into my life this day. He is the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. He is the God of me and my family. He is the God of the Pearls.
Matthew 22: 1-4
ReplyDelete"Jesus responded by telling still more stories. "God's kingdom," he said, "is like a king who threw a wedding banquet for his son. He sent out servants to call in all the invited guests. And they wouldn't come! He sent out another round of servants, instructing them to tell the guests, 'Look, everything is on the table, the prime rib is ready for carving. Come to the feast!"
The Lord sends us invitations to be with Him through eternity, and to receive his invite, we must do so with open hands. And knowing that the one thing we absolutely need is the one thing we can never lose, and that is God's presence with us.
Janet- Your challenge, challenged me. I too will stand with you, and intercede for my family, friends, and our journey together as Pearls. Our intercession and belief that our God is Mighty and Able, and we will put our trust in the Lord.
Have a great Monday!!
I'm wrestling this morning with the knowledge that a friend is walking away from God. He's doubting everything he's ever believed. And he was in a position of spiritual leadership for years. Not the same man I once knew him to be. It's heartbreaking to watch.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't help thinking about him as I read today. He was someone who valued getting the "right" things done for God. As I think back, I realize that I never experienced him as a pray-er or as passionate for God's word. He was a doer. And now God has allowed trials in his life to show him where his rules and completed tasks have gotten him. Nowhere.
Jesus' harsh words for the Pharisees really spoke to me. "Frauds!". I am a Pharisee in so many ways. Demanding in my heart that things go my way and people do what I want them to do. Lord, I repent of all of my pet rules and what I think people must be and do. May I love you with everything that I am - all my passion, prayer, and intelligence - and allow that love to flow through me,
regardless of whether others meet my demands or not.
May I have God-blessed eyes to see You as You truly are. May I not make You into something You're not.
Today is "out" day. Please pray for our youth who are threatened by a value system that through "social tolerance" undermines traditional family values,especially marriage. My heart is breaking for these teens and adults. I have family members who support this movement, and today I will am praying God will reveal Himself to them.
ReplyDeleteGracious Lord,
ReplyDeleteThank You for Your Words being recorded as You spoke them and the great Mystery contained within them. Thank You for loving us enough to show us the way we are to live, the accountability for which we will answer. I am filled with conviction over these verses. I fall so short on each account. And yet, You delight in me. Change us from being "empty graspers into much loved givers!" (66LL p.208) You are the One I seek to please. Help me not to need people’s approval, but to fill that hole with You—more Love, more Grace, more of Your presence.
Help me to love You with all my passion, prayer and intelligence. Help me to live a life of love, giving others preference over myself. What is a little sacrifice except that it count for You. Help us to come eagerly to the great Wedding Feast fully clothed, appropriately, in Your righteousness. You are our authority, no one else is an expert over our lives. Give us the desire and equip us to live out our beliefs, not just be “spit and polish veneer”, talking a good line. May we be genuine through and through in our love, in our lives. You are the God of the Living, the Lord of our lives. To You alone be all glory and dominion and honor and power forevermore. Amen.
I just had a job interview this morning. My first one. It was rather delightful.
ReplyDeleteThat's Great! I will pray God's favor on you.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 23:13-39
ReplyDeleteMy Jesus is angry in these verses. These are some of the most convicting words He spoke...and He wasn't talking to sinners. He was addressing those who outwardly portray their perfect and holy goodness, but on the inside they are frauds.
Hypocrites.
I love how The Message reads in these verses. Hopeless and frauds. Jesus names the first and the last prophet murdered by these vipers. He has not forgotten a single detail of the cost of their obedience and the ones who were responsible for their murders.
But the last verse shows how much He longs even for these serpents to follow Him. Like a hen gathers her chicks.
My heart has always grieved over these verses.
Am I depending too much on my goodness and not enough on His Grace? It is so easy to judge others and mock them.
Who is the father of lies?
Who is the great deceiver of men?
Father, remove any way that I am deceived into thinking that I am holy because of my self-righteousness. Fill me with Your Spirit, displacing every dark corner of my heart. Light my life with the indwelling power of Your Spirit. Gather me, Lord, under Your Wings. I run to You. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Jan, standing with you today for my family and for all of our families. Praying for our youth and the attack being waged for their minds. So sad. TV really does appear to be promoting a lot of this today. In so many ways. I pray that God would secure our boundaries and shore up our weak places...sheltering us from the lies of the enemy.
ReplyDeleteCici, these are very hard teachings today. Bowing low and searching my own heart in the presence of the Holy One today. I need His cleansing.
SGG...I'm coming to that wedding banquet. He's invited everyone. My clothes have been washed by His blood. His Name is written on my heart.
Annette...praying that sweet prayer with you today. Much-loved givers. Love that.
Bev...hoping for the very BEST for you and Bob. Praying God's Will.
Rejoicing today that we are called to a marriage banquet! Many have refused to come. We are excited and ready...Matthew 25:1-13.