BibleVersity

"...And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." - (Matt. 6:4, ESV)    Jesus uses the phrase above three different times in this chapter of Matthew: in relation to giving (v.4),  prayer (v.6), and finally fasting (v.18). We understand that when things are repeated in the Bible the author is letting us know that we need to pay attention to something is important.    We must be clear that Jesus is not telling us that others cannot  see these deeds. Anyone who has ever fasted while sharing a home with others understands that this is impossible. In addition, sometimes giving anonymously is just not possible. The same holds true with prayer.  So the questions is, "What is Jesus telling us?" Jesus is telling us is that spiritual deeds should not be done for the purpose of displaying our "spirituality" in front of others. If you fast more than a meal or two chances are good that someone will notice. Does this mean that your fast was useles...

"Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. - Joshua 1:3 (NASB)    If you look forward from this point in Joshua you will find that Josh and the Israelites are constantly driving out their enemies. At every turn they are taking up their swords and routing another enemy. In some cases, the enemy routes them. Eventually they manage to conquer the Promised Land, but not completely, for they let some of their enemies stay because the fight was too difficult.        This brings me back to the verse above. The LORD told Josh that He was going to "give" the land to him. Give. When I think about someone giving something to me, I envision me reaching out my hand and simply taking hold of what is being given. The LORD said He was giving the land to Josh, he simply had to reach out and take what God was giving. It belonged to His people, but His people would have to fight to claim it.    As...

"Lord, if You had been here, my brother wold not have died." - Jn. 11:21 & 32 (NASB)      This piercing statement was made not once but twice to Jesus, each time by a sister of Lazarus, and a friend of Jesus. However, the responses were much different. When Martha asked the question (v.21) , Jesus responded by telling her Lazarus was going to rise again (v.23) . She did not get it, so Jesus reminded her that He is the resurrection and the life. (v.25) She still did not get it. We know this because she responded to Jesus by avoiding His question. On the contrary, when Mary spoke those same words (v.32) Jesus responded by asking where Lazarus's body was buried, then proceeded to the tomb to resurrect him. (v. 34-44)         Why did Jesus respond to them differently? He could have just as easily asked Martha where Lazarus's body was buried. Perhaps Jesus wanted to engage the faith of each of these women at the level they were. In Luke, th...

"Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails…" - Psalm 143:7 (NASB)    Patience! That word alone generates all kinds of emotions within us. Many of us have heard, if not said it ourselves, "Don't pray for patience, for God will send trials on you that will teach you patience." While I am not so sure about the theological implications of that kind of prayer, it is apparent in each of our lives that patience is needed. If you read the entire Psalm 143, you will find that David is a wreck. We cannot be certain exactly what he was facing, but it involved his enemies, or the enemies of God, and it brought great pain into his life. When he uses phrases like, "crushed my life" , "dwell in dark places" , "my spirit overwhelmed within me" , and "my heart is appalled" , it is apparent that he is devastated on the inside. The sum total of his current situations brought him to the ground. It is during this time he cries out, ...

"Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O LORD." - Psalm 130:1 (NASB)    Any good parent is familiar with the different "cries" that children exhibit. Among these we find the I-have-a-boo-boo cry, which usually produces tears, both on the child and the parent. There is also the I'm-not-getting-my-way cry, which needs no explanation and is very similar to the I'm-not-getting-enough-attention cry. In addition, we are familiar with the there's-a-monster-in-my-closet cry, which demands immediate attention or no one will get any sleep. However, there is no other sound from a child that is like the cry of desperation, the cry when they are seriously hurt or in danger. This piercing cry penetrates the hearts of mommies, for it is a cry of terror, despair, and helplessness. This desperate plead is for intervention. As I read David's words this morning, this is the kind of "cry" I hear coming from his lips. What particular depths the Psalmist...

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him…" - (Jn. 6:44, NASB)    Jesus tells us plainly here in John's gospel account that, unless God the Father draws them, a lost person cannot come to Christ. The Greek word used here is helkyō *, and it means to drag away. As I think about that, the visual picture I get is of a parent walking into an ungodly location, grabbing their child's shirt collar, and "leading" them out into safety. The child, at that age, could most certainly resist and overpower their parent, but dare not because of the parent's authority and the repercussions that would follow.    In Christianity today, there is a thrust to make the gospel more "friendly" to the lost. In an effort to become more relevant we refer to sinners as "pre-Christians", substitute "lectures" for sermons, promote "life principles" instead of sin & judgment, mercy & grace, salvation & holines...

"…He came…and said to Peter…"…the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." - (Matt. 26:40-41, NASB)    Many of us are familiar with the words of Jesus highlighted above, and most of us can identify with the truth of Jesus statement. As I read this passage this morning, I noticed something that I had not put together before. When Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane, He took all the disciples with him, but only took Peter, James, and John with Him deeper into the garden.  Jesus went a little further alone and prayed. When he came back to the group, the Bible records that he found them sleeping. And, to be honest, it was past time for bed for these guys. Jesus wakes them up and rebukes them. Now, notice Jesus' words in verse 40, "And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to PETER." (emphasis mine) He did not necessarily rebuke James and John, but directed His words at Peter. Why is this? If you back-track to verse 33-35, you will f...