Tag: Heard

34.u. “He will put those wretches to a miserable death”

 

Matthew 21:33 “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.

These are, of course, the prophets, whose office was not only to foretell, but to plead for obedience and trust, the fruits sought by God. The whole history of the nation is summed up in this dark picture. Generation after generation of princes, priests, and people had done the same thing. There is no more remarkable historical fact than that of the uniform hostility of the Jews to the prophets. That a nation of such a sort as always to hate and generally to murder them should have had them in long succession, throughout its history, is surely inexplicable on any naturalistic hypothesis. Such men were not the natural product of the race, nor of its circumstances, as their fate shows. How did they spring up? No ‘philosophy of Jewish history’ explains the anomaly except the one stated here,-’He sent His servants.’ The hostility of the husbandmen grows with indulgence. From beating they go on to killing, and stoning is a specially savage form of killing. The opposition which began, as the former parable tells us, with polite hypocrisy and lip obedience, changed, under the stimulus of prophetic appeals, to honest refusal, and from that to violence which did not hesitate to slay. The more God pleads with men, the more self-conscious and bitter becomes their hatred; and the more bitter their hatred, the more does He plead, sending other messengers, more perhaps in number, or possibly of more weight, with larger commission and clearer light. Thus both the antagonistic forces grow, and the worse men become, the louder and more beseeching is the call of God to them. That is always true; and it is also ever true that he who begins with ‘I go, sir, and goes not, is in a fair way to end with stoning the prophets. (MacLaren)

The message of this parable is clear enough. With this answer, the chief priests and elders understood what the wicked servants deserved. Truly, those who rebel against their master this way deserve judgment. They knew the owner of the vineyard had the right to expect the fruits in their seasons. In the same way, God looked for fruit from Israel’s leadership, but found little (Guzik).

“Oh, that the Lord may raise up a race of men ‘who shall render him the fruits in their seasons!’ The hallmark of a faithful minister is his giving to God all the glory of any work that he is enabled to do. That which does not magnify the Lord will not bless men.” (Spurgeon)

his parable plainly sets forth the sin and ruin of the Jewish nation; and what is spoken to convict them, is spoken to caution all that enjoy the privileges of the outward church. As men treat God’s people, they would treat Christ himself, if he were with them. How can we, if faithful to his cause, expect a favourable reception from a wicked world, or from ungodly professors of Christianity! And let us ask ourselves, whether we who have the vineyard and all its advantages, render fruits in due season, as a people, as a family, or as separate persons. Our Saviour, in his question, declares that the Lord of the vineyard will come, and when he comes he will surely destroy the wicked. The chief priests and the elders were the builders, and they would not admit his doctrine or laws; they threw him aside as a despised stone. But he who was rejected by the Jews, was embraced by the Gentiles. Christ knows who will bring forth gospel fruits in the use of gospel means. The unbelief of sinners will be their ruin. But God has many ways of restraining the remainders of wrath, as he has of making that which breaks out redound to his praise. May Christ become more and more precious to our souls, as the firm Foundation and Cornerstone of his church. May we be willing to follow him, though despised and hated for his sake. (Henry)

34.o. “Lord, let our eyes be opened so that we may follow you”

 

Matthew 20:29  And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

These blind men had no hope of seeing. They were blind and no human effort would ever give them their sight back. They knew this. There was no doubt about it. They were, as it was, lost in their blindness and only a helping stick or another person could guide them. How would they know if a person giving them help was true in this help? They had no other hope and would have to rely upon this as a means to get through life. Any dangers one would normally see with their eyes and avoid would require others to keep them on a path free from danger or harm. Now they hear of Jesus walking by, and no doubt they had heard of His miracles, and they cry out; “have mercy on us”. They are rebuked by the crowd for they must have been loud and desperate in their pleas. Jesus asks, “what is it you want me to do?” “Open our eyes” is the reply. People in the crowd told them to be quiet – they rebuked the blind men. Is it possible that these people saw no hope for these men’s condition and that their cries for mercy were nothing more than an unwelcome cry in the wilderness? Such it is with man. They will see the sinful condition of a person and say there is no hope for them, but with God all things are possible.  

How many times did Jesus speak of people being blind to things of God and about those who, being blind, would lead others – the blind leading the blind? When God opens the eyes and softens, as it were, a blind person’s heart and they become aware of the things of God, namely the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they will intentionally choose to either cry out, “have mercy on me” or continue in their blindness.  I know it happens but for the life of me I can’t figure out how a person makes this choice. I do know that when God opened my eyes and heart to the gospel, I knew that I was lost and without hope, “blind”, and that if I called out and trusted and believed in Him, He would save me from this blindness and give me eternal life sight. As I say this it occurs to me that I don’t know how many times in my life I may have rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ and chose to live blind and not even know it. I do know that when my ears and eyes to my heart and mind were opened to the Gospel, I fully understood my hopeless, blind, and lost condition. Though I did not cry out, I did humbly cry out from the depths of my heart and mind and sought and desired redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life. At that moment I trusted in and relied on Jesus Christ. The eyes to my heart and mind, as it were, were made new. I could see. I was given new life, born again. No longer blind to things of God. I was no longer a blind orphan but rather an unblinded child of God.

How is a person, blind to things of God, to find their sight when so many in this world try to guide them away from it, even telling them that they are not blind? By us proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and living a life that honors and glorifies Jesus Christ in all we say think and do. We are to be guides that points and directs others to healing for their spiritually blinded hearts, minds, and souls. 

Oh, that we did know of our spiritual blindness! Many are spiritually blind, yet say they see. Jesus cured these blind men; and when they had received sight, they followed him. None follow Christ blindly. He first by his grace opens men’s eyes, and so draws their hearts after him. (Henry)

Now is the day of salvation and if the eyes to your heart and mind have been opened to see the Gospel, humbly surrender, repent, trust, follow, and rely upon Jesus Christ and you will be given sight – new eyes, new ears, new mind, and new heart with which you will find grace, mercy, joy, peace, refuge, courage, hope, faith, love, and rest in the promise of redemption, forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.

34.j. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

 

Matthew 19:26  But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

 Genesis 18:14   Is anything too hard for the LORD?

 Numbers 11:23    And the LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

 Job 42:2    “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

 Psalms 62:11     Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,

 Psalms 3:8   Salvation belongs to the LORD

 Jeremiah 32:27     “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

 Mark 10:27    Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

 Luke 1:37    For nothing will be impossible with God.”

 Luke 18:27    But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

 Ephesians 3:20  Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine

With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. If men indeed were left all to themselves, none would be saved, but God can bring men to heaven by the mighty power of his grace: he can change a rich man’s heart, and take it off from too much love of riches, and make him despise and contemn his wealth, and to put his trust in the living God, or a poor man’s heart, and make him also poor in spirit and rich in grace.

The way to heaven is a narrow way to all, and the gate that leads into it, is a strait gate; particularly so to rich people. More duties are expected from them than from others, and more sins easily beset them. It is hard not to be charmed by a smiling world. Rich people have a great account to make up for their opportunities above others. It is utterly impossible for a man that sets his heart upon his riches, to get to heaven. Christ used an expression, denoting a difficulty altogether unconquerable by the power of man. Nothing less than the almighty grace of God will enable a rich man to get over this difficulty. Who then can be saved? If riches hinder rich people, are not pride and sinful lusts found in those not rich, and as dangerous to them? Who can be saved? The beginning, progress, and perfecting of the work of salvation depend wholly on the almighty power of God, to which all things are possible. Not that rich people can be saved in their worldliness, but that they should be saved from it. A poor man may have little, and love that little more than God or reject God because of it. Nothing a man does can save him. Knowing this begs the question, “Who can be saved?” If left up to each individual, no one. But, with God all things are possible. Salvation is possible. Redemption is possible, Forgiveness is possible. Eternal life is possible. Fatih is possible. Hope is possible. Peace is possible. Joy is possible. Courage is possible. Discernment is possible. Obedience is possible. Pure love is possible. Rest for your soul is possible. Victorious Living for Jesus Christ is possible. Living to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we say, think, and do is possible. With God, all things are possible.

34.i. “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

 

Matthew 19:16  And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

 John 6:27-28     Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”  Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

This man, like all people by nature, had an orientation toward earning eternal life. He wanted to know what good work or noble deed he could do to inherit eternal life. By asking this question he: 

  1. He believed in a future state; that there was an eternal life that might be inherited.
  2. He was concerned to ensure that life to himself, and was more desirous of it than of any of the enjoyments of this life: thus he differed from many of his age and quality; for the rich are apt to think it below them to make such an inquiry as this, and young people, in general, are inclined to defer making it to some future period of their lives.
  3. He had to believe that something must be done; some evils omitted, some duties performed, or divine injunctions complied with, in order to acquire it.  
  4. He was, or at least thought he was, willing to do what was to be done or to take the steps necessary to be taken for the obtaining of this eternal life. And surely those that know what it will be to enjoy eternal life will not fall short of its requirements and will be glad to accept it on any terms. (Benson)

He had attempted to keep all the commandments. He had been taught by his Jewish teachers that people were to be saved by doing something – that is, by their works; and he supposed that this was to be the way under every system of religion. He had lived externally a blameless life, but yet he was not at peace: he was anxious, and he came to ascertain what, in the view of Jesus, was to be done, that his righteousness might be complete. To “have eternal life” means to be saved. (Barnes)

Jesus knew this man’s heart and spoke to him where his heart and mind could understand. We know that no one inherits eternal life by works, no matter how moral and grant they might be. To sell all and give all to the poor will not yield eternal life. With this in mind and reading this passage, Jesus is exposing to this man what is hindering him from surrendering all, covetousness, self-worth, and self-reliance.  The young man declared that he had kept the law. That law required, among other things, that he should love his neighbor as himself. It required, also, that he should love the Lord his God supremely; that is, more than all other objects. If he had that true love for God and man – if he loved his Maker and fellow man more than he did his property, he would be willing to give up his wealth to the service of God and of man. Jesus commanded him to do this, therefore, to test his character, to show him that he had not kept the law as he pretended, and thus to show him that he needed better righteousness than his own.

Such is the life of many, loving this present world and what it has to offer.  Many hear the call to repentance and salvation but the love of what this world has to offer more than eternal life in Jesus Christ. It is not as though they don’t desire eternal life but rather their love of something other than Christ keeps them from repenting and surrendering all at His feet. Many will not even show a bit of remorse over the decision to reject this offer of eternal life.  They just simply cast it out of their mind giving it no further thought. Many will try to do enough good and wrongly think it is good enough to inherit eternal life. Many will even teach such. With such thoughts, the eye of the needle is very small and their attempts to enter through it with these thoughts of being good enough make them the size of a camel trying to enter. It is impossible. 

The eye of the needle, as it were, is reserved for those who humbly repent, turn away from sin, and the love of this worlds pleasures and offers, surrenders, follows, trusts, and relies solely on Jesus Christ.

33.k. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

 

Matthew 15:10  And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

 Isaiah 55:3    Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live;

 Titus 1:15    To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

 Isaiah 60:21   Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.

 Isaiah 56:10   His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

 Isaiah 28:9-10   “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast?  For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”

 Proverbs 10:32   The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse

 Jeremiah 17:9   The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

 Revelation 21:27   But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

In the heart and mind of every person resides the root of their intents. Lust, anger, hate, envy, lies, gossiping, selfishness, self-worthiness, and self-reliance seeds are planted, rooted, watered, cultivated, and harvested within the heart and mind and manifest in thoughts, words, and actions that reveal a person’s path in this life. When the gospel of Jesus Christ is rejected the fertile ground within our hearts and minds will raise and harvest crops that do not honor and glorify Jesus Christ. When the Word of God is rejected and neglected the harvest is surely not God-honoring or glorifying.  

We don’t have to be around people very long to see what is planted and being harvested within their hearts and mind.  Their words and actions reveal their intended harvest. How is a person to know what it is that is planted, growing, and being harvested from within their hearts and minds? The Word of God will lay wide open a person’s heart and mind, exposing the thoughts, intents, and actions stemming from within. Without the Word of God it is clear – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”  Human discernment apart from God’s Word will never understand the thoughts and intents of the heart. Their understanding is blind and deaf because there is nothing planted from which good crops can be harvested in either thoughts, words, or actions. Oh, they can do good things according to cultural and social norms, but the intent is self-serving, not God-honoring and glorifying. People will blindly accept their life without God in it and give no thought to their eternal destination. As they age and approach the time in their life where death is closer than their birth, they may give some thought to death and eternity.  They may ask themselves; where is my eternal destination? Are heaven and hell real? Have I been good enough to be allowed into heaven?  These questions all reveal a heart and mind that has never humbly repented, surrendered, believed in, and trust Jesus Christ for their forgiveness, redemption, and salvation. The good news is that it is never too late, nor is a person too old, nor is a person too unforgivable. Jesus Christ came into the world to save the sinners.  He died on the cross, bearing all their sins so that they might have eternal life if they would just humbly repent, surrender, believe, trust, and rely on His sacrifice alone and apart from any good works they may have done. It is in this humble repentance, surrender, belief, trust, and reliance in Jesus Christ that a person is born again and eternal life promised.  These lost souls will find rest for their souls and peace of mind for their hearts. 

I have seen the intents of the hearts and minds of “Christians” revealed in their words and actions. We are not immune to the seeds of destruction being planted, rooted, and harvested in our lives. These seed thoughts are being planted all the time by what we read, what we watch, what we are exposed to, and what we allow to reside in our hearts and minds. Paul addressed this very clearly when he said; “take every thought captive”. We are to be able to discern what is right, holy, good, pure, and acceptable. How can this be if we neglect and become complacent with the Word of God? God’s Word is the seed, fertilizer, and water for all that is right, true, holy, good, and acceptable. Discernment is a result of desiring and seeking God’s Word with the intentional choice to know what is right, true, good, pure, holy, and acceptable for the single purpose of being able to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we say, think, and do.

Do you want to discern what is in your heart, continually expose it to God’s Word with an expectant mind that God will reveal it. David had such a heart – “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

33.h. “When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him”

 

Matthew 14:34  And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

 Matthew 4:24-25    So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them.  And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

 Mark 1:28-34    That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

 Mark 2:1-12    And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.

 Mark 3:8-10   and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him.  And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him,  for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him.

 Mark 6:54-56  And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was.  And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

There was a time (and not that long ago)  when people spoke openly about Jesus Christ and what He did and was doing in their lives. It seems now the only place where Jesus is spoken about is through social media. I don’t think this is wrong, in fact, it has its place – (a call to prayer, a call to worship, a call to rejoice) However, there is nothing more important than the children of God proclaim God’s grace, mercy, love, power, abundance, ever-present help, guidance, encouragement, promises., etc…… It is in our spoken word people will see the faith, trust, and reliance we have in and through Jesus Christ. People will hear and feel the spoken word of confidence, joy, hope, faith, and reliance we have on Him. It is in the simplest of words spoken by the simplest of people that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed. Out of the abundance of the heart our mouths speak – let us speak of our confidence, hope, trust, reliance, joy, and faith, in our Creator, Savior, Redeemer, and coming again King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.

32.y. “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it”

 

Matthew 13:18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

 Proverbs 1:7   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

 Proverbs 1:20-22    Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice;  at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:  “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

 Proverbs 2:1-6   My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,  making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;  yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,  if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,  then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.  For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

 John 3:19-20    And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

 Hebrews 2:1   Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

Satan is always on the watch to hinder the Word of God from having any depth in the lives of people. He is very clever and the father of all lies. He will find any and all weaknesses in a person and exploit them to keep a person from growing in depth and width in the Word of God and commitment to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. He will cast doubt, incite fear, promote anger, cause division, produce lust, marginalize greed, promote pride, invoke jealousy, harden hearts, deafen ears, stiffen necks, create chaos, insert busyness, and whatever else he can do to keep peoples lives from deeply grounded commitment to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all they think, say, and do.  

We ought to never be content with our current understanding and knowledge of the things of God. Certainly, we must be content with what we know so far for it is the basis of our faith and walk with God. However, a plant must be watered and weeded if there is to be growth and fruit produced. 

When we truly and deeply commit and above all else, strive to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do, it is then we will find our desire to produce continued growth and the things of this world and the lies and falsehoods promoted by Satan (though they come at us like thousands of arrows shot from a strong bow) will not hit. They will be recognized/discerned and put in their proper place like weeds plucked from a garden and cast aside to die.

32.n. “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers”

 

Matthew 11:25  At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

 Isaiah 5:21    Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!

 2 Corinthians 4:3-6     And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

 Isaiah 29:10-14    For the LORD has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers).  And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.”  And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.”  And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,  therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”

 Romans 11:8-10    as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”

 John 12:38-40     so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”  Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,  “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”

“You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes:” This reminds us that if we do respond to Jesus, it is because the Father has revealed these things to babes like us. God revealed Jesus to us and Jesus revealed God to us. This revealing has been rejected by most and believed by those who, by this revelation, were awakened in their heart, mind, and soul to the Holiness of God, the need for repentance and forgiveness, and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

“I thank you Father” ought to be our immediate response to any revelation and awaking and understanding of Scripture as we read through God’s Word.  It is God who opens our hearts and mind to understanding. As God’s Word says; “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little there a little”, is how, from the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we grow and continually mature. 

Just before you read God’s Word ask Him to keep distractions and temptations away and to,

  1. Reveal to your heart and mind more and more about His grace, mercy, and love. 
  2. Allow you to see areas in your life that do not bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ
  3. Give you wisdom and understanding to His Word
  4. Allow you to discern right vs wrong, truths false, and Godly vs worldly
  5. Allow you to see opportunities to share and show the Love of Jesus Christ in you

31.h. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

 

Matthew 6:7  “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

 Ecclesiastes 5:2-3     Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

 1 Kings 8: 37-39    “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is,  whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house,  then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind)

 Daniel 9:18-19   O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”

 Philippians 4:6  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

The right kind of prayer does not use vain repetitions, which is any and all prayer which is mostly words and no meaning; all lips and no mind or heart. 

One can pray long – but to the wrong god. In 1 Kings 18:26 the prophets of Baal cried out, “O Baal answer us” for half the day. In Acts 19:34 a mob in Ephesus shouted, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians” for two hours. The true God isn’t impressed by the length or eloquence of our prayers, but the heart. “Prayer requires more of the heart than of the tongue. The eloquence of prayer consists in the fervency of desire, and the simplicity of faith.” (Clarke)

“Christians’ prayers are measured by weight, and not by length. Many of the most prevailing prayers have been as short as they were strong.” (Spurgeon)

We don’t pray to tell God things that He didn’t know before we told Him. We pray to commune with and appeal to a loving God who wants us to bring every need and worry before His throne. 

 “Prayer is not designed to inform God, but to give man a sight of his misery; to humble his heart, to excite his desire, to inflame his faith, to animate his hope, to raise his soul from earth to heaven, and to put him in mind that THERE is his Father, his country, and inheritance.” (Clarke)

Sometimes we pray as though we are informing God and think by giving Him this information will help Him make the right decision in favor of what we are praying about. God is never shocked by what is happening.  He already knows. He also knows our hearts and thoughts. Nothing in the future is hidden from His sight today.  He is God of all there is, all there will ever be, and He is full of grace, mercy, and love towards mankind. 

Some may think wrongly about prayer and say why should I pray if God is in control and His will will be done.  I should just accept my lot for the day and move on.  The fact is prayer will take us before God.  It will allow us to keep a firm hold of who God is. Our prayer is in communion with Him and holds together the foundations of our faith, reliance, trust, and hope that is in and through Jesus Christ. Our prayerful concerns communicated with steadfast faith in God are uplifting and strengthening to our souls.  Our hope, trust, faith, and reliance are flames that burn away the doubts, worry, and confusion our human nature conjures up.  

Prayer is not to inform God, but rather, to communicate with Him.  It is in prayer where we find strength, courage, and hope as we trust, wait, and rely on God.

31.f. “For with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain”

 

Matthew 6:1  “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

 Luke 12:15    And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

 Ezekiel 33:31    And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. 

 Matthew 16:27  For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

 Hebrews 2:1  Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

Although Christians are to be seen doing good works, they must not do good works simply to be seen. The idea is when we do righteous deeds for the attention and applause of men, their attention and applause is our reward. It is much better to receive a reward from your Father in heaven. Some may say the important thing is to do the good deed regardless of the motive. There is some truth to this in that it is better to do a good thing with the wrong motive than to do wrong.  However, Jesus is telling us that motive/reward can be either earthly or Godly. If our motive is to have earthly recognition, that will be our reward.  If our motive is for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ, then our reward is His honor and glory for which our soul rejoices and our heart praises.  It is out of the heart, soul, and mind of those who intentionally choose to live every moment of their life in such a way that all of their actions, words, and thoughts are built on the foundation of honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ.