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More Than Just Words
Matthew 5:33, 'But let your communication be, Yea, yea: Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.'
MATTHEW 5:33-37
A person who has to swear or make a promise to validate his statements is a person whose word is no good. The thrust of Jesus' teaching here is that we should live in such a manner that no one would ever have to have additional proof that we are telling the truth. Our word should be our bond.
We have all heard the story of the young shepherd boy who cried wolf when there was no wolf until finally no one believed him when the wolf really came. Our lack of integrity in performing our word has the same effect on people today.
Very few people conduct business anymore with...
Commandments Lead To Happiness
Matthew 5:32, 'But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, save for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.'
MATTHEW 5:31-32
God's commandments are not intended to make us miserable--they're meant for our own happiness. Satan's lie in the Garden of Eden caused Eve to question God's motives behind His command (Genesis 3:5).
Malachi 2:15 says God hates divorce. God doesn't hate the people who divorce. He hates the act of divorce because of the damage it does to people. God loves people.
Today, people see divorce as an easy way out of marital problems. But this is based on the misconception that...
Spiritual Fitness
Matthew 5:29, 'And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.'
MATTHEW 5:23-30
Is Jesus advocating dismembering of our bodies? Quite the contrary. He is drawing on the universal drive within every person of self preservation to make a point. If you value your body highly enough that you would never sacrifice one of its parts, then you should esteem your spiritual well being much higher.
Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, man's priorities have been misplaced. Great effort is put into preserving our physical life while our spiritual condition is often overlooked....
The Best Sinner
Matthew 5:20, 'For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.'
MATTHEW 5:17-22
What did Jesus mean? Since the Pharisees fasted twice each week, does this mean we have to fast three times each week? Since they paid tithes on everything including spices, does this mean that anyone who fails to tithe is doomed to hell?
No! Definitely not. The Pharisees' righteousness was based on their actions. Jesus is advocating a righteousness that is based on faith in what He did for us.
Trusting in our own actions will never grant us access to God. We may be better than others, but who wants to be the...
LET GOD CHOOSE
Salt Shakers
Matthew 5:13, 'Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.'
MATTHEW 5:13-16
What is it that will be cast out and trodden under foot of men? Is it the salt, or is it possible that Jesus is speaking about the world? If we as believers lose our preserving influence, then there is no other way for the Lord to save the world. It will be dominated by men.
God flows through His people. It is not our own power that changes people. It's God's power in us. but God will not do it without us. It's a partnership.
Many people spend a lifetime praying for God to move, not...
He Will Share His Reward
Matthew 5:12, 'Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.'
MATTHEW 5:10-12
Jesus is saying that persecution should actually cause us to rejoice. There are many positive things about persecution but one of the best reasons to rejoice is because of the reward awaiting us in heaven.
Jesus takes the persecution of His saints very seriously as can be seen during the Damascus road experience of the apostle Paul. The Lord asked Paul (then Saul), 'Why are you persecuting me?' (Acts 9:4) He didn't say, 'Why are you persecuting my people?' but 'Why are you persecuting me?'
It is not actually us that people are rejecting...
