Day 103
Matthew 12:1-8 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!" But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even on the Sabbath."
A few years ago, my late wife and I were blessed with an opportunity to visit Israel for the first time, and if you are ever given the opportunity, I would highly recommend it; every believer will, I believe, benefit from the experience. One of the greatest challenges for me, however, was the staunch reverence and strict adherence to the law by the Jewish people, and secondly, their lack of tolerance for non-Jews. To see the things of Jesus viewed upon as utterly meaningless (other than for profit) literally can break your heart.
One evening shortly after our arrival was the beginning of the Sabbath, which means that from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday there can be no physical labor performed by the Jewish people. Therefore, many of them make it a practice to go to the local motels on Friday afternoons and stay there until the completion of Sabbath. This way, all of their meals are prepared and the temptation to do any chores is completely removed. In order to accommodate them, among many other things, the multistory motels set their elevators to stop on every floor, negating the need to push the buttons, which would be considered working. In the restaurants tables are not bussed, the food is laid out on the buffet ahead of time, and no one serves or waits on them. Being a visitor and not understanding the culture, many of us were scolded (some rather rudely) for being so foolish as to push the elevator buttons; after all, we were breaking the Sabbath.
Suddenly, I understood this passage. Without disrespecting God's chosen people, let me just say that the rudeness of the people did far more to drive me away from desiring to be like them than would have a kind word explaining the reason for their beliefs. I think one of the things Jesus is trying to say to the Jews in this passage is that people are more important than law, especially when the strict adherence to the law prevents you from recognizing the one who came to fulfill it! We can get so caught up in the legalism that we forget the law was made to protect the people, not destroy or maim them! Anytime adherence to law outweighs mercy for God's people, we are in trouble, and I dare say we have strayed far away from the heart of our Savior. After all, Jesus did not shed His blood to justify the law, but rather to fulfill it, and by His life and death He showed us the ultimate truth–God loves people, not rules! I'm not advocating sin, so don't get led astray, but rather a lifestyle filled with mercy, grace, and love. After all, if it was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me.
Daily Prayer: Father, please help me not to get caught up in legalism, but rather to abound in mercy, grace, and love that I might please You and win all the more for Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"The sweet taste of mercy can be drowned by the bitterness of the law."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Day 102 "If it's too heavy, is Jesus in it?"
Day 102
Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Since we know God cannot lie, who is it then that is causing this life to feel so darn burdensome? Have you ever wondered about that or maybe asked a similar question yourself ? I know that I have, and yet when I do, the answer is as clear as the nose on my face: I'm the one who makes it hard, not Jesus. If God were as hard and demanding on us as we are of ourselves, we would surely buckle under the load, and there would be little appeal to following such a hard taskmaster. The good news is He is not as hard on us as we are on ourselves, at least not when it comes to expectations. Jesus says, "I am gentle and lowly in heart, you will find rest for your souls." So, why don't we? Again, he is not the one making it hard, we are. What does He say here? – "…rest for your souls." This is the rest that calms our fears, our failures, and relieves us of the weight of sin and transgression, and it is the rest of His righteousness.
Try as we might, we can never work our way into heaven anymore than we can make enough sacrifices upon this earth to make it to heaven–we get there one way–through Jesus! I, for one, need help in this area. While I know I can't do enough or give up enough, I feel compelled to do so on an ongoing basis. I know it has nothing to do with salvation and everything to do with obligation. You see, I feel obligated to do the things I do for God. For some reason, I feel He has forgiven so much that there is no way I can repay Him. Duh, He isn't asking for anything but my love. Does He require that I serve and make sacrifices in order to receive His love? The answer is, of course, no, at least not to the level that many of us do. The only things He requires of us are belief, submission, obedience, and repentance. Again, ‘His yoke is easy and His burden light.’ Are we wrong for doing so much or are we doing it because we love to? The answer is in the question. I believe that we must constantly evaluate the motivation for our actions of service and sacrifice. If we are feeling led to do something, then Jesus will give us peace and rest, and the burden will be light. If we are feeling weighed down, frustrated, and discontented, then we are truly no different than those who fast for all to see rather than those who fast and no one knows.
Daily Prayer: Father, I pray for wisdom and balance. Help me to stay wise in choosing when and where to serve, and may I never serve or make sacrifices with the wrong motivation or out of fear and obligation. In Jesus’ name I pray these things. Amen.
"If it's too heavy, is Jesus in it?"
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Since we know God cannot lie, who is it then that is causing this life to feel so darn burdensome? Have you ever wondered about that or maybe asked a similar question yourself ? I know that I have, and yet when I do, the answer is as clear as the nose on my face: I'm the one who makes it hard, not Jesus. If God were as hard and demanding on us as we are of ourselves, we would surely buckle under the load, and there would be little appeal to following such a hard taskmaster. The good news is He is not as hard on us as we are on ourselves, at least not when it comes to expectations. Jesus says, "I am gentle and lowly in heart, you will find rest for your souls." So, why don't we? Again, he is not the one making it hard, we are. What does He say here? – "…rest for your souls." This is the rest that calms our fears, our failures, and relieves us of the weight of sin and transgression, and it is the rest of His righteousness.
Try as we might, we can never work our way into heaven anymore than we can make enough sacrifices upon this earth to make it to heaven–we get there one way–through Jesus! I, for one, need help in this area. While I know I can't do enough or give up enough, I feel compelled to do so on an ongoing basis. I know it has nothing to do with salvation and everything to do with obligation. You see, I feel obligated to do the things I do for God. For some reason, I feel He has forgiven so much that there is no way I can repay Him. Duh, He isn't asking for anything but my love. Does He require that I serve and make sacrifices in order to receive His love? The answer is, of course, no, at least not to the level that many of us do. The only things He requires of us are belief, submission, obedience, and repentance. Again, ‘His yoke is easy and His burden light.’ Are we wrong for doing so much or are we doing it because we love to? The answer is in the question. I believe that we must constantly evaluate the motivation for our actions of service and sacrifice. If we are feeling led to do something, then Jesus will give us peace and rest, and the burden will be light. If we are feeling weighed down, frustrated, and discontented, then we are truly no different than those who fast for all to see rather than those who fast and no one knows.
Daily Prayer: Father, I pray for wisdom and balance. Help me to stay wise in choosing when and where to serve, and may I never serve or make sacrifices with the wrong motivation or out of fear and obligation. In Jesus’ name I pray these things. Amen.
"If it's too heavy, is Jesus in it?"
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
101 "Wisdom is greater than higher learning and she is born from our God."
Day 101
Matthew 11:25-27 At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and have revealed them to the babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27 All things have been delivered to Me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."
There seems to be a very common trap that men for all time have consistently fallen into: they tend to become too smart for themselves and lose touch with the truth while in search of it. One thing I have noticed over the years is that many pastors and teachers who attend schools of higher learning often place as much faith in books written by scholars as they do in the written Word of God. Before I go on, let me clarify that I am not against higher education or academics in any way; I believe that they are crucial for our society. I am, however, skeptical of those who quote authors more than they quote the Word. The challenge comes when we begin to place our hope and/or our spiritual health in the hands of people rather than in the hands of our God. Yes, even this devotional must in itself remain to be based upon a daily reading of the Word or I, too, will have fallen into the same trappings I mention.
Insight is an amazing tool, one that all mankind needs to remain challenged and growing in understanding; however, education should never rise to a place where it has more influence on people's lives than does the Holy Spirit. A well-balanced person is one who takes the Word of God and the Holy Spirit and uses it as a guide for daily living above all else and then weighs books read and counsel received against the Word, not vice versa. I can't tell you how many times I have heard pastors quote books and other people more than they quote the Word of God. I must confess red flags begin going up for me when this is the case, and then, when they begin to quote or market their own books during the message, well, that's the end for me. Everything we need to get through this life is written in the Bible. Every challenge we could ever face is answered there. Yes, it may be difficult to find, and often authors can help us to do so; however, once again, neither man nor his words can be a substitute for God and His Word.
We should retain a healthy perspective by spending more of our time seeking the direction of our Lord through prayer, time in His Word, and by taking time to sit and listen to the things the Spirit of God wants to reveal to us. It would do us well to not forget that Jesus, in verse 27, tells us that He reveals God to people; therefore, we can't go wrong by asking Him to do so for us and then listening to Him as He does so. After all, He can do it much better than the man He created can.
Daily Prayer: Father, please protect me from placing more emphasis upon man and his teachings than I do You and Your teachings, and Father, I pray that by Your Holy Spirit and by Your will you would reveal more of Yourself to me each and every day. In Jesus’ name I pray these things. Amen.
"Wisdom is greater than higher learning and she is born from our God."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 11:25-27 At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and have revealed them to the babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27 All things have been delivered to Me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."
There seems to be a very common trap that men for all time have consistently fallen into: they tend to become too smart for themselves and lose touch with the truth while in search of it. One thing I have noticed over the years is that many pastors and teachers who attend schools of higher learning often place as much faith in books written by scholars as they do in the written Word of God. Before I go on, let me clarify that I am not against higher education or academics in any way; I believe that they are crucial for our society. I am, however, skeptical of those who quote authors more than they quote the Word. The challenge comes when we begin to place our hope and/or our spiritual health in the hands of people rather than in the hands of our God. Yes, even this devotional must in itself remain to be based upon a daily reading of the Word or I, too, will have fallen into the same trappings I mention.
Insight is an amazing tool, one that all mankind needs to remain challenged and growing in understanding; however, education should never rise to a place where it has more influence on people's lives than does the Holy Spirit. A well-balanced person is one who takes the Word of God and the Holy Spirit and uses it as a guide for daily living above all else and then weighs books read and counsel received against the Word, not vice versa. I can't tell you how many times I have heard pastors quote books and other people more than they quote the Word of God. I must confess red flags begin going up for me when this is the case, and then, when they begin to quote or market their own books during the message, well, that's the end for me. Everything we need to get through this life is written in the Bible. Every challenge we could ever face is answered there. Yes, it may be difficult to find, and often authors can help us to do so; however, once again, neither man nor his words can be a substitute for God and His Word.
We should retain a healthy perspective by spending more of our time seeking the direction of our Lord through prayer, time in His Word, and by taking time to sit and listen to the things the Spirit of God wants to reveal to us. It would do us well to not forget that Jesus, in verse 27, tells us that He reveals God to people; therefore, we can't go wrong by asking Him to do so for us and then listening to Him as He does so. After all, He can do it much better than the man He created can.
Daily Prayer: Father, please protect me from placing more emphasis upon man and his teachings than I do You and Your teachings, and Father, I pray that by Your Holy Spirit and by Your will you would reveal more of Yourself to me each and every day. In Jesus’ name I pray these things. Amen.
"Wisdom is greater than higher learning and she is born from our God."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Monday, December 12, 2011
Day 100 "The truth can defend itself much better than I."
Day 100
Matthew 11:20-24 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."
Jesus doesn't seem to be pulling any punches at this point. He has sent out His disciples, the gospel is being preached to the Jews, and now He is warning them of the consequences of rejection. I am utterly convinced that there is no way I want to experience firsthand the consequences of rejecting the truth of God, nor will I. Yet, in some strange sort of way, I do find comfort in knowing that people who saw firsthand the miracles Jesus did often reject Him as Christ, and if they rejected Him, then surely they would reject us. So rejection, actually, is something we should get used to.
I heard Pastor Jack Hayford say this once: "If you're offended by what people say about you, you have an issue of pride." At first, I was offended by his statement; however, after much thought, I realized that I did have an issue of pride, and my offense was the proof of that pride. Let me do my best to explain, if I may. You see, when we are offended by others’ view of us or our opinion, we are placing ourselves above those whom we feel have offended us; something we have no right to do. If we are all created in the image of God, then we are all equal, and if we are all equal, then we are equally entitled to our opinions and thoughts, are we not? Therefore, if I do not accept your opinion or thought, or you likewise, then we somehow place ourselves above one another, correct? The challenge truly comes when one is speaking absolute truth and the other is not; for example, the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we speak the truth of the gospel in love, we must accept the fact that not everyone wants to hear or know the truth, and should they choose to deny that truth, they are not denying us, but rather the one who created all of us. Therefore, I have no right to be offended, for by doing so, I place myself in the place reserved for the Godhead. Confusing, yes, but go ahead and ponder it for a while. I'm sure you'll arrive at the same conclusion, prayerfully, much quicker than I did!
Daily Prayer: Father, please teach me to leave my pride behind and to walk in total humility before you and before man. Teach me to trust you Lord and walk in the peace of your truth and allow your truth to stand on its own. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"The truth can defend itself much better than I."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 11:20-24 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."
Jesus doesn't seem to be pulling any punches at this point. He has sent out His disciples, the gospel is being preached to the Jews, and now He is warning them of the consequences of rejection. I am utterly convinced that there is no way I want to experience firsthand the consequences of rejecting the truth of God, nor will I. Yet, in some strange sort of way, I do find comfort in knowing that people who saw firsthand the miracles Jesus did often reject Him as Christ, and if they rejected Him, then surely they would reject us. So rejection, actually, is something we should get used to.
I heard Pastor Jack Hayford say this once: "If you're offended by what people say about you, you have an issue of pride." At first, I was offended by his statement; however, after much thought, I realized that I did have an issue of pride, and my offense was the proof of that pride. Let me do my best to explain, if I may. You see, when we are offended by others’ view of us or our opinion, we are placing ourselves above those whom we feel have offended us; something we have no right to do. If we are all created in the image of God, then we are all equal, and if we are all equal, then we are equally entitled to our opinions and thoughts, are we not? Therefore, if I do not accept your opinion or thought, or you likewise, then we somehow place ourselves above one another, correct? The challenge truly comes when one is speaking absolute truth and the other is not; for example, the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we speak the truth of the gospel in love, we must accept the fact that not everyone wants to hear or know the truth, and should they choose to deny that truth, they are not denying us, but rather the one who created all of us. Therefore, I have no right to be offended, for by doing so, I place myself in the place reserved for the Godhead. Confusing, yes, but go ahead and ponder it for a while. I'm sure you'll arrive at the same conclusion, prayerfully, much quicker than I did!
Daily Prayer: Father, please teach me to leave my pride behind and to walk in total humility before you and before man. Teach me to trust you Lord and walk in the peace of your truth and allow your truth to stand on its own. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"The truth can defend itself much better than I."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Day 99 "An unattended field yields a crop no one wants, yet it still requires much attention."
Day 99
Matthew 11:16-19 "But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not lament;' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."
I sure do like the way verse 19 ends. Like my grandpa used to say, "Son, the proof is in the pudding." I wasn't ever really sure (nor am I now) what proof had to do with pudding; however, I liken it to wisdom being justified by her children.
One morning, as I drove my daughters to school, they were commenting on how well behaved and well mannered their then 20-month-old niece was. Do you know how refreshing it was to be in the car with a 10- and 13-year-old who were impressed by the manners of an almost two-year-old? As we discussed this further, my daughters were showing their wisdom. The conversation came around to our family’s culture, one of teaching right from wrong and allowing them to experience the consequences of wrong choices, yet being there to teach and support them along the way. It actually turned into a great time of teaching as I explained to them that in our home Mom was the one who truly ran our household, while Dad was the re-enforcement, the one who was always there to support, encourage, protect, exhort, and the one responsible for their spiritual growth and prayer over them. You see, in Biblical home, (proverbs 31) a wife always places her husband and children above her outside career, why you ask? In my humble opinion there is not a more honorable or difficult career on this planet than that of being a Mother and Wife. The primary reason that my granddaughters are such well behaved children is first of all mom and dad love the Lord and live like it, and secondly They understand the Biblical role of family structure. I am not at all trying to minimize the role of fathers in the home, my son-in-law is a great young dad; however, we each have our roles, and it is far better to recognize those roles and encourage one another than it is to compete for roles or recognition.
But now, back to the point at hand: Jesus said to those watching His life, "But wisdom is justified by her children." If we focus on living a life based upon the principles of Jesus’ teaching, we need not attempt to prove anything to anyone, the proof will follow. The seed we plant and the nurturing we provide that plant will produce a crop, just like our lives; the effort we put into a Godly lifestyle will not go unnoticed either way. By the way, I am not insinuating that all children who go astray are due to poor parenting. There are other factors, such as choices; however, if we do not purpose to guide them and set a good example for them, they most assuredly will stray.
Daily Prayer: Father, help me to keep focused on living a life that produces good fruit, and teach me how to teach others. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
"An unattended field yields a crop no one wants, yet it still requires much attention."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 11:16-19 "But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not lament;' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."
I sure do like the way verse 19 ends. Like my grandpa used to say, "Son, the proof is in the pudding." I wasn't ever really sure (nor am I now) what proof had to do with pudding; however, I liken it to wisdom being justified by her children.
One morning, as I drove my daughters to school, they were commenting on how well behaved and well mannered their then 20-month-old niece was. Do you know how refreshing it was to be in the car with a 10- and 13-year-old who were impressed by the manners of an almost two-year-old? As we discussed this further, my daughters were showing their wisdom. The conversation came around to our family’s culture, one of teaching right from wrong and allowing them to experience the consequences of wrong choices, yet being there to teach and support them along the way. It actually turned into a great time of teaching as I explained to them that in our home Mom was the one who truly ran our household, while Dad was the re-enforcement, the one who was always there to support, encourage, protect, exhort, and the one responsible for their spiritual growth and prayer over them. You see, in Biblical home, (proverbs 31) a wife always places her husband and children above her outside career, why you ask? In my humble opinion there is not a more honorable or difficult career on this planet than that of being a Mother and Wife. The primary reason that my granddaughters are such well behaved children is first of all mom and dad love the Lord and live like it, and secondly They understand the Biblical role of family structure. I am not at all trying to minimize the role of fathers in the home, my son-in-law is a great young dad; however, we each have our roles, and it is far better to recognize those roles and encourage one another than it is to compete for roles or recognition.
But now, back to the point at hand: Jesus said to those watching His life, "But wisdom is justified by her children." If we focus on living a life based upon the principles of Jesus’ teaching, we need not attempt to prove anything to anyone, the proof will follow. The seed we plant and the nurturing we provide that plant will produce a crop, just like our lives; the effort we put into a Godly lifestyle will not go unnoticed either way. By the way, I am not insinuating that all children who go astray are due to poor parenting. There are other factors, such as choices; however, if we do not purpose to guide them and set a good example for them, they most assuredly will stray.
Daily Prayer: Father, help me to keep focused on living a life that produces good fruit, and teach me how to teach others. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
"An unattended field yields a crop no one wants, yet it still requires much attention."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Dy 98 "Know your God well enough to spot a fake."
Day 98
Matthew 11:12-15 "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
While this passage can be somewhat confusing, there are some great lessons to be learned that truly apply to us today. You see, the great story here is that Jesus came to fulfill exactly what had been spoken of by the prophets of old, the arrival of the Messiah, the end of the law and the beginning of the new covenant. However, the Jewish religious leaders had another agenda, another plan, one that would allow them to stay in power. They resisted the Messiah and violently rejected the plan of God, attempting to change the outcome, and they sought to take heaven by force. John prepared the way; he fulfilled the role that Elijah, Malachi, and others prophesied long before; however, they rejected his message. Why? Because they weren't ready. You see, they were the generation alive and in power, and they were not about to give up their earthly power; after all, in their minds they deserved it.
Last week, I watched literally in horror as people worshiped the pontiff of the Catholic Church upon his arrival in the United States. I heard words used to describe him such as Holy Father and God on earth. This is true blasphemy and idolatry. If I offend some, I confess there will be no apology, for there is only one God and one Jesus and He has not returned to this earth to claim His bride, though He will. For those who participate in such worship, we pray for their eyes to be opened and the scales to be removed, and for those who are leading this frenzy, we pray for confession and repentance. They and many other so-called religious leaders in our world are attempting to set up for themselves their own pathway to God. They are, as well, attempting to take heaven by force; however, heaven will not be conquered, and the plan of God will not be changed by any man!
2 Corinthians 11:3-4 is one of many scriptures that warn us of people who will preach another Jesus or offer another gospel. We are not to listen, support, or associate with these people; as a matter of fact, we are to expose them. Let's not get complacent in these latter days confusing our need to be gracious with our call to confront heretics and false prophets. Complacency will send a lot of people to hell, and I, for one, don't want their blood on my hands, do you?
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to be wise, gracious, loving, and merciful, and allow us, Lord, to know when to confront those who have another agenda besides the one You have prescribed. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Know your God well enough to spot a fake."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 11:12-15 "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
While this passage can be somewhat confusing, there are some great lessons to be learned that truly apply to us today. You see, the great story here is that Jesus came to fulfill exactly what had been spoken of by the prophets of old, the arrival of the Messiah, the end of the law and the beginning of the new covenant. However, the Jewish religious leaders had another agenda, another plan, one that would allow them to stay in power. They resisted the Messiah and violently rejected the plan of God, attempting to change the outcome, and they sought to take heaven by force. John prepared the way; he fulfilled the role that Elijah, Malachi, and others prophesied long before; however, they rejected his message. Why? Because they weren't ready. You see, they were the generation alive and in power, and they were not about to give up their earthly power; after all, in their minds they deserved it.
Last week, I watched literally in horror as people worshiped the pontiff of the Catholic Church upon his arrival in the United States. I heard words used to describe him such as Holy Father and God on earth. This is true blasphemy and idolatry. If I offend some, I confess there will be no apology, for there is only one God and one Jesus and He has not returned to this earth to claim His bride, though He will. For those who participate in such worship, we pray for their eyes to be opened and the scales to be removed, and for those who are leading this frenzy, we pray for confession and repentance. They and many other so-called religious leaders in our world are attempting to set up for themselves their own pathway to God. They are, as well, attempting to take heaven by force; however, heaven will not be conquered, and the plan of God will not be changed by any man!
2 Corinthians 11:3-4 is one of many scriptures that warn us of people who will preach another Jesus or offer another gospel. We are not to listen, support, or associate with these people; as a matter of fact, we are to expose them. Let's not get complacent in these latter days confusing our need to be gracious with our call to confront heretics and false prophets. Complacency will send a lot of people to hell, and I, for one, don't want their blood on my hands, do you?
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to be wise, gracious, loving, and merciful, and allow us, Lord, to know when to confront those who have another agenda besides the one You have prescribed. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Know your God well enough to spot a fake."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Friday, December 9, 2011
Day 97 "Someday soon the Son will rise; we'll see His coming in the sky."
Day 97
Matthew 11:7-11 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft garments are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’ Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."
The greatness of John the Baptist can only be attributed to one thing: his selfless sacrifice to one he had never seen but knew would come. Even before Jesus arrived on the scene, John the Baptist was touting Jesus’ coming. Without a messiah, he was leading people to a new relationship with God, even to the point of baptizing them in the name of one yet to come. Talk about conviction and faith!
We see evidence of Jesus everywhere. We read of His great deeds. We can even historically document His existence, yet we struggle all too often just to speak His name. John was a man preparing the way for the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus, the Son of God. Sound familiar? Jesus said He would return again to claim His bride. Is it possible that we, too, could have the same honor as John the Baptist?
I know I'm being sarcastic, but I for one had not really paid much attention to this before, have you? Oh sure, I have thought often and do tell others about the return of Christ, but the parallel to John's life I have never really thought of until now. We have the same honor, opportunity, and yes, responsibility today that John the Baptist had in his day, and yes, we even have the advantage of the Holy Spirit, history and evidence to help us along. So, how about it, care to join me? Let's get busy telling folks about our coming Savior, after all, I don't think we have long to wait.
Daily Prayer: Father, thank you for this revelation, and may I not take it lightly. Give me the passion and desire of John the Baptist, and show me Lord how to proclaim the return of Your Son. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Someday soon the Son will rise; we'll see His coming in the sky."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 11:7-11 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft garments are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’ Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."
The greatness of John the Baptist can only be attributed to one thing: his selfless sacrifice to one he had never seen but knew would come. Even before Jesus arrived on the scene, John the Baptist was touting Jesus’ coming. Without a messiah, he was leading people to a new relationship with God, even to the point of baptizing them in the name of one yet to come. Talk about conviction and faith!
We see evidence of Jesus everywhere. We read of His great deeds. We can even historically document His existence, yet we struggle all too often just to speak His name. John was a man preparing the way for the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus, the Son of God. Sound familiar? Jesus said He would return again to claim His bride. Is it possible that we, too, could have the same honor as John the Baptist?
I know I'm being sarcastic, but I for one had not really paid much attention to this before, have you? Oh sure, I have thought often and do tell others about the return of Christ, but the parallel to John's life I have never really thought of until now. We have the same honor, opportunity, and yes, responsibility today that John the Baptist had in his day, and yes, we even have the advantage of the Holy Spirit, history and evidence to help us along. So, how about it, care to join me? Let's get busy telling folks about our coming Savior, after all, I don't think we have long to wait.
Daily Prayer: Father, thank you for this revelation, and may I not take it lightly. Give me the passion and desire of John the Baptist, and show me Lord how to proclaim the return of Your Son. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Someday soon the Son will rise; we'll see His coming in the sky."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
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