Tag: commandment

Jesus Commandments

On October 25, 2018

Beware of Evil Influences
“Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
(Matthew 16:6, NIV)

We have so many influences competing for our attention and submission. Some are good for us and some are bad. Nonetheless, the more time we spend fascinated by the things of this world, the more we become saturated in their messages and themes. In this commandment Jesus warns us to “be on guard” concerning the spiritual teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

A Pharisee is defined by the dictionary as “a member of an ancient Jewish sect, distinguished by strict observance of the traditional and written law, and commonly held to have pretensions to superior sanctity.” Subsequently, a Sadducee is defined as “a member of a Jewish sect or party of the time of Jesus Christ that denied the resurrection of the dead, the existence of spirits, and the obligation of oral tradition, emphasizing acceptance of the written Law alone.”

We all deal with self-righteousness. We all need more grace and humility. Outward complaining can show the heart of a person struggling with self-righteousness. You may not like the unexpected “pickle left in your sandwich,” but have you considered that there may be more to the “pickle” story? There usually is! I believe the opposite of self-righteousness is displayed through humility. Real compassion needs the testimony of sacrificial service. The deeper valleys we tread during our service will be the proof of God’s love, grace, and mercy working in our lives.

Father, Protect us from the evil influences to our soul in this world. Especially, our own minds! Help us to guard our eyes, ears, hands and heart from the things of this world that would obscure or obstruct our pursuit of You. O Lord! Break our will! May the Holy Spirit reign over all our decisions, guide our steps, and lead us in Your Way everlasting! In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Jesus Commandments

By Marshall Mabry

On November 16, 2017

In Praise and Worship

15 The command “Do not judge.”
Matthew 7:1-5 (NLT)
1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

We cannot wonder about how God will judge us when we stand before him on that awesome day. We already know. Our own standards are the measure. Every Christian’s pitfall is pride. Many times our need to be right, rather than “doing what’s right” is our “undoing.” When I am tempted to judge, I always try to remember the attributes of love as defined by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV):
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

If I cannot respond to my neighbor within the perimeters of all these truthful characteristics of love, I have missed the mark and I have embarrassed my Lord’s name.

In our ignorance and evil, Jesus asked for our forgiveness from the Cross. He loved us to death. His standard is a simple choice – believe in Him.

Jesus Commandments

By Marshall Mabry

On October 25, 2017

In Praise and Worship

14 The command “Do not worry!”

25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 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?
27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 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?

31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

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

Matthew 6:25-34 (NLT)

If we are seeking God’s Kingdom, Jesus assures us that our heavenly Father will take care of all our needs and that we have nothing to worry about.

Jesus Commandments

By Marshall Mabry

On October 2, 2017

In Praise and Worship

10. The command to “Give in secret.”
1 “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. 2 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. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” – Matthew 6:1-4 (NLT)

11. The command to “Pray in secret.”
5 “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. 6 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. 7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. 14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:5-14, NLT)

12. The command to “Fast in secret.”
16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. (Matthew 6:5-14, NLT)

These three commands build the integrity of our faith. When exercised regularly these disciplines develop the strongest believers. I find it amazing that “fasting” is a highlighted command from Jesus. In today’s culture, giving and praying are still highly emphasized spiritual disciplines. However, “fasting” is avoided. At the surface, the first two (giving and praying) deal with developing our outward faith, where “fasting” deals with developing our inner faith. Jesus refers to this discipline very specifically in another verse which I believe is our call to discipleship in Him and the most difficult discipline to obey. Jesus commands “…, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24, NIV)

Secret giving, secret prayer, and secret fasting are disciplines that need to be practiced daily in order to deny ourselves, carry our cross, and be the light Christ commanded us to be. This faith built from consistent, secluded exercise, empowers us to find the lost, give sight, free captives, raise the dead, heal the hurting, move insurmountable obstacles, but most of all — please God.