Matthew Chapter 4

We open this chapter up to Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.  Gosh.  This should remind me on days or nights of where I am feeling really low that, yes, Jesus did walk in my shoes.  He also was tempted but the difference is that he withstood Satan and put Satan in his place.  What if this year we tried  to do something differently?  What if this year I say, "today I am going to think, speak and only listen to positive, Godly thoughts.  "Satan go away because today I am worshiping the Lord Jesus, and I am only serving him."  (taken from Matthew 4:10).  I tell you this because I have lived it.  Each year I have grown closer and closer to the Lord.  What my experience has been is that when I pray, read and practice living my life more purposefully Christian, the temptations lesson and I can stand even stronger against Satan and his temptations.  

Matthew 4:19-20 Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!"  And they left their nets at once and followed him.  I wonder what it was like to live while Jesus was here on earth.  Imagine the faith these men had to just get up and leave everything to follow Jesus.  I ask myself that question, can I do that?  Can I leave my house, my things, friends, family? Or on other days, how, how do I get up and follow Jesus today? 

As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, we realize that the things here on earth are just not that important.  We live in very uncertain times, but I have been taking refuge the last few months in imagining what it will be like in heaven and know that the stuff that happens here really doesn't matter for eternal perspective.  Different passages from Psalms will pop into my head like how God created this world, how when he speaks the wind listens and obeys.  You may want to keep a pad and pen close to you as you read your Bible in case a verse speaks to you.  Remember, Jesus lived here.  He knows our temptations, our pains and our sorrows.  We are never alone. 

With love and until tomorrow I hope your temptations are small and your blessings are large.

                                                                                           MATTHEW 3             

 

                Isaiah  40:3  “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him.”  And then there was John the Baptist who preached about repenting of our sins, baptized with water and announcing that there is one greater than he who is coming who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 

                What I admire about John the Baptist is that he knew his place on earth.  “Matthew 3:11 “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God.  But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am – so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  We can learn a lot from John.

                If you don’t know your purpose, ask and seek God for the answer.  And if you do know your purpose here on earth, are you doing it to the best of your ability?  Are you doing it for your own glory or for God’s glory.  You see, when we do things for God’s glory it puts everything in balance for us.  We receive a healthy perspective on everything in our daily lives.  Let’s take our daily life.  We wear many hats during the day.  I am going to use my life as an example.  I am a wife, mom, volunteer, and employee. 

                As a wife and mom, personally it helps me get through my day better when I start my day with my daily Bible reading.  I have come to realize that if I don’t read pretty early in my day it is much harder to sit and take the time to read.  The Bible is a gift to us from God.  He wants us to know about him and in turn he wants us to pray to him.  If you are knew to Bible reading than I suggest you to take a few minutes today and read Matthew 3.  Did you miss either of the first two days with your new Bible reading.  That’s okay.  Start right now and right here with Matthew 3.  If you have time, go back and read Chapters 1 and 2.  However, there are 28 chapters in Matthew and 31 days so there will be days to catch up on the daily Bible readings. 

                As the events of a day unfold, I am often reminded of God’s word.  It may not be what I read that particular day and it may not be word for word exact but it is comforting to know that God is here with me moment by moment.  It helps me in my decision making and it reminds me than my life is not my own.  I am God’s child. 

                Now today’s chapter is a very clear message about repentance.  Many people say they will start making changes the beginning of the year.  Are you like me and already have missed some of your new year resolutions.  That is okay.  We can start today and if it is a sin that needs to be stopped, than come to God today and ask him for your forgiveness and repent now.  But if it were June or August or October, if I am convicted that I did something wrong, I don’t need to wait until the next calendar year rolls around, I can ask God for forgiveness and make a point to stop that sin and to make better choices.  Reading God’s word on a daily basis does help me clear out the cobwebs and make wise decisions. 

                My favorite verse in Matthew 3 is Matthew 3:17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”  I often wonder what the people were thinking that heard that voice from heaven.  What a sight to see.  The people at that time got to witness John baptizing Jesus and then the heavens opening, and the Spirit of God descending and then hearing a voice from heaven.  It must have been truly amazing.  Although, what else can we expect from God but pure amazement.

Cheerio!  And remember to Smile for today is the day God has made so enjoy it!

 

 

 

                                                                                                                           

Matthew Chapter 2

What can we learn through King Herod?  Yes, even through the bad guys, we can learn life lessons.

As you read through this chapter, take note of the prophesies that were fulfilled through the birth of Jesus.  Through Herod and his actions Mary and Joseph needed to move.  Matthew 2:13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.  "Get up!  Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother," the angel said.  "Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child and kill him.

Is there a verse that spoke to you?  Let us know.

These prophecies are a good reminder that God has a plan and God is in control.  Does your life seem out of control right now?  Pray to God and ask him for guidance.  With God make your plan and each day pray upon it.  If it his will, your plan will be fulfilled. 

May you have a blessed day.

January 7, 2013 - Matthew Chapter 1

For Amy.

There are only 28 chapters of Matthew and there are 31 days so that gives us 3 extra days to read this book.  Matthew is the very first book of the New Testament.  It was written by Matthew.  Matthew was a tax collector and he was one of Jesus 12 disciples. 

Taken from my Life Application Study Bible, Tyndale Publisher, the New Living Translation (NLT), as you read this Gospel, listen to Matthew's clear message:  Jesus is the Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords.  Celebrate his victory over evil and death, and make Jesus the Lord of your life.

Please feel free to share your thoughts with us as we go forward.  If you have thoughts of Amy or a verse that spoke to you, please go ahead.  Because this is not a private blog, I am screening the comments and will tolerate only corrections, and positive comments.

Matthew starts with a genealogy going from Abraham to King David up to Jesus.  I know it is tempting to skip these verses or even this entire chapter.  However, take the time to read through the names.  There might be a few more names that you recognize.  If you have time, you may want to go back and learn a little bit more about some of the people in which you don't recognize.

We did a study a few years back at my church and during that time, we learned again about Ruth.  Ruth was not of Jewish descent but she did marry two Jewish men and she was a wonderful, strong, courageous woman (can we think of someone else who was a strong woman in our lives :)).  Also, it is possible that next month we will be reading the book of Ruth so we will get to know more about Ruth then.  I mention Ruth also  because we can be reminded that we are ALL children of God.  Can you find others who were not of original Jewish heritage?  As you read through the Geneology, are there people that are mentioned that you don't know anything about?  Go to bluebible.com and see if they have anything written about that person.

If you have some extra time and would like to learn more about some of the people named, here are some passages listed.  For more on Tamar, see Genesis 38:29-30; for more on Rahab see Joshua 2 and 6:22, 23; and for Rehoboam see 2 Chronicles Chapters 10 - 12.  Was there a name that you saw that you would like to read more about look it up in your Bible or go to bluebible.com.  Leave a comment with the verses so we can learn more too.

Verses 1 - 16 strings many names and lives together leading us to our Messiah. 

Can you imagine being 16 years of age or younger and having an angel visit you?  Sometimes with all the commercialism that surrounds us leading up to and around the Christmas season, I think we can forget about how truly amazing and perplexing that time was for Mary and Joseph.  Imagine being visited by one of God's angels no less to announce that you are going to have a child and even more so THE child, the long awaited for MESSIAH. 

God Bless you and Happy Reading.  Smile; we are now in 2013!  See you tomorrow!

Introduction

About a year ago I created the title and was planning some of my postings for this blog.  I was going to start once the children were back in school last year.  My idea for the blog was to encourage those that barely knew the Bible to start reading.  I was going to start with Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  I was coming up with additional ideas for posts and then...

2012 started off with my very dear friend Amy passing on.  She had been sick for a little over a month, but I didn't realize how sick she actually was.  Because Amy was so young, I thought she was going to get better.  It is one of those things that I don't understand, but I know it isn't for me to question God.  So I gather strength and take the steps of living without my dear friend.

Through Amy some new seeds were planted.  I have gotten to know her family better and with some people that I already knew I have become friends.  Her father-in-law and I had some conversations on the Bible and he suggested I read the book of Revelation backwards.  It does give  a new and different perspective when you read the books of the Bible backwards.  So I read Revelation starting with Chapter 22 and then took it to the next step and read Jude, 3 John, 2 John, 1 John Chapter 5 - 1 and so on up to Luke.  I'm still reading Luke.  Last month I was thinking about Amy and how she loved the book of Matthew.  I wasn't sure where I would be by the end of the year, but I decided that I am going to stop wherever I am and start the new year reading the Book of Matthew in memory of Amy.  I'm not sure why Matthew was her favorite book.  I am sure Amy and I talked about it and just as surely I am sure I forgot.  I know I had wanted to ask her again why that was her favorite but suddenly she was no longer here to have our little chats and garner nuggets of wisdom. 

Will you join me?  Will you start January 1 reading Matthew 1?  I hope so.  I invite you to come back and visit this blog for encouragement, and sharing.  God's is Love.  So with this in mind, lets be loving and forgiving toward one another.

See you again January 1.  In the meantime please pray for my friend Amy's family including her 10, 11 and 21 year old children, her husband, mother, brother and extended family.  Pleases pray for the families in Connecticut and for our nation.  We need healing in our nation.  I try and pray each day for God to heal our country, to heal the broken hearted and with this remind myself to forgive others, to love others and certainly to not hold grievances and be bitter.  We need lots and lots of loving.
 Smiles!