Women of Firm Faith

The truth should break us when we hear it, but hardness of heart will not only prevent one from receiving it, but can make a person very angry. Verses 3-5, "For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. Because John had said to him, 'It is not lawful for you to have her.' And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet." Contrast that to David's response in 2 Samuel 12 when Nathan confronts him on taking Urriah's wife, Bathsheba, and then having him killed to cover up his sin. When Nathan describes the situation in a story, David doesn't recognize at first who the subject is, and has righteous anger. He asks who the man in the story is, and when he's told it was him, he responds in brokenness and humility.  2 Samuel 12:13, "So David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' And Nathan said to David,...

Verses 10-13, "And the disciples came and said to Him, 'Why do You speak to them in parables?' He answered and said to them, 'Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.' "  Jesus often spoke in parables that gave earthly examples of much bigger spiritual truths. Those who are spiritually blind, will only walk away with a story, possibly confused. Spiritual blindness is a choice, and if you choose it long enough, God can confirm your will, just like he did with the Jews. It is not God's heart to hide the truth from certain people. He "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 ...

There are God's laws and then the are man's additions to the law. The Pharisees had become so stuck on their traditions that they often missed the intention of the law in the first place. The Sabbath was created to give man a day of rest, but they find fault with Jesus' disciples plucking grain to eat. Mark 2:27-28, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” Think about how ridiculous their traditions were that would make the disciples guilty of harvesting, threshing, and preparing food when they were just meeting a simple practical need. Verse 7, "But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless." Our sacrifices to the Lord cannot be at the expense others, failing to show mercy. To make this point even more clear, Jesus goes on to heal someone on the Sabbath. Verses 10-12, "And behold, there was a man who had a withered...

Verses 2-6, "And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?' Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:  The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.  And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” It could be that John was expecting Jesus to come in demonstration of power and might, take over the evil Roman government, and set things right. But rather, Jesus ministered more in an individual way. This would certainly test people's patience and whether or not they were truly submitted to God's ways. We still have people attempting to use power and force to advance their agenda above God's plan. Our government is yoking up with the church leaders in one big ecumenical group to take our country back for Go...

So many people today have a lopsided view of who Jesus is, thinking He is only love and peace and grace. He is all those things, but He is also truth and justice and wrath. The current church movement to bring all religions together into one big peace party is not a move of God, and anyone taking part in this ecumenical movement is not doing the will of God. They are being used to usher in a one world religion under the antichrist. How do we know this?  Listen to Jesus' own words. Verses 34-39, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.  For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;  and ‘a man’s enemies will be  those of his own household.’  He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who does...

Jesus has the power to heal everyone, but rewards those who have true belief. Verse 2, "Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.' " When Jesus saw the paralytic's faith, He healed him. Unfortunately, those with evil in hearts don't rejoice when someone is spiritually healed, and prefer the previous sinful state of a person better because it makes them feel better in their current condition. Jesus became a threat to the scribes and their way of thinking, and so they accuse Him of blasphemy. The multitudes, on the other hand, glorified God because of the demonstration of power given to Jesus. Verses 28-29, "And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' They said to Him, 'Yes, Lord.' Then He touched their eyes, saying, 'According...

Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." The leper and the centurion had this in common: they demonstrated faith in their speech and actions. Verse 2-3, "And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Immediately his leprosy was cleansed." The leper knew that Jesus had the power to do it; it was just a matter of whether or not it was His will to do so. The centurion was seeking healing on behalf of his servant and Jesus said He would do it, but listen to the centurion's response: Verses 8-9, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this...

There are those who hear the teachings of Jesus and do not do what He teaches.  Verses 26-27, "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” When you aren't built upon the Rock, you are unstable in everything that you do, tossed to and fro, and your faith is useless. James 1:6-8, "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." In contrast, those who actually DO what Jesus teaches have genuine faith and will not be easily shaken by the trials of this life. Verses 24-25, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who ...

Verses 1, 5, 16, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven...“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward...“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward." We need to make sure that we aren't trying to polish up our outward appearance by looking really spiritual, and ignoring the inner heart which is really what is important to God. Matthew 23:27-28, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness....

If you are truly living unto the Lord, you can expect to be persecuted. The question is, how will you respond to it? The Bible says we should rejoice, maybe because it is evidence that we bear His likeness and are on the right path. Verses 11-12, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." 1 Peter 4:12-14, "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified." If you never suffer persecution...

We do not have a Savior that can't identify with our human condition, but instead of succoming to severe temptation, Jesus endured it,  demonstrating His sinless character as an example to us all. No one can say He doesn't understand what we're going through our what it's like to be in these human tents, and He was tempted directly by the devil. Hebrews 4:14-16, "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Notice the completeness in the ways Jesus was tempted. The first one appealing to his flesh desires...physical hunger. Verse 4:3-4, "Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, 'If You are the Son of God, comma...

John the Baptist preached a message of repentance.  A message that would probably would not be well received today.  Our society, including the churches, are teaching tolerance and acceptance and adjusting the lines of right and wrong to make people feel better about themselves in their sin. Repentance is a complete change in direction, not jusy saying sorry and feeling bad for yourself because of the consequences you suffer for your actions. Jesus said in Luke 5:31-32, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” If you think you are righteous, than you have no need for Jesus in your life. Isaiah 57:15, "For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.' " People can see a gen...

Even as an innocent, helpless baby, Jesus was a threat to the evil that is in this world. It wasn't long after Jesus was born that Herod was troubled by His mere existence, because He was predicted to be the King of the Jews. Verse 6, "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.” Herod's love for preeminence, caused him to send wise men to locate this Child and bring back word of Him, and would eventually drive him to murder all children under two in a wide spread attempt to erradicate this perceived threat to his rule. Verse 16, Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Some think that the time lines presented in Matthew ...

This chapter begins by outlining the generations of the lineage of Jesus, beginning with Abraham. It is interesting to note that there are some messed up people on this list, but by using them, God will get all the glory. God chose this lineage, there was no mistake. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence." If you think you are really awesome, there is a good chance God will not use you. James 4:6, “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Also noteworthy is that your family lineage does ...

Although Jude was a half brother to Jesus, he refers to himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and is writing to those who are called, set apart, and preserved by God...the true believers. Verses 3-4, "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." Jude wanted to write about the salvation that they shared in common; however a more pressing issue took over and turned this letter into a warning. Ungodly men were within the church and persuading people to depart from the faith. These men were changing the very meaning of grace in order to fulfill the desires of their flesh, and sinning openly without shame....

Verses 2-4, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that  is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." Notice here that there is a distinction made between physical health and spiritual health. It is not a bad thing for you to prosper in a physical sense, but it cannot be at the expense of your spiritual health. Many believers become so wrapped up in seeking the things of this world that their fruitfulness gets choked out. Matthew 13:22, "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful." God doesn't want us relying on our own abilities to obtain stuff or relying on our stockpiles of stuff, He wants us to trust Him.  We are specifically told NOT to stock...

Verse 1, "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him." Because Jesus is God, you can't love one without loving the other and truly be saved. Many seemingly nice people will say they love God, but that does not unite us. You need to ask them who Jesus is in order determine if they serve the same God. Then you have to take it even further; if they can speak correctly about who Jesus is, there still must be evidence of their faith in order for it to be genuine. Verses 2-3, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." When we love God, we will love His people. Loving God means that we will keep His commandments and it won't be this huge burden to do so. Why? Because of our love for Him and all He has done for us. An earthl...

Every spiritual experience is not necessarily of God, which is why they must be tested. Verses 1-2, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God..." True prophesy will point to the Jesus of the Bible. Any twist on this is a new Jesus; a false Jesus. Satan won't care if you worship a false Jesus either, which is probably why there are so many being preached today. How about modern Jesus who accepts fornication and homosexuality? Then there's lenient Jesus who let's you live however you please and covers it all with grace. You may also have heard of ecumenical Jesus who builds bridges with false religions, focusing on what they have in common to achieve some perceived  greater good. There is only one way to have eternal life, and that is through True Jesus....

How amazing and undeserved it is that we can actually be called children of God. Those who are, will not be received by the world because the world rejected Jesus, and we bear His likeness. If you aren't a child of God than you are a child of the devil. There is no other option. This chapter tells us how to identify who are His children. Verses 3:10, 13, "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother...Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you." The question is, how much do you bear His likeness? Just the longing and desire to fit in with this world is evil, even if you don't act on it. James 4:4, "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." You can't entertain desire even for a minute! ...