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