Read Matthew 7

“You will know them by their fruits.”
(Matthew 7:16)

Thoughts… My father used to say, “The Bible says we’re not supposed to judge, but it doesn’t say we shouldn’t be inspecting the fruit.” That’s pretty sage advice in light of what Jesus taught.

The world likes to quote Jesus’ words in verse 1, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” That verse has been used like a sledgehammer against Christians who take a moral stand on just about any issue in our culture today. But Jesus never intended his words to intimidate believers into moral silence. We have been called to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15), compelling people to a higher way while avoiding the sin of self-righteousness and judgmentalism that truly is a turn off to everyone—sinners, saints and even God himself.

When Jesus spoke against judging in verses 1-8, he was specifically taking a stand against what had become the national pastime in Israel—evaluating people’s spirituality by their outward observance of the minutiae of the law and their acts of religious piety. That’s why Jesus said in verses 21-23 that there will be those who stand before God claiming goods deeds as their meal ticket to eternal life, but will be refused entrance. Good deeds won’t get you to God—only grace will.

So how do we know who is good with God and who is not? How do we know we are secure in our salvation? Easy! Just inspect the fruit being produced from one’s life:

• Is there the fruit of repentance? John the Baptist called attention to that in Matthew 3:8 (see January 3 in this blog). This is the first fruit of a God-honoring life.
• Is there the fruit that comes from abiding in Christ? Jesus addressed this in John 15, saying that when a believer is fundamentally connected to him, the True Vine, there will be much fruit.
• Is there the fruit of souls that a believer has led to Jesus? Paul speaks of this in Romans 15:14-29.
• Is there the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)?
• Is there the fruit of the light that consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth? Paul addressed this in Ephesians 5:9.
• Is there the fruit of praise that glorifies God through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:14-16)?

For sure, we need must avoid the spiritual pitfall of becoming judgmental. Nothing destroys Kingdom life quite like that. But we can inspect the fruit…and we should.

And a good place to start is by looking at your own!

Prayer… O Holy Spirit, I offer my life to you today. Work the work of God in me so that I will bear much of your fruit!

One More Thing… “Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works.” —Martin Luther

Read Matthew 6

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and
all these things shall be added to you.”
(Matthew 6:33)

Thoughts… What is your motivation? Why do you do what you do? How would the people who have a front row seat to the drama of your life—your spouse, your children, your friends, your co-workers—describe the passion that drives you?

Let me explain why I ask these questions? Bear with me, because I want to take a moment before I come back to this question of motivation.

We have a tendency in reading Scripture to focus more on individual verses rather than the entirety of a passage. This is certainly the case with the Sermon on the Mount—particularly chapter 6.

Keep in mind that when Jesus first delivered this sermon, it was not written; it was spoken. It didn’t have verse numbers or paragraph headings; it was delivered as a whole thought. It was not delivered in one-liners or in sound-bytes. I don’t think Jesus prepared it with the thought that it would be great fodder for memory verses one day.

In this sermon, Jesus was revealing to his disciples for the first time what life in the Kingdom of God was to be about; what being an authentic God-chaser meant.

When you read Matthew 6 from that perspective, then everything about this wonderful chapter—Christ’s teaching on giving, fasting, the Heavenly Father’s concern for our needs, and the most beloved part of all, the Lord’s Prayer—must be run through the filter of one key idea: Motivation.

That’s why Jesus says that giving to the needy (verses 1-4), prayer (verses 5-15), and fasting (verses 16-18), must be done secretly—that is, quietly and not with the motive to impress other people with your spirituality. That’s why he says you can’t serve both God and money at the same time (verse 24). That’s why he calls you to a worry-free life that doesn’t get hung up on material things of this world (verses 25-34).

He is saying that if you want to be a part of his kingdom, then your motives for doing what you do must change. That’s why he challenges you to invest in God’s Kingdom—“lay up treasures in heaven…” (verse 19-21). That’s why he calls you to eschew the all-consuming pursuit of stuff, exchanging that worldly passion with a kingdom passion—“But seek first the Kingdom of God…” (verse 33).

Jesus is calling you to a higher, purer, better motivation for life: the Kingdom of God. And when you make God’s Kingdom your first and highest pursuit through giving, prayer, fasting, then your whole being will be infected by something eternal—namely, the presence of God.

So Jesus calls you to closely examine your life (reread verses 22-23) because the growth of the Kingdom of God in your heart is riding on what you allow the driving motivation of your life to be.

What’s your motivation? Why do you do what you do? What would others say the consuming passion of your life is?

Jesus would say, “store up treasures in heaven; start making kingdom investments. They produce better returns in the long run, and in the short term, your Heavenly Father, who knows exactly what you need, will provide it.”

Prayer… Heavenly Father, I want to be a Kingdom chaser. I want have a consuming passion for the things that you care about. Cleanse me from the wasteful pursuit of the temporary. May it be said of me by all of heaven and the people who know me on this earth, “he sought first the Kingdom of God; he pursued God’s righteousness with an all consuming passion.”

One More Thing… “I will place no value on anything I have or may possess except in relation to the kingdom of Christ.” —David Livingstone

Read Matthew 5

“Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your
Father in heaven is perfect.”
(Matthew 5:48)

Thoughts… Welcome back from your weekend. I trust you had are well rested and ready to go. You’re going to need it after you read the “kingdom requirements” laid out for you here in Matthew 5—not the lest of which is the last one: Be perfect, just like God.

You really need to spend more than one sitting to absorb all that Jesus said here this chapter. This has been called the “Sermon on the Mount”, and it extends clear through chapter 7. Truly, it is the greater sermon ever preached. Rather than speaking to massive throngs of seekers, Jesus huddled with his disciplines and began to explain for them what life in the kingdom of God was to be about.

As you read through Christ’s teachings, you begin to realize that rather than backing down from the rigid, legalistic, impossible, burdensome demands of Jewish law, Jesus was actually calling his followers to a much higher standard. He wasn’t asking for less, he was asking for more. He was revealing what God really required for anyone who wanted to be one of his true children.

Over time, the religious leaders of the Jewish people had boiled down the law of God to a long list of do’s and don’ts. Eventually, the spirit of the law had been lost and rigid, loveless, legal applications had taken its place. The result was that along the way, the people of God, the Jews, wandered from what was meant to produce an intimate love relationship with their God and had settled instead for a religious system that measured spirituality through outward acts of piety.

But, as Jesus taught, the Jews had missed the point. Which, by the way, is just as easy for us to do in our walk with God. The spiritual drift is always away from loving intimacy with the Father toward measurable acts of religiosity: Church attendance, tithing, serving in a ministry, not doing this, doing that…

Jesus’ bottom line in all of these teachings in Matthew 5 (as well as in chapters 6 and 7) is that God wants not your outward acts of piety and prideful obedience to the minutiae of some religious legal system—he wants your heart. He wants a heart that is fully engaged, fully devoted, and fully in love with him.

If you will offer God that kind of heart, then your obedience will go way beyond what the law requires, and you will experience the blessed life of belonging to the Real Kingdom, not just a religious kingdom.

And you will be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is.

Prayer… Father God, arrest my heart. Create in me a new heart—one that longs for you more than even life itself. May it be perfect before you…that is my prayer.

One More Thing… “The law works fear and wrath; grace works hope and mercy.” —Martin Luther

Read Matthew 4

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days
and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now
when the tempter came to Him, he said,
“If You are the Son of God…”
(Matthew 4:1-3)

Thoughts… Isn’t it interesting—profound, really—that Satan knew who Jesus was, that he was God the Son, yet tempted him anyway.

Satan once resided as Lucifer, one of the chief angels, in the presence of the Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. So when Jesus became the incarnate Son of God, Satan knew perfectly well of his divine nature. But rather than backing off, Satan unleashed a torrent of enticements designed to derail the plan of God and get Jesus off his game. And if the very Son of God would have to endure an onslaught of Satanic temptations, so will you.

It is also of interest that Satan didn’t tempt Jesus with obvious evil. Three times he attempted to entice Jesus to sin with subtle, sane, and spiritual sounding goodies. The devil is the master of subtlety. He didn’t come to Jesus dressed in a red suit and pointed tail, pitchfork in hand, luring Jesus to commit murder or to steal a bag full of money. The temptation was to gain what seemed good by sacrificing what was best.

It is highly likely that the temptations you will face today will be subtle as well. Satan’s stock-in-trade is deception, which is what makes temptation so effective. Jesus called him “the father of lies”, and he’s gotten pretty good at it over the millennia. So in particular, watch out for the enticements that will be just slightly off center from God’s will. Don’t accept good at the expense of God’s best.

In one sense, the temptations you will be hit with today will be perfectly sane. Jesus had fasted for forty days and was at the limit of what a human body could endure. He was hungry, and Satan simply suggested that Jesus use his God-prerogatives to satisfy a physical necessity.

Jesus was called to be the Messiah of the Jews. What better way to jumpstart his ministry than by hang-gliding from highest point of the temple in Jerusalem—without a hang-glider. What a great way to show off his God-powers and impress the people he was called to lead.

Ultimately, Jesus was called to be the Lord and Savior of the world. Why not fast-track that plan by allowing Satan to hand deliver all the nations of the world to him in an instant. No fuss, no muss.

The problem was, each of these temptations would have meant depending on himself to get his needs met rather than trusting in God’s provision, timing and plan. That is perhaps the most foundational and most common sin of all—to trust in anything or anyone other than God to get your needs and wants met.

And it is likely that you will be hit with temptation in the same way today. It will be subtle. It will seem sane. And probably, it will sound pretty spiritual as well—remember, each temptation Satan dangled before Jesus was prefaced with Scripture.

So be on guard today—sin is crouching at your door. But it is not inevitable that you will succumb to it. Jesus didn’t—and which means that you don’t have to either. Jesus knew the Word and will of God better than Satan, and so do you. That’s one of the blessings of reading and praying through the New Testament this year, as you are doing.

Likewise, since Jesus overcame his battle with temptation, he stands at the ready to help you in your battle. So just ask him for his help—he is more than willing to come alongside you. Hebrews 2:17-18 teaches us,

“For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

So when sin comes knocking at your door today, just send Jesus to answer it.

Prayer… Father in heaven, your name is holy. May your kingdom come and your will be done in my life today, just as it is in heaven. Provide what I need. Forgive all my sins—and strengthen me with your grace to forgive those who disappoint me. And steer me away from temptation, and from the Evil One, so that at the end of this day, through my life, all of the glory will be turned back to you.

One More Thing… “Every temptation is an opportunity of our getting nearer to God.” —John Quincy Adams

“My temptations have been my Masters in Divinity.” —Martin Luther

Read Matthew 3

“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”
(Matthew 3:8)

Thoughts… If you are like me (hopefully you are not, but I suspect you are), you have had to practice repentance early and often. At this point in my life, you’d think I’d be pretty good at it!

Repentance is one of those double-edged swords in the Christian’s life. The fact that we need to repent reveals the unfortunate presence of ongoing sin in our life, yet at the same time it reveals the fortunate grace of a righteous God who has made it possible for us to repent of what should rightly bring down his punishment upon us.

Repentance, however, is a highly misunderstood concept in our day. I have a sense that many people feel sorry for their sins simply out of the pain of sin’s consequence or the fear of impending punishment. Now don’t get me wrong, pain and fear are good motivator—if they lead us to true repentance.

But true repentance is more than saying “sorry”, feeling guilty about failure, or fearing the wrath to come. Authentic Biblical repentance, the kind that produces fruit, as John said, requires understanding that we have offended a holy God by our attitude and our action, experiencing a corresponding godly sorrow, and taking action that leads to a 180 degree change in our sinful behavior.

I think Paul captured the essence of true repentance when he wrote,

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.” (II Corinthians 7:10-11)

Perhaps a good assignment for today’s reading would be to think about any recent “repentance” you have offered to God, and run it through the filter of Paul’s words. See if the confession of your sin can stand the test of true repentance.

If it can, congratulations—spiritual fruit will be the result. If it can’t—well, I think you know what to do.

Prayer… Dear Lord, I pray that you would give me the gift of true repentance. Cleanse me from all my sin, and strengthen me with the wisdom and courage needed to turn completely away from the attitudes and behaviors that led to it. And as I move forward in my walk with you today, keep me from evil and the regret of surrendering to it.

One More Thing… “If you have sinned, do not lie down without repentance; for the want of repentance after one has sinned makes the heart yet harder and harder.” —John Bunyan

Read Matthew 2

“For thus it is written in the prophets…”
(Matthew 2:5, 15, 18, 23)

Thoughts… The birth and life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world, was not the product of random events. It was the direct result of prophetic fulfillment. Thus the phrase linking Christ’s life to Old Testament prophecy is repeated four times here in this second chapter of Matthew’s Gospel.

Those details of Jesus’ life had been laid out in the mind of God from eternity past and had been written down in the inspired utterances of the prophets of old hundreds of years before Christ was born. The fulfillment of scores of prophecies in minute detail of the birth, life, death, and resurrection Jesus leaves us with a pretty amazing track record of prophetic accuracy…leaving no doubt that those detailing his second coming will most certainly be fulfilled, too.

There is nothing random about God; nothing is left up to chance. The God of the Bible is the sovereign Lord of the universe, and is ruling over the details of history to bring about his perfect plan. What may seem like happenstance or coincidence, God has foreordained, caused, or permitted in his perfect will. Coincidence is simply a sovereign act of God for which he chooses to remain unseen; a miracle for which he prefers anonymity.

God is in control of all things, and that includes your life. David wrote in Psalm 139:16,

“You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.”

God’s Word invites you to live with amazing confidence today, knowing that he is in control of all things, including even the smallest details of your life. Therefore you can say, “all things will work together for my good and his glory.”

Prayer… Lord, I will live confidently and expectantly this day, and this year, knowing that my life is a part of your greater plan. May the details of my life serve your purposes perfectly and bring great glory to your name.

One More Thing… “We serve a gracious Master who knows how to overrule even our mistakes to His glory and our own advantage.” —John Newton

Read Matthew 1

“So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:
‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and
bear a Son, and they shall call His name
Immanuel,’ which is translated,
‘God with us.’”
(Matthew 1:22-23)

Thoughts… For me, New Year’s Day is always the day I begin again. I have set new goals for myself, and today I begin anew the march toward that which I believe God has called me.

One of the goals I have set is to have a “quiet time” with God every single day this year. I know of no more powerful and profound, yet simple key to spiritual growth and health than to read, meditate on, and pray over God’s Word. You cannot grow and you will not be “blessable” apart from an intimate relationship with God through his Word.

So I want to invite you to join me on this journey through Scripture. I will be reading one chapter each day from the New Testament using the New King James translation, beginning with Matthew 1. I will journal my response from each day’s reading and post it to this blog, and I want to give you the opportunity to post your response as well to the “comment” section at the bottom of this post (just follow the instructions to register and get your password). I am not only anxious to grow in my own walk with God through reading his Word this year, but I am excited to hear how you are growing, too!

Now as you start off your Bible reading today, you will immediately be hit with a list of names, which, for the most part, will be meaningless to you. If you are reading from the New King James Version, each name is introduced with a “begot”. You may be tempted just to skip past these names, but I want to challenge you not to do that.

You see, each name, just like in your own family history, tells a story. And that story reveals God’s activity in fulfilling his divine purpose to bring about the birth of his Son and our Messiah, Jesus Christ. Jesus did not just suddenly appear in history without context—his birth was the result of God’s eternal plan.

Not only do these names show us how God was fulfilling his sovereign purpose, they show us how he was fulfilling his divine promise. Jesus was born as a result of a promise God had made hundreds of years before, first to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3: 15), then to Abraham (Genesis 12:3) and to King David in I Chronicles 17:11-14,

“And it shall be, David, that when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.”

Furthermore, these names not only tell the story of God’s purpose and God’s promise, but they tell us the story of the God’s grace in using fallen human beings as the conduit through whom his Son would be born. In this listing of the Messiah’s progenitors are some unlikely and undeserving people—Tamar, a Gentile woman who slept with her father-in-law; Rahab, a Gentile prostitute; Ruth, a Gentile woman from the hated Moabite nation; Bathsheba, who is listed as the “wife of Uriah the Hittite”, the woman with whom King David had an adulterous affair.

It is nothing less than amazing that God would use people you wouldn’t expect to be the human conduit through which he would fulfill his purposes and his promises. And if God would use people like them, he will use people like you and me. That is the grace of God!

This opening chapter here in Matthew’s Gospel that begins with all these strange and boring names tells us the amazing story of how our purposeful, faithful and gracious God went to extreme lengths to reach us and redeem us with his love. He didn’t send his love through a written message, or a public service announcement, or a sign in the heavens. He sent himself! He sent his love through a baby born in a manger, who was called Immanuel—which means, “God is now with us.”

Here we are on the first day of 2008, and I don’t know what this year holds for you and me, but I know Who holds this year. He is the God will fulfill all of his purposes. He is the God who will fulfill each of his promises. He is the God who will yet again reveal his grace.

He is Immanuel. He is God, and he is with us!

Prayer… Lord, because you are with me, this is going to be a great year. Come what may, 2008 will be the year that your purposes are revealed, your promises are fulfilled, and your grace is supplied in my life. So I want to thank you in advance for what you will do for me, in me, and through me this year.

One More Thing… “Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road.” —Dag Hammarskjold