Mon, Feb 28th - 9:30PM

The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule

^{Matthe 7:12}"In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

In recent years the idea of Karma has become popular, well long before Karma became popular, there was the Golden Rule.  For all you Christians that thinks Karma sounds cool and catchy.  It is a belief under the Hindu religion.  You know the religion that worships idol gods.  Elsewhere in the Bible it says we sow what we reap.  If you are hateful and angry toward people can you expect love and respect in return?  If you want love and respect how about treating others with love and respect?

Sun, Feb 27th - 9:33PM

Ask and You Shall Receive

Matthew 7

Ask and You Shall Receive

Matthew 7: ⁷Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

 ⁸For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

 ⁹Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

 ¹⁰Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

 ¹¹If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

These are some of the most misused verses by prosperity preachers.  We are to bring all of our concerns to God but there is a difference between need and greed.  I need money to pay my rent, to buy clothes and food.  I don’t need a million dollars to do this to ask for a million dollars just to have is greed.  How did Jesus pray?  Remember the Lord’s prayer?  “Thou will be done.”  How about Jesus’ prayer in the garden?  “Not my will be done but yours.”  We are to ask according to the will of God?  We don’t always understand the will of God or his timing but we know he hears his children and knows their needs.  We have to be faithful and know God hears us and doesn’t forsakes us when we are in need.

Sat, Feb 26th - 11:17PM

Worry

Worry

Matthew 6:25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink ; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing ? 26 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life ? 28 "And why are you worried about clothing ? Observe how the lilies of the field grow ; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith ! 31 "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will wear for clothing?' 32 "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things ; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 "So do not worry about tomorrow ; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (NASB)

We are to live by faith trusting that God will provide our needs.  If we are worrying are we truly trusting God?

Sat, Feb 26th - 12:56AM

Two Masters

 Matthew 6:²⁴"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and wealth. (NASB)

You hear that prosperity preachers?  You can’t serve God and money.  While millions of people are dying in their sins our modern day tel-evangelists are preaching a message of greed.  Where are the modern Pauls that are willing to suffer in the name of Christ to preach the message all over the world to a world that is dying spiritually? 

Comment (0)

Thu, Feb 24th - 11:51PM

The Eye

^{Matthew 6:22}The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

 ²³But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

If you think what you watch, what you listen to, or what you read has no impact on you I would say you are sadly mistaken.  Do you think it is by accident that liberals control the media in this country.  One of the first things Communists would do after seizing a country would be to gain control of the media so they can start spitting out pro-Communist propaganda.  Watch CNN, MSNBC long enough and you can pick up the liberal slant in their news reporting.  The same thing with major news magazines like Time and Newsweek.  What about TV.  Name one SITCOM that promotes Christian values.  How many SITCOM characters live together out of wedlock or engage in casual sex.  How many shows have a homosexual character?  It has become the norm.  Even if you are strong enough to resist the pro-liberal propaganda that is so strong in this country what about your kids?  What are they learning from MTV and other TV media?  Does your kids idolize celebrities?  We know what role models they are. 

I often hear that Christian music isn’t cool or that Christian channels are boring.  But ask yourself this, if your heart is truly focused on the things of God wouldn’t you find enjoyment in the things of God?

Tue, Feb 22nd - 11:47PM

Treasures In Heaven

Treasures In Heaven

^{Matthew 6:19}Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

 ²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

 ²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Explain to me how you can justify prosperity preaching up against these verses here.  We are not to seek earthly treasures.  We are to seek heavenly treasures.  Our focus should be on the Kingdom of God not greed and material wealth that is temporary.  We should be striving for eternal life with God not on getting material, temporary wealth.

Mon, Feb 21st - 11:45PM

Prayer

Matthew 6

Prayer

⁵And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

 ⁶But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

 ⁷But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

 ⁸Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

 ⁹After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

 ¹⁰Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

 ¹¹Give us this day our daily bread.

 ¹²And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

 ¹³And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

 ¹⁴For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

 ¹⁵But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

To me prayer is simple.  It is talking to God.  There is times I get on my knees alone and pray and the rest of the time I just talk to God while doing other things.  Paul says to pray without ceasing.  I pray while I am driving to work, while I am laying in bed, while I have a few minutes alone.  I just talk to God about what is on my mind.

To me the key to prayer is verse 10.  Thy will be done.  We have to pray according to the will of God.  There is a difference between need and greed.  I need money to buy food, pay the rent, buy clothes, to ask God for a million dollars just because I want to be rich is greed.  God is not a magical genie waiting in heaven waiting to grant our wishes.  We should come to God in humility praying according to his will for our needs and the needs of others.

Mon, Feb 21st - 1:19AM

Be Perfect?

Be Perfect?

Matthew 5:48: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect

We know we are ourselves are not perfect.  Our perfection comes in Christ.  Christ died that the imperfect can obtain perfection.  It is because of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross that we can stand before the throne of God clean of our sins.

Sun, Feb 20th - 1:19AM

Divorce

Divorce

 Matthew 5:³¹ It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

 ³²But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

God intended marriage to be a lifetime commitment between a man and a woman.  As it says elsewhere, the two should become one, and that is a major issue with marriages today.  How can two become one when couples refuse to put their selfish attitudes behind them?  The present generation has been called Generation Y.  I think they should be called Generation Me.  It is, the All About Me and What I Want Generation.  Just as we entered into a relationship with God with an attitude of submission and humility we have to have the same kind of attitude in marriage.  Not being a doormat but putting our selfish ways behind us and willing to be person ready to commit to a lifetime relationship with our spouse.

Sat, Feb 19th - 1:31AM

Lust

^Lust

^{Matthew 5:27}Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

 ²⁸But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

 ²⁹And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

 ³⁰And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

God has one standard for sex.  It is between a married man and woman.  Even lusting after another person besides your spouse is wrong.  In verse 29 and 30 Jesus isn’t telling us to literally cut off parts of our body.  What he is saying is let nothing separate us from God.  If we do have anything that would separate us from God we need to get rid of it.

Fri, Feb 18th - 1:12AM

Anger

^Anger

^{Matthew 5:21}Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

 ²²But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

 ²³Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

 ²⁴Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

 ²⁵Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

 ²⁶Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Every been around someone that is always angry, that is always bitter?  How fun are they to be around.  We are to be witnesses of Christ, how can we be effective witnesses of Christ if all the world every see out of us is anger and bitterness?  Christ got angry when he had to but he also forgave and showed love to his enemies. 

Mon, Feb 14th - 8:52PM

Salt and Light

Salt and Light

^{Matthew 5:13}Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

In the ancient world salt was used as a preservative.  It was used to keep food from going bad.  If we are the salt of the world we are to preserve the world we are to keep the world from turning bad.  Let me tell you the only thing that has kept this world from completely falling apart is the Word of God.  Humanism, Socialism, Capitalism, no institution of men can hold this world together, only the Word of God can do this.

¹⁴Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

 ¹⁵Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

 ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

We are to be an example to the world.  We are to let the Light of God shine through us into this dark world around us. 

Mon, Feb 14th - 8:14PM

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁸And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

 ¹⁹And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

 ²⁰And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

 ²¹And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

 ²²And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

The first four men Jesus called as disciples were common men, fishermen.  They were not scholars, they didn’t have any formal religious education, we really don’t know how much education they had but we can’t speculate it was basic at best.  The reason Jesus choose them was because he knew their heart.  He knew the men they were and the men they were to become.  Somewhere along the way in the modern church having a degree has replaced having a heart for God.  How many pulpits and Religious Universities are occupied by men who have degrees but don’t know God?

Mon, Feb 14th - 7:41PM

Jesus Begins His Ministry

Matthew 4

Jesus Begins His Ministry

 ¹²Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

 ¹³And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

 ¹⁴That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

 ¹⁵The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

 ¹⁶The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

These verses are a reference to Isaiah 9:1,2. 

¹Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

 ²The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

¹⁷From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

This is the same message that John preached.  Basically change your ways and turn to God.

Comment (0)

Mon, Feb 14th - 6:56PM

Jesus is Baptized

Jesus is Baptized

^{Matthew 3:13} Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

 ¹⁴But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

 ¹⁵And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

 ¹⁶And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

 ¹⁷And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Mon, Feb 14th - 6:14PM

John the Baptist

Matthew 3

John the Baptist

 ¹In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

 ²And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

One definition of repent is: to change any or all of the elements composing one’s life.  In other words you change your ways.  To truly repent there must be a change from your old life.  To come to God you must turn from your old ways and accept the Way of God. 

 ³For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Verse 3 is a reference to Isaiah 40:³ The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

⁴And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

Compare John to the Jewish leaders that loved to be recognize that loved the privileges that came with their position.  Compare John to some of our modern Church Leaders that use the pulpit to preach prosperity, that live in mansions, that drive fancy cars, and wear expensive cloths. 

 ⁵Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

 ⁶And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Baptism doesn’t save, we are saved through the blood of Christ.  We are saved by our belief in Christ and accepting him as our Savior.  Baptism is an public confession of our faith.  It is symbolic.  We go into the water unclean and come out clean.

 ⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

⁸Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

We can say we have repented all day long but our actions should show we have repented.  If we say we are new person but continue in our old ways we have not truly repented.

⁹And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

The Jews thought they were safe because they considered themselves the children of God but Jesus came that all might become the children of God.

 ¹⁰And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

¹¹I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

 ¹²Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Don’t be fooled by false teachers the judgment of God is very, very real.

Mon, Feb 14th - 4:53PM

Jesus in Egypt

Jesus in Egypt

^{Matthew 2:13}And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

 ¹⁴When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

 ¹⁵And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Verse 15 is a reference to Hosea 11:1.   ¹When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

 ¹⁶Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

 ¹⁸In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

Verse 18 is in reference to Jeremiah 31:15.   ¹⁵Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.

Mon, Feb 14th - 4:30PM

The Wise Men

Matthew 2

The Wise Men

 ¹Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

 ²Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

³When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

 ⁴And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

 ⁵And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

 ⁶And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem according to Micah 5:2.   ²But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

⁷Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

 ⁸And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

 ⁹When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

 ¹⁰When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

 ¹¹And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

Gold was a gift to royality.  Frankincense was an aromatic used in sacrificial offerings.  Myrrh was used in perfuming ointments.

 ¹²And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Mon, Feb 14th - 3:43PM

The Birth of Christ

^{The Birth of Christ}

^{Matthew 1:18}Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

A lot of people get tripped over the idea of a child being conceived in the womb of a virgin.  Why not?  If we believe God created life why can’t we believe God is able to create life in the womb of a virgin?

¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

Joseph very well could of demanded that she be put to death.

Leviticus 20:¹⁰And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

 ²⁰But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

 ²¹And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins

Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew word yeshua (Joshua) meaning the Lord is salvation.

²²Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

 ²³Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Verse 23 is a prophecy from Isaiah 7:14.  ¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

²⁴Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

 ²⁵And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Mon, Feb 14th - 3:06PM

The Genealogy of Christ

The Genealogy of Christ

 Matthew 1:¹ The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham

Why is Jesus called the son of David? 

Psalm 132:¹¹The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

Isaiah 11:¹And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

^{Jeremiah 23:5}Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

All Jews considered themselves descendants of Abraham but what Matthew is doing here is confirming to his Jewish audience that Jesus was the Messiah and that he fulfilled prophecy about the Messiah, one of which was that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham and David.

²Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;

Judas translated in this verse is Judah.  Jesus being a descendant of Judah is also prophecy.

¹⁰The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

 ³And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

You can read the story of Thamar in Genesis 38.  Thamar tricked her father in law Judah into having sex with her and came pregnant by him.  Now why does Matthew include something most people would want to keep hidden when describing the genealogy of a person you are trying to prove is the Messiah?  Why not?  Jesus was born to lowly peasant girl, grew up in the house of a carpenter, his Disciples were common men, he preached to the common people of Israel.  Who doesn’t have skeletons in their family tree?

 ⁴And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;

 ⁵And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

Ruth is the Ruth of the Book of Ruth.

 ⁶And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

 Now her that had been the wife of Urias is Bathsheba.  David had Bathsheba’s husband murdered so he can have her for himself you can read this in 2 Samuel 11 and we should all know who King Solomon is. 

⁷And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;

 ⁸And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;

 ⁹And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;

 ¹⁰And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;

 ¹¹And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:

 ¹²And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

 ¹³And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;

 ¹⁴And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;

 ¹⁵And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

 ¹⁶And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

 ¹⁷So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

This completes Matthew’s version of the genealogy of Christ.  The genealogy fulfilled prophecy of the ancestral of Christ but it also shows Christ has some less than honorable people in his genealogy.  This shows us that we all can come to God no matter what type of family we come from.  God is not the God of the rich, powerful, and the self righteous we can all be the children of God through Christ.

Mon, Feb 14th - 12:33AM

Matthew 1:1

 Matthew 1:¹ The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham

Why is Jesus called the son of David? 

Psalm 132:¹¹The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

Isaiah 11:¹And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

^{Jeremiah 23:5}Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

All Jews considered themselves descendants of Abraham but what Matthew is doing here is confirming to his Jewish audience that Jesus was the Messiah and that he fulfilled prophecy about the Messiah, one of which was that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham and David.

Sun, Feb 13th - 1:43AM

Genesis 4:6,7

^{Genesis 4:6} “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? ⁷ You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” (NLT)

In another place the Bible says those who live in sin are slaves to sin.  If you ever been around an addict you know exactly what they are talking about.  An addict is a slave to their addiction but thank God we know through Christ we have freedom from the slavery of sin.

Sat, Feb 12th - 1:26AM

Acts 17:30,31

^{Acts 17:30} "Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, ³¹ because He has set a day on which He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead." ^Y)"> (HSCB)

Don’t be fooled by false teachers that say otherwise the judgment of God is very real and the standard for that judgment is Christ the one in verse 31 that was raised from the dead.  If you have accepted Christ as your Savior you have nothing to fear, you have passed from spiritual death to spiritual life but if you have rejected Christ you have rejected the only escape from the judgment of God and you will be judged for this rejection of the one who died on the cross for you.

Thu, Feb 10th - 11:24PM

Matthew 6:33

^{Matthew 6:33} But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

How many of us truly seek God first in our lives.  It is probably a question most of us would want to avoid.  To seek God first would mean to seek his will in our lives above all things that includes success, wealth, fame, pleasing others.  It means we seek to please God above everything.

Thu, Feb 10th - 1:38AM

Proverbs 4:19

^{Proverbs 4:19} But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
      They have no idea what they are stumbling over. (NLT)

I tell you what they stumble over.  Since they have rejected God and anything related to God they stumble over explaining the origin of life, the origin of the planet, they stumble over life, death, accountability, and morality.  The world just doesn’t make sense without God.  Mankind has tried to replace God and they just can’t do it.

Mon, Feb 7th - 11:38PM

Mark 14:35,36

^{Mark 14:35} He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. ³⁶ And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” (NKJV)

Submitting to the will of God isn’t always easy.  We want what we want and we want it now.  I am going through period of transition in my life.  I am retiring soon and am looking to go into the ministry.  So far it hasn’t been as easy a transition as I thought it would be.  I don’t always understand why some things happen but I know we have to learn to trust God and follow his will. 

Lord please help me to recognize your will and direction for my life.  Please help me to have faith to trust you always.  Lord please lead me through these frustrating times.

Sun, Feb 6th - 1:23AM

Psalm 42:2

Psalm 42: ² My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

Does your soul thirst for God, the living God?  If not you might want to ask yourself why not.  If you truly are a child of God your soul should desire from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep to please God, to tell others about the one your souls thirsts for.

Sat, Feb 5th - 2:31AM

Matthew 23:13

^{Matthew 23:13} “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. (NIV)

I pray that our church leaders don’t turn into the modern day Pharisees.  What I mean is, I really get frustrated sometimes.  I plan on retiring from my job and after that I want to spend more time getting involved in the ministry.  You wouldn’t believe the roadblocks I have run into.  The two major roadblocks I run into is I don’t have any ministry experience and I don’t have a seminary degree.  First how can I get experience unless someone gives me an opportunity to get experience second the degree, never mind that I have been reading the Bible since I was 13 years old and I have a strong desire to do this so many Christian organizations are more interested in a degree than a person that has a strong walk with God.  Well I am currently an online student at a Christian College working on a degree and I tell you I really aint impressed.  I aint trying to blow my own horn here just make a point.  I have come across professors who know books about theology and church history but I really question their knowledge of the Bible and question how close they are to God.  God says he looks at a man’s heart not his outward appearance and I would say rather he has a degree.  Name one Disciple that had formal religious education when he was called. 

Thu, Feb 3rd - 11:21PM

Matthew 16:26

^{Matthew 16:26} For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

What is worth our soul?  Popularity, fame, wealth, sex, is any of this worth spending an eternity in hell?  What is the price of your soul?  Jesus gave his life for your soul that you don’t have to spend an eternity in hell.  All you have to do is accept him as your savior and follow him. 

Thu, Feb 3rd - 2:02AM

Psalm 53:2

^{Psalm 53:2} God looks down from heaven
   on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
   any who seek God. (NIV)

We are drawing closer to the end people.  If you pay attention you can see a slow turn away God throughout the world.  In Western nations once considered to be the home of Christianity secularism has taken over.  In nations built upon Christian principles it has come taboo to mention God.  Western nations bend over backwards to accommodate the Muslim, the Hindu, and other religions while openly criticizing Christianity.  Those who preach tolerance and love are often the ones most intolerant and hateful to Christianity.  But the true student of the Bible is not surprised by all of this because he knows there is going to be a turning away from the faith in the end times.  I truly believe we are in the beginning of the end.