Matthew 18:15-20  Jesus was teaching His disciples about greatness in the Kingdom.. He taught that it is not the amount of influence, power, or prominence that counts in His Kingdom.. but it is a matter of humble child-like trust and service that means the most to the Father. The "Son of man has come to save that which is lost.. " That is the focus of kingdom ministry. ".. it is not the will of the Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.. "  That is the heart and purpose  of the Father. 

The same heart and purpose also carries over into relationships within the church family.  We are not to be stumbling blocks.. not to be offensive in our actions towards one another.  This especially applies to situations like we find in verses 15-17.. when a fellow Christian is guilty of sinful behavior.... Jesus tells us exactly what to do!

The first step is a private discussion....with love and grace.. for the purpose of restoring your brother or sister. 

If that fails.. then 2-3 witnesses are to meet with that brother or sister.  These are "witnesses".. not hear-sayers.. not those who have been told unconfirmed rumors..  but loving, caring, spiritually mature christians who care about the restoration of the one who is guilty of sin. 

And if that does not bring changes.. then the whole church is involved. If this person cares at all about the Body of Christ, this should be enough to bring about repentance and restoration.  If not.. they must leave the fellowship.  

Again, the whole teaching is God's plan for His Kingdom people.. the sinner is a "stumbling block" that could cause others to stumble.. it is better that they be "cut off" than to offend and cause "one of these little ones to perish." 

Again, Jesus talks about this idea of "binding" and "loosing". He spoke about this in Matthew 16:19.. in the context of the church and the "keys of the kingdom of heaven".  The Bible Dictionary says that "Heaven sets the standard and earth follows heaven's lead" in this matter.  What we do.. as the Church.. must follow the heart and purpose of Heaven.  That is why it is so important that there is agreement.. in prayer.. asking the Father's will in these matters.  It is why we are "gathered together" in His Name.. where He is in our midst.  These decisions have eternal consequences.. 

Father  in heaven, we have often failed to handle discipline within the church in Your ways. Forgive us. We have failed to show love and compassion.. we have failed to forgive and restore our fellow believers. We have been stumbling blocks.. we have offended.. we have caused others to stumble.. please forgive us.  Lead us, Holy Spirit, to be living sacrifices.. acceptable to You.. transformed by You.. renewed in our thinking by Your Word. May we not think "more highly of [ourselves] than [we] ought to think.. " ( Romans 12:1-3). But, may we love "without hypocrisy" and "be devoted to one another in brotherly love.. devoted to prayer.." and overcoming evil with good.  Let Christ be seen in us.  Abide in us Jesus, working all things in us that are well-pleasing to the Father.  We ask this in Your Name. Amen. 

 Matthew 18:1-11  "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  The disciples continually questioned each other about this...  When Jesus talked about John the Baptist...He said that there was no one "greater" on earth.... but "he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.. "  It is important to recognize that greatness in earthly terms is nothing.. but greatness in heavenly terms is everything. 

But, what the disciples.. and the rest of us.. need to know is what that really means.  For God's measurement of greatness is nothing like man's!

Jesus takes a little child to demonstrate His teaching on greatness. A child in Israel had no legal rights.  He or she could make no claims, do nothing on his or her own power, and relied on adults to meet their needs.  Jesus told His disciples, ".. become like children.. "  Instead of focusing on position and power.. their own "greatness".. they needed to be humble.. and to focus on service.. especially to the "little ones"... to those with no power, no resources, and no help. 

To "receive one such child" in Jesus' name, He says, is to "receive" Him.  To cause a child to stumble is a horrible offense to Him.  A "stumbling block" is one who causes offense.  It is such a severe sinful action that Jesus gives a very graphic warning:  "And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off.. if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out.. "   Your physical body is expendable.. but to be a stumbling block.. to offend or cause another believer to sin.. to cause anyone to turn from Christ.. that will result in "eternal fire".. a "fiery hell". 

 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones.. " Jesus says.. "their angels in heaven continually behold the face of My Father who is in heaven."  The value of another person.. even a child... is great in our Father's eyes! Jesus came "to save that which was lost".. even a little child with no greatness of his own.  Every lost one is of value to our God.  The shepherd leaves the 99 to find the one that is lost.. Jesus came to earth to find us.. for we were lost too. 

".. it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish."  Jesus tells us.  And if that is true of that little child standing before them.. it is also true of each of us who are "like children".. humbling acknowledging that we have no power, no standing, no resources, and no other way to be saved.  

No, it is not about our standing.. how great we are in the kingdom.. it is about our absolute dependence on the One who came to rescue us.  Hallelujah! If we keep our focus on this.. we will not be stumbling blocks.. we will not offend.. but we will receive others in His Name.  

Father in heaven, we thank You for sending Jesus to rescue us from our sin, for we were lost and without hope until we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  He is King and we fully rely on Him alone. Have Your way in us, Lord. .that we might show the love of the Father to every "little one".. and every other one that You bring before us. May we never cause another child to stumble.  May we live lives that do not cause offense that keeps someone from believing in Jesus. May we humbly walk before You every day of our lives.. to serve, to love, to encourage, and to reach others in the Name of Jesus. Amen. 

 Matthew 17:24-27  Jesus and His disciples returned to  Capernaum.. home after being away awhile.. but before they even got to rest a while, the tax-collector came calling.  They came to Peter asking, "Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?"

Back then, as is now, there were many taxes to pay.  Taxes to Rome, taxes for the temple, taxes on land, and taxes on commerce.  This appears to be the religious tax.. two-drachmas required for every man, every year.  Peter agrees.. it was not unexpected.. it was not something he was bothered by.. it seems.  

Jesus asks this question, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?"   This is an interesting question.  A poll-tax would be one collected from the Jews by the Romans.. not the temple tax.  It would be a tax given to the king.. 

Jesus, as the true King, ruling over the true Kingdom.. would be exempt from any and all taxes.. it all belongs to Him.  His disciples, as His direct followers, should also be exempt from taxes.  Yet, Jesus agreed to pay what He did not owe..for the sake of others.. to not offend. 

Jesus sends Peter out to fish..not with his usual boat and net.. but with a rod and hook.  He was to catch one fish and find one coin in the fishes mouth. Enough to pay the tax for both of them.  What an extraordinary event! 

Father, I am reminded again of how great and amazing You are.  Jesus, not only paid a tax that He did not owe.. but He paid the price of all our sins.. while He was perfectly without sin.  Fill our minds and hearts with awe and love and thankfulness.. for You have done great things!  You always have enough of what we need and You give willingly that we might walk in truth and love and righteousness.  You have truly "blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ."  You chose us.. so that we can be "holy and blameless" before You.  You "predestined us to adoption as sons" through Jesus to Yourself. You redeemed us through His blood.. You forgave our trespasses.. You lavished us with grace! ( Eph 1:3-8)  We bless Your holy Name.  God of glory.. grant us Your spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, we pray, that our spiritual eyes would be opened.. that we might "know the hope of His calling.. the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.. and the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe " (Eph. 1:17-19)

 All glory and praise and honor to the Father and to the Lamb, Who reigns forever. Amen. 

 Matthew 17:14-20 A desperate father pleads for mercy on behalf of his son.  The disciples could not help him.. but it took only a word from Jesus to free him from the demon.  What was the problem?  Jesus said, "Because of the littleness of your faith... "  The problem was puny trust.. Faith the size of a mustard seed is enough to move a mountain, Jesus said.. but their faith was smaller than that.

With Jesus nothing is impossible. We still have trouble believing that, don't we?  We pray.. we even pray persistently.. and sometimes those prayers are answered.  But, often.. too often.. they seem to bounce off the ceiling.  Puny faith. 

Again I find the words of Andrew Murray addressing this issue.. ".. experience has taught us that there is nothing in which we fall so short as the simple and absolute trust in God to fulfill literally in us all that He has promised. A life in the abiding presence of God must of necessity be a life of unceasing faith."  What is the secret to stronger faith?  Murray writes.. "Under a sense of its own nothingness and utter impotence, faith trusts the power of an almighty God to work wonders in the heart in which He dwells."  Faith recognizes the need for obedience to God's word.  Faith recognizes the need to wait on God and to rest in Him.. in all of His promises. "It does not rest content with taking some of the promises; it seeks nothing less than to claim every promise that God has made, in its largest and fullest meaning." 

Father in heaven,  help us to have bold faith.. absolute trust.. confidence in the power of our great and mighty God.. for You will never fail to keep Your promises.  You desire for us to come in faith, in surrender, and in obedience.. seeking You with all of our hearts.  You call us to believing prayer and perfect rest in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is able to do anything according to Your will... for nothing is impossible for You.  Help us to remember.. mountains can be moved.. seas can be parted.. people can be delivered from the evil one.. from death.. and from judgement!  For You have shown us mercy and have lavished us with grace. Thank You Father! Our dear Abba! Amen. 

 Matthew 17:1-13  "And six days later.. "  Six days after Jesus tells His disciples that some of them would "see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom"..  He takes Peter, James, and John "up to a high mountain by themselves."  

Something so unexpected.. and astounding.. and important happened on that mountain. Something that we can't begin to comprehend.  "And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun and His garments became as white as light."  Peter, James, and John saw a vision of  Christ in His glory.  They saw Elijah and Moses too. But, it is not until they hear the voice "out of the cloud" that "they fell on their faces and were afraid".  

It seems to me that Peter, in particular, becomes more confused than anything else by this experience.  You would think that this would have made him braver in the courtyard while Jesus was on trial.  He saw something that should have made him absolutely positive that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God.  Peter wanted to build three tabernacles on that mountain top.  Perhaps he was thinking that this was the time for Jesus to start His reign. Perhaps he thought Moses and Elijah would stay around and help... 

Their questions about Elijah were confusing too.. Was Elijah coming?  Had he already come? Was he coming again? Was John the Baptist - "Elijah" ?  What did Jesus mean that He was "going to suffer at their hands"? What was the purpose of this transfiguration ? 

Peter later wrote, "For we did not follow cleverly devised takes when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, 'This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased.' and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain." (II Peter 1:16-18)   

Peter, James, and John had a foretaste of Christ in His Kingdom.  It was an experience that they would never forget.. that even in the light of the crucifixion.. they could remember that Jesus was coming again.  Even when they were confused about the sequence of events.. they could keep believing. 

There is a day when we will see Jesus.. just as those three did on the mountain top.  He will be glorious and majestic.  He will be everything and more than we can imagine.  More than ever.. I find myself wondering if that day might even be today?  

Father, we look up.. ready to see the clouds part.. ready to hear the trumpet sound.. ready to see our King coming to take us home.  May our hearts be yielded and filled by Your Holy Spirit.. our lives surrendered to Your will.. and our hands at work to lead others to the cross of Jesus.. so that all will be ready for that day.  Move in us and through us, Lord, to do Your will.. sharing the good news of the Kingdom wherever we go. Amen. 

 Matthew 16:21-28  "From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem.. and be killed, and be raised up on the third day." 

The revelation that Peter received.. that Jesus is the "Christ, the Son of the living God".. is so powerful..  surely the high point of their journey with Christ so far, but... followed so quickly by the horrible news that He would be killed..  It was more than Peter could face. "God forbid it, Lord!" he cried. 

How startled Peter must have been.. to be told in one moment that he would be given the keys of the kingdom of heaven. and the next to be called "Satan" and a "stumbling block".  

There is a sobering reality that the disciples needed to be prepared for..  "God's interests".. are not the same as man's... (His ways our not our ways)... They needed to learn that being a disciple of Jesus is much more than what they had been expecting... It is a lesson that we must learn also. 

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."  Jesus tells them.  The cost of discipleship is your life.  Period.  "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it." 

All the wealth.. all the power.. all the "gain" ..  in all the world..Jesus says.. is not worth the cost of your soul.  In the end, when Jesus comes "in the glory of His Father.. " when judgement is rendered, every man will  receive "according to his deeds".  Nothing of this world will matter then.. except what has been done in the Name of Jesus. 

God is interested in preparing us for that day.  He wants us.. our whole being.. His call is still the same. Deny self. Take up the standard of Jesus. Follow Him. Seek Him only and find real life. Every other choice leads to destruction of the soul. 

"When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh, may I then in Him be found, Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne! On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand." 

Father in heaven, Your ways.. Your interests.... go way beyond our shallow thinking. We don't see things as You do.. like Peter we don't want the hard things.  But, You are perfect in every way and You have a much greater plan and purpose for us!  Thank You for doing in us the work of salvation, the work of sanctification.. to prepare us for the Day when Christ returns. May Your will be done! But, O Lord give us Your grace.. Father...   We look up.. alert and ready for that glorious day!  We abide in the One who died for us, who rose again, who sits at Your right hand, and who is coming again. Hallelujah!  He is Lord! Amen. 

 Matthew 16:13-20  This time Jesus goes to Caesarea Philippi, to the mountainous area in the north of Israel's territory.  He has an important question for His disciples.. "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"  The general consensus, they answer,  is that Jesus is a prophet.. some people even thought He was a reincarnation of John the Baptist, Jeremiah, or Elijah. 

 "But who do you say I am?"  Jesus asks.. and Peter answers, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."  This revelation was given to Peter by the "Father who is in heaven." It comes from outside of Peter's understanding.. outside of his intelligence.. outside of his education.  This Truth is revealed to each of us by the Spirit of God.. and no other way. 

Jesus takes this time.. to transition His focus from Who He is to who Peter would be.. "And I also say to you that you are Peter (a stone), and upon this rock ( bedrock) I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it."   The church - "ekklesia" - called out ones, the assembly, the community. 

The Church is called the Body of Christ.. the Bride of Christ.. the building that Christ is constructing here on earth. It is the church that receives "the keys of the kingdom of heaven."  The Church is given the responsibility to "bind on earth" what is bound in heaven and to "loose on earth" what is loosed in heaven. 

Just think about the connection.. the union.. the oneness..  of the Church on earth.. to the activity and will of heaven-  It is with such utter dependence and complete submission to the will of the Savior that we must use these "keys".   These are His keys.. as Jesus said in Revelation 1:18 "I am the first and the last and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. "  And 3:7 "He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens.. "

Father in heaven, help us to understand this Truth.  Help us to take up the work of the Church that You desire for us and have called us to do - to open the doors of the kingdom that others might come to Jesus.  May we bind the things of this world that keep people in bondage to the evil one.. which leads to death and hell.  Jesus, fill Your church with the almighty power of Your Spirit to go through the doors You open.. to hold fast.. to overcome the gates of Hades.. to obey Your commands with complete surrender and love fully and completely as You have loved us.. to the praise and glory of Your Name. We are Your church. Your Body.. Your Bride.. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen. 

 Matthew 16:1-12  Oh, those Pharisees and Sadducees.. wanting a sign from heaven!  How easily we can also fall into that mindset... wanting to see the miraculous according to our own will.  We need to heed Jesus' warning.. "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.. "  Beware of the "leaven" that leads us in their ways.. looking only at the outward appearance.. keeping  traditions instead of the Word.. demanding that everyone look to men... or government.. or whatever.. instead of God.  

We can be like the disciples sometimes.. worrying about the wrong things.. about the physical bread.. or lack thereof.. instead of the issues of importance.. truth and righteousness that come from a heart full of faith.  We also need to grow our "little faith".. don't we?

Andrew Murray wrote "How is it that we cannot live the life of unbroken fellowship with Christ, which Scripture promises?...  We do not realize that faith must accept and expect that God will, by His almighty power, fulfill every promise He has made. We do not live in that utter helplessness and dependence on God alone which is the very essence of faith. We are not strong in faith, fully persuaded that what God has promised He is able and willing to perform. We do not give ourselves with our whole heart simply to believe that God, by His almighty power, will work wonders in our hearts." 

Murray goes on to say the the reason our faith is lacking is because "there is not enough prayer and fasting."  He adds.. "To have strong faith in God requires that we keep in close touch with Him by persistent prayer. We cannot call up faith at our bidding; it needs close communion with God... faith requires the whole man to be utterly given up to God." ( from Daily in His Presence)

Father in heaven, forgive us for our "little faith" and grant us the manifest Presence of Jesus.. filling us with Your Spirit.. that we might have that unbroken fellowship.. living in faith.. walking in faith.. staying in that close communion through prayer without ceasing.  We look to You alone for life.. for truth.. and for Your will to be done.  We exalt You and thank You for patiently working in our hearts, sanctifying us.. preserving us.. and making us complete for the day that we stand before our King... blameless.. hallelujah!  Let Your Kingdom come and Your Name honored in all the earth we pray. Amen. 

 Matthew 15:29-39 Jesus left Tyre and Sidon and returned to the Sea of Galilee.. according to Mark 7 they went to the region called Decapolis.  It is suggested by some commentaries that those brought to Jesus at this time were Gentiles... "And great multitudes came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, dumb, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them." 

It is this possibly Gentile crowd that "marveled" and "glorified the God of Israel".  What a different reaction than that of the Israelites.  Jesus ministered to these people for 3 days.  Three days of healing people.. thousands of people who came to lay their loved ones at His feet.  Three days.. without enough food.. with no place to sleep..  in a "desolate" place.  

Sometimes, we can't even manage to spend an hour on behalf of those in need... 

Jesus felt compassion for this multitude of people and He decided to feed them before He sent them home.  Again, the resources were small.. 7 loaves of bread and a few fish... and again, Jesus took it, gave thanks for it, and gave it to His disciples to distribute.  And, again there was more than enough to satisfy all those who were there.. "four thousand men, besides women and children." 

Father in heaven, You are greater than every need we might have.. greater than any problem we might face.. greater than any resource we think is insufficient.  We just need to come to You in faith.. come to You in utter dependance and complete trust.. for You are Lord.. the God of Heaven and earth and there is no other.  Your love is incomparable.  Your grace in unending.  Your kindness fills the universe.  How do we forget.. how do we get so discouraged.. so anxious.. so fearful?  Fill us Lord with Your Spirit and have Your way in our hearts and minds.. so that we know Your manifest Presence every day.. and rest in Your arms with peace and overflowing love.. Christ Jesus.. abides in us. Hallelujah! Amen!

 Matthew 15:21-28  ".. Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon."  If you look at a map.. this area was quite a ways from Galilee.  Tyre is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The mountains of Lebanon surround it on the east. This was a long and difficult trip to a land outside of Israel..  yet, Jesus goes there...for one divine encounter.. 

One woman is intent on getting Jesus' attention.  One woman calls upon Him for mercy on behalf of her daughter.. "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed."  Here is Jesus.. outside of Israel.. being beseeched by a  Canaanite woman.. whom the disciples want to send away. And then Jesus says to her, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 

But, the woman does not give up. "Lord, help me!"  she pleads.  Jesus answered, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."  Even then, the woman does not give up and she does not get offended. "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their master's table." 

It is then... in the light of her faith and her humility that Jesus grants her request.. "O woman, your faith is great; be it done for you as you wish."  

Great faith.. calls upon the One who is able to do what no one else can do. 

Great faith.. does not give up or give in. 

Great faith.. humbly accepts whatever it is that the Lord wishes to give. 

Great faith.. acknowledges that even the "crumbs" of God's mercy.. are more than enough. 

Jesus leaves and returns to the Sea of Galilee after this. 

He met one woman.  

He answered one prayer.  

He found faith in one Gentile woman that was greater than that of many Israelites.  Isn't that wonderful!

Father in heaven, may we have this kind of great faith.. to call upon the Name of Jesus.. to not give up but to persist in prayer.. to know that You are the God of the impossible and that You alone can deliver us from the cruelty of the evil one.  We come to You, Jesus, for help in our times of need. You are our refuge and strength, our Healer and King. No mountains stand in Your way.  Nothing can separate us from Your love!  It is Your Name that we praise. It is You that we trust and obey.  Be with us. Come and make Your Presence known in our midst today. We ask this in Jesus' name.  Amen. 

 Matthew 15:1-20   The Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus a question.. "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?"   Jesus replied with a question of His own.. "And why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?"

They were concerned about ceremonial washing of hands. 

He was concerned about the sinfulness of their hearts. 

Jesus always focuses on the heart.. It was their hearts that were "far away" from God. It was their hearts that were defiled.. "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, slanders. These are the things which defile man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man." ( v19-20)

The hearts of the Pharisees and scribes that questioned Jesus were full of evil.  Jesus told His disciples that these men were "blind guides of the blind".  They were the "tares"..  for "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up." 

The Pharisees did not really care that the disciples didn't wash their hands. It was just something to complain about.. to criticize and condemn.  They called this a transgression.. a sin.  But, at the same time they were taking money from people... even their own families..  in the name of God.. and using it for their own selfish pursuits.  They were hypocrites of the worse kind. 

This makes me wonder if we have some "traditions" that get more emphasis than they should?  Do we hold our ways of "doing church"  as of more value in our hearts than loving like Jesus calls us to.. I hope not.... 

Father, once again we come before You and ask that You search us.. and know our hearts.  Try us... examine us and reveal any hurtful ways in us.. and lead us in the everlasting way.  Open our eyes Lord, that we will not be blind leaders of the blind.. but that we will walk in Your Light.. doing Your will.  Fill us Spirit of Truth that we might grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  It is in His name that we come. Amen. 

 Matthew 14:34-36  "And when they had crossed over, they came  to land at Gennesaret."   As soon as Jesus was recognized the people started gathering.. bringing "all who were sick".  Here were people of faith.. people who just touched His cloak and found healing.  What a change from those who didn't want Him near before!  What a change from the people of His hometown.. of His own family.  What a change from those who were with Him so often but still had "little faith".  

What about us?  Do we have the faith to bring the sick to Him? Do we have the faith to reach out for "the fringe of His robe." ?  

So thankful that Jesus still heals the sick and calms the seas.. that He reminds us that we do not need to be afraid but to know that He is here.. and that we can trust Him no matter what we face. 

A quote from Andrew Murray - "Where Jesus Christ is the one object of our desire and our confidence, He will manifest Himself in divine power.  He will make His holy promise a reality in our conscious experience. Pray for this kind of faith in His blessed Word, in His divine power, and in His abiding presence. Christ will indeed manifest Himself, abide with you, and dwell in your heart as His home." (from the devotional Daily in His Presence) 

Father in heaven, this is my desire.. to be with Jesus! Daily.. always.  To know Him more. To walk with Him morning, noon, and night. To touch the fringe of His robe.. to be confident and steadfast in His Presence.  Abide in us, gracious Lord, we plead.. Amen. 

 Matthew 14:23-33  The disciples had been sent away in a boat.  The multitude had been sent away by land.  Jesus was finally alone.. and "He went up to the mountain by Himself to pray".  It was not until the early hours of the morning that Jesus came to His disciples, walking on the water. 

The disciples had seen Jesus do so many miracles.. they had already experienced the calming of a storm once before.  But, this was something they had never seen.. something impossible and unbelievable.  To walk on water.. in the middle of the sea.. in a storm.. it was more than their brains could handle! No wonder they were afraid..

It was when Jesus spoke to them that things changed. "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."  These words are our saving grace.. 

When we face the storms of life.. we can take courage for He is with us. 

When we are afraid.. we can come to Him.. even across stormy waters.. and He is with us. 

When we doubt.. even then.. He reaches out His hand to us.. O Yes!  He is with us. 

It was then that the disciples began to understand that Jesus is "God's Son". It is the moment that the storm calmed.  It was what brought them to their knees in worship. 

Father in heaven, we praise You.. from Whom all blessings flow.  We praise Your holy Name and desire that You will fill our hearts and lives with Your great love and grace.. to know with all our being that Jesus is the Son of God... and He is with us.  We set our hearts on "nothing less than the presence of the living Lord" (Andrew Murray).. believing He abides in us always.. with fervent love and almighty power.. to do Your will and to bless Your Name.  Help us to have greater faith and bold courage in Your Truth. Hallelujah!  Jesus is with us always. Amen and amen. 

 Matthew 14:13-21  In this "lonely place", where Jesus goes to be by Himself after He hears of John's death, a multitude of people just show up..  He went by boat.. but they followed along the shore on foot. They were a multitude of desperate people and  He "felt compassion for them and healed their sick." 

What happened next is what boggles our minds.. The disciples wanted Jesus to sent the crowd away to get their own food.  Jesus tells them to feed the crowd themselves!  It is an impossible command.  They had 5 loaves and 2 fish. Perhaps enough for the 13 of them to each have a little... but that's all.  Jesus simply takes what they have and feeds 5000 men plus the women and children.  ".. and they all ate and were satisfied".  The left overs filled 12 baskets full. 

Jesus blessed the food.  He broke the loaves.  He gave the food to His disciples.  The disciples gave the food to the people.   There are so many lessons to learn from this event.  We learn that Jesus cared about the people, yes... but we also learn that He wanted His disciples to see beyond the limits of human ability. Jesus wants us to know this Truth too. 

What impossible task are we facing?  Let us give it to Jesus!

What great needs concern us today... let us give them to Jesus!

What people are suffering around us.. let us bring them to Jesus!

We cannot multiply bread and fish. But we know the One who can. O, don't you wish you could have been there? Perhaps, we will experience His provision in a different way today.. perhaps we can bring Him our little bit and watch Him expand its reach to meet the needs of others. 

Father in heaven, You are the God Who provides. All we have has come from You and it is with gladness that we place it into Your Hands.. to use as You will.  Praise to the Lord, the King of glory who multiplies our offerings to feed a hungry world. What You give to us.. we take and give to those who are hungry.. those who need what only Jesus can give.  Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done, dear Lord! Give to us our daily bread.. and then take it to feed the multitudes we pray.  In Jesus' name Amen. 

 Matthew 14:1-12  Matthew tells us that Herod hears about Jesus and thinks that He is a resurrected John the Baptist.  The circumstances of John's death are given here.  Herod had arrested him because he condemned Herod's taking of his brother's wife.  Herodias hated John, so when her daughter danced for Herod and was given the opportunity to ask for anything she wanted.. she asked for John's head on a platter.. for her mother.  A whole family filled with anger and resentment... immorality and evil.  Do you even wonder what on earth she did with that head? How evil must a person be to ask such a thing?

When Jesus heard of John's death "He withdrew from there in a boat, to a lonely place by Himself.. "  His time of mourning was interrupted.. but eventually He was able to go "up to the mountain by Himself to pray."  There He was totally alone, having sent the disciples off on the boat and the multitudes away. 

Was it grief that Jesus felt? The "Man of Sorrows".. knows our grief and sorrow.  He knows the lostness of men and the sadness of those who lose loved ones because of the evil done to them.  The world often wonders why God allows things like this to happen.  We question the God who is supposed to be Love.. wondering why evil comes into our lives.  Jesus did not question the death of John.. He knew it would happen.. He felt the sadness of it.. and He accepted the fact of it.  

This makes me think of how it is with each of us.. after all it is appointed unto man once to die.... that we all will die, unless He returns before that..  He knows the hour and the way it will happen to each.  Even more, He knows those who are His.. and rejoices when we enter His Presence.  And, He knows those who have rejected Him. He knows their eternal suffering in the lake of fire.. where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth".   What sorrow that must bring to His heart.  It brings sorrow to mine.. 

Father in heaven, again You have put on my heart a prayer for the lost.. the rebellious and the ignorant.. the blatant atheist and the despondent deceived ones.  You are a  compassionate and merciful, God.  You are slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.  Bring revival our God!  Bring hope to the hopeless and life to the dead.  Heal the sick and rescue the perishing, Lord, for You alone can save. Raise up Your church to take courage and to have great faith.. to reach out to a dying world.. to those greatly deceived by the evil one.  Lead us in Your ways, Father God, to speak truth in love, with compassion and grace.. and may eyes be opened to see You.. and ears opened to hear Your voice.  We plead this in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

 Matthew 13: 53-58  Matthew tells us that Jesus and His disciples left and went to Nazareth, His home town.  His family seems to be still living there, although Jesus stayed in Capernaum.  In Nazareth, Jesus was known as the "carpenter's son".   His mother and His four brothers were well known.. James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.  We learn that Jesus also had sisters that lived in Nazareth.  It is a glimpse of the human side of the Lord.  Perhaps this is why the people of Nazareth had such a hard time accepting Jesus as the Messiah.

Jesus taught in the synagogue in Nazareth... causing the people to be "astonished".  He also did some miracles.. but not "many" there.  They heard.. they saw.. but they did not receive Him.. instead "they took offense at Him."  

It makes me think about the fact that everywhere on this earth, it seems,  unbelievers still "take offense" at the Name of Jesus.  Christians are hated.. persecuted.. sneered at.. and blamed for problems... all over the world.  It really makes no sense. True Christians are kind, good, loving, giving... they.. we.. are law abiding citizens.  We aren't the ones to start riots, trample and destroy businesses.. or attack others.  Yet, there is a constant criticism ( and more)  thrown at us.  Why?  Perhaps it is for the same reason that the hometown people of Nazareth rejected Jesus.. they "took offense".  They stumbled.. they tripped up.. they are scandalized. There is resentment and anger.. even outrage when one's moral feelings are challenged.. even if those beliefs are wrong. 

Father in heaven, we live today in a culture where offense is taken at everything.. especially at the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  There is a lot of resentment and anger.. even moral outrage over the issues of today.. abortion.. lgbtq...whatever.. and so much more.  There is much unbelief in our country.. our community.. and even in our own families.  How we need Your Holy Spirit to move in power to open blind eyes and deaf ears.. that many more will hear the Word and that seed, planted in hearts will grow and expand; that revival will come once again... that the lost will be saved.  Come, Lord Jesus, and bring Life and truth, shining the Light of the gospel in and through Your people.  Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done, we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.