- Honor the Sabbath
- Be 100
- Mercy is greater than Ritual
- Sabbath is a stamp for His Godship
- Love Jesus over family
- Your mouth utters your heart
- Your fruit tells who you serve
- Believe without seeing a sign
- The Holy Ghost casts out devils only
- Saint’s don’t blaspheme the Holy Ghost
If People Are Being Tossed to and Fro by Every Wind, What Wind Is in Your Sails?
This topic brings to mind a sail ship with massive sails moving across the open sea, the massive sails catching the wind as the ship is being carried about over the sea by the wind. Sailors have even given the winds their own name, hence the term trade-wind. Sometimes these winds can be very strong and can carry the ship the way they’re blowing.
In some ways I can’t help but compare this to all the people in the world today who are claiming to be Christian but their walk does not typify the life of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. While many people are claiming to be a Child of the King, why is it that all of these so called Christians don’t speak the same things or live the same way? They don’t read the same Bible or the Word of God, but they say that they are of the same belief. This alone to me seems to be an oxymoron.
The average so called Christians today are some of the most prideful, arrogant, self-absorbed, greedy, not helping the needy, condemning individuals in the world today. Yet none of the characteristic that they display are of the attributes of Jesus Christ at all. Jesus describes what a Christian should be like, not pretend to be. We are supposed to be examples for the world like Christ was. In the Bible He wants us all to be the same.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 1:10
Its sad to say that the portrait that most of these so called Christians are painting exhibits who they really serve: their father Satan the liar. If your life is a lie and you are a pretender or perpetrating a life of someone or thing, then your life is a lie. Jesus said no liar will tarry in His sight.
He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
Psalms 101:77
Jesus also said the all liars will have their part in the lake of fire. These are the type of people who are easily deceived by this world or by every favorable word or doctrine. Just like that sail that is fill by strong wind, they become tossed all about. You need to ask yourself, “what wind is in your sails?”
For the real Christian or Child of God, in the book of Ephesians 4:14 it reads: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
We should know better and know our Lord and Savior’s voice and obey it. In my conclusion, I’ll leave you with James 1:1-27.
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
James 1:1-27
In Jesus name, it is So.
Matthew Chapter 11
- Be aware
- Abide in Jesus always
- No respect of people
- Humility of mind
- Repentance
- Rest in God
- Remember your yoke
- Don’t doubt God’s will
Matthew Chapter 10
Jesus has demonstrated mighty miracles before His disciples, mentoring them so to speak on how to do miracles. Now He sends them out to do just what they saw Him doing. They go from apprentices (disciples) to sent ones (apostles).
Jesus Sends Out His Twelve Apostles
At the end of chapter 9, Jesus was admonishing His disciples to pray for more labours to reap the harvest. Jesus was now sending His disciples out to reap. Jesus imparts to the 12 power and authority to cast out demons and heal every sickness and disease, commissioning them to demonstrate the power of God and preach the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus Warns His Apostles of Persecution
If we share in Jesus power and victory, we should be aware that there is persecution and trial, for we share in His sufferings as well.
Though this is true, Jesus is forearming us with the hope that when we are delivered up into the hands of the wicked, we don’t have to defend ourselves, but allow the, “Spirit of [our] Father,” to speak in us instead (10:20).
Summary
- Trust in Jesus
- Be serious about your walk
- Walk in authority
- Endurance
- Walk in confidence
- Don’t validate your weakness
- Humility
- Walk worthy of the call
Matthew Chapter 9
After healing the demonized men from chapter 8 and being thrust from the country of the Gergesenes by the towns people, Jesus got back in a boat and came to His home town. Jesus continues His healing spree, and many are astonished.
Forgiveness & Healing
A paraplegic man was brought to Jesus on a bed by people who had great faith to see him healed. Jesus first said to the man that His sins were forgiven, and some religious scholars who were present thought to themselves that He was committing blasphemy. Yet Jesus was given a word of knowledge about their thoughts and proclaimed before them that He as the Son of Man had authority to forgive sins and to heal. Its more convincing to see someone healed of a sickness than to see them forgiven of their sins. So as a confirmation to His authority to forgive sins, Jesus performs an undeniable miracle in their presence.
Jesus Calls Matthew to Follow Him
Matthew, the one who bears the name of this Gospel, is called from his tax-collecting booth to follow Jesus. He immediately, without question, does just that! Later Jesus shares a meal with Matthew in his own home, and many outcasts of the then known society were invited. Enter the Religious Pharisees with a word of rebuke about dining with sinners. Enter Jesus with a word of wisdom about how showing mercy towards others trumps being meticulous about maintaining religious piety and ritualism.
Jesus Brings a New Reality
Jesus refers to Himself as the Bridegroom when the disciples of John the Baptist ask Him why His disciples don’t fast. To everything there is a time and season. He goes on to speak many parables about how mixing the old with the new brings bad results.
Jesus Heals and Raises the Dead
Suddenly as He’s talking, a certain ruler comes in, lamenting about his daughter having just died! This man has such great faith that He tells Jesus to simply lay His hands on her so that she can live again! While Jesus was going to wake the dead, a woman who was suffering from an issue of bleeding was healed by her faith by only touching the edge of His garment! Faith is the root of every miracle, and faith is the theme of what this chapter is trying to drive home in our hearts.
Jesus Opens Blind Eyes
After bringing the dead back to life, Jesus is met by two blind men who have faith to believe they can see again. Jesus touches their eyes saying, “According to your faith be it unto you.”
Jesus Heals the Mute
While the restored blind men were leaving, a man who was demonized with a mute spirit was brought to Jesus. Jesus simply cast the demon out and the mute person could speak!
Sadly, the Religious Pharisees attributed these wonderful miraculous healings to the work of demons!
Workers for the Harvest
Jesus went to all the cities and villages, teaching and preaching the good news of the Kingdom and demonstrating the power of the Kingdom by healing every sickness and disease among the multitudes. But to Jesus, all the people were as sheep without a shepherd. There is a harvest of souls, but so few dedicated people to take the time to minister to them. Pray that more labours come to reap the harvest.
Summary
- Be direct when addressing sin
- Be true; Make sure your thoughts aline with your heart
- Faith is the root of healing
- Be ready to follow Jesus
- Being merciful is greater than being pious (religious pride)
- True healing comes from Jesus
- Are you scattered without a shepherd
- Pray that the heart of a labour be opened
- Teach and believe that healing is possible