MATTHEW

It is Friday, and a wonderful day it will be.  I enjoyed so much reading in Matthew.  It is so rich, so full of truth.  So exciting to see our Savior in action.  Healing, teaching, preaching, sending out disciples, loving, caring, and all the while, full of compassion.  Here are some things I noticed: 1) LED BY THE SPIRIT TO BE TEMPTED- This is what Matt. 4:1 says.  We sometime think that when we are "led of the Spirit" that all works out fine, but the reality is that sometime we are tested when in the will of God.  If you say you don't understand it then join the crowd, but the truth is we learn more and more by life what it means to "walk by faith".  If we could figure out things, we would not need to "grow in faith", but we do! 2) PRAYER, ALMS, AND FASTING-  All three of these get God's attention, but chapter six of Matthew tell us that if we do these things to be seen of men we have our reward.  But, if we do these things in secret, the "thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."  It is what is done in secret that manifest how God deals with us publicly.  So the good things we do where only God knows about them is what He delights in rewarding us for; and contrary wise, it is the secret sin the God judges us for that no one else knows about.  Let us be just as concerned about what we do in secret than what we do when everyone is watching!!  Just a bit of sound advice for the day! 3) ME FIRST, OR... FOLLOW ME-- That's a decision to make.  In Matt. 8:21 a certain scribe said "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father."  Notice the phrase "me first".  Christ's plan was different.  In verse 22, Jesus said: "Follow me".  If we are first then Christ is following us throughout life for He is "with us always".  But, we we follow Jesus, then that means He is the one leading, not ourselves.  Let us decide to "follow" instead of "leading" in life when it comes to our relationship with Christ. 4) WE LEARN BY LABOR- Matt. 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me".  A yoke was not for looks, it was for labor.  Jesus is saying if you want to learn about Christ, you need to labor with Him and for Him.  Nothing substitutes serving God as a means of learning about God.  Bible Study and Prayer are the academics, and truly necessary, but an incomplete education in the things of God unless we serve Christ.  "Study to shew thyself approved as workman..."  Learn by Labor!! 5) WHOSE YOUR MOMA?  In Matt. 12: 48-50, Jesus said that His brother, and sister, and mother is those who will do the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Christ has a special relationship with all who do the will of God.  How do we "do" the will of God?  By "believing on His Son, Jesus Christ"!! 6) THREE THINGS  Matt. 16: 24 tells us that IF any man will come after Christ, there are three things to do: "deny himself", "take up his cross", and "follow me".  These three are necessary to be a loyal follower of Jesus Christ. Hope you have a blessed day!  Pastor Mike Mutchler