Burunche’s Blog

Matthew 7:21-23 I Never Knew You

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

We have considered false prophets, their fruit, and their horrible results. But what about the GOOD people who have prophesied, cast out demons, and worked miracles, all in the Name of Jesus? What’s wrong with those things? Isn’t that precisely what Jesus has commanded us to do? If we are working in Jesus’ Name, how can we possibly go wrong?

True, all those things are good; however, the key phrase here is “he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” God may honor our efforts, not because we are worthy, but because those coming to us desperately need help. Remember that God once spoke to Balaam through a donkey. Yet another consideration: Have we been doing what God wants us to do or have we been using God’s name while doing our own will?

Prophesy can be fatally attractive. Utter a few prophecies and you soon learn how to put that quaver in your voice and vary the tone and pitch of your voice to impress the maximum number of people. Throw in a few key phrases such as “Thus says the Lord,” and your audience will all sit there going, “OOOH! This man/woman really speaks for the Lord!” Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit may be sitting there crying out, “That’s NOT from me! Where did you get that stuff? Don’t listen to him/her!”

Casting out demons is another sure-fire crowd pleaser, particularly if you scream at the demons or demand their names. Funny thing, nowhere does the Bible record that Jesus ever screamed at a demon. Jesus simply spoke with the voice of authority and the demons left. Sometimes, Jesus would actually urge people NOT to tell anybody about his work as an exorcist. Why would God allow someone to exercise authority over a single demon when they are showing off rather than giving Him glory? God sometimes uses those with hidden agendas because He wants to bless innocent seekers. God may use someone to cast out a demon because nobody else is available.

Finally, there are miracles. Do obedient believers work miracles in Jesus’ name? Absolutely! But those who truly work miracles frequently work them very quietly so that God will get the credit and not them. Kathryn Kuhlman was one of the most prolific miracle workers of her generation of evangelists. The anointing of the Holy Spirit was so strong that sometimes people who were simply waiting to enter her meetings would get healed before the meeting ever started. But Kuhlman was careful to always give all the credit to God, refusing to take any credit for herself. Other evangelists have been far less humble and far more willing to take all the credit; in fact, some evangelists have gone so far as to plant people in the audience  who will fake healings.    

“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” OUCH! God knows the human heart and God knows if we are working for Him or against Him. When we take credit for anything God has done, we become practitioners of lawlessness, no matter what explanations we might give.

The warning for would-be disciples is simple: be available but give God all the glory and allow Him to work as He wills and not as you will. Anything else is lawlessness!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to work only as You want us to and to always give You the credit, realizing that apart from You, we can do nothing. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 7: 15-20 You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

It’s been called “deadly nightshade,” and in the days when kids used to walk country lanes to one-room school houses, many children ate those purple berries and died as a result. Wikipedia tells us, “Atropa belladonna, commonly known as belladonna or deadly nightshade, is a toxic perennial herbaceous plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae, which also includes tomatoes, potatoes, and aubergine. It is native to Europe and Western Asia, including Turkey.”

“Although the berries might be the most tempting part of Deadly nightshade, all parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested. It causes a range of symptoms including blurred vision, a rash, headaches, slurred speech, hallucinations, convulsions and eventually death.” (https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/deadly-nightshade#:~:text=Although%20the%20berries%20might%20be,hallucinations%2C%20convulsions%20and%20eventually%20death.) 

In the same way belladonna appears attractive but is poisonous, so the teachings of false prophets are also poisonous. One tragic example of such a prophet is the late Jim Jones. In the beginning, starting in 1955, Jones attracted large numbers of people with his apparently Christian teachings that also included large amounts of social action. Many of the people who joined Jones were the very people any pastor would love to have in his church: hard-working, dedicated Christians, and willing to sacrifice for the Kingdom of God. But the longer Jones continued in his ministry, the more those same people found themselves and their families being totally controlled by Jones. Some of Jones’ members realized the danger and got out; however, more than 1000 followed Jones to Guyana, where he established Jonestown. On the morning of November 18, 1978, 100 people defected and fled to Georgetown, Guyana. At least 918, including many small children, drank poisoned Kool-Aid on Jones’ orders and died. Jones shot himself, committing suicide, leaving a horrific example of rotten fruit.

How can you tell a false prophet? Look at the fruits and the teaching. Any teacher who modifies the Bible or sets it aside is automatically suspect. What are the fruits of the ministry? Are people finding freedom in Jesus, or are they coming into bondage to the prophet? Is the prophet actually glorifying Jesus, or is he promoting himself? (And there are false prophetesses as well. The Book of Revelation describes one such woman as a Jezebel.)

Yet another vitally important part of discernment is prayer. If you pray, God can enlighten you about the validity of a ministry. If you have no peace in your spirit about such a ministry, leave it!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, please help us to always look to You for wisdom and not to someone else. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 7:13-14 The Narrow Way

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because [how] narrow is the gate and [confined] difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

It’s been called “a maimed life.” The phrase was first used by Thomas Wedgewood (1771-1805). Thomas Wedgwood was an English photographer and inventor. He is most widely known as an early experimenter in the field of photography. He is the first person known to have thought of creating permanent pictures by capturing camera images on material coated with a light-sensitive chemical. (Wikipedia) But Wedgewood was more than a scientist; he was also a Bible-believing Christian and a disciple of Jesus.

Here is what Oswald Chambers says in My Utmost for His Highest, June 29^th about a maimed life: “And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” — Matthew 5:30

Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off the right hand, but — “If your right hand offends you in your walk with Me, cut it off.” There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but, says Jesus, if it hinders you in following His precepts, cut it off. This line of discipline is the sternest one that ever struck mankind.

When God alters a man by regeneration, the characteristic of the life to begin with is that it is maimed. There are a hundred and one things you dare not do, things that to you and in the eyes of the world that knows you are as your right hand and your eye, and the unspiritual person says — “Whatever is wrong in that? How absurd you are!” There never has been a saint yet who did not have to live a maimed life to start with. But it is better to enter into life maimed and lovely in God’s sight than to be lovely in man’s sight and lame in God’s. In the beginning Jesus Christ by His Spirit has to check you from doing a great many things that may be perfectly right for everyone else but not right for you. See that you do not use your limitations to criticise someone else.

It is a maimed life to begin with, but in v.48 Jesus gives the picture of a perfectly full-orbed life — “Ye shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

When I was growing up, there were many things I wanted to do because my friends were doing them; however, my parents would steadfastly refuse while saying, “You’re MY kid, and I don’t want you doing ….” If we are to be disciples, we must accept the fact that we are God’s kids, and HE gets to dictate our behavior. We also must realize that the things God allows others to do may be total poison for us. Recovering alcoholics know that while others might have a beer or a glass of wine occasionally, for them it would spell disaster, for it might tip them back into alcoholism.

Disciples must obey the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit says, “NO!” we must stop and examine to see why the Spirit is protesting. As soon as we begin arguing, we grieve the Holy Spirit, our Heavenly Father, and Jesus. “Obedience is better than sacrifice” is still a fundamental law of the Kingdom. When we are obedient to the Spirit’s leading and refuse to indulge in something we know is not right, we will find that our lives are better and straighter as a result. Our sole desire should be to please God and not other people.

Today, pray and ask God if there are things you are failing to do or things that you persist in doing that are preventing you from entering that narrow gate. Trust that God can communicate in ways you will understand.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to accept Your goals for our lives rather than our own. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Note: Yes, this is being posted on August 20th. A double attack of malaria plus typhoid hit me somewhere between Rome and Chicago, leaving me feverish and weak. I’m getting better, thanks to lots of prayers.

Matthew 7:7-12 Ask, Seek, Knock (Luke 11:5-13)
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.”

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Here Jesus is speaking to his disciples standing before him, but he is also speaking to us as well. Some people who claim to be Jesus followers seem to feel they must walk around with gloomy faces, as if they were always suffering. Such people are lousy advertising; most of us have plenty of trouble with taking on a religion that only promises more gloom and doom. But when Jesus was here on earth, he was probably the most joyful man ever known. Part of Jesus’ secret was simple: he was in constant contact with his Heavenly Father, and therefore in constant contact with the joyful praise around His throne. It is from this perspective that Jesus is giving this advice to all his disciples, present and future.

“Ask and it will be given to you…” My parents came out of the Great Depression, and for years, my dad was a tenant farmer. As a child, I learned not to ask for anything, because the money would not be available and I would embarrass my parents. But Jesus is speaking of his Heavenly Father, the Creator and Ruler of the entire universe. God the Father says of himself in Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there anything too hard for me?” God wants to give us Himself and His Holy Spirit first and then provide our needs. Notice, needs, not wants. And we must trust God’s timing, for we want assurances ahead of time while God plans to provide just as we need something. Part of becoming a disciple is learning to trust God’s provision and timing.

“Seek and you will find…” Yet another part of discipleship is being willing to seek and to seek hard enough and long enough to secure our goals. Today so many of us are addicted to cell phones and televisions that give instant gratification that we have become quite lazy. The very idea of a spiritual quest is abhorrent-ooh! Suffering! Who needs it? Yet, if we really want God’s best, we must get out of our comfort zones and search actively. A song from The Sound of Music tells us to “Climb every mountain. Ford every stream. Follow every rainbow till you find your dream.” And we must ask God the Father to give us the dreams He wants us to seek and guide us in the search.

“…knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” What a simple statement-right? No. Sadly, many people have had doors slammed in their faces or have been denied simple things, particularly in their families of origin. Childhoods cursed by denials, criticism, resentment, and abuse have left many fearing to attempt to ask or to seek or to knock for fear of further rejection and pain. But abusive families have existed since the beginning of time, and Jesus knows there are those in the crowd who want to believe but who are fearful.

What Jesus is saying here is simple: Never mind your previous experiences! My Heavenly Father is NOT like your earthly fathers have been. My Heavenly Father WILL give generously and completely, and He WILL open the door when you knock, even if you are using your last breath to do so.

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” One thing we must realize is that fatherhood in Jesus’ day was respected far more than it is in contemporary America, although that depends on the culture in which you have been raised. In Jesus’ day, fathers were expected to provide well for their families, and the idea of substituting something harmful or hurtful would be unthinkable. Many cultures expect fathers to give nothing but good things to their children. Some of the most common names in the Konkomba tribe begin with the phrase “Nte” meaning “My father.”

What Jesus is advising us here is simple: The Heavenly Father is far more perfect than any earthly father can possibly be. God can give good things to those who ask Him because He understands their needs perfectly. Our task as disciples is to continue to ask and then to expect God to answer; however, we must recognize that sometimes God’s answers are different from the ones we have been expecting. We must allow God plenty of “wiggle room” and keep an open mind if we are truly to receive from Him.

I am currently recovering from typhoid/malaria that began manifesting in the middle of our transcontinental journey. I began having shaking chills in the airplane between Rome and Chicago. Could God have prevented this? Of course. But God has allowed these illnesses for some reason that will become apparent eventually. Prior to leaving Ghana, we tried to think about scheduling; however, something prevented us. Now we realize that we would have committed to a schedule that I would have been unable to keep. We know that God’s timing is perfect, so we are simply waiting on Him and trusting He will open doors for us.

“In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.” Why does Jesus add this as a tag end to his teaching about asking, seeking, and knocking? Sometimes we disciples get so caught up in OUR ministry, OUR goals, OUR needs, that we lose sight of those around us. Jesus wants us to remember that we should receive with open hands, ready to pass on blessings to those around us and not grasping those blessings with clenched fists. As long as we keep our hands open, God can continue to pour out blessings and those blessings can also flow to all those around us. When we receive freely, we must also give freely, trusting that God the Heavenly Father will continue to pour out blessings to us for us to pass on to others.

Jesus is inviting all who want to be disciples to trust in his Heavenly Father. This invitation is as much for you as it was for those who first heard Jesus teach these things. From our experiences, we can say, “Come on in! The water’s fine!”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust that when we ask, seek, and knock, that You will answer us in ways far better than our original requests. Help us also to receive with open hands so that the blessings will flow to all around us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Do Not Judge

Matthew 7:1-6 “Judge(Condemn) not, that you be not judged. (Condemned) For with what (condemnation) judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”

We’ve all been victims and we all have been guilty. What’s so delicious about judging others? Why do we do it? Are we powered by a desire for self-aggrandizement or feelings of inferiority? Do we honestly feel that we possess the wisdom of the universe and therefore are qualified to judge? Whatever the reason, Jesus has a word of advice: “STOP JUDGING OR YOU’LL BE SORRY!”

Our problem is that when we judge, we refuse to realize that “the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” In other words, what goes around will definitely come back around. My mother used to say “Be careful what you say because when your chickens come home to roost, they might turn out to be turkey buzzards!” (For those of you not conversant with free range chickens, free range chickens wander all day but then return to their roosts or their chicken house at night. Mom was implying that the judgement you give out might bear horribly unanticipated results.) 

Why do we judge if we are not God and we don’t know the human heart? No matter how discerning we are, we don’t understand people as God does. Think about it. Do you want someone else who doesn’t have all the facts of your situation assessing your performance? At one point, an acquaintance  with no formal training in health care tried to assert that he was a health care professional because he had done several short courses. All I could think of was the sleepless nights, the long working hours, sacrificing holidays, anniversaries, and vacations, plus not attending professional meetings for several years so that the money could help poor patients. For this man to call himself a health professional was an insult to every health professional in the world.  Despite a total lack of knowledge, this man considered himself an informed judge because he was holding a position for which he was totally unsuited. Sadly, he may have succeeded in destroying a number of true health care professionals.

There’s another reason for us to refuse to judge: We are the only hands and feet that Jesus has. If we want to be disciples of Jesus, we must follow his commands and refuse to be bad advertising. I am always afraid when someone says that they want to tell me something “in love,” because if they are about to say something loving, I will know it; otherwise, I really don’t need more criticism than I am already facing. As disciples, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus. How can we possibly convince anyone that Jesus loves them if we pour verbal acid all over them? Advertising gurus have long known that people are 5 times as likely to remember bad experiences as good ones. Once we have cut loose with criticism, we have ruined opportunities for witness and ministry. 

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”

Why does Jesus include this teaching with the one on judging? At the same time we are not to judge and condemn, we also must be aware of the fundamental nature of people. Some people are very receptive and will welcome help, encouragement, or even a small word about Jesus. Others will respond  by attacking us. But we must allow God to guide us. Long before we were married, my husband, Bob, was not a Christian, but he worked in a factory with a man he described as a “pushy Baptist.” Every day when this man saw Bob at work, he would accost him, telling him, “Bob, you’ve got to get the Lord in your life or you’re going to hell!” One day, Bob found himself turning around, going back this guy, and asking, ”Jack, how do I get the Lord in my life?” That day Bob took Jesus as his Lord and Master and Savior. He has never looked back.   

Bob’s salvation story illustrates the fact that we never know what approach will work with people-yet another reason for refusing to judge. For Bob, only a direct confrontation would work. Tell others that same thing, and they would run in the opposite direction as fast as possible.

The point is clear. The decision is up to us: Judge or not, but remember, what goes around will definitely come around!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to stop judging and start treating others as people for whom Jesus has died for their sins. In the mighty and precious Name of  Jesus. Amen

Matthew 6:22-24 The Lamp of the Body (Luke 11:33-36)

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your vision is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your vision is poor, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

James 1:5-7 “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

We’ve all seen people who look impressive and speak beautifully….but the longer you get to know some people, the more you realize the first impression is merely a façade. Such people lack clear vision and what initially appears as light is only a flash, while they are actually creatures of darkness. Trust such a person at your own risk, for they can disappoint you and betray you.

The word “disciple” comes from a Greek word that means “one who engages in learning from another, a pupil or adherent.” Disciples are meant to be continually learning from their masters and must pay close attention at all times. No true disciple has time or energy to hold more than one set of opinions. In Jesus’ day, disciples might literally follow their masters wherever their masters would go, walking in the masters’ footsteps. True disciples will copy their masters as much as possible so that their personalities will reflect his. If a disciple ever starts holding opinions adverse to the master’s teaching, he has become unstable and confused and is no longer a true disciple.

Siamese twins are generally joined at some part of the body, but those that survive frequently have two chests with heart and lungs and two heads. To be a Siamese twin disciple means that you are attempting to hold two completely differing opinions simultaneously. Later, Jesus tells his disciples that “No man who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Everyone has watched farmers plowing or has plowed themselves, and everyone knows that to achieve a straight furrow, you must fix your eyes on one point and then aim steadily for that point. Take your eyes off your goal even briefly, and your furrow will waver. One of our friends, a Catholic priest, has a poster that reads “If you don’t know where you are going, you’re likely to wind up somewhere else.”

Yesterday we were driving in our regional capital when we had to stop suddenly. A young man riding his motorcycle behind us was obviously paying more attention to his cell phone than to us and bumped into the back of our vehicle. Fortunately, nobody was injured, nor were either of the vehicles damaged. But the cause was obvious: the young man’s complete attention was in the wrong direction. In Ghana, it is illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving a vehicle and police can stop you and fine you if they catch you. Double-mindedness can prove expensive.

“No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Those listening to Jesus are scratching their heads. “What’s wrong with money?” many of them might be thinking. “Without money, I can’t survive.” Jesus obviously recognizes that money is a necessary evil; the question is, whom are you serving? What drives you?  

Once you have chosen a goal, you will stop at nothing in your zeal to achieve that goal. If your main goal is to become as rich as possible, you will bend every effort in that direction. But riches can evaporate overnight. During the 1920’s, businesses were booming, and people were making fortunes. But when the world financial market crashed in 1929, many of the same people who were millionaires on paper found they were paupers. Some people went so far as to commit suicide by jumping out of windows in sky scrapers or shooting themselves. For those people, money had become their god and when their god failed them, they had nothing left.

We all are going to worship something or someone because that is our nature. God is the only One worth trusting, for He will never fail us. Disciples submit everything in their lives to their masters. When we submit to God, He promises to guide us, to provide for us, and to keep us safe spiritually. Nothing and nobody else can accomplish this.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You with everything we are and everything we have. Help us to truly be Your disciples. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

Matthew 6:19-21 Treasures in Heaven   

”Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust(mildew) destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

 Matthew 13:44-46 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it.”

Jesus is preaching ,the crowds are coming, and the disciples are thrilled! Obviously, they are onto a good thing, getting in on the ground floor of the Messiah’s coming, and things are going to be great from now on. What glories will they see, what accolades will they garner, and what wealth will be theirs when Jesus truly comes into his earthly kingdom! You can imagine these guys rubbing their hands in anticipation. But Jesus, the old spoil sport, is trying to warn his followers that their lovely dreams of earthly grandeur and success will never come true.

Jesus is advising his followers that they must rearrange their priorities. All those around the disciples are focusing on money, possessions, land, and houses. When these things are priorities, you will naturally be consumed with concern for them. Jesus, on the other hand, wants his followers to be heavenly minded and to realize that possessing the kingdom of heaven is far more important than material possessions that might spoil or be stolen. Nothing is more important than becoming a citizen of heaven and that’s where Jesus’ followers should be focusing.

These days, many churches are concerned about “being inclusive,” that is, watering down the Gospel so that nobody will be offended. Being inclusive is the last thing on Jesus’ mind; he wants his disciples to realize that heaven is worth it but that it will cost them everything. Later, a rich young ruler runs to Jesus, drops to his knees, and begs to know how he can gain the kingdom of God. After quizzing the young man and finding that he is an observant Jew, Jesus advises him to sell everything he has, give it all to the poor, and to follow Jesus. The man “goes away sorrowful” for he has great possessions. Some traditions claim that this young man in the story is Mark, who later becomes a follower of Jesus and who partners first with Paul and then with Barnabas. If so, Jesus’ unpleasant advice bore great fruit.

Where are your priorities? If you lost everything you own in a disaster such as a fire, a flood, or a windstorm, what would you do? Would you blame God or would you agree with Job that you came in with nothing and you might go out with nothing? When one of our close friends in Ghana lost a brilliant son to hepatitis B, his only reaction was “Bless the name of the Lord.” Our friend is a man of great faith, someone who may soon go to join Jesus at the throne.

Where is your treasure? We can testify from personal experience that Jesus has cost us practically everything but that we have also been blessed beyond measure. We can also testify that as long as you hold things loosely, allowing God to distribute them, God can replenish and even flood you with blessings. Someday, we all must die and then these things that have been so important will mean nothing to us. At the moment when we see Jesus, what is most important is that we have sought heaven above everything else. Don’t miss heaven for the sake of a Benz, or a house, or fancy clothes, or a big reputation. In the book Kim, Rudyard Kipling quotes an Indian proverb about “missing Delhi for the sake of a fish.” Don’t sacrifice eternal things for something ephemeral.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, please help all who read these words to choose to follow You wholly and completely. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.   

Fasting to Be Seen Only by God

Matthew 6:16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.“

Once more Jesus is taking out after the religious establishment and once more, the crowds are loving it! How many times have these people seen Avram and other religious leaders going around appearing as if their entire family has died, smearing ashes on their faces, wearing ragged old clothes, and generally looking miserable because they are ….wait for it…FASTING! While this display might be impressive, those who know Avram are aware that as soon as he goes home, he becomes a petty tyrant, verbally and physically abusing all those around him in the Name of the Lord. The neighbors can testify to having listened as Avram has viciously criticized his family, and everyone knows that Avram’s servants are miserable and would leave if they could. Once more, an act that should be a form of worship is merely for show.

Isaiah has quite a lot to say about fasting. Isaiah 58:3-14 “Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?”

“Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers.

You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot fast as you do today and have your voice be heard on high.

Is this the fast I have chosen, a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD?

Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke?

Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and malicious talk, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light will go forth in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday.

The LORD will always guide you; He will satisfy you in a sun-scorched land and strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will restore the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of the Streets of Dwelling.

If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Even though Avram and others have memorized these scriptures as children, they are observing the forms while ignoring the substance. Now Jesus is telling the crowds that in matters of the heart, attitude and secret worship are far more important than public shows, for once you have courted public adulation, you have received your reward. Praise has a lifespan even shorter than that of a breath of air, and the same people who praise you today may be screaming for your blood tomorrow.

All the time that Jesus is teaching the disciples, he is trying to get them to see that their personal relationship with God the Father is what’s important. When we deny ourselves enjoyable things secretly, God the Father sees and knows. God keeps the books as long as we are looking only to Him for approval and not to other people.  

What is our relationship with God the Father? “Father?” you might ask. “My father was horrible! Why should I want anything to do with someone like that?” Good point. Here’s the thing: Your father failed you, but God is the perfect Father and He will never fail, nor can He. No earthly father can ever be equal to God, no matter how wonderful that man might be. Ask God to show His father heart to you and ask Him to help you accept Him as your father. Once you have done this, trust that God will do His part and will manifest Himself to you.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us hear the word “father” and we cringe because our fathers disappointed us or abused us. Please help all who read these words to trust You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 6:5-15 The Model Prayer

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.  But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Ah, Jerusalem! Such a holy city! And if you don’t believe it, just wait a little. Avram, the Pharisee, is coming to stand on the street corner to pray so that everyone can see him and admire him. Surely the prayers of an outstanding religious person such as Avram will sanctify the city even further…..won’t they….or will they? And even if you miss Avram’s performance on the street corner, you can still catch it inside the temple, for Avram promises to proceed into the temple and stand where everyone can see him and hear him while he prays some more….actually, a lot more.  

The names don’t matter, but when Jesus begins teaching about prayer, everybody in the crowd knows what he’s talking about because they have all witnessed the professional religious people showing off, displaying their piety. Not only do such people select heavily trafficked public places for their prayers, but they also pray LONG prayers, quoting as much Scripture as possible to demonstrate their grasp of holy writings. Those unfortunate enough to enter the temple during one of these performances are in for a long siege before they too can pray and then go.

Jesus is encouraging us to speak with God simply and quietly in a private location. If you wanted to talk with your best friend, you won’t do it in the middle of a busy street, but in a quiet place where you have time to communicate. And when you speak with friends, you don’t repeat the same phrases over and over, but you state things plainly, knowing your friend will understand. You also use a normal tone of voice, not some “woo-woo” sanctimonious quaver; neither do you scream. Why scream at someone sitting right next to you? How rude!

Now Jesus turns to the content of the prayers. We are to regard God as our Father, the most perfect Father there is. The fatherhood of God is a tough concept for many people because they’ve had bad or disappointing experiences with their earthly fathers. Some fathers are weak or emotionally absent. Some fathers have only served as sperm donors, deserting mothers and children. Other fathers have been verbally, emotionally, or physically and sexually abusive. But in the Jewish culture, a good father provides for his family, protects his family, and guides his family. As the ultimate perfect Father, God can do all these things better than anybody else.

We are to call God’s Name as holy, sacred, not something to be mishandled or to be used in casual expressions such as “OMG!” We are praying to a perfectly pure and holy God, not one of the pagan deities noted for sexual or other immorality. During the conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus tells her that “God is a spirit, and they who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” If we want the very best for ourselves and for others, we should be longing for God’s kingdom to come and for His perfect will to be done in all things, for then everything will work properly and will be peaceful. When faced with a conundrum, it is helpful to ask God for His perfect will to be done in a situation. As we make this request, we are handing over our right to decide what’s best, trading it for God’s best instead. We are acknowledging that God knows the facts of the situation better than we do and that He can handle things far better than we can. You can’t go wrong making such a request.

“Give us this day our daily bread.“ Here we are acknowledging our total dependence on God for everything, including our food. No matter how much we choose to ignore this fact, none of us are self-made individuals. If God does not supply us, we will have nothing.

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Why is this statement an important part of the prayer? We must first forgive before God can forgive us. If we harbor unforgiveness in our hearts, we block God from forgiving us. When we forgive freely, then God can freely forgive us. One of the fundamental laws of the Kingdom of God is that the measure you give out is the measure you will receive. We limit God’s forgiveness for us when we harbor unforgiveness.

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” God does not lead us into temptation but we court temptation ourselves. We constantly need deliverance from Satan and only God can protect us.

“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Here we acknowledge God as Sovereign of the universe, almighty, all-powerful, all-glorious, and ruler of all. “Amen” translates to “Let it be so!”

Large numbers of books have been written about this prayer and studying it in depth is very worthwhile. But we miss a great deal if we ignore Jesus’ instructions that precede it. These days, there are many prayer meetings that go on for hours while people scream at God as loudly as possible, repeating their petitions as rapidly as possible. Sometimes people claim to be waging spiritual warfare; however, when Jesus confronted demons, he simply told them to leave and they did. While there is nothing wrong with praying for long periods of time, the content of the prayers and the mode of delivery are important. Prayer is a two-way conversation, not a monologue. We should listen far more than we should speak. God is not deaf, and He knows our hearts; however, when we speak out our petitions and even record them, we can later record God’s answers. This practice will build our faith. When Jesus is advising us to go into a secret place, he is not advising that we copy the Pharisees or any other group.  We need to be careful, lest we find ourselves copying the wrong model for prayer rather than the one Jesus has advised. May God help us, so that our prayers will glorify Him and not us!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to pray as You want us to, realizing that You always hear us. We ask this in the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Do Good to Please God

Matthew 6:1-4 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”

It was our first year in Ghana and we were just getting used to the local language and to long worship services. We were impressed that each Sunday, the pastor would solemnly give a “mini-sermon” before his official one. Only when we learned more of the local language did we realize that this was no sermon! The pastor was announcing special contributions from rich people so that everyone in the congregation would appreciate their generosity. When we attended funerals or weddings, we swiftly learned that unless we quietly dropped our donations in a general fund, those collecting donations would ensure that the amount of our donation be generally announced. For many of those donating, the motto seemed to be “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!”

These days, fund-raisers in churches will start by asking those donating large amounts of money such as 1,000 Ghana cedis or 500 Ghana cedis to bring their money forward so everyone can applaud them. These announcers will then work their way down until they allow those with small amounts to come forward and give anonymously. We simply wait until the general offering is taken and then donate.

Things were no different in Jesus’ day. The professional religious people donated all right; however, they wanted to make sure that EVERYBODY knew exactly how generous they were. Lacking spotlights, these people settled for sounding trumpets as they processed to the temple or as they handed over their donation inside the temple. What God-fearing rabbis thought of this horrific practice can only be imagined.

Sometimes culture and Scripture clash, and this is a prime example. Jesus is telling a shocked crowd that they have a choice: do they want God’s approval or man’s? Publicizing donations may get popular praise, but enjoy it for that’s all you’re going to get. On the other hand, if you keep your charity secret, God will reward you openly.

We have seen church elders praise wicked people who abuse their house help and practically starve their families so they can make a good showing publicly. Here Jesus is saying, “Better enjoy whatever people are saying, because that’s all the reward you’re going to get.” The law of the Kingdom of God is that the measure you give out is the measure you will receive; however, when you give anticipating a lot of praise, you are determining your own reward. People will say anything to manipulate on behalf of their organization, but praise is ephemeral with a life-span shorter than that of a May-fly that barely lives 24 hours. On the other hand, God’s rewards might last a lifetime.

If we are to truly be disciples, we must abandon the idea of adulation and fancy speeches. But charity does have some instant rewards. We routinely assist poor patients with medical bills, and they frequently return with guinea eggs, guinea fowls, or tubers of yam. We are helping because we don’t want the rest of the family to starve, but these people want to demonstrate their gratitude. We receive these gifts gratefully, recognizing the sacrifices these families are making, and then pass them on to others to bless them as well.

In 1992, we were leaving the U.S. for Ghana. One family needed a vehicle and we gave my small car to them. Another family needed living room furniture and we donated that as well. That car has since blessed two or three other families. Our advice after years of ministry: Don’t be afraid to give. God keeps the books.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to give freely as You have given to us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.