First Place in Your Life

Continuing our study in Matthew, we continue learning the commands and teachings of Jesus.

He says to "acknowledge Him before men" in Matthew 10:32,33. 

So, we always declare Jesus as we walk in this life.

Now moving on to the next section, Jesus tells us not to make anyone else on earth more important than Him in our lives.

Matthew 10:37-39 NIV

[37] “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. [38] Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. [39] Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

As much as we love our family and friends, we cannot love them more than we love Jesus. Jesus demands our first love, first allegiance, first place in our hearts, and rightfully so. He is the Son of God our Savior. None of this would have been possible without Him. So, we love Him the most and give Him first place in our lives.

Next, if we try to hang on to what we want for our lives, we will lose it. If we set that aside to do what Jesus asks of us, as we follow Him, we will find the greatest, most fulfilling life possible. We will truly find real life when we walk with Jesus everyday. "Deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him." Following Jesus is about Him, not us.

Mark 8:34-35 NIV

[34] Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. [35] For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 

So, continuing to learn His teachings and commands because we love Him and want to always obey Him, we peel back another layer on what it means to truly follow Jesus.

Love you all dear readers,

Jeffrey Post

Words and Actions

 As we continue our studies in the teaching and commands of Jesus, we look throughout the book of Matthew, and see Jesus, our example, and how he treated people. He loved them in "words and actions," as John said in I. John 3:

1 John 3:11-19 NIV

[11] For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. [12] Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. [13] Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. [14] We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. [15] Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

[16] This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 

[17] If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 

[18] Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

 [19] This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 

Notice verse 16 and verse 18 above.

Since Jesus laid down His life for us, we are to lay down our lives in service to others. In verse 18 it says, to be just like Jesus, we are to help with our words and our actions. 

The world, the Church, everyone we encounter will have a need if we listen for it. Just like Jesus, listen and be available for whoever, whenever with your words, actions, resources, and whatever else you can offer. This shows the love of God that was poured into our spirit by the Holy Spirit when we were born again.

Be available in the world around you. Love first in words or actions, and that will open the door to tell them about Jesus Christ. So they can be saved too. That's our goal, our purpose. God working through us, drawing people to Himself so they can be saved too. Love you all.

Love you all dear readers,

Jeffrey Post

Why Study the Bible

Continuing in the teachings of Jesus, the Holy Spirit showed me something in Matthew 13 a few weeks back that I want to share with you now. 

Matthew 13:12 NIV

[12] Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 

As we study the Bible, more truth will be revealed and we will have an abundance. If we do not stay in the Bible, renewing our minds to what we have already learned, continously learning and applying truth to our lives, it will fade away. "Even what they have will be taken from them."

So, brothers and sisters, keep reading and studying the Bible daily. Keep it fresh on your minds to feed your spirit. Jesus said this when he was tempted in the wilderness. We can't just feed our physical bodies. We must feed our spirits too. We don't want what we have learned so far, to fade away. Keep it in the front of our minds to feed us and sustain us.

Matthew 4:4 NIV

[4] Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

For example: Tonight while getting ready for work, I woke up drained. The Holy Spirit flashed this passage across my mind:

Psalms 91:9-11, 14-16 NIV

[9] If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, [10] no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. [11] For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

[14] “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. [15] He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. [16] With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.

See? Since God is my dwelling place, I don't have anything to worry about. Why? Because I believe His word, believe this promise. If I did not stay in the Word, I would not know this passage. 

So stay in the Bible daily. Make it a top priority and God will add more truth to what you already know. 

Renew your mind daily. Even if you've read a passage a million times. Read it over and over. So that truth will not be taken from you. This "will transform us by the renewing of your mind."

Romans 12:2 NIV

[2] Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Renew your mind daily. Feed your spirit with the Bible, daily. Then truth will continually be added to what you already have learned.

Love you all dear readers,

Jeffrey Post

It's Really Easy

 Once you are "born again" by the Holy Spirit and the Father adopts you as His child in the Kingdom of God, the family of God, Jesus shows how easy it is to live as a Christian. Satan and the dark forces try to complicate it with confusion and what not, but God keeps it simple and easy. 

Be good. Do good. That's it. Do not follow the old ways of the human sinful nature which naturally rebels against God. Be a good person and do good things, not evil things. Look...

Matthew 12:33-35 NIV

[33] “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. [34] You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. [35] A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

So, Jesus says be a good person and your actions will be good. Follow the Holy Spirit inside you and He will always guide you to be good and do good. 

God makes it simple for us. Look in Romans...

Romans 2:6-11 NIV

[6] God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” [7] To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. [8] But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. [9] There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; [10] but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. [11] For God does not show favoritism.

Persist in doing good, He will give eternal life.

Those who reject the truth about Jesus Christ, the Son of God and do evil, they are separated from God.

We, who put our faith in Christ Jesus are born again into God's kingdom. So we are able to be good and do good. So, by the Holy Spirit's help in our spirit, let's be good people and do good things. Easy Peezy!! 

Why be good and do good? We all represent Jesus, and belong to Him. God uses us to draw the lost to Himself. He uses us so others can be saved too and added to His Kingdom.

So, be good and do good Church family.

Please share this post with others.

Love you all dear readers,

Jeffrey Post

Be Humble

 As Christians, sometimes we can lose sight of the main function of the Church, which was Jesus's purpose, "to seek and save the lost." Our whole purpose is for God to use our lives, and work through us so that unbelievers may be saved too. In whatever way we influence people, our lives should lead them to Jesus. That's our purpose. That's God's will:

2 Peter 3:9 NIV

[9] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

He uses us to carry out His will.

Having said that we continue on in Matthew and extrapolate how to treat others which will influence them for good.

Simply? Love everyone. Stay humble. Treat everyone with love and compassion as Jesus did. This will open doors so they can be saved too.

Matthew 9:10-13 NIV

[10] While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. [11] When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” [12] On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [13] But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus hung out with everyone, no matter who they were. He never rejected anyone, which is how we have to live. You never know who will be saved because of our influence over their lives. We must be willing to associate with all people.

Romans 12:16 NIV

[16] Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV

[4] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

We never puff ourselves up over anyone. We never think we are better than someone else. Pride, arrogance, conceit must never be in our lives as we interact with others. We just love all people equally and without partiality. Just like Jesus did.

All this does not mean that we are close companions, close friends with unbelievers. Jesus wasn't. Again, it does mean that we love and approach all people equally and without partiality.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NIV

[14] Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? [15] What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? [16] What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” [17] Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” [18] And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Remember the goal of our lives. Live so others can be saved too. We exist so others can be saved too. Put that in the front of your mind as you live day by day. Love people and interact with people as Jesus did, so they can be saved too. 

Love you all dear readers,

Jeffrey Post

Be Wise!!

 As we come to the end of the Sermon on the Mount, we add another layer to why we are learning the teachings and commands of Jesus. We started because Jesus said,"If you love me you will obey my commands." So we started with my January 3rd blog entry, learning His teachings and commands because we love Him and want to do what He says.

Here we learn that His teachings are the foundation we build our lives upon. His teachings first and then branch out from there with the rest of the Bible. He is our foundation. We belong to Jesus now as Christians. He is the Rock we stand on. Having been "rooted and established in Christ" by Christ. 

When we do this,when the storms of life come, we will stand firm in Christ as we are. We will not fall.

Matthew 7:24-27 NIV

[24]  “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. [25] The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 

[26] But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. [27] The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

We are wise when we build our lives on His teachings, and show our love for Him when we obey His commands and teachings. Let's continue to do it Church as we move forward in the study of the Gospels. Have a great day!!

Love you all dear readers,

Jeffrey Post

Be Careful!!

 Continuing with the teachings and commands of Jesus, He warns us about false teachers and people.

Matthew 7:15-23 NIV

[15] “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. [16] By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? [17] Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. [18] A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. [21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ [23] Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Here He is saying to watch out for people who would try to lead you away from Jesus by their teaching or by their lives.

Those who teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, or who "does the will of the Father in heaven," these are the people that are good for us to have in our lives. 

In learning, we do not accept just anyone's teachings, but see if their teaching lines up with the Bible. See if they teach "Jesus Christ and Him crucified." See if they teach from the Bible.

We love all people, but are not close companions with just anyone. Proverbs teaches "the righeous are cautious in friendships." Just because they say,"Lord, lord," doesn't mean they follow Jesus. 

How can we know who is who? Easily. Listen to what they teach if they are teachers. If just people, listen to how they talk. In minutes you will know the real person by hearing what they say. Words spoken reveal what is in a person's spirit or heart.

Matthew 12:34-35 NIV

[34] You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. [35] A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

Good teachers and preachers proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, and teach from the Bible. False teachers might teach the Bible, but put their own worldly philosophies or heresies in with it. Make sure strictly Bible teaching. It's like my mentor, Carroll Sites, taught me. He said,"Jeff, if you stick with the Bible, you'll never go wrong." The Holy Spirit "teaches us all things" as we study the Bible. So stick with the Bible or those who teach only the Bible and you'll never go wrong.

When deciding who to befriend or have in your life, remember good people will produce good things, and bad people will produce bad things. 

In the main passage, Jesus is telling us to be careful who teaches us and who we allow into our lives.

Here are some passages to read that explore this topic.

1 John 4:1-6 NIV

[1] Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. [2] This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, [3] but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. [4] You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. [5] They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. [6] We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

2 Peter 2:1 NIV

[1] But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 

Acts 20:29-31 NIV

[29] I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. [30] Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. [31] So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

Deuteronomy 13:1-4 NIV

[1] If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, [2] and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” [3] you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. [4] It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. 

1 Timothy 4:1-2 NIV

[1] The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. [2] Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 

Jude 1:4 NIV

[4] For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

Love you all dear readers,

Jeffrey Post