31. July 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Our text for today is Matthew 7:1-6   

1 Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 ”Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 

This is one of the most misunderstood verses in the bible.  Often times we hear, “the bible says do not judge” or we hear Christians saying when faced with difficult moral issues “I don’t want to judge anybody.”    Our teenagers scream “don’t judge me.”  The world intimidates us when we cry out against moral issues by saying doesn’t our bible teach no judging and the list goes on and on.    More often those that scream do not judge are often hiding something or want to continue doing something without reaping any negative response for their actions.   

Let’s begin with the meaning of the word judge.  The word judge in this context means to pronounce an opinion concerning right or wrong or to be of opinion, to determine, to resolve or to decree.   

You cannot take the first line of this phrase and make it a law to “not judge.”  If you interpret this phrase in its context you will see that the issue is not judging but the spirit in which you judge.  Clearly in both the new and old testament, there are many scriptures that instruct us to “judge righteously.”   

1 Corinthians2:15 says “ He that is spiritual judgeth all things….”    

Now back to the text, the first line opens do not judge or you will be judged and in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the same measure you use it will be measured to you.  This is basically the principle of sowing and reaping.   “What you put out there, it will come back to you.”  If we judge others with an evil heart and intent then that is the type of judgment that will be rendered unto us when we fall short.  If we judge honestly and fair and with love then that is the type of judgment that will be rendered unto us.    

In this context, Jesus is talking about between Christians.  All of us are accountable to one another to help each other grow strong in God.  All of us have a responsibility as Christians to show each other our faults and help each other overcome them.   I know that this is such a foreign concept to us because we live in a society where moral relativism (whatever is good for me works) is at an all time high.  Nobody wants to be corrected or have their actions challenged.   

So often, I have heard my Christian friends say when I tell them about a particular issue in their life “don’t judge me just love me and pray for me.”   Most times, they are saying, “I know what I am doing is wrong and talking about it will not solve it so either love me the way I am and just ask God to help me get delivered from it.    What they are really telling me is I don’t want to hear God’s word concerning this situation because I’m not ready to give it up so don’t make me feel uncomfortable while I’m doing it.  They want to have their cake and eat it too.   

Be clear my friends, we are required by Holy Scriptures to judge sin.  We are required to call right “right” and wrong “wrong.”  The problem that the text deals with is hypocrisy.    The text teaches why would you point out the speck (sawdust) that is in your brother’s eye when there is a plank in your eye?   Do you know how small a speck of sawdust is?  The issue  in the text is do not deal with a speck (a small amount of sin) in your fellow Christian when we ourselves have not dealt with the plank (the large amount of sin) that is in our own lives. 

The text teaches us to deal with our issues first then we will be able to help someone else conquer their problem and we will be able to do it in the right spirit and attitude.   Jesus always teaches us to look within first.   We must deal with our own hurts, issues, sins, and rebellions first.  It is a hypocrite that tries to make someone conform to the word of God while making them believe that they have everything together themselves.  This is what Jesus rebukes; hypocrisy not judging but judging in hypocrisy.   

Jesus closes this text with actually a command to judge.  He teaches take out the sin (plank) that is your life first then you will be able to see clearly the sin (speck) that is in your brother’s eye.   

I love this passage, because it really is about us and not the other person that sins.  It teaches us that when we judge and we should; we must have already gone through the process of repentance, healing, and restoration  first and then in actually we will be kinder and more merciful and more understanding when we judge (form an opinion of whether something is right or wrong) our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. 

So get to judging; which means we must first get to looking in the mirror.   

See you tomorrow. 

God Bless!!!! 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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30. July 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

We’re getting ready to start Chapter 7 of Matthew which ends the famous “sermon on the mount”.   Before I get into the conclusion of Jesus’s sermon, I want to share this scripture with you, it blessed me so as I read it.   It is one simple line in Colossians.  It was simply Paul encouraging this man to continue to do what God had called him to do.  This was so powerful to me.    

Colossians 4:17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.” 

See to it that you complete the work that you have received from God.   Ohhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!    I can’t explain it but this ministered to me so this morning.     I think part of it was because evidently Paul sense Archippus’s desire maybe to give up or maybe he had heard that he was becoming weary in well doing, whatever the reason that prompted Paul to say this, it was like it jumped off the pages to speak to my heart. 

Wherever you are in this spiritual journey, “see to it that you complete the work you have received from God.” 

See you tomorrow. 

God Bless!!!! 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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29. July 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Our Text for today concludes this 6^th chapter of Matthew and ends with such a powerful revelation on life, living and trusting God. 

The text is:  Matthew 6:31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 

This text flows out of our study on yesterday.  Jesus concludes with repeating “do not worry” saying what shall we drink or what shall we wear for the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 

Okay, this text really ministers to me.  Jesus says that the pagans (unbelievers) run after all these things and constantly try to acquire and build up wealth and that is there priority but Jesus doesn’t condemn having these things for he states that the Father knows that we need them.  God knows what we need to survive and God is not against us acquiring wealth, but God is after the heart.   

Look what the next verse says:  Seek FIRST his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.   Ohhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!  This is what just touched my heart.   Jesus says if we set our priorities on seeking God and all that other stuff that the pagans go after and desire to obtain will be ours as well. 

This is what I meant last week when I made the statement that we don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.   God knows our needs even before we ask.   God has a plan for our lives and the plans are as diverse as the people.  Whatever resources we need to carry out his plan for our lives he will provide.   Jesus encourages us as he closes this section to not worry but seek God first and all things will be provided for us. 

Isn’t this fascinating?  Think about it.   If our priorities are off and we constantly seek and are obsessed with the things of this world, then we may never acquire what we seek after and we have distanced ourselves from God and our spiritual life suffers.   If our priorities are right then we not only obtain all that we need but we also have a strong relationship with God.  With God, you get everything. 

Please, let me be clear here.  Our motivation for seeking God should not be to acquire things.  As Christians, we should have a natural built in desire to want to build a relationship with God and it should flow from our heart and not out of our desire to obtain wealth or possessions.   

Remember,  We are talking about God here and be not deceived for God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.   

Jesus closes this passage with “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself, each day has enough trouble of its own.    The issue is worry.  Jesus is not suggesting that we do not plan for tomorrow or our future, he is simply saying when we have done our best, then we just have to trust God for the rest.  This is not a lesson encouraging us to sit around and do nothing and expect God to just drop things in our laps but this is a lesson on trusting God versus worrying.   

All is well, Everything is safe, Everything is as it should be. 

God Bless. 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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28. July 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Welcome back from the weekend: 

Our text for today is:  Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 ”And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  (NIV)  

I absolutely love this text:  It shows God’s concerns for our needs and it shows how we often worry for nothing.    Jesus opens up with therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life.  Ohhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!   I just got goose bumps.  How powerful.  Calm down, relax, all is well, everything is safe.   Do not worry about your life.     He uses this powerful analogy about the birds of the air and how they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet God feeds them.  God takes the time to take care of all of his creations.  The birds are not homeless nor do they starve, God has made a way for them to meet their needs so Jesus says “Aren’t we much more valuable than the birds.”    

Oh!!!!!!!!!   Things that just make you go ummmmmm…..    

Look at this next line, it is absolutely powerful.   Jesus poses a question to us.  He says when did worrying do anything for us? It cannot even add a single hour to our life.  Worrying about it can not make it come to pass.  Worrying has no positive benefits toward our situation at all; it only makes things worse because worrying leads to stress factors that can show up both physically and emotionally.    Worrying can not change anything but faith in God can.   Faith……….  Yes!!!!!!!!!   

Then Jesus gives us another example.  If you can’t picture this, go to the internet and google a lily field.   See our beautiful it is and how it grows and how stunning it can be.  Jesus said that not even Solomon in all of his glory (And the bible talks about the glory that Solomon held) could not even be compared to the beauty and awesomeness of this field.   Look at this though. Jesus says if that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, how much more will he clothe us?   Look at the job God does with things that one day are here and the next day are thrown into the fire or die, why do we worry that he will not meet our needs and in a phenomenal way.    

Writing this has just humbled my attitude about a whole lot of things.  I just took a deep breath and just released it.  Do the same.  Don’t worry  trust God.   

Jesus ends with the phrase;  “O Ye of Little Faith.”     Jesus closes with do you really have that little of faith in God that you have to worry.  Worry simply means that you don’t believe God is going to take care of it.     

Join me tomorrow as we discuss the conclusion of this matter.  It’s so powerful 

God Bless. 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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25. July 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: Our text for today is:  Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (NIV)

This is a familiar text.  We often hear it in our church services or bible studies.  There is something so interesting about this text.  Jesus teaches that you cannot serve both God and money.  Isn’t it amazing that he did not say that you cannot serve both God and the devil?  I love this text because it shows you how powerful a stronghold money can be in our lives.  Money is such a powerful stronghold that Jesus puts it on the same level as God in terms of our worship and devotion and what we commit to.   Think about it, most of us will never struggle with being worshipers of Satan especially as Christians, but if we be honest, many of us will have to admit that sometimes we have made “money” our God.  When we worry and seek to constantly acquire, and try to keep up with our neighbors, or constantly get in debt to create a lifestyle beyond our means, then have to work and spend all our energy to pay off our bills leaving hardly any or no time for the things of God then we have made money our God.   

Let me be clear here, I’m not talking about survival.  Sometimes our financial troubles are not because we created them, but could have been from circumstances beyond our control, but for many of us, it is because we constantly live beyond our means and we are now in bondage to our lenders.   Again, Jesus is talking about priorities; either you will seek the things of the kingdom or you will seek the things of this world.  We cannot have it both ways; our loyalties will be divided, according to the text, you will hate the one and love the other, or despise the one and be devoted to the other. This text comes after the one where he talks about wherever our treasures are (our affections, what we spend most of our energy doing whether mentally, emotionally, or physically) that is where our heart will be also. 

Let me share this personal testimony with you.  My husband and I made a conscious decision about 4 years ago to become debt free. We put a plan together.  The first thing we did was to write out our debt and see exactly what we owed.  It was amazing how when we wrote everything down how much trouble we realized we were in.  We were just living and spending with no plan to get out of the mess that we had created. We put a budget in place and made some major decisions as to how we could cut back our spending and redirect everything towards our debt.  This plan  included cutting back from vacations, eating out, buying clothes, etc. It was a major adjustment in our lifestyles.  I had to say no to family and friends and my life took a drastic change but we were committed to living debt free.  This is the fourth year.  We are on track.  By the end of this year, we will personally be debt free outside of our home mortgage.  So as of January 2009, we will only be paying a  mortgage and then we will put a plan in place to get rid of our mortgage in another 5 years.  Our cars, credit cards, student loans, 2^nd mortgages, etc will all be done away with and I am so looking forward to it. 

We made the sacrifice because I wanted to spend the rest of my life not being in bondage to debt and being free to travel the world and do ministry and just live care free.  It is amazing how I’ve learned what really matters in life and how I can live without all that other stuff and how I am so much happier and so much stronger spiritually because my mind is not on the bill collectors but can focus on the “things of God.”   I also am excited that I have more money now to give and even invest in other people.  It’s a wonderful feeling. I have found that something as simple as taking a walk through the park and lying on the beach can be so satisfying to me over against some of the things that I thought I needed earlier in my life that created enormous debt.   

 Yes, it takes time.  For us it was four years.  Yes, it is a sacrifice, because when everyone else is hanging out and having a good time, you’re at home because of the commitment that you made to spend less money, but you do reach your goals and it is so worth it.  You sacrificing doing the things you want to do now to be able to do them debt free later.   Okay, enough of my babbling.   

Have a great weekend.  See you on Monday. 

God Bless. Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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24. July 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Our text for today is:  Matthew 6:22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!  

The first part of this text Jesus uses figurative language to express his point.  Jesus states that the eye is the lamp of the body.  The lamp is used and often referred to in the ancient world in terms of direction or as a guide.  

A common scripture quoted is Psalms 119: 105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”  It is actually what is called synonymous parallelism where both the first and last parts of the sentence mean the same but uses different words.  In this example it would be lamp/feet in the first stanza and light/path in the second stanza.     Our Lord uses the eye figuratively to mean the conscious or soul of the body.    I like the way that one commentator puts it: 

  Thus the meaning of our Lord appears to be something like this: the activities of the body are directed according to the light which is received through the eye. When that organ is sound and functioning properly, perceiving objects as they really are, the whole body is illumined, and we are able to discharge our duties and to move with safety and circumspection. But if the eye be blind, or its vision faulty, then we perceive objects confusedly and without distinction, and then we stumble as if in the dark, and cannot perform our task or journey properly, being continually liable to lose our way or run into danger.”   (http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Sermon/sermon_30.htm) 

Remember, this phrase comes right after it talks about laying up your treasures in heaven and not on earth.  Jesus teaches us that if our heart, conscious, affections are fixed on God then our eye (conscious, vision, judgment) will be sound but if our hearts are fixed towards the things of this world, then our eye (judgment, conscious, vision) will be evil or full of darkness.    

If you have been following this Matthew series, let me remind you earlier we talked about how Jesus came to fulfill the law essentially in two ways, as the sacrificial offering for our sins and in teaching.  We know that he went to the cross for our sins but he also came to correct the false teachings from the religious leaders.   A lot of the information that we have studied thus far, you will see that Jesus opens up by saying you have heard, or you have been taught, but I say……. 

I simply wanted you to keep this in your mind as we move forward.  The religious leaders had greatly compromised the word of God to the point where in some liberal circles almost anything was allowed or accepted.   One of the assignments of Jesus was to teach the right way a citizen of the kingdom should behave over against what had become the norm. Some of his sayings were so difficult to embrace that even the disciples would say and I paraphrase “ Come on Jesus, ain’t nobody going to do that” but this was only because so much compromising had been allowed and so much of the word had been replaced by men’s traditions.    

Jesus encourages his disciples that we can achieve and live the way God intended for us.  He responded to them by saying; “With men this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible” and Jesus modeled the Godly lifestyle though he was tempted in all ways as we are, yet sinned not. 

Living God’s way is not bondage; it is actually liberating, exciting, and amazing.  I’m not saying that it isn’t work nor does it happen overnight, but to make anything successful in this life, it requires sacrifice and work so why should we expect a “free ride” with God.    

The levels of love and growth that we can experience in God are more satisfying that anything this world could ever offer.     

God Bless. 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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23. July 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

On yesterday, I received questions about fasting.  Some people were concerned what the purpose of fasting was and what type of fasting should they do. 

Today, I thought I would take you into Isaiah and show you what God said about the type of fasting that he desires and what should happen when we fast.   

Look at this text:   Isaiah 58:1 ”Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. 3 ’Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ 4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? 6 ”Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter– when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.   (NIV)  

Let’s look at the context.  The people were actually going through the ritual of fasting yet they were getting no results.  As we have seen in all these teachings, God is concerned with the heart, our motives for why we do what we do.   The people fasted yet they did not get any results and they cried out to God as to why God was not honoring their sacrifice of fasting.  God responded by saying that you act like you really want to know my ways and get close to me but you really don’t mean it.  Your fasting ends with strife against your brethren, discord, etc.  You go through the motions but there is no real urgency to seek the face of God or to know his ways, it was just a “religious act.”   Then, you’ll read in the text what kind of fast that God requires.  

1.  The kind where you intercede for injustices to be dealt with and you pray that people that are in bondage will be set  free.

2.     When we fast, we should be more sensitive to the poor and needy.  We should share how little or how great our resources with the needy.  Fasting makes you sensitive  to your surrondings; it has a way of opening up your spiritual eyes and making you more discerning to other people’s needs.  3.     The text says when this happens in fasting; your intercession for others, your showing kindness to the needy, then your needs will be met.  Healing will take place, you will be refreshed, you will call and God will hear, etc. 

4.     Fasting is a wonderful spiritual resource to strengthen our relationship with God and our fellow man.   

Okay, now you may ask what kind of fast I should do.   First of all if this is your first time fasting, I would take it slow.  There are all types of fast in the bible.  Most people refer to the Daniel fast, I think it is the most popular one; which is considered to be a 21 day fast where you fast from “pleasure breads” which consists of all breads and sweets.  Some people do an all vegetable fast, some people give up their favorite foods for a season, some do an all juice fast, an all fruit fast or a combination of both fruits and vegetables and then the ultimate is the absolute fast, where you do water only.  

Whatever you choose to fast from, it must be a sacrifice for you.  Some people include in their fast such things as no TV  or any extra curicular activies and they spend that time that they spend that time  reading, praying and studying.   It is always best to check with your doctor if you have health concerns before you venture on an absolute fast.     The key in fasting is that it must be a sacrifice and you must include praying and reading God’s word; without the inclusion of prayer and reading the word, you’re simply starving yourself.  There’s so much more, but I hope this at least helps and gives you an idea of how people fast and what its purpose is. 

We’ll continue our study in Matthew on tomorrow.    

God Bless. 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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22. July 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:   

Our text for today is:  Matthew 6: 19 ”Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  

This text flows out of the context of the three things that we have been discussing which were giving, praying, and fasting.   These are all ways to build spiritual treasures in heaven.  Jesus encourages his listeners to be focused on these spiritual devices to build a “storehouse” in heaven. 

The word treasury means “storehouse” or “place in which good and precious things are collected and laid up.”    Jesus teaches against acquiring the wealth of this world over against acquiring spiritual treasures.  

Let me be clear.  This in no way means that Christians should be poor, or settle with mediocrity or their status quo.   This expresses the dangers of seeking after the wealth of the world over against seeking the things of God and in particular working on being charitable to the needy, praying and fasting.    This text is about priorities.  

Sometimes when I’m talking to Christians and I express the power of prayer, fasting and being charitable (giving back), it’s almost as if they make me feel like I’m old fashioned and I should get with the times as if to say “nobody does that stuff anymore.”   My friends, the word works.  There is still power in prayer and fasting.  There is still deliverance in calling on the name of the Lord.  I have tried all that other stuff and have sought soley after the things of this world and I can honestly say that I find God to be faithful and fulfilling and just amazing.   What’s so amazing is that you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other and as we get farther into this text, you’ll see what I’m talking about.  Old fashioned or not, it’s bible. 

Jesus teaches that wherever our treasures are then that is where our heart will be.  You can examine where your heart is.  All you have to do is be honest and ask yourself, Where do you spend most of your money, your time, your energy, your thoughts, your meditation, your resources.   The answer to these questions will tell you where your heart really is.  You can discover if your heart is tied into the things of this world or the things of the kingdom.    I’m not talking about surving in this world system, I’m talking about an unbalance of priorities.  Let’s examine our priorities.  I know many of us struggle with prayer so fasting is probably something that really seems foreign to us, but it is listed along with giving as a part of the spiritual treasures that we lay up in heaven.   

See you tomorrow.   

God Bless!!!! 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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21. July 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:  Welcome back from the weekend.  Today, Jesus talks about fasting.  

Our text is:  Matthew 6:16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. “As you can see, the line of reasoning is the exact same as prayer.  One of the problems in the ancient world with the religious leaders was their hypocrisy.  Often times, things were not done for the sake of establishing and growing their relationship with God but simply to have people think that they were “super spiritual” and that they were successful with keeping the ordinances of the faith when they often found themselves struggling.     Jesus often rebuked the religious leaders for punishing and condemning people for their failure in keeping the law  and making others believe that they were always successful in thier spiritual journey. 

The issue that he now addresses is fasting.  Jesus gives us a picture of how people were fasting.  They would have this somber look on their face and disfigure their faces so that people would inquire as to what was wrong so that they could “piously” inform them of their “spiritual” sacrifice of fasting.  They wanted acknowledgement for the act of fasting therefore making it ineffective in achieving true spiritual goals.    Jesus teaches that they have already received their reward.  Again, just as in prayer, what ever satisfaction you received when you have made people aware that you are fasting is the payment for your sacrifice.   In other words, you are wasting your time.  If it is not directed towards God, you are simply starving yourself and will receive no benefits from God. 

Jesus teaches that when we fast, we are to anoint our head and wash our face so that it will not appear to men that we are fasting for it is a private matter between us and God.   It is to be done in secret only God should know and the text says that when God sees it, God will reward.    Think about it, when men see it, they can not offer you any type of reward for you’re fasting for spiritual purposes and only God can accommodate those requests.     

There is something about our ego, which for some reason needs recognition from our peers and leaders of our efforts.   The ironic thing in all of this is that when we fast the right way and as unto the Lord, people will know that you are different and that you have been with “God” without you having to tell. Tomorrow, we talk about laying up treasures.  This topic actually leads into one of my favorite scriptures.     God Bless. 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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18. July 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Today, we’re looking at the Lord’s Prayer.  This is not what it was named in the scripture but what it has become known as throughout church history.    Jesus has instructed how not to pray and now he informs us how to pray.   

Our text is:  Matthew 6:9 ”This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Look at the first part of the prayer.  It suggests that we are to acknowledge and reverence the name of God.   For we are to say “hallowed be your name.”   The word hallowed means holy.  Sometimes we take the word holy to be mystical or spooky but in actuality, it simply means different.  His name is different than all the other names for Gods.  He is separate, unique, distinct, different, and holy.   When the scriptures call for us to be holy it is calling for us to be “different” than the people of “this world”.  Then the prayer instructs us to always ask that the kingdom of

The prayer then instructs us to ask God for our daily portion.   As you can see, Jesus intended that we pray everyday, for the prayer contains asking God for our “daily allowance” . 

The next part of the prayer solicits forgiveness but notice the forgiveness is based on us forgiving others.  For it says forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.    The implication here is that when we come to God we are in good standings with those that have wronged us and we have forgiven all that need to be forgiven.  Remember the text; forgive us as we have already forgiven.    OHHHHHHH!!!  This is so powerful to me.  For many of us, we still struggle with that forgiving piece.  This theme is all over the scriptures.  God requires us to be at peace with our enemy and in right standing with our brethren.  It is connected to our forgiveness from God.    I hope that we’re getting the message here.  Could it be that some things are being held up in our lives because of all the people that we need to forgive.    Let it go.  It’s not worth it.  Some times we think we’re hurting that person, but we’re really hurting ourselves.

The prayer then asks God’s help in the area of temptations.  The prayer solicits God’s help for deliverance from the evil one. 

Now, the prayer closes with the forgiveness piece again.  The last lines teach that if we do not forgive men their wrongs towards us then God will not forgive us.   That’s it people.  I can’t clean it up for you.    If we don’t forgive, we’re don’t get forgiven.   Yes!!!!  It is a hard truth.  

So let me ask you a question.  The hate that you harbor in your heart towards someone that wronged you is it really worth you letting it cause your spiritual life to suffer.   Is it really worth not getting forgiveness from God.    Let it go.  Watch the freedom that you will experience.  Watch the doors that will begin to open.    Let it go!!!!!!!!!   Jesus instructs us to and tells us what the consequences will be if we don’t.

Have a great weekend. 

See you on Monday. 

God Bless. 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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