What Commandments?

Matthew 5:19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

This is one of those controversial verses that make good Christians a little bit crazy sometimes. There is lots of discussion about keeping the law to the letter and didn't Jesus come to bring a new covenant to give us relief from all those rules and regulations? On and on we could argue until the end of time. Satan would love to keep us busy bickering about one verse of Scripture rather than getting on with the business of sharing the Gospel - the good news that we are saved by grace and grace alone.

In fact, this is just the kind of verse Satan might have used to influence the minds of men like Joseph Smith, or Russel Taze and other heretics who claimed they had religious revelations outside the bounds of Scripture.

So we tread carefully now. I am no scholar, have never been to seminary and have studied the Bible only for personal spiritual growth and understanding. At this point, it's important for me to offer a discalimer of sorts: I have no divine wisdom other than the Word of God itself insofar as it speaks to all who seek God's heart.

What I hear Jesus saying is the law still stands. He tells us in John's fifteenth chapter account, "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."

So now we go back to the original Commandments, (which Jesus summed up in two according to Matthew 22:37-40.) But let's look at all of them, which those two love verses encapsulate.

No false Gods; No idols; Don't misuse the name of God; Keep the Sabbath; Honor your parents; Don't murder; Don't commit adultery; Don't steal; Don't lie, Don't covet.

The first four of the commandments are summed up in Jesus admonition to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. The rest of them are combined in His second commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.

Now man has jumped into the mix and complicated the heck out of these very simple tenets. Forget man's junk and listen to God: Love Him and love others.

Satan hisses, "spell it out for the morons, they don't get it." I say, listen to God, He has told you what to do. You don't need any church leader, not the pope, the priest, the pastor, the president or any other person to make it clear to you what He expects. Men are prone to twist things.

Whenever you have questions, get back to the basics. Go first to God's word. If there's something that confuses you, pray about it, leave it alone and allow God to reveal what needs to be known. If you absolutely must have an answer now, seek wise counsel from a Biblically grounded pastor.

So now I'm going to break it down for you to keep it simple.

Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments... What commandments? ANY. There are ten, encapsulated by two, keep it simple. Don't add, don't take away. Just live right. It's a simple as riding a bike.

And teaches others to do the same... Does what? Leads others astray. Ride that bike down the wrong path and somebody's going to follow you.

Will be called least in the kingdom of heaven...There is only one heaven. Don't presume, like James and John, that you can sit at the Lord's right hand in His glory. Everything we do here on earth will effect our position in heaven.

But whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. And that my friends, is the great admonition of faith. Live it and teach it for God's glory.

O Lord, this has been a rather rocky path to traverse today! Thank You for smoothing the way and making it abundantly clear, we don't earn our way to heaven, but all that we do in the process of this life will either glorify or disappoint You. Help us to stay on the bike path to lead others in the right direction. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Forever True

Matthew 5:18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Jesus tells the truth. Jesus is the propitiation of the law. He reconciles us to the law. In Him, we abide in the law. Through Him, the law is accomplished.

How does that work?

Suppose you're driving down the freeway and the posted speed limit is 65 MPH. You're in a hurry so you set your cruise control on 75 MPH. You pass a patrolman who pulls you over. He writes you a speeding ticket. You could go to court and fight the charge (but you would have to lie because you were indeed speeding,) or you can admit you broke the law and pay the fine. Once the fine is paid, there is no more penalty for your decision to break the law on that occasion. If you do this a few times, there will be consequences, like losing your drivers license! If everyone did what they wanted and there were no laws, we'd live in utter chaos and never feel safe.

In the same way, Jesus is the payment for our sin. When we break God's laws, our error goes on the books until we pay the fine - we contritely seek forgiveness through our Savior. We call this repentance. We ask forgiveness and commit to turning away from this sin in the future.

When "everything is accomplished," that is, when the whole world has been given the gospel which is the new covenant, everything will be made new. The Word of God is our manual to live by and provides safety on this road.

Don't fool yourself for a minute thinking we can choose to abide in only some parts of the Bible. It's all or nothing. Either the Bible is the word of God and a perfect guide for living or it's all a bunch of fairy tales in which we've put our hope for naught. Jesus either was who He said He was or He was a lunatic and a liar.

Since we have much evidence for the person of Christ, in both Old Testament prophecy and historic revelation, I'm putting my money on the deity of Christ. He said, "I tell you the truth." Since He is perfect and sinless, He's as good as His word.

What was true for the apostles 2000 years ago, is true for us today. Forever true.

Heavenly Father, in You alone we trust. Open the eyes of our hearts and show us how to live, minute by minute, day by day. We submit to You for Your glory, for Your word is forever true. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Law Abiding Citizens

Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Jesus didn't come to put an end to God's law or diminish the work of the prophets, nor to put an end to prophets, but to carry out the law and prophecy.

To demonstrate it can be done.

Jesus shows us that when we walk in faith, God fulfills His promises.

Suppose for a minute, that Jesus had said to the apostles, "whoa, hold on their partners, I got better things to do with my time than put up with all these beggin' mongrels lookin' for miracles. And you say what? You want me to hang on a cross and die? I don't think so. You've been smokin' somethin' funny in your pipes!"

What if Jesus hadn't fulfilled the prophecies, hadn't abided by God's law in every respect, hadn't done as He was called to do? We would all be doomed to hell. Rather, He was obedient even unto death, and now sits at the right hand of God the Father guaranteeing our seat at the banquet table. Some day, because of his righteous obedience to the law, we will sing and dance with Him in heaven.

Jesus is saying, let go, let God. It can be done. And when it's done, it's all better. How will we ever know the blessings of God if we keep doing things our way? Let's be law abiding citizens - living in the perfect law of God, by the blood of the Lamb.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; Jesus didn't come to wipe out God's perfect plan.

I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. He came to perfectly accomplish the will of the Father.

Father, help us to listen and obey, to accomplish Your purposes. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Shine the for the Glory of God

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Looking at the photograph we might say, "isn't it beautiful the way the sun casts a warm glow on everything?"

When people look at us, what do they see, what do they say?

On some days, they might say of me, "she's got a short fuse." They might say I'm boring or grumpy or goofy, depending my my mood and circumstances. If we are to draw people to the Son, we need to cast the right light, so that God is glorified.

Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 be joyful always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.

If we're always praying and giving thanks regardless of what's going on in our lives, naturally we'll be joyful. That joy radiates the light of Christ, shines His brilliance in a dark world.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Isn't it beautiful the way the Son casts a warm glow on everything?

Lord, help us to remember to pray without ceasing, to give thanks no matter what, so that our joy will be a warm glow casting the love of Jesus over the world, illuminating the glory of God. In Your name we pray, amen.

Lighting the World

Matt 5:15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

When I arrived at the peak of Guanella Pass on the day I photographed the image to the left, it was a moonless predawn scene. An eerie silence pervaded the deep dull gray countryside surrounding me as I set up my gear. Moments later when the sun crept up in the east, I was blessed with a glorious sky, purple peaks and magical pastel hues lighting the frosted autumn valley. When the sun lights the sky, the glory and majesty of God's creation is illuminated.

If the sun was veiled by clouds, the beautiful vista I was entreated to would have been lackluster and dreary; unworthy of the sixty mile drive at night on a very rough unpaved road.

How will people ever know Jesus shines in our hearts if we walk around acting like the unenlightened, purveying doomsday, grumbling about all our problems, using profanity and acting just like those who don't know the mercy of Christ?

I'm reminded of an old Catholic hymn I loved:

You are the light of the world,
Let your light shine before men,
That they may see the beauty of Christ,
And give glory to God!

Blow the clouds away and let your light shine, that God may be glorified!

Father, forgive us for hiding out light and falling into the ways of the world. Send away the clouds that cover the light of Jesus in us and allow our light to shine wherever we go. May we be attentive to the Holy Spirit, give praise to God in all circumstances, and lead the lost to the Shepherd of mercy. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

City on a Hill

Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

It was 1972, around 2 AM in the city of New Orleans. I'd had a fight with my boyfriend and stormed out of the restaurant into the dark winter night. In a blind rage I ran down the street, turned a corner and slowed to a brisk walk.

Suddenly I heard footfall behind me and glanced over my shoulder. A man followed me and was quickly catching up. There was light up ahead so I ran to it.

Ducking into a parking garage, I went straight to the toll booth where there was a young black man inside, who was somewhat malformed. I babbled my story and asked if I could wait there for awhile. He asked me where I was staying. I admitted we were living in a converted school bus but I had no idea where it was parked, where I was, or how to get back to the restaurant where I'd left my boyfriend. The man suggested he take me back to his apartment where I could sleep for the night, and when he got off work in the morning he would help me find the bus. I accepted his offer.

Are you thinking I must have been insane? Well, as a young hippie, you're not far off the mark. But a miracle happened that night and I'm convinced the man was an angel of God. Certainly at least a Christian.

True to his word, he took a lunch break, drove me to his apartment, let me in and left me there. At daybreak he returned and drove me around the neighborhood until we found the bus. He didn't ask me for anything. We never met again, nor did I know his name. Yet I will never forget the light he beamed into my dark life.

There have been many times when the light of Christ shown through others into my darkness and illuminated the way for me. Strangely enough, they were often black men. I believe God had His hand on me before conception, knew every decision and move I would make, every word I would speak. His has lit the way throughout my life, guiding me to the door of His kingdom.

Now I have a responsibility to shine the light of Christ into the darkness of my world. Everyone who has accepted Jesus' death on the cross as payment for one's sins, is filled with His light to bring to the dark areas of their own cities, communities and neighborhoods.

Are you lit up? Take a few moments to sit quietly and call on the Holy Spirit to reveal in You where He would have You bring a glimmer of hope today. Someone is desperately seeking the love and mercy of Jesus.

You are the light of the world. He lives in you now. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Don't try to blend into your surroundings - you're outstanding!

Heavenly Father, as we carry the light of Christ in our hearts, show us the way You would have us go, take us to the place that needs light. Thank You for the privilege of casting the warm glow of our Savior's heart into a dark and weary world. May we be obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit today as we seek Your will, that You be glorified. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Fresh Faith

Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

Does salt lose it's saltiness? I really don't know. I found some salt in our camping gear that had been there a few years and it was still mighty salty!

But Jesus' point is, salt without its saltiness wouldn't be of any use:

• Salt adds flavor
• Salt is vital to life
• Salt makes things pure
• Salt is a symbol of righteousness (Leviticus 2:1)
• Salt preserves

Are we offering the salt of our faith to the world in our daily living? And how can we maintain a constant flavor of Christ in our lives?

If I'm not in God's word every single day, eventually I land in a slump. That collapse is reflected in my attitude, actions and words every where I go. When I'm not walking with God's word as my perfect guide, I'm more prone to snap at store clerks when there's a problem, drive dangerously, ignore my family or treat them disrespectfully, slack off in my responsibilities to home, church and country, and just generally limp along in the dark.

To stay fresh, I read at least one verse of Scripture every single day. I ponder it in my heart, write about it and pray. This helps me stay humble and seek God at every turn. The result is peace, contentment and much joy, regardless of what's happening around me.

You are the salt of the earth. You were chosen by God to carry the good news of salvation to others. The salt you deliver is the news that Jesus loves and blesses those who seek Him.

By sharing the saving grace of Christ, you will:

• Add flavor to the lives of others
• Shine light on the eternal life of Christ
• Bring purification to those who are repentant
• Demonstrate the righteousness of God's redemption in Christ (Romans 8:3)
• Preserve His goodness

But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. Keep it fresh.

Heavenly Father, our desire is to serve and worship only You, to bring Your righteousness to the world. Help us to keep it fresh, to pour out the marvelous flavor of Jesus on those we encounter, to bring hope to struggling humanity. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

The Final Reward

Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

It's tough to wait on anything in our fast food world. Especially when we're hungry now!

I read a story not long ago about men who work in a gold mine six days a week under back-breaking conditions, twelve or more hours a day, for slave wages. What they earn isn't enough to feed themselves let alone their families. But each man is allowed to go in on the seventh day to work as long as he wants and he gets to keep all the gold he finds for himself.

Life is not easy for any of us but we're spoiled in this country. We're used to getting what we want when we want it. Saving up for something we want is pretty much a thing of the past. When we see something we want, we just whip out a credit card. We don't know what it means to scrimp and save and work hard to attain something of value.

That's why it's so difficult for us to comprehend the concept of suffering for the gospel now to attain the blessings of our heavenly inheritance.

Visualize if you will, a world where there's no credit system. Everyone has to pay for what they want with cash. You want a house. The only way to buy that house is to save up the money to pay for it. You can bet you'd sacrifice whatever necessary and put aside every penny to realize your dream. Ten years later when you've finally saved up enough to buy the house you want, imagine your elation! You could have just lived in an apartment paying rent for all your days and it would have been fine. But now you have your own home paid for by your diligent effort.

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

We don't have to earn our way to heaven. Jesus already paid for our ticket. But what Jesus is saying to us is, don't worry about the inconveniences or problems you'll face for speaking the truth about me. Just do it. In the end, nothing matters because your reward is not in this world, it's in heaven. By His blood, all born-again Christians will go to heaven. But there are rewards beyond just getting a foot in the door. I don't know about you, but I want to hear my Savior say, "well done good and faithful servant." That will be the greatest reward ever!

Father, help us in our unbelief. Help us overcome our fear of what people will think of us. Holy Spirit, remind us that our time here is short, the world needs Jesus, and we've got a job to do. May we prepare our testimony, impress the gospel upon our hearts and be prepared to speak as the Holy Spirit leads. In Jesus' name, amen.

Thanks for the Insults

Matthew 5:11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

I'll admit that in the early years following my acceptance of Christ I was more than bold in my faith. To say I was zealous for the Lord is putting it mildly. Actually, I was just plain bursting to tell the world what Christ had done to change my life. Just about anything that moved got to hear my story. And everyone I shared it with moved away from me!

Criticized and shunned by family and so-called friends, eventually I shut down.

Whenever I heard others talk about those who were saved by their testimony, it pushed me further away from doing so, until I discussed it with my pastor.

"How come nobody I've shared my faith with has turned to Jesus?" I asked.

"Some people are seed planters. Some water the seeds. Still others open the curtains to allow the sun in on them to break through the soil and grow." Pastor Greg replied (paraphrased). "God knows your heart and wants you to continue sharing Jesus with people. Leave the outcome to Him."

I've come a long way since those days. A large part of knowing how to share the gospel is knowing the gospel and being prepared. An important verse to memorize and understand is 1 Peter 3:15 - Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...

Yes it's important to prepare your testimony but you must also be prepared for your recipient, in order to share your faith in such a way that it doesn't put them off. Despite this, you will not always be well received. But here's the good news! Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

Do you get that? Blessed! Dudes, count it all joy to share your faith and be rejected! It's not you they reject, but the One you stand for. His blessings are well worth insults, persecution and false accusations. Man's unkindness dims as we realize our inheritance is the kingdom of heaven.

Heavenly Father, how blessed we are that Jesus has walked ahead of us on this stony road, clearing the way, removing all the stumbling blocks. If You could bear to be pierced and hung on a cross to pay for my sins, I can bear a little ridicule! Keep this close to my heart; grant me the words to share with others the hope I have in You at every opportunity. Let me not fear insult or persecution but boldly stand for the Truth. In Your precious name we pray, amen.

Be Blessed in Persecution

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Pigeons get a bad rap.

A large number of people might tell you they'd prefer that pigeons be extinct. They're messy, noisy, annoying and quite frankly useless.

Passenger Pigeons are now extinct because they were so abundant at one time that they were killed and eaten until there were none left.

Karen Purcell of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology writes:

Pigeons clean up food dropped by people and provide companionship to those who live in cities. They are beautiful and extremely resourceful. They have been linked with human beings in many different ways throughout history. They were used as religious symbols and raised for food; their homing instincts and racing abilities were (and still are) frequently used by armies throughout the world (they were even used in the recent Gulf War). Photographers, doctors, and reporters use them to transport items in a hurry; their excellent vision is used in rescue missions.

I learned at thing or two there myself. Of course, I've always rooted for the underdog, so it comes as no surprise I would rush to the aid of this misunderstood species.

What do people think of Christians? You know, it's interesting that we're almost the antithesis of the reason people hate pigeons: pigeons are dirty, we're supposed to be clean; pigeons are noisy, we're supposed to have a quiet gentle spirit; pigeons are imposing, we're supposed to be humble; pigeons beg for or take food in the square, we're supposed to feed the hungry. Yet are we not persecuted unjustly as well?

Which begs the question, why? What on earth do people have against clean, quiet, humble, helpful Christians?

That begs the question, are we who we're supposed to be?

I realize Jesus was talking about persecution for our faith. But that's exactly what I'm talking about. This persecution is a double edged sword. Think about it. We're damned if we do, damned if we don't. If we walk in righteousness, we're be accused of piety; if we stumble, they rush to say, "See! Hypocrite!"

We can't win.

Or can we?

Jesus said "blessed are they who are persecuted." Blessed! Our is the kingdom of heaven! If that doesn't get you fired up, you haven't been paying attention.

Who gives a flying hoot (or coo) what the world thinks of, says or does to us? What matters is what our heavenly Father thinks. Jesus is the way - follow the leader.

Heavenly Father, may we walk as Jesus walked, clean, quiet, humble, and helpful, wherever we go. May our clean hearts shine in this dark world to expose filthy evil and drive it out, Would our quiet, gentle spirits speak loudly of the goodness of God. Would our humble attitude seek only Your recognition, letting go of the accolades of man. May our service to others be a constant reminder of the love and mercy or our Savior. May we be driven by the Holy Spirit, so that all our words, actions and attitudes will be pleasing to You. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Know Jesus, Know Peace; No Jesus, No Peace

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

My brother is an avowed atheist. To hear him tell it, "I don't get the whole God thing, never have and never will."

Because of some health concerns a few years ago, we felt it would be safer for my brother to live with us after my mother passed away. It never occurred to me that my faith would affect him in any kind of negative way.

Christmas is a time we focus on the reason for the season. My home is filled with reminders of Jesus' birthday. Opening presents is centered around the gift of Christ to all mankind. The first year in our new home, after the opening of gifts, my brother left all his presents upstairs and hid in his basement apartment the rest of the day. He came up long enough for dinner and then retreated again. That night before going to bed I went down to ask him what was wrong.

"I hate all this ****ing religious crap and don't see why I have to put up with it!" he snapped at me with about as much venom as a cobra and having near the same effect. For a moment I just stood staring at him in shock before I turned it back on him.

"You see this room full of drums, keyboards and guitars you spend all your time in? You love this stuff. In your own words, it's your life. I don't get it. I don't get anything about this. Never have, never will. But you're my brother. I love you. when you share something with me about a new instrument you've gotten or a new song you wrote, I encourage you because it's what you love and I love you. I share in your joy. How is it okay for you to be who you are, but it's not okay for me to be who I am? I love Jesus. That's my life. I'm sorry you can't love me enough to share the joy of what I love." Then I turned on my heels and left.

The next morning we found a note next to the coffee-maker with an apology, signed, "I love you."

Making peace doesn't mean we make concessions. It means we speak the truth in love. True peace comes with seeking first the kingdom of God. We don't need to get too comfortable here, we're not at home here on earth. Our heavenly home will bring peace everlasting.

Father, we know our peace is not with those who reject You and that our only hope for the world is to share the peace that comes only from You. Help us be discerning in all situations, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to know when to speak and when to remain silent. Above all, grant us Your words as we speak to bring others to the knowledge of the peace we have in Jesus. In Your holy name we pray, amen.