MATTHEW

Today is Wednesday, and I'm in Matthew today!  As I read 20 chapters a day, I get through the Bible every 60 days, but it is only the last 14 to 15 days that I'm in the New Testament.  Now I have come to enjoy all of the books of the Bible.  It wasn't always so... some I though were dry and some I thought had too many "begats" , but I'm come to see the whole picture and I learn so much each time I read through the Bible.  I love God's Word to us and having read it through over 100 times I'm still just a novice, but one who gets blessed from it's truths.  I hope you understand that this blog is just devotional thoughts I write from my reading.  They are never meant to be a substitute for your reading God's Word, nor are they meant to be a complete dissertation of a Biblical truth or thought.  Just my thoughts as I read that day.  Hope you always take that in mind.  Here are some thoughts for today: 1)  GOD WITH US- The miracle of the incarnation!  Jesus is born in Bethlehem.  In Matt. 1:23 we see these precious words: "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."  Now, God has always been "with us", but not always "one of us", and that is the miracle.  Jesus being 100% God; became 100% man!  Now as a results of that we have a high priest who can feel our infirmaties, and yet has never sinned.  Now we can come bodly to the Father, by the sacrificial death of the Son.  When we trust Christ as our Savior, we are then endwelled by the Holy Spirit and Christ is with us alway, even until the end of the world!  Praise God for that blessed day when God became flesh and dwelt among us! 2) FISHING WITH JESUS- Jesus we know came to seek and to save that which was lost.  We are lost without Jesus Christ and are found of Him.  He speaks to us through His Word, through His Spirit, through His children, and we respond in faith to receive Him as our Savior.  In Matthew 4:19, it says: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."  Now the question for today is:  "How is your fishing?"  I do know this: that your fishing is directly related to your following.  For if you follow Him, HE will make you fishers of men.  Remember the Pharasees honored God with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him. Do we do lip service to a world that needs to hear the Gospel?  Or, do we tell others the good news of the Gospel?  Our job is to tell the good news, and Jesus job is to save those who respond in faith.  Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  and How shall they hear without a preacher (Christian who is fishing for men).  As a teenager, one of the great joys I experienced was fishing with my pastor and my father.  Now, the greatest joy is fishing with my Savior.  Each week I look forward to times I can go fishing with Jesus for men.  Not five pound fish, but 200 plus pound men!  How is your fishing?? 3) MINISTRY VERSE- In Matt. 10:16, the Bible says: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."  Don't fight with the wolves, but be handle yourself wisely in the midst of them.  My favorite ministry phrase is "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."  I do not attack every problem I face as a pastor, I look for wisdom to see a problem worked out.  I want to be wise and harmless.  I want to turn the sheep, not slay them.  I want to lead them softly, not jerk them around.  They are God's sheep, not mine.  I am to do my part as their earthly shepherds, and I can only lead those who will choose to follow.  I cannot led a sheep who wanders off with no though of a shepherds leadership.  Be wise and harmless! 4) GOOD SEED/BAD SEED- In Matt. 13:27, it says: "So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field?  from whence then hath it tares?  Sounds like someone is sowing good seed; while someone else is sowing bad seed.  I know that the Word of God is the good seed, and we are to be sowing it every week of our lives (every day).  But there is also a "god of this world", Satan by name, and his job is to sow the bad seed, and he is doing his job rather well.  His seed is inferior and does not bring forth good fruit, but the incoruptible seed bringeth forth fruit unto eternal life.  Let us sow the good seed in life, and in our churches; but don't be shaken when you find tares in the midst of God's childen.... it has always been that way!  Well, so much for today!  Have a blessed day and thanks for taking time with me today.  Read God's Word and be blessed!    Dr. Mike Mutchler, Pastor