Mon, Jun 30th - 2:00PM

Matthew 7:1-6

   1: Judge not, that ye be not judged.
   2: For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
   3: And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
   4: Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
   5: Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
   6: Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Jesus is telling us not to be judgmental with other people.  Looking down on people is a sure way to drive them away from the Lord.  But there is a difference between being judgmental and using discernment.  A lot of false beliefs are getting promoted in today’s church and God expects to use discernment to identify false teachers.  But rather we are dealing with a sinner or a fellow Christian practicing falsehood we are to show them love.  But before we go around correcting other people we have to make sure our own lives are straight because if we are correcting others with sin in our lives we are hypocrites.  Now look at verse 6.  If they refuse to hear the truth you have done your duty don’t cast your pearls before swine.  In other words if they refuse to accept the treasures of God let them remain in their filth and move on unless they try to drag you down with them.  Some people will always be to stubborn to hear the truth.

Sun, Jun 29th - 3:28PM

Matthew 6:25-34

25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Life offers plenty of opportunities for worry but God wants us to have faith in him that he will provide for needs.  We might not always get want we want but we do get what we need.  We have to have faith that God has our best interest at heart.

Sat, Jun 28th - 1:47PM

Matthew 6:19-24

19Lay 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.

 22The 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!

 24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

The Bible preaches over and over again on the dangers of greed.  If you are consumed with pursuing money then you are neglecting the work of God.  Anything we put before God is an idol.  Now there is nothing wrong with being successful in our careers unless we become so consume with being successful that we put it before God.  This is the problem I have with the prosperity movement.  If you have based your whole worship of God in seeking material rewards you are wrong.  Jesus says we should seek heavenly treasures not treasures here on earth that is temporary.   

Fri, Jun 27th - 3:58PM

Matthew 6:16-18

16Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

 17But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

 18That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Once again Jesus is giving a message on humility.  Whatever we do should be done in humility not to bring attention to us.  The Jewish leaders of this time would make a big show of their supposed righteousness.  But God knows our hearts and our motives.  You might fool men but you can’t fool God.

Thu, Jun 26th - 3:23PM

Matthew 6:5-15

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.

These verses contain what is known as the Lord’s Prayer, which is Jesus instructing us in what manner we should pray.  When we pray it should be in a respectful and humble manner.  Not making a big show for others to see.  There is nothing wrong with praying in public such as before meals, in church, or before events but everything should be done in a respectful manner not to put on a show. 

Look at verse 10, Jesus says your will be done.  To many preachers today want to tell their followers anything they declare in the name of Jesus God will do.  That is not true.  We should always pray according to God’s will.  I can ask for a million dollars but if it is not God’s will for me to have that much money he is not going to grant it.  God is not some magical genie waiting to grant our every desire.  He has a plan and purpose for our lives and things are going to work according to his will.

Wed, Jun 25th - 3:00PM

Matthew 6:1-4

1Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

 2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

 3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

 4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

We should do acts of kindness out of the kindness of our hearts not seeking rewards for our acts.  You shouldn’t do charity seeking the approval of your fellow man or trying to get some kind of tax break from the government.  Everything we do should be to glorify out father in heaven.

Tue, Jun 24th - 3:56PM

Matthew 5:43-48

43Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

 44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

 45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

 46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

 47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

 48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

One of the hardest things to do as Christians is to continue to show love to people who misuse us and insult us.  People are going to hate us for who we are.  That is something we just are going to have to learn how to deal with.  We shouldn’t sink to their level but stay on the high road.  Verse 48 says to be perfect.  We know we can never obtain complete perfection here on earth but it is a goal to strive for.  We can only obtain complete perfection through Christ.

Mon, Jun 23rd - 10:24PM

Matthew 5:38-42

   38: Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
   39: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
   40: And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
   41: And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
   42: Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

I don’t think Jesus is instructing us to be doormats here but not to retaliate when we are wronged.  Whenever we are wronged the natural reaction is to seek revenge but God wants us to live our life in a Christian manner.  And that means showing love always even when we have been wronged.

Sun, Jun 22nd - 10:29PM

Matthew 5:33-37

 33Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

 34But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

 35Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

 36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

 37But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

The Lord expects us to keep our language free of swearing, and boastful oaths, and wild promises.  I hate listening to TV preachers making wild promises and predictions about healing and things to come.  They make themselves and us look foolish when the things they promise don’t come true.

Sat, Jun 21st - 5:38PM

Matthew 5:31,32

31It 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.

Divorce in the U.S. hovers around 50% of all marriages including among Christian couples.  I aint going to try and sell myself as a marriage expert but I can speak of my own experiences.

 I have been married for 14 years now and my marriage is as strong as ever.  I think I can contribute that to several things.  Me and my wife are both Christians and God plays a very important role in our family life.  Me and my wife have disagreements but they rarely blow up to full blown fights.  I have learn if I am upset go for a walk or be alone for a few minutes and settle down and discuss what I am upset about after I have settle down instead of the heat of the moment.  People have a tendency to say things when they are upset that can be very mean and hurtful.  So I wait to discuss the issue in a calm demeanor.  Me and my wife are partners that show mutual respect to each other.  The Bible says the two will become one flesh.  I have never told my wife what she can and can’t do and she has never done the same to me.  I am the man of the house but we have always discussed major decisions and agreed on a decision together.  I still show my wife as much affection today as when we were dating.  I am always telling her how much I love her and I let her know that I still think she is beautiful.

Being an NCO in the Army I work with a lot of young people.  I see mistakes this young men make all the time.  They go to the club and meet a girl that is willing to have sex with them and now they think they are in love and rush into a relationship without really knowing this girl.  To many of them mistake lust for love.  They rush into marriage without a real courtship.  Marriage is tough.  You are going to have all kinds of trials thrown at you.  If you don’t have a strong relationship with your partner these trials is going to break you.

And of course adultery plays a major role in divorce.  If you aint willing to commit to one partner then you have no business getting married.

Fri, Jun 20th - 3:50PM

Matthew 5:27-30

27Ye 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.

Sexual immorality is preached against over and over again in the Bible.  God expects us as Christians to live a pure and holy life.  Lust not only destroys our spiritual life but also our married life.  Sex was created by God to be enjoyed by a married man and woman as a sign of love and for the reproduction of children.  Mankind has turned it to something depraved and trashy.  A quick tour of the internet will show you how depraved it has become.

Thu, Jun 19th - 12:57PM

Matthew 5:21-26

21Ye 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.

Anger is such a dangerous emotion.  There are plenty of people sitting in prison for crimes they committed in a bout of anger.  It is natural for people to annoy us and there are people who we are going to have personality clashes with and there are people who have different view points then us.  But we should be able to handle such circumstances without resorting to anger, name calling, or insults.  Remember we should be showing the love of Christ always.

Wed, Jun 18th - 3:04PM

Matthew 5:17-20

17: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
   18: For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
   19: Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
   20: For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus says he fulfilled the law.  When Jesus died on the cross he established a new covenant with all believers.  Through his blood on the cross salvation was obtained for the whole world for all who is willing to repent of their sins and accept him as their savior.

Tue, Jun 17th - 4:04PM

Matthew 5:13-16

13Ye 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.

 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 the salt of the earth.  What is salt good for?  Salt is a preservative that prevents corruption.

We are a light unto the world.  We are witness for Christ in this dark world.

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Mon, Jun 16th - 2:30PM

Matthew 5:1-12

 1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

 2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

 3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

 5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

 6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

 7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

 8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

 9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

 10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

These verses are of course known as the beatitudes we could write a whole book in just these verses right here but today I want to talk about a couple of them.

Verse 6 talks about being hungry and thirsty for righteousness.  We should all be hungry and thirsty for righteousness.  There is so much falsehood being taught in the Christian community right now such as prosperity preaching and universalism.  Prosperity preaching is proclaiming that God wants us to be wealthy and to become wealthy we just have to have faith and claim it.  No where in the Bible does God promises us material wealth for following him.  In fact the Bible speaks out against seeking material wealth.  The only people get wealthy in this scam is the preachers who are living off the donations of their followers.  The blessings of God are not for sale.  If you every hear a preacher say you must give a certain amount of money to receive a blessing he is a false teacher.

Verses 10-12 speak of persecution.  Those of us in the west don’t really understand what it means to be persecuted for our beliefs.  A lot of Christians in other parts of the world is suffering very real physical persecution for the faith.  In places like China, North Korea, Indonesia, Sudan etc., being a Christian can mean prison or death.  Lets be sure to remember these brave Christians in our prayers.  They understand what it means to stand strong in the faith.

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Sun, Jun 15th - 3:08PM

Matthew 4:23-25

23And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

 24And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

 25And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

Christ begins his ministry.  We all to follow his example either by actively engaging in spreading the message or by supporting those who do.  Christ also gave us the Great Commission.  A command to spread the word of God to all nations.  So I was kind of surprised when I came across a blog the other day on a different site by some Christians who were bad mouthing evangelists.  Of course this same group of people claim there is no hell and everybody is going to Heaven whether they accept Christ or not so I guess I really shouldn’t been surprised.

Sat, Jun 14th - 5:06PM

Matthew 4:18-22

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.

Jesus calls his first four disciples.  These four men would have some of the biggest influence on spreading the Gospel.  Peter, James and John wrote part of what we know of today as the New Testament.  But notice when Jesus called them they dropped everything to follow him.  All Christians have responsibility in spreading the Gospel.  No where in the Bible does God call people to set on the sidelines.  We can’t all be preachers or teachers but we can all be a witness for Christ.  You can be a witness in how you live your life around your family, friends, schoolmates, and coworkers, or you can write in a blog.  The internet is an amazing tool in spreading the Gospel.  You can witness to people around the world what Christ means to you.  Besides shouldn’t the internet be used for something besides games and porn.

Fri, Jun 13th - 3:12PM

Matthew 4:12-17

 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.

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

Repentance is a message being left out of a lot of Churches today.  They would rather tell everyone it is ok live your life the way you want to.  It’s ok long as you are good person.  Being a good person is not enough.  We must repent of our sins and accept Jesus into our lives.

Thu, Jun 12th - 2:30PM

Matthew 4:1-11

1Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

 2And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

 3And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

 4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

 5Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

 6And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

 7Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

 8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

 9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

 10Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

 11Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

This is the story of Jesus being tempted by Satan.  A lot of people want to deny Satan and Hell but here is Satan written in black and white.  In verse 6 Satan quotes scripture at Jesus.  In talking with atheist I was surprised at how many of them had study the Bible.  They had done so to try and twist the word back on believers.  What made me sad about that is how many believers don't ever spend the time studying the word of God.

Wed, Jun 11th - 2:38PM

Matthew 3:13-17

13Then 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.

God spoke from Heaven and declared Jesus as his son.  Jesus knew who he was God did this to show the world who he was.  There are some who dispute this but here it is in black and write, my beloved son.

Tue, Jun 10th - 5:54PM

Matthew 3:1-12

 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.

 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.

 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.

 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.

 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:

 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.

 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.

Now compare John the Baptist a man dressed in camel’s hair and ate locust and wild honey to some of our modern day prosperity preachers.  Men living lavish lifestyles off of the donations of their followers.  Jesus and John and the apostles lived humble lifestyles while these men preach a message of greed.

Now look at verses 10 through 12, John is speaking of the coming judgment of non-believers.  This is a message left out of liberal churches that preach there is no hell and no coming judgment.

Mon, Jun 9th - 10:39PM

Matthew 2:19-23

 20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

 21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

 22But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

 23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

 In the Bible Egypt is often seen as a place of sin and bondage.  It is often a place the Hebrews would turn to help instead of God when things were going bad.  Well today God is calling his children to come out of Egypt.  To come out of the bondage of sin and join him in the promise land. 

Sun, Jun 8th - 10:37PM

Matthew 2:13-18

 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.

 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.

Herod was furious when he discovered his plot to kill the young Jesus fell apart.  Well today Satan is still trying to destroy the church and still failing.  Satan has read the Bible and he knows the ending.  I won't try to go into the mind of Satan but he has to know its a losing game but yet he keeps trying.  I read a blog today by an atheist bragging about how they are winning and Christanity is collapsing.  What foolishness.  As Jesus was coming into Jerusalem riding a donkey the Pharisees asked Jesus to silence his followers, his reply was if they were to be silent the rocks would shout out in praise.

Thu, Jun 5th - 9:19PM

Matthew 2:1-12

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.

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.

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

Herod like most Jews would have known of the prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah but why was he so worried. He was worried about the threat to his power. Herod like most people today was more concern about worldly things instead of seeking the kingdom of God.

Wed, Jun 4th - 11:45AM

Matthew 1:18-25

18Now 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Here Matthew describes the virgin birth of Jesus. Some would argue that this is impossible but we remember with God all things are possible. If God can create life why couldn’t he create life inside a womb of a virgin.

Tue, Jun 3rd - 1:18PM

Matthew 1:1-17

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

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

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

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;

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

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

Matthew starts off his Gospel with the genealogy of Christ through Joseph. You will notice in all the verses up to verse 16 it is a series of begats but in verse 16 when it comes to Jesus and Joseph it is Joseph husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus because we know Jesus was not born of Joseph but of God. You will see some familiar names in the genealogy Solomon, David, Jesse, Obed, Ruth, Judas (Judah), Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham this is in conjunction with several Old Testament verses speaking of the coming of Christ.

Mon, Jun 2nd - 10:33PM

Proverbs 16:16

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
      and good judgment than silver!

There is a lot of people with wisdom but really lacking in the good judgment department.

Sun, Jun 1st - 10:50PM

Psalm 119:165

165 Those who love your law have great peace. Nothing causes them to stumble.

A lot of Christian do stumble because their faith does not have strong foundations.  Either they don't take the time to study the word of God or they truly don't believe the Bible is the word of God and they have their doubts about God.  They have so many doubts because what is their faith really grounded in?