Matthew 7:21-29

 

Matthew 7:21-29

 

Matthew 4:23-5:2 “And JESUS went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues, preaching The Gospel of The Kingdom and Healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His Fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments and those who were demon-possessed and  epileptics; and He Healed them all. Great multitudes followed Him – from Galilee and Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and beyond Jordan. And seeing the multitudes He went up on a mountain and when He was seated His disciples came to Him; then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:”

 

:21 “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.

Here in the Sermon On The Mount, JESUS is making a reference to the End of Days – The Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20:11-15.

 

:22-23 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 (iniquity)!’

This is the scary part – these people are doing mighty miracles and works in JESUS’ Name, that can only be done by The Power of The SPIRIT of GOD! Yet, JESUS is calling them sinners! JESUS is talking to the religious who believe they are saved and serving GOD. (Matthew 23:1-36 [:27-28]; Luke 9:49-50; Philippians 1:15-18)

 

:24-25 Therefore whoever hears these saying of mine and does them (Mark 4:21-25) I will liken to a Wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock (1 Corinthians 3:9-15).

 

:26-27 But everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish man (remember only GOD can judge a person as a fool; Matthew 5:21-22) who built his house on the sand; and the rain descended, the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell and great was its fall.

 

:28-29 And so it was, when JESUS had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His Teaching, for He Taught them as One having Authority and not as the scribes.” (Genesis 1:1-3; John 1:1; JESUS is the Word and the source of Life.)

 

https://youtu.be/Q-97yDWk-Ro

Matthew 7:15-20

 

Matthew 7:15-20

 

Introduction:

 

Matthew 4:23-5:2 “And JESUS went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues, preaching The Gospel of The Kingdom and Healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His Fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments and those who were demon-possessed and  epileptics; and He Healed them all. Great multitudes followed Him – from Galilee and Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and beyond Jordan. And seeing the multitudes He went up on a mountain and when He was seated His disciples came to Him; then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:”

 

:15-20 “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 every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit! A good tree cannot bear bad fruit nor 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.”

 

Fales prophets or teachers: Jeremiah 23:15-17, 21-22, 39-40; Matthew 24:11, 24; 1 John 4:1-3; Revelation 20:10, 22:18-19.

Fruit: John 15:1-8, 16; Romans 7:4-6; Galatians 5:22-26; Hebrews 12:11; James 3:17-18.

 

https://youtu.be/agUGtvbGh-4

Matthew 7:1-12

Matthew 7:1-12

 

Introduction:

 

Matthew 4:23-5:2 “And JESUS went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues, preaching The Gospel of The Kingdom and Healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His Fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments and those who were demon-possessed and  epileptics; and He Healed them all. Great multitudes followed Him – from Galilee and Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and beyond Jordan. And seeing the multitudes He went up on a mountain and when He was seated His disciples came to Him; then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:”

 

:1 “Judge (condemn) not that you be not Judged!” What a statement, JESUS has been talking about Love everybody, Forgive everybody and now He tops it off with Do not Judge anybody! How are we supposed to go through Life if we are not allowed to criticize anybody, hate anybody or hold a grudge against anybody?

 

:2 “For with what Judgment (condemnation) you Judge, you will be Judged, and with the Measure you use, it will be Measured back to you!” Think of this next time someone hurts or offends you or takes advantage of you or anyone you Love! How you respond is how you will be treated by others. They may not even know it, but GOD will allow someone to condemn you as you have condemned someone else! That is what this Scripture says.

 

:3-5 “Why do you look at the speck in your brothers 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.” This is an example; make sure you are Living right before GOD and people before you speak to someone about their faults or sins!

 

:6 “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.” What does this have to do with what JESUS was just saying? What is Holy to you (what have you set apart in your life to GOD)? Your marriage or personal relationships; your time and energy? We have to guard these things from frivolous conversations, such as telling people’s secrets or making fun of people’s habits. So far in The Sermon On The Mount, this is exactly what JESUS has been talking about, how we Live our Life in public and private! GOD sees, hears and knows everything we think and say. Nothing is hidden from Him (Psalm 17:6, 139:1-12; Proverbs 16:1-3).

 

:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives and he who seeks finds and to him who knocks it will be opened.” What are the catches? Every promise In the Scriptures has a requirement and every Command has a reward! (Matthew 6:25-34; 2 Chronicles 7:13-14; Isaiah 55:6; John 8:28-32)

 

:9-11 “Or what man is there among you who if his sons asks for bread will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him? (James 1:16-17)

 

:12 “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is The Law and the Prophets.” This is called The Golden Rule “Do to others what you want them to do to you!” (Matthew 22:36-40)

 

https://youtu.be/4MprpGVm_aI

Psalm 83 A Prayer

 

Psalm 83

A Prayer For Israel and The Church!

 

A Song.

A Psalm of Asaph.

Do not keep silent, O ELOHIM!

Do not hold Your Peace and do not be still, O ELOHIM!

For look, Your enemies make an uproar; and those who hate You have exalted themselves.

They have craftly taken council against Your people and conspire against You sheltered ones.

They have said, “Come let us wipe them out as a nation, and let the name of Israel (Christianity) be remembered no more!”

For they have conspired together with one heart, they have made a covenant against You –

The tents of Edom (Esau) and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek; Philistia with its inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined with them; they have helped the children of Lot.

Selah!

Deal with them as with Midian, as with Sisera, as with Jabin at the Brook Kishon, who perished at En Dor, who became as dung on the ground; make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb, yes all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna; who said, “Let us take for ourselves the pastures of ELOHIM for a Possession!”

O my ELOHIM, make them as whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.

As a fire consumes a forest and as a flame sets a mountain on fire, so pursue them with Your whirlwind, and frighten them with Your storm!

Fill their faces with shame, and let them seek Your Name, O JEHOVAH!

Let them be ashamed and frightened forever O JEHOVAH!

Let them be put to shame and perish!

Let them know that You, Whose Name is JEHOVAH, You alone are The Most High over all the earth!

 

It is interesting how many of Israel’s enemies were and are blood relatives. It is the same today many Christian sects are opposed to GOD and His Will.

Vs. 6: 2 Chronicles 20:1, 10-17; Edom (Esau) – Genesis 36; Ishmael – Genesis 2512-18; Moab – Genesis 19:37: Hagrites (Hadad or Hadar) – Genesis 25:15, 1 Chronicles 1:29-31

Vs. 7: Ammon – Genesis 19:38; Amalek – Genesis 36:15-16

Vs. 8: Lot – Genesis 19:30-38

Vs. 9: Midian – Genesis 25:1-4, Judges 6:3

https://youtu.be/OI5f544NmMQ

Pride Goes Before A Fall!

Pride Goes Before A Fall!

 

We have all heard this saying before, pride goes before a fall; Proverbs 16:18, “Before destruction comes pride and before a fall a haughty spirit!” Everybody basically understands what this means, but have you thought about what, GOD, Who is the One saying this in the Scriptures means?

 

Let’s look at a couple of Scriptural examples:

 

Cain, the first born son of Adam and Eve, he was so proud of his offering to GOD that because GOD rejected his offering but accepted his brother, Able’s that he killed Able. So GOD marked him so that everyone who saw him knew that GOD rejected him for his crime, he was an outcast the rest of his life Genesis 4:1-16.

 

The account of Balaam and Balak; Balaam was a prophet of JEHOVAH who lived by the land of Moab, the king of Moab, Balak called on Balaam to curse the people of Israel because he feared them. Balaam started out good, he told Balak that he could only speak what JEHOVAH told him to speak, he could not curse Israel even though Balak offered him riches 3 times. Each time Balaam sought JEHOVAH but answered Balak exactly what JEHOVAH told him to. But Balaam kept calling on JEHOVAH on Balak’s behalf, even though JEHOVAH told him He would not curse Israel. GOD even sent an angel to kill Balaam at one point. Balaam gave 2 Scriptures that are quoted still today. “GOD is not a man that He should lie, neither a son of man that He should repent, has He not said and will He not do it? Or has He spoken and will He not make it Good?” Numbers 23:19; and a prophesy of David/JESUS, 24:14-25. (Numbers 22-24, 31:8; Jude 3; Revelation 2:14)

 

The account of Nebuchadnezzar as a wild beast. First GOD called him to conquer all the nations around Israel and Israel (Jeremiah 25). Then he rose up in pride and GOD humbled his as a beast of the field for 7 years; then JEHOVAH restored Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom to him because he saw JEHOVAH as the only True GOD. Think of this: JEHOVAH called Nebuchadnezzar as a servant to punish Israel and the nations around her; then JEHOVAH Judged Nebuchadnezzar for his pride, yet he saw Nebuchadnezzar’s heart and restored him with his kingdom intact, Daniel 4.

 

What do Belshazzar and a rich man in Judia have in common? Both were vain and both received JEHOVAH’s Judgment in one day!

 

Daniel 5 tells of Belshazzar’s night of celebrating his gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone by drinking wine for JEHOVAH’s holy vessels that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken form the Temple in Jerusalem. JEHOVAH GOD wrote by hand His Judgment on the wall of the hall where Belshazzar was celebrating with his leaders and friends and none of his wise men or false religious priests could interpret it. His mother reminded him of his father’s head wise man, Daniel who came and called out Belshazzar’s vanity and interpreted the message form GOD of His Judgment against Belshazzar and his rule. Belshazzar honored Daniel, but that very night he assassinated and the Meads took over his kingdom.

 

In Luke 12:16-21 JESUS tells a parable of a rich man who had a great harvest and did not know what to do with it. (in Luke 12:13-15 JESUS taught about not being greedy.)  The man instead of being generous decided to keep what he already had plus his new great harvest for himself. That night GOD came to him and called him into Judgment, then JEHOVAH said to the man, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you, then whose will those things be which you have provided?” Then JESUS warned the people, “So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward GOD!” (Matthew 6:19-23)

 

So Cain, Balaam, Nebuchadneazzar, Belshazzar and the rich man were proud; the fruit of pride is vanity and selfishness. Andrew Murray calls pride the root of all sin!

 

So as a Christian we have to be careful about pride! Cain knew JEHOVAH and brought Him an offering of his pride; Balaam was a prophet of JEHOVAH who GOD spoke to, but he desired riches; Nebuchadneazzar was raised up by GOD to conquer many nations as JEHOVAH’s Judgment against them, even after seeing JEHOVAH’s Greatness through the Hebrew people in his government he gave credit to his greatness to himself; Belshazzar inherited his father’s kingdom but had done nothing to earn it. His vanity was his judgment and death and the rich man was a Hebrew who knew the Torah and the Prophets, yet he was vain and greedy. (James 1:12-16)

 

Seek GOD and His Kingdom!

 

https://youtu.be/8uI97hb5Huw

Why?

 

Why?

 

Why do the Christians who are making Bible movies and television programs ALWAYS change what The Bible says. They ALWAYS add, subtract and change the words and the events of The Bible. Why? It makes no sense, The Word of GOD is so Rich with Life, Truth and Excitement why do you feel the need to change anything?

 

The only thing that ever needs to be changed is the language, nobody in The Bible spoke in 15^th to 18^th century English! Only if you are trying to catch the essence of the original languages of The Bible: Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek or Latin should you use anything other than the modern language of the audience.

 

No facts or activities of the people whose story is being told should be changed or deleted! NOTHING should be added to the story; do you actually think that GOD believes you are better at telling His Story than the people He chose? That GOD is now choosing you to rewrite His Story?

 

Now there are many fictious stories that center around a Bible character or event, like the woman brought before JESUS accused of adultery. You can add a back story of how she got to that point in her life, tell exactly what happened when she was brought before JESUS and then tell a story of what happened to her after that encounter. Or how about Jabez and his prayer; what led him to that day and how did GOD Bless him. There are many potential fiction stories in the Bible* so that no one should fictionalize stories about Moses, David, JESUS, Paul, etc. The Bible is written so that you do not have to fill in the blanks, what is unknown is not important so you do not have to fictionalize it.

 

One reason they get away with it is they are making it into “Entertainment”. The Bible is Not Entertainment! It is The Word of GOD – the printed representation of JESUS CHRIST The Living Word! Who is The Only Begotten Son of GOD, The Lamb Who was slain before the foundation of the earth, Who came to take away the sins of the world! We are told by GOD throughout The Bible not to delete, add or change anything in His Word, The Bible! There are severe consequences for doing that!

 

Another reason they get away with it is that Christian television, Pastors and other Church leaders promote these blasphemous movies and programs, they advertise them and promote them and some even make money off of them by raising donations.

 

 

* In the eighties I knew a pastor who wrote a fiction story of Simon the tanner, he wrote a back story to the point of Peter staying in his home for a while, them told the future story of him and his family, it was a good and entertaining Bible story showing GOD’s Love and Power working in the lives of ordinary people’s lives. There was the 1953 movie “The Robe” an excellent movie about the robe that the Romans cast lots for at His crucifixion, and how it affected the lives of the people who had it.

 

https://youtu.be/9C3DngJ8Heg

Are You Full Of The LORD?

 

Are You Full Of The LORD?

 

There are many great hymns worship songs but some of them are spiritually and theologically wrong. If you study The Bible (and you should be studying The Bible) you will recognize song lyrics that are not true to GOD’s Word.

 

The lyrics for the song “Fill My Cup LORD” have always bothered me:

Like the woman at the well, I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy.
And then I heard my Savior speaking—
“Draw from My Well that never shall run dry.”

Fill my cup, Lord;
I lift it up Lord;
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

There are millions in this world who are seeking
For pleasures earthly goods afford.
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.

So my brother if the things that this world gives you
Leave hungers that won’t pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray—

Do you really want The LORD JESUS to quench your soul’s longing for His presence in your Life? To quench means to extinguish or cool down!

Do you really want The HOLY SPIRIT to feed you with The WORD of GOD so that you want no more? To not want more of something is to be satisfied or no longer desire it! Are you satisfied with the level of Knowledge you have of The Word of GOD? May it not be so! (As Paul says)

 

The stanzas of this song are good it is just to chorus that is wrong.

 

When I am singing this song I change “quench” and “want no more” to overflow. In the line “Come and overflow this thirsting of my soul.” Is a little awkward but it is better than saying I want to be quenched!

The theological point is that we should never want our desire for JESUS and His SPIRIT to be cooled down much less quenched! We should be overflowing with His Word and His SPIRIT so that it is always flowing out of us to those around us. If we are filled we should be sharing!

Another thing about hymns and worship songs, is that to many of them are about GOD and JESUS rather then to GOD and JESUS. The word LORD is a title and you can sing JEHOVAH, YAHWEH or JESUS in its place; I change He to You and us to I, personalize your worship!

Worship is a core part of our relationship with GOD and it should be theologically correct and personal, between you and Him!

 

https://youtu.be/Yrort75ulec