Words Of Jesus Devotionals 2011

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals -19

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's 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. (Matthew 7:1-5)

Perhaps we may not judge overtly, but how many times, in our hearts we judge our brothers and sisters;their dressing, their talking, their mannerisms, their work for the Lord and so many other things. Sometimes we may drop a hint and sometimes pass judgement publicly. But Jesus says it will come back to us in some way or the other.

Are we seeing things clearly? is the question Jesus asks. That would need the planks to be removed from our eyes. During Jesus' days, the Pharisees walked with planks in their eyes and tried to remove the specks from others eyes including Jesus'.

When the sign outside the Church read "Remove footwear before entering", the visiting preacher had dared to enter the Church with his shoes on. Not many that day listened to what the priest said for the first part of the service. Almost all were passing judgments on the preachers arrogance of ignoring their church sign. "How dare he do that, when the sign clearly says it" was the thought that had invaded many minds. There were many murmurs.

The priest finally asked the visiting preacher to come forward to preach the sermon. He started by sharing his testimony of how as a soldier, he lived in sin and later went to war and lost his right leg to bullet wounds; he was wearing a prosthetic leg. When he said that, a few gasps were heard, from of course those who had been judging him all through. He said, he had seen the sign outside, but he had no other option but to walk in with his prosthetic limb and shoes on.

Some believers may not be as strong as us spiritually, because there are several levels of growth in Christ; so rather than passing judgments on them, we should help them grow and attain maturity and become mature ourselves.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals -19

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's 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. (Matthew 7:1-5)

Perhaps we may not judge overtly, but how many times, in our hearts we judge our brothers and sisters;their dressing, their talking, their mannerisms, their work for the Lord and so many other things. Sometimes we may drop a hint and sometimes pass judgement publicly. But Jesus says it will come back to us in some way or the other.

Are we seeing things clearly? is the question Jesus asks. That would need the planks to be removed from our eyes. During Jesus' days, the Pharisees walked with planks in their eyes and tried to remove the specks from others eyes including Jesus'.

When the sign outside the Church read "Remove footwear before entering", the visiting preacher had dared to enter the Church with his shoes on. Not many that day listened to what the priest said for the first part of the service. Almost all were passing judgments on the preachers arrogance of ignoring their church sign. "How dare he do that, when the sign clearly says it" was the thought that had invaded many minds. There were many murmurs.

The priest finally asked the visiting preacher to come forward to preach the sermon. He started by sharing his testimony of how as a soldier, he lived in sin and later went to war and lost his right leg to bullet wounds; he was wearing a prosthetic leg. When he said that, a few gasps were heard, from of course those who had been judging him all through. He said, he had seen the sign outside, but he had no other option but to walk in with his prosthetic limb and shoes on.

Some believers may not be as strong as us spiritually, because there are several levels of growth in Christ; so rather than passing judgments on them, we should help them grow and attain maturity and become mature ourselves.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 20

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. (Matthew 7:6) (NKJV)

Take a look at these verses from the books of Philippians and Revelation.

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! (Philippians 3:2)

But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. (Revelation 22:15)

Surely Paul and John wouldn't be speaking of dogs as the term literally means. Paul exhorts the believers at Philippi to "beware of dogs" and John writes "outside are dogs"(outside New Jerusalem). Whom were they hinting at then?

They spoke about false teachers and hypocritical Pharisees, who, though familiar with the law, lived a life without any real relationship with God.

There are others who have a "Let anything happen, I don't care attitude.....", swine like..........

Jesus taught not to give what was holy to the dogs and not to cast pearls before swine.

Believers should exercise discretion when speaking the truths of the Gospel to people. Some of the people we speak to may be like dogs and like swine, wilfully resisting the Gospel and harming the bearers of the Good News. They know the truths but have hardened themselves not to submit to it.

They don't care about the truths and are ever ready to trample them under their feet and cause harm, as the history of Christian martyrs would attest to.

Jesus advices caution while we do his work. Even when he sent out his disciples for the first time, he told them- Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues....... (Matthew 10:16, 17)

The best for us would be to rely on the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, for he will guide us in the Lord's work each and every day.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 21

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. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he 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! (Matthew 7:7-11) (NKJV)

Jesus said...."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."

God has been a giver of good from the beginning. It's only when men rebel against his authority that evil things happen. Disobedience was the cause of Adam and Eve being sent away from the Garden of Eden. God had given them much but they choose to disobey God's command and thus suffered the consequences.

God gave his only begotten son Jesus for our salvation; Jesus gave his life on the cross for our salvation; the Father gave the Holy Spirit to be with us as our Counselor.

Even today, Jesus, who has all authority in heaven and earth says, "Ask, Seek, Knock" to all who have trusted in him. He is a giver and he still gives as when he said those words.

The giver of eternal life beckons you today to call out to him in your need.

He never goes back on his promise as men do.

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, 21)

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 22

Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12) (NKJV)

Most of us desire that others be good and kind to us, that they may help us and not hurt us. If they aren't friendly, they may at least not trouble us in any way. A word of thanks and a word of praise is appreciated by all. In the above verse, Jesus gives us the "Golden Rule" or the "Rule-of-Thumb Guide" regarding our dealings and expectations from others.

If we do not respect, love and be thankful to others, we should not expect it from them either. But if we do expect it, we should be willing to give.

In the gospel of Luke, we read Jesus saying the same;

And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. (Luke 6:31)

Even if we take these verses with regard to members in a single family unit, they have great relevance. If the husband and wife complement and thank each other for small and big things and the children are appreciative of their parents and vice-versa, there would be greater harmony in Christian homes.

There are a lot of imperfections in each of us and we would do well to remember that people around us are the same too and so we should be willing to forgive others as we expect them to forgive us our shortcomings with regard to them.

May the Holy Spirit help us all to follow the "Golden Rule" that Jesus gave us and follow in the footsteps of our Savior at all times.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 23

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13, 14) (NKJV)

The few who pass through the narrow gate and walk through the difficult way are the ones who are blessed. Eternal riches await them. Jesus also said,

Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. (Luke 13:24)

Living in this world, the Christian believer encounters much more problems than the unbeliever. Not only what we face daily because of living in a sin infested world, but because we have to walk in the difficult way that Jesus taught. Why is the way difficult? Because we have to keep ourselves unspotted from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Of course, the Lord is with us continually as Immanuel ......healing, delivering, protecting, granting peace and joy.....and the Holy Spirit is there as our Counselor at all times....guiding us.

The Apostle Peter writes,

Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. (2 Peter 3:13,14)

Look at the last 4 words in that verse...it says "without spot and blameless".....

Difficult.....But it can be achieved.

The Apostle Paul exhorts us regarding this in this manner:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling......... (Philippians 2:12)

Every believer must strive to keep himself/herself without spot and blameless, for that is what Jesus expects of us.

[jeremiah7]

Words Of Jesus Devotionals - 24

"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 so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can 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. "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. 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!" (Matthew 7:15-23) (NKJV)

Our motives and intentions are closely watched by the Lord while we are in the Lord's work or ministry. Why are we doing things that we are doing? Is it for fame, is to become rich, is it to build our own kingdom? or is really the "kingdom of God" that we are truly concerned about. The Apostle Paul speaks of those who "peddle the Word of God".

For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:17)

In the passage above, Jesus warns us of "false prophets". There are many around today who qualify

for this infamous title. Mind you, they prophesy, cast out demons and do wonders, all in Jesus' name, but they are not the servants of Jesus, but of the evil one. They use Jesus' name, but use the power of the devil to achieve it.

Jesus says, we can know them by their fruits. Luxurious lifestyles, propensity to hoard money, self propogated unbiblical doctrines have become so common these days. Riches and prosperity are linked to faith and holiness. Naive believers cannot differentiate between true and false ministers of the Gospel, though Jesus had issued the warning long ago.

According to Jesus, "Doing the will of the Father in heaven" is what is most important, which can often mean working for the Lord without fame and prosperity in an obscure place. Jesus wants his ministers to be "good trees bearing good fruit". Can we match up to his standards? is a question that we as ministers of the Gospel should ask ourselves.