Today’s Reading: Matthew 6:25-34, 7:7-11

“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Matthew 6:21

The desires of my heart are reflected in what I cherish or hold dear. So what have I placed great value on; what do I love so dearly that I make great efforts to keep it safe? If I lost everything today, what part of that loss would break my heart? Let’s look back at yesterday’s questions in the context of this next passage.

Am I serving God or myself? Am I seeking the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of me?

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life – whether you have enough food or drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

“And why worry about clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” – Matthew 6:25-30

It is easy to start worrying about the everyday things in life — food, clothes, finances, employment, health, etc. We often let worry take over our thoughts and consume our day. Yet Jesus’ sermon is a great reminder that we serve a God who understands, who cares and who is faithful to provide what we need. He wants us to take our focus off of these things so that we can be focused on the eternal instead of the temporary.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek first the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” – Matthew 6:31-33

Am I serving God or myself? Am I seeking the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of me?

God calls me to give Him the desires of my heart and let Him replace them with the desires of His heart. God calls me to give Him my focus so that He can fill my eyes with His light. If my eyes are focused on God, if my heart is filled with His desires, if I am serving God and not myself, than these next verses will be true in my life:

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You parents – if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?” – Matthew 7:7-11

So, before I bring my requests to God, I need to get my eyes focused and I need to empty my heart of my own desires. Once I have done that, I am ready to pray for the things that matter to God. Then I am ready to ask, seek and knock.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” – Matthew 6:34

Today’s Reading: Matthew 6:19-24

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8

Have you ever read these verses and responded, “So what’s the catch?” We have all asked for something we did not receive, so what must we do to gain understanding of this promise spoken by Jesus? Let’s go back to what Jesus said in his sermon right before he said this.

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” – Matthew 6:33

Again, Jesus speaks of righteous living, this time in the context of focusing on the Kingdom of God as compared to focusing on our own needs. Jesus challenges His listeners to consider their focus, and so I choose to take that challenge this morning as well.

Am I serving God or myself? Am I working to advance the Kingdom of God or am I building my own kingdom?

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Matthew 6:19-21

What does my heart desire? Am I willing to let God fill my heart with what He desires and with what breaks His heart instead of letting my own desires for earthly gain grow? Am I so caught up in the temporary pleasure of acquiring the newest “toy” that I miss God’s prompting to serve Him with my money?

Am I serving God or myself? Am I working to advance the Kingdom of God or am I building my own kingdom?

“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” – Matthew 6:22-23

Consider how much life would change if we were to lose our sight. Our eye is such a small part of the body and yet, without its ability to let light in, our life would be so different. Our focus in life influences our eyes – our heart determines our focus and our focus determines what our eyes see. So where am I focused? I am either seeing the light of Jesus or I am focused on the light of the world, which is really darkness disguised as light.

Am I serving God or myself? Am I working to advance the Kingdom of God or am I building my own kingdom?

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Matthew 6:24

We serve a jealous God. The first of the Ten Commandments is “You must not have any other god but me” (Exodus 20:3). “And you must love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, and ALL your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today” (Deuteronomy 6:5-6). Am I serving God or money? This is essentially the same as the questions we have been asking:

Am I serving God or myself? Am I working to advance the Kingdom of God or am I building my own kingdom?

God, thank you for the reminder this morning that what you desire for my life is so much more important than what I desire. Your purpose for my life has value, and so I choose to rest in your provision and trust you to use me to advance your Kingdom in someone else’s life. Give me eyes to see the good in people, and hope to see the possibilities before me. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 5:43-48

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” – Matthew 5:43-47

Jesus not only challenged his followers to let their righteousness surpass that of the religious teachers, he went on to set a new standard: PERFECTION.

“But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” – Matthew 5:48

Be perfect, be mature, be whole, be completely consecrated to God. Be exactly who God created YOU to be! Be the kind of person who lives the golden rule of treating others the way you want to be treated. Go beyond the bare requirements of the law and live to the full potential of God’s purpose in your life. Don’t settle for anything less than the perfect life He designed you to live.

BE EXACTLY WHO GOD CREATED YOU TO BE.

I love this message of holiness but I have to constantly remind myself that this is not a message of self-righteousness. I cannot do or be any of these things consistently based on who I am – I am just not that nice of a person on my own strength. I need God’s gift of righteousness through His son Jesus Christ in order to be the “perfect” child of God He has created me to be.

But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 5:15-21

God’s grace and forgiveness does not give me permission to keep sinning, instead it makes it possible for me to stop sinning. God’s gift of righteousness allows us to live in triumph over sin and death through Jesus Christ. Christ did not die to give me freedom to sin but to give me freedom from sin. Today I can stand before God “perfect” by simply consecrating myself to God and submitting my own lack of righteousness to His gift of righteousness. “You have heard…but I say…” Today I can live by what He says instead of simply following the least measure of the law. Praise God!!!

BE EXACTLY WHO GOD CREATED YOU TO BE.

You have heard it said that nobody is perfect, we all sin every day. But I say, we don’t have to sin every day. I say, let us not become so comfortable with our imperfections that we do not accept God’s gift of righteousness and allow Him to daily make us into the person He has called us to be. Let us allow God’s grace to do more than just cover our sins but transform us into a new creation.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 5:17–42

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.” – Matthew 5:17-18

The law was given to Moses for a purpose, yet over time the use of the law had changed. Rather than being a way for God’s people to follow Him with all their heart, soul and mind, it had become a burdensome task to accomplish. Instead of God being the focus of their worship, following a list of rules had become their highest priority. The teachers of the law wore their righteousness like a badge of superiority and held it high for all to see.

VISIBILITY

So imagine their anger when Jesus began to humbly interpret the scriptures in a new way; imagine their indignation when he told the people that their righteousness must surpass that of the teachers and Pharisees in order to have eternal life.

“So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. But I warn you – unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” – Matthew 5:19-20

HUMILITY

Jesus went on to present several examples of how the Jewish leaders were pridefully stressing the extremes of the law, while missing the heart of the covenant relationship. It was not enough to simply not murder another person; God’s expectation is to humbly show love and grace to one another, not anger and unforgiveness. He wants His people to serve Him by serving others, to love Him by loving others (5:21-22).

Jesus was taking the standard set by the law and raising it to the level God was calling them to live at. He went on to give several examples of the righteousness he was calling his people to:

“You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart…

“You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’ But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery…

“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ But I say, do not make any vows!…Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’…

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also…

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you… – Matthew 5:27-43

Jesus summed it up later in his sermon when He said, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

CONSISTENCY

Jesus was calling them to live a righteous life with consistency. Don’t just do the bare minimum, but serve me with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your strength — all of the time! Love other people and treat them as you would want to be treated; show grace and extend forgiveness as you want your Heavenly Father to forgive you. Live out your faith and let God produce a new kind of righteousness in your life.

Father God, we ask that you forgive us for the times we have made serving you a habit rather than a passion. Forgive us for the times when we did just enough to get by, or lived out the bare minimum required in order to take away our guilt. Ignite a desire in us to serve you wholeheartedly and fill us with your righteousness, so that we can live a life consistent with your calling. Let our love for you be expressed in our actions towards one another. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 6:5-18

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything will reward you.” – Matthew 6:5-6

VISIBILITY

Again Jesus speaks to us about the issue of visibility in our lives. It is so easy for us to be caught up in how we are being seen by others. We want to be noticed, appreciated and held in high esteem. It is a natural human desire to be valued by others and so we often make the mistake of seeking our value in the opinions of those around us.

This is probably an easier trap to fall into now that social media has made our lives more visible than ever. We slant the camera just right in order to get the most flattering selfie and choose our words carefully in order to draw the attention of our “friends” and “followers”. But be careful, my friend. Jesus is warning us to pray and fast (6:16) for an audience of one, and to only seek the approval of our Father in Heaven.

“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” – Matthew 6:7-8

HUMILITY

Yesterday we studied the relationship between visibility, humility and consistency, and we see the same thread woven through today’s passage. The issue behind the visibility trap is pride and how it complicates the living out of our faith. So let’s keep prayer what it is supposed to be — a conversation between us and our Maker. Let’s come to Him in humility and pray as Jesus taught us to pray:

“Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” – Matthew 6:9-13

If we keep our eyes focused on the holiness of our God, we won’t get caught up in creating a righteousness of our own. When we wait in expectation of what He is going to do next, we stop making our own plans. When we rely on Him for our physical needs, as well as our spiritual redemption, we see ourselves in need of a Savior. We humbly find grace to forgive those around us who are also growing in their faith. If we daily remind ourselves of the temptation to focus on our own visibility, we will see God giving us the strength to be who He is calling us to be.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:14-15

CONSISTENCY

One more challenge. What if we take this last verse we looked at today and loop it around to the first verse we looked at yesterday? We are the salt of the earth, but if we refuse to forgive another person, whether we have just cause or not, how will the world taste Jesus? Unforgiveness in our lives will overpower the potential of the good flavors.

Think about this. If we create a delicious omelet full of meat, cheese and vegetables, but throw in even one rotten egg, the entire meal is spoiled. Let’s not spoil our impact today with a rotten attitude about anyone or anything. May our lives be consistent with our testimony, so that God will be glorified in every aspect of our day. After all, what good is salt if it has lost its flavor?

Father God, we praise you this morning for you are holy. We pray for you to give us a Kingdom mindset as we go into our day. May we submit to your plan for our lives and for the lives of those around us. Lord, we trust in you for all of our needs, for you are the God who provides; we ask for your grace to continue to mold us into who you are creating us to be, for you are the God who forgives. Fill us with your Spirit and give us the strength to persevere even in the toughest of circumstances or the strongest of temptations. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 5:13-16, 6:1-4

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

“You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” – Matthew 5:13-16

VISIBILITY

Jesus describes the VISIBILITY of our lives. When we accept Him as our Savior, we become representatives of Him to all those around us. We bear His name and with that comes responsibility. We are to be a light to those around us who are in darkness. Our presence in a room, on the job, in our community, around the world, is to make a difference — to add flavor.

In the same respect, if those around us know us to be Christians and we fail in representing Christ with holy lives, the influence of our lives loses its flavor. Can it be made salty again? We are not perfect and there may be times when we mess up. If so, how can we go back and regain our “salty” impact on those we know. Will they forever consider our testimony worthless, or can we humbly admit our fault and try to regain what has been lost? HUMILITY is the key ingredient in the world regaining their taste for our testimony.

HUMILITY

May those around us see good deeds coming out of our walk with Christ so that our Heavenly Father can be praised! But wait. That sounds the opposite of what Jesus continues to say in this same sermon, which carries over to chapter six.

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do – blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity. I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” – Matthew 6:1-4

Again, VISIBILITY comes down to HUMILITY. Jesus is not contradicting himself here but instead looking for CONSISTENCY of the heart. We are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world so that God can be glorified and receive the praise. We are not to call attention to our good deeds for the sake of human applause. We are to live out our lives before men for the sake of God’s Kingdom being advanced, not for our own advancement. We are to be lights that help others find their way to the one true Light of the World.

CONSISTENCY

Lord, help us to recognize the VISIBILITY of our walk with you and choose HUMILITY in order that others will see CONSISTENCY in our life. May the flavor of our life and the visibility of our walk bring you glory today. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 5:1-12

“Humble men are very fortunate!” he told them, “for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them. Those who mourn are fortunate for they shall be comforted. The meek and lowly are fortunate for the whole wide world belongs to them. HAPPY are those who long to be just and good, for they shall be completely satisfied. HAPPY are the kind and merciful, for they shall be shown mercy. HAPPY are those whose hearts are pure, for they shall see God. HAPPY are those who strive for peace—they shall be called the sons of God. HAPPY are those who are persecuted because they are good, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” – Matthew 5:3-10 (TLB)

Most of us know this passage from other translations that use the word “blessed”. Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, blessed are the merciful, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peacemakers. And this is the one that catches most of us off guard — Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because GREAT is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matthew 5:11-12 (NIV)

There are times when we grieve or experience the pain that comes with life. Sometimes we go through a time when the accusations of the enemy are drowning out the voice of God. It is during these times when we are battling against doubt and hurt when we need to declare the promises of God to replace the lies of Satan. We need to remind ourselves to rejoice and be glad, even when it does not come naturally. Great is my reward IN HEAVEN – not always so great here on earth.

But there is a joy that begins right here, right now, when we walk in relationship with Jesus — a joy that finds us in those moments when we need it most. This joy comes from praising God and declaring His faithfulness when others fail us or the battle intensifies. I don’t have to conjure up joy. I don’t have to pretend to be happy. Just a whisper for help and the Spirit can produce in me fruit that is unexplainable, such as JOY in the middle of a difficult situation or PEACE in the midst of a trial.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

So BE TRULY GLAD. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. – 1 Peter 1:3-9

I am happy because I am blessed by a God who protects me by His power and tells me of a wonderful joy that is ahead for me. Therefore, I choose to embrace my God in the good and the bad. I choose to be truly glad. I choose to allow the joy of the Spirit to fill me and the peace that goes beyond my understanding to wash over me.

This morning the truth of these lyrics washed over me and I allowed the promises of God to once again remind me that He is the author of my story. I can declare that I am BLESSED; I can trust Him to hold it all together.

You come at the right time / When I least expect it / Never behind
So why would i be surprised / When you deliver / Every time
On mountaintops you stay the same / In valleys low you never change
And I believe that I will see / The goodness of the Lord
I’m confident as seasons change / Your faithfulness remains
You go / You go before me / To prepare a blessing / You make a way
It’s more than I can fathom / Or comprehend
God of my present / God of my future
You write my story / You hold it all together
[You Hold it All Together, Maverick City Music and UPPERROOM]

Today’s Reading: Matthew 4:18-25

Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon-possessed or epileptic or paralyzed – he healed them all. Large crowds followed him wherever he went – people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River. – Matthew 4:23-25

This is a great description of the kind of impact Jesus had on those who were living while he walked the earth. They had never heard anyone speak like he did or heal like he did. They would travel long distances to see this man from Nazareth who could free people of their demons and diseases. They would follow him wherever he went. Among those followers were Simon, Andrew, James, and John.

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. — Matthew 4:18-22

Simon Peter and Andrew were casting their net into the sea. This was how they provided for themselves — by catching fish to sell or trade. They were working hard doing what they did every day. James and John were mending their nets. Their means for catching fish was broken and in need of repair. They were working hard doing what they had been raised to do.

But this day was different. This day a man named Jesus invited them to put down their nets and follow him. Something about this man compelled them to walk away from everything they knew and begin a new journey of following Jesus.

The first song in my 2022 playlist is Wherever You Lead by Kristen DiMarco of Bethel Music. As I read through the fourth chapter of Matthew, the lyrics of this song wash over me once more.

Wherever You go / Wherever You lead / That’s where I’ll go / That’s where I’ll be / The moment You call / The second You speak / That’s when I’ll go / Step out and believe / And I’m gonna fix my eyes on Jesus / Walking with the One who walks on the sea / Oh, I’m gonna give my life to follow / Speak to me and I’ll go / Wherever You lead / Wherever You lead [Wherever You Lead lyrics © Bethel Music Publishing, Essential Music Publishing, Integrity Music]

Many of us have heard this story of following Jesus over and over again throughout our lifetime — so much so that the reality of the disciples’ decision is somehow lost on us. Do we fully understand what they were willing to walk away from in order to follow Jesus? Maybe they were content, successful, and pleased with their routine. What prompted them to let go of everything they knew to walk into the unknown.

So much of my life has been spent watching my father say yes to the next direction from God, and then joining my husband in responding to what God is calling us towards. Each chapter has brought joy, and we have quickly settled into our new home and our new life. God has been faithful, and God will continue to be faithful.

When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He requires us to step out of our comfort zone and believe that His ways are greater than our own. We daily choose to give our lives to whatever He has for us and we follow wherever He leads — eyes fixed on Jesus and ready to say yes to the next invitation. This is the kind of impact Jesus wants to have on each of us; this is the life of obedience Jesus is calling us to.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 4:12-22

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. — Matthew 4:12

It was time for Jesus to start his ministry. With John no longer available to preach the message of repentance to a lost and dying world, Jesus picked up where John had left off with the same message — “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17).

The impact of Jesus’ presence and his message of repentance was significant. As the prophet Isaiah had said hundreds of years before: “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined” (Matthew 4:15-16).

I believe there is significance in where Jesus chose to begin his ministry. He went first to Nazareth, his hometown. Then he traveled to Capernaum and became a light for those who had been sitting in darkness for so long — the Gentiles. His message of repentance and hope was not just for the Jewish people, but also for the Gentiles. Throughout his life, Jesus would continue to show that he had come to save ALL people from their sins, both Jews and Gentiles. His gift of salvation was for me and for you.

WHERE DEATH CASTS ITS SHADOW, A LIGHT HAS SHINED.

Have you ever experienced the shadow of death? Have you been close to death but survived to tell the story? Have you sat by a loved one and watched them slowly slip from this world into the next? Have you experienced the darkness of death’s shadow?

Today is the anniversary of our last day on earth with my father. All the memories of those last few days have been vivid this week, taking me back to the room where we gathered together in anticipation of his last breath. As we sat in the shadow of death, we spoke of the hope of eternal life. We grieved our loss while celebrating that my father would no longer be confined to a body devastated by Parkinson’s. The light of Jesus filled our hearts as we sang around his bed and released our patriarch into the hands of God.

Where death casts its shadow, a light shines. As a young man, my father had received the message of salvation and gave his life to the Lord. He walked away from his career in library science, put down all the work he had done on his dissertation, and began to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to others — “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. — Matthew 4:18-22

My father experienced the light of Jesus when he recognized his need for a Savior and asked for his sins to be forgiven. My father testified of this light to others, bringing countless people to a place of repentance and hope. And even during his 15 year battle with a cruel and debilitating disease, he walked in the light. Where death casts its shadow, a light shines.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. — Psalm 23:4

Lord, thank you for bringing your light into the darkness of this broken world. Thank you for your comfort when we find ourselves in the valley of the shadow of death. I pray for those who have just received a cancer diagnosis, who are still grieving the loss of their loved one, or the loss of their marriage, job, or identity. I pray you give hope to those who are walking that journey of loss even now, and replace their sorrow with a peace that can only come from you. May our prayer this morning be that we are willing to go wherever you lead, even when death has cast its shadow.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 4:1-11

The Lord has been working with me on my relationship to food, pointing out how often I seek food for comfort and coffee for energy. He challenges my way of thinking about food, reminding me to start eating to live instead of living to eat. So what would it look like if I cut back on my caffeine intake and started saying no to the sweet temptations of this world? What if I focused on what was good for my body rather than on what foods bring me joy? I am inspired by the way Jesus handled temptation and appreciate today’s reminder that it is God’s word that brings lasting satisfaction.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. – Matthew 4:1

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. God was not tempting Jesus but He was allowing Jesus to go through a time of temptation, just as He allows us to experience temptation.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. – James 1:13-14

By fasting through this time of temptation, Jesus was showing his intention to depend on God and God only for his strength. He was giving God his full attention, away from the distractions of his daily life and away from the satisfactions of the earth’s nourishments.

Jesus was able to say no to temptation because his focus was on God. Knowing Jesus would be hungry, Satan tried to play on this weakness in order to take advantage of his vulnerability, just as Satan tempts us where we are the most vulnerable or weak.

During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” – Matthew 4:3-4

Jesus’ response to each of the temptations was to quote Scripture, a great model for how we can handle temptation. So if God’s word sustains us through the difficult times, shouldn’t we spend time in His presence soaking in what He says? Shouldn’t we study the word and be prepared by knowing the Scripture in order to be equipped to use them when the moment of temptation arrives?

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” – Matthew 26:41

Father God, we ask that your Spirit would lead us through the times in our lives when we are tempted to find satisfaction in the things of this world. As we soon celebrate Christmas with the tradition of giving and receiving gifts, bring us back to the true meaning of your birth. Remind us that the things of this world can only sustain us for a short time. Help us to rest in the knowledge that your living water can quench our thirst so that we never go thirsty again. Give us eyes to see the areas of our life in which we are focused too much on the taste of earth’s pleasures. Fill us with the sweet aroma of your presence and satisfy us with the taste of your scriptures. Amen.