Month: November 2018

Seeking & Loving His Kingdom

After Peter’s dramatic confession
of Jesus as the Christ, the Son
of the living God, Jesus began to
shew unto His disciples how He
must go to Jerusalem and suffer
many things of elders and chief
priests, be killed & be raised again
the third day. After preparing
His disciples for the unexpected
events which would soon take
place, Jesus begins His final
journey to Jerusalem. Arriving
to a hero’s welcome, He is hailed
as King while making His humble
entrance into the city. It’s now the
final week of Christ’s earthly life.

Lord, we will Seek Your Kingdom:
The kingdom of heaven is like
a king who prepared a wedding
banquet for his son. He sent his
servants to those who had been
invited; but they Refused to come…
They paid no attention & went off-
one to his field, another to his biz.
The king was enraged (Mt 22:1-7)
Jesus knowing their evil intent said:
Show me the coin used for paying
the tax… Whose portrait is this?..
Then He said: Give back to Caesar
what is Caesar’s and to God
what is God’s (Matt 22:15-22).
One Pharisees tested Jesus with
this question: Teacher, which is
the greatest commandment in the
Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord
your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your
mind. This is the first & greatest
commandment. And the second
is like it: Love your neighbour
as yourself (Mt 22:34-39). Amen.
Continue reading “Gospel Truth in Matt 22 (Nov 11)”

Learn to Trust & Obey In Action

After Peter’s dramatic confession
of Jesus as the Christ, the Son
of the living God, Jesus began to
shew unto His disciples how He
must go to Jerusalem and suffer
many things of elders and chief
priests, be killed & be raised again
the third day. After preparing
His disciples for the unexpected
events which would soon take
place, Jesus begins His final
journey to Jerusalem. Arriving
to a hero’s welcome, He is hailed
as King while making His humble
entrance into the city. It’s now the
final week of Christ’s earthly life.

Lord,we’ll Believe & Obey in Action:
So Jesus said: Assuredly I say
to you, if you have faith and do
not doubt, you will not only do
what was done to the fig tree,
but also if you say to this mountain:
Be removed and be cast into the
sea, it will be done (Matt 21:21-22)
Jesus said: A man with two sons
told the older boy: Son go out
and work in the vineyard today.
The son answered: No, I won’t go
but later he changed his mind
and went anyway. Then the father
told the other son: You go and
he said: Yes sir I will. But he
didn’t go. Which of the two did
the will of the father? They said
to Him: The first (Matt 21:28-31).
Continue reading “Gospel Truth in Matt 21 (Nov 10)”

Have Mindset of a Servant

After Peter’s dramatic confession
of Jesus as the Christ, the Son
of the living God, Jesus began to
shew unto His disciples how He
must go to Jerusalem and suffer
many things of elders and chief
priests, be killed & be raised again
the third day. After preparing
His disciples for the unexpected
events which would soon take
place, Jesus begins His final
journey to Jerusalem. Arriving
to a hero’s welcome, He is hailed
as King while making His humble
entrance into the city. It’s now the
final week of Christ’s earthly life.

Lord, we aspire serve like You:
Whoever wants to become great
among you must be your servant
and whoever wants to be first
must be your slave (Mt 20:26-27)
Just as the Son of Man did not
come to be served, but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom
for many (Matt 20:28). Amen.
Continue reading “Gospel Truth in Matthew 20 (Nov 9)”

Be Trusting & Eternal Minded

Mathew records many crucial
incidents from Jesus’ life in Matt
16-19. Though Christ takes time
to heal an epileptic boy, pay His
temple tax and confront hostile
Pharisees, His primary concern
is for His disciples, who will
continue the work He had begun.
Healings and discourses, miracles
and parables all focus on Jesus’
faithful followers to prepare them
for the difficult days just ahead.

Lord, we’ll Trust & Eternal Minded:
Little children were brought that
He might put His hands on them
& pray, but disciples rebuked them.
But Jesus said: Let the children
come to me. Don’t stop them! For
the Kingdom of Heaven belongs
to such as these. And He laid
His hands on them (Matt 19:13-15).
The young man said. What do
I still lack? Jesus replied: Give to
the poor & you will have treasure
in heaven. Then come, follow me.
When the young man heard this,
he went away sad because he
had great wealth (Matt 19:20-22).
Continue reading “Gospel Truth in Matthew 19 (Nov 8)”

Be Humble, Forgiving & Merciful

Mathew records many crucial
incidents from Jesus’ life in Matt
16-19. Though Christ takes time
to heal an epileptic boy, pay His
temple tax and confront hostile
Pharisees, His primary concern
is for His disciples, who will
continue the work He had begun.
Healings and discourses, miracles
and parables all focus on Jesus’
faithful followers to prepare them
for the difficult days just ahead.

Lord, we’ll be Meek & Gracious:
The disciples asked Jesus:
Who then is the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven? Jesus said:
Whoever takes the lowly position
of this child is the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven (Matt 18:1-4)
Then Peter asked Jesus: Lord,
how many times shall I forgive
my brother when he sins against
me? Up to seven times? Jesus
answered: I tell you, not seven
times, but 70 times seven (v21-22)
When the king heard about it,
he said to the man whose debt
he had forgiven: Shouldn’t you
have had mercy on your fellow
servant just as I had on u (v32-33)
Continue reading “Gospel Truth in Matthew 18 (Nov 7)”

Have Faith Nothing Is Impossible

Mathew records many crucial
incidents from Jesus’ life in Matt
16-19. Though Christ takes time
to heal an epileptic boy, pay His
temple tax and confront hostile
Pharisees, His primary concern
is for His disciples, who will
continue the work He had begun.
Healings and discourses, miracles
and parables all focus on Jesus’
faithful followers to prepare them
for the difficult days just ahead.

Lord, we’ll Exercise Faith In You:
The disciples asked Jesus
privately: Why couldn’t we
cast out that boy’s demon?
So Jesus said to them: Because
of your unbelief; for assuredly
I say to you, if you Have Faith
as a mustard seed, you will say
to this mountain: Move from here
to there, and it will move; and
nothing will be impossible for u.
But this kind does not go except
by prayer & fasting (M17:19-21).
Continue reading “Gospel Truth in Matthew 17 (Nov 6)”

Seek God’s Revelation & View

Matthew records many crucial
incidents from Jesus’ life in Matt
16-19. Though Christ takes time
to heal an epileptic boy, pay His
temple tax and confront the
increasingly hostile Pharisees,
it is clear that His primary concern
is for His disciples – those He
would soon leave behind to
continue the work He had begun.
Healings and discourses, miracles
and parables all focus on Jesus’
faithful followers to prepare them
for the difficult days just ahead.

Lord, we’ll Seek U & Your Kingdom:
When Jesus came to the region
of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his
disciples: Who do people say that
the Son of Man is? They replied:
some say John the Baptist, some
say Elijah & others say Jeremiah
or one of the other prophets. Then
he asked them: Who do u say I am?
Simon Peter answered: You are
the Messiah, the Son of the
living God (Matthew 16:13-16).
(Jesus said): My Father in heaven
has revealed this to you… Now I say
to u that you are Peter & upon this
rock I will build my church (v17-18).
Jesus turned to Peter and said:
Get away from me, Satan! You are
seeing things merely from human
point of view, not from God’s (v23)
Continue reading “Gospel Truth in Matthew 16 (Nov 5)”

Seek Justice, Treasure & God’s Will

A turning point occurs in Matt 12
where mounting antagonism by
Jewish religious leaders erupts
into open denunciation of Jesus.
They demand yet another sign
to substantiate Jesus’ messianic
claims. After a rude reception
in His home town of Nazareth,
Jesus withdraws across the
Sea of Galilee to Tyre and Sidon
to escape growing opposition.

Lord Jesus, You’re our master,
Lord and king. Help us live
by your standards and boost
the growth of your kingdom.
Help us learn from Matthew 12-15
that even in challenging times
that we will not forget what
is close to Your heartbeat.
Help us Reach Out Less Fortunate;
help us Share Gospel Treasure &
help us Seek Your Perfect Will
by spending time with You. Amen
Continue reading “Gospel Truth in Matt 12-15 (Nov 4)”

Come & Receive God’s Rest

Jesus came to earth to begin his
kingdom. Matthew focuses on 10
miracles in Mt8&9 demonstrating
Jesus’ power over disease, the
forces of nature & the spirit world.
Christ then bestows that same
power & authority on His chosen
apostles and sends them out
as ambassadors of the kingdom.
He first instructs them how to
act, then warns them of the
dangers they will face, as He calls
them to committed discipleship.

Lord, we’ll come to You for Rest:
Jesus said: I praise You Father
because You have hidden these
things from the wise and learned
& revealed them to Little Children.
(Matthew 11:25)… COME to me,
all of you who are weary and
carry heavy burdens, and I’ll give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you.
Let me teach you and you will
Find Rest for your souls. For my
yoke fits perfectly and the burden
I give you is light (Matt 11:28-30).
Continue reading “Gospel Truth in Matthew 11 (Nov 3)”

Don’t Worry for God Cares of You

Jesus came to earth to begin his
kingdom. Matthew focuses on 10
miracles in Mt8&9 demonstrating
Jesus’ power over disease, the
forces of nature & the spirit world.
Christ then bestows that same
power & authority on His chosen
apostles and sends them out
as ambassadors of the kingdom.
He first instructs them how to
act, then warns them of the
dangers they will face, as He calls
them to committed discipleship.

Lord, we Trust Your Care of us:
I am sending you out as sheep
among wolves. Be as wary as
snakes and harmless as doves…
Don’t Worry about… What to say.
God will give you the Right words
at the right time… It is not you
who will be speaking – it will be
the Spirit…speaking through you…
Not even a sparrow can fall to
the ground without your Father
knowing it. And the very hairs
on your head are all numbered.
So Don’t Be Afraid; you are more
valuable to Him than a whole flock
of sparrows (Matt 10:16-31) Amen.
Continue reading “Gospel Truth in Matt 10 (Nov 2)”