Matthew 13:1-23 by Seth Dunn

Matthew 13:1-23

I was very blessed today to witness six baptisms.  Five of the people getting baptized were adults.  If you are familiar with salvation statistics, you know how rare it is for a person to come to faith in Christ after age 17.  So seeing God work in the hearts of older people was an extra special blessing.  

The baptisms were done in river at the Lake Alatoona day use area here in Cartersville.  As the final baptism was performed, an alarm sounded.  The dam up river was opening to let more water pass through.  The pace of the current was quickening and the water was level was rising.  The erstwhile catechumen and the pastor hurried out of the river away from danger.

What a picture of what may come in this life.  As Jesus illustrates in the Parable of the Sower, persecution and worry don’t necessarily end when we finally grasp the gospel, thereby subverting the devious machinations of Satan.  I pray that these new Christians will abide firmly within the Father’s hand, bearing fruit one hundred fold. 

Let’s all take time to consider that the great commission doesn't end with baptism but includes discipleship and accountability within Christian community. Praise Jesus for the increase to his kingdom today.

Matthew 6:24 by Jessie Holmes

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

-Matthew 6:24

Who is your master? Everyone is serving a master. Jesus in this verse mentions two of them: God and money (possessions). Servant and master are in no way the same as an employer and employee.  A slave or a servant was the property of only one Master. This slave or servant was in total submission to that master and committed their life to servitude under his authority. The servant who makes money and possessions their master is committing to a life of greed, discontentment, emptiness, and selfishness. We can look at the world and see how fleeting money and possessions can be. The things of the world are not constant, reliable, or provide joy. This master runs his servant until the only thing left is brokenness. This is the master that we see so many serving.

There is however another Master who is worthy of the title. He created the heavens and the earth. He sustains all things and controls all things. He is just, righteous, and faithful. A life committed to Him may not be easy, but that servant will find joy, purpose, fulfillment, and hope. God is the master I am describing and He selfishly wants the whole heart. He will not share. In reality it is impossible to seek the things of God and the things of the world. Both are going in two opposite directions. Much like Highlander, there can only be one.

So here’s the punch line: Our lives reflect whom we are serving. People around us will see, because both masters produce fruit in our lives. The question is, which master is worthy of our time, attention, devotion, and commitment. Take some time today and look at your week. Look at how you have spent each of your days and ask yourself this question: Who am I serving?   

Are You Narrow-Minded? by Patrick Fuller

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matt. 7:13-14

            Are you narrow-minded?  The title is actually more of a comical way to say “Have you set off on the narrow way of following Jesus?”  The truth is I am not talking solely about being called closed minded.  I am talking about the status of your relationship with Jesus Christ.  Perhaps you’ve been going to church all of your life, perhaps you are neither here nor there, or perhaps you are totally against the idea of having a life changing relationship with Jesus.  Jesus is making a divide here and now though.  He wants us to see that the Christian life is a different life from non-Christians.  He is saying that those who want to follow him are going to have to be dedicated and wholly divided unto him and his teaching.  The broad way has many followers, many options, many gods, and many ways of living that ALL lead to self-destruction.  Jesus commands us to live one way and that way is only found in his true teaching of the Bible.  He is patient and awaits your choice.

Holy Spirit, please guide us down the narrow path of Jesus and invite others to join us on the way.

In The Fight by Katie Kilgore

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

Matthew 5:11-12

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Over the course of the past several weeks Satan has been very busy in and around my life.  He continues to attach through those I love, those I worship with, those I don’t even know, even my job.  He is a good schemer. 

I read Ephesians 6 about putting on the full armor of God in the midst of one day recently that was particularly difficult.  I had been persecuted by, none other, than those with whom I worship with on a weekly basis.  I was pretty down in the dumps about it.  Then, I read about putting on God’s full armor of protection.  As I considered God’s armor, I realized that I am a part of His army, fighting this battle of life, on His behalf.  I also realized the importance of Him allowing me to wear His armor.  Not only does His armor protect physically, but it also provides a spiritual and emotional shield as well.  Even after my “battle” had ended, and I felt bruised and tired, I was not defeated, but only because of His shield and sword.

As I consider persecution, I should think of it as a privilege rather than a battle.  If others are insulting me or saying evil things against me, could it mean that I am living a life of obedience to Christ?  He never promises a life of ease, however, he does promise a life of persecution.  And, then in Matthew 5:12, He tells us to “rejoice and be glad” in the midst of our persecution.  Jesus was not exempt from persecution, so why should we expect to be?  We shouldn’t, we just don’t want to deal with it because it is painful.  But, in the pain, comes the beauty of growth and strength that can only come from walking with Christ.

So, as persecution finds you, as it will continue to do, remember to rejoice in the Lord and be especially thankful that He gives us the protection and the armor that we need to fight the battle!  I am staying In The Fight, what about you?

Lord, I want to fight this battle of life, but only with you guiding and your armor protecting me.  Help me to see that persecution is a good thing, even when it hurts and leaves a bruise!  Help me to rejoice and be glad when persecution comes my way.

Amen

Matthew 11:28-30 by Seth Dunn

28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Rush hour traffic in Atlanta is heavy and wearying to say the least.  Every weekday morning and afternoon scores of drivers get behind the wheels of their cars, alone, and clog the Atlanta interstates in an effort to get to and from work. As they slowly make their ways towards their destinations drivers find different ways to pass the time: some listen to the radio, some smoke, some put on make-up. All of them wait. On the days when it rains or a wreck occurs, they wait even longer.

There is a respite for some. In certain parts of Atlanta, HOV (High Occupancy Vehicles) lanes are relatively traffic-free, even during rush hour. Traffic in these lanes moves at a much faster and less frustrating pace.  There is a price to pay for this convenience, however.  Only vehicles with two or more riders are allowed in the HOV lanes.  Thus, to use the HOV lane, one must give up his autonomy.  A passenger in a car riding in the HOV lane cannot choose when to speed up and when to slow down, what programming to listen to on the radio, or when he can light up a cigarette.  He must defer to the driver. However, the burden of the driver in the HOV is light compared to the alternative.

When we let Jesus lead us to our destination, we are unburdened by the heavy yoke of the world and given rest in Him.

Lord give us rest in you from the weariness of the world.

John 14:13-14 by Brandi Peters

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. -John 14:13-14 

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” -Matthew 21:21-22 

I’m tired of the “Name it and claim it” gospel. This label is used loosely as it is really no gospel at all. The first time I heard “You would be healed if you had enough faith” was one time too many. The truth is one’s state of health or wealth is not a measure of his devotion to Christ. If it were, every celebrity in Hollywood would be a Christian superstar. 

We misconstrue Jesus’ intent when we read these as blanket promises. He didn’t mean anything we ask at all. He meant anything we ask in His name that aligns with His will, not anything we ask even in His name for our own sake. 

Now, why does it please Him to heal some and not others? I wish I could answer that. I wrestle with it in my own life and the lives of those closest to me. We have asked something good with right motive. We have sought Him with pure heart. Still, the healing does not come. The condition persists. Sometimes, it worsens. 

This is the point where this “gospel” falls short. If we were truly healed from all infirmity because of Christ and our power as Christians, we would not suffer the ultimate infirmity in death. But Christ never promised physical healing in this life. In fact, He makes perfectly clear that the Father “sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45).” He is sovereign and has the big picture in mind. He does not delight in our suffering or wish it upon us, but He will continue to use us if we draw near to Him. He will weave a tapestry from the tangled and broken strands of our lives. We have to trust, even in the darkest of nights, that He is good, just, and still in control. 

Lord, we need You. Every day. You tell us Your power is made perfect in weakness. Well, weakness we have. Shine in the midst of us and give us strength to remember who You are, the God that will dry all tears and right all wrongs when it is time. Thank you that as Your children we have that promise to look forward to. Comfort us in our struggles. Allow us to feel Your presence that we may persevere for Your namesake. Amen.

Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:36-43 by Seth Dunn

²⁴ Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. ²⁷ The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸ And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."" 

Matthew 13:24-30

³⁶ Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” ³⁷ And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, ³⁸ and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.⁴⁰ So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, ⁴² and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.⁴³ Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. 

Matthew 13:36-43

Wrigley's Skittles are one of my favorite confections, for the most part. There are five flavors of Skittles that come together in a bag, but I only like four of them. I do not like lemon-flavored yellow Skittles. I do not like lime-flavored green Skittles either, but in 2013 the Wrigley's changed the flavor of green Skittle's from lime to green apple (which I like). Wrigley's experimented with this flavor change in 2001, but much to my chagrin it didn't stick. I have to say that I'm happy that they are trying this experiment again...but I really have no control of what kind of Skittles Wrigley's puts in the bag. I have to take what I get whenever I get a bag of Skittles and what I get is all five flavors.

The first thing I do when I get a bag of Skittles is pick out all the yellows and throw them in the garbage. After that, I enjoy what candy is left in the bag. I don't throw away an entire bag of Skittles just because the lemon-flavored Skittles are mixed in with the flavors I want.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus teaches that God is very selective. There are both wheat and tares in the field. When harvest time comes, he will separate the good from the bad. At harvest time, don't be the yellow Skittles in God's bag of candy.

Lord make us ripe for the Harvest and give us a home in your barn.

Matthew 6:7-8 by Jessie Holmes

And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” – Matthew 6:7-8

As Jesus continues to teach about the Kingdom of God, He now addresses prayer. For those of us who live in the Kingdom of God, we don’t pray for the attention of others or using empty phrases trying to be heard. Jesus shares why with one statement: “YOUR Father KNOWS what you need before you ask Him.” In this statement, Jesus proclaims two truths.

First, the God that we are praying to is also OUR Father.  The focus of our prayers isn’t someone far off and unknown to us. We pray to our Father.  This understanding of our relationship with God implies that we aren’t just talking to some mystical being. When we pray, we communicate and commune with the creator of the universe who has an intimate relationship with us. He loves and cares about us, because we are His children and He is our Father.

Second, God already knows what is going on. When we pray, we are not informing our Father of anything He is not already aware of. This means that God, our Father, knows each of us intimately. He sees our pains, our needs, our brokenness, and makes Himself available for us to talk to. What an awesome Father!  

He knows us personally, loves us immensely, and has made Himself available to talk.

Have you talked to our Father today?Father, thank you for hearing and knowing the concerns of our hearts.

Matthew 6:34 by Brandi Peters

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

I appreciate that Jesus addressed anxiety because it assures me that I am neither the first nor only to encounter it. It may seem such an ordinary thing, but Jesus thought it worth mentioning.

I struggle with being anxious. Why? Honestly, I like the idea of being in control. I want to take charge of any circumstance. I like to have a schedule and I want to keep it. Surprises of any kind are often a nuisance to me. I perceive myself as having a goal and continuously heading toward it. Perhaps you can relate.

Perhaps you can also relate to my honest admission that the way I’ve just presented myself is inaccurate. I do set schedules and wish to keep them. I am not a fan of surprises. I do have goals and am working toward them. However, my lofty intentions and reality are rarely aligned. I probably waste more time worrying about what I need to do than actually doing it. I tend to get way ahead of myself. I worry about a paper due in 6 weeks or needing to pack to move in 3 months rather than doing what today requires.

The key here is the idea of what is needed today. Every minute I spend worrying about things that may or may not happen in the future, I am squandering the present. This is by no means advocating for the disregard of preparation. I am sure God did not intend for us to be flippant about our responsibilities. Rather, it is about prioritization. I can’t pack my clothes today for my move in 3 months but I can read my weekly assignments and prepare for tomorrow’s classes. Worrying about either of these is not a valid alternative.

Seems simple enough, right? In fact, it must be too simple for me to take at face value. It just won’t sink in. I find that the older I get the more I realize I am in control of so few things. This “loss” creates more anxiety in me. If I cannot influence the outcome of situations or the choices of others, I cannot be sure of the things that will happen to me.

Where does this leave me? In reality, it leaves me right where I started. The only thing that’s changed is my awareness. I was never in control. Not knowing it made it no less true. What then can I do about this?

In my stubbornness I usually try several things that leave me more exhausted and frustrated, knowing all the while I should be turning to Christ. He is the only answer and the core of my heart knows it. Yet, I persist in my striving. I struggle with anxiety over control most often because I am attempting to take responsibility for things that are not my concern. I am attempting to work outside the scope of my position and influence. Inevitably I fail, which leads me back each time to the truth of the matter. I am not in control.

That’s right. I am not in control, but I know the One who is. I belong to Him and trust Him for my future, not only in heaven but in this life. This trust ranges from the biggest issues to the smallest.

Sometimes the best way I can demonstrate this is by simply giving all these racing thoughts to Him, asking that He only bring to mind those concerns He would have me focus on at the time He would have me focus on them. The principle is simple, but the practice is difficult for me. I need reminding. I need a lot of reminding. It is during these times of inner turmoil, when I cannot find calm within myself and am ready to give up that He nudges ever so slightly, prompting me to do as He commanded. “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Lord, help us. As your people we desire to follow You, but we are flawed. We put our own shortsighted understanding before Your unfathomable knowledge. In practice, we often want to be like You more than we want to have a relationship with You. Break our hearts over this and bring us back to Your saving grace on a daily basis. Show us how to be still so you can be God in our hearts and lives. Amen.