DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WORTHY

 WORTHY
Matthew 10:11-15
 
" 'Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.' "
 
This is a hard teaching that Jesus gave. The God Who is longsuffering and not willing that any should perish (II Peter 3:9) also says that His Spirit "shall not strive with man forever" (Genesis 6:3), and "God gave them up to uncleanness" (Romans 1:24), and told His prophet "pray not for this people" (Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11; see also I John 5:16), and "shake the dust off your feet." The greeting was "Shalom" (or "Peace"). Those who reject the truth are not worthy of God's Shalom or peace. We are not to give greetings (pronounce peace) to those who reject the true Gospel "for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds" (II John 11). They are not worthy – worth the time nor effort spent on them – when there are others who are ripe for harvest and ready to receive the Gospel. I still believe in God's longsuffering and patience. But there seems to be a line that people cross. In truth I do not want to be responsible for making that call because I do not know the hearts of men or where that line is. I will let God make that judgment.

TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: People who reject the Gospel are not worthy of God's peace (Shalom).
 
[end]
 
Have a worthy day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LIVING BY FAITH

 LIVING BY FAITH
Matthew 10:9-10
 
" 'Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your moneybelts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.' "
 
Living by faith necessitates not always seeing the future clearly, "for we walk by faith and not by sight" (II Corinthians 4:7). Leaving the comfort and security of my own resources to trust God is a scary thing. But knowing the One Who calls gives confidence that He will supply the needs according to His riches (Philippians 4:18) – usually through other people's sacrifice. In the Mosaic economy, the priests who performed the religious duties were allotted a portion of the sacrifices that were offered by the worshipers. It is a principle of Scripture that the laborers in the harvest should partake of the fruit of the harvest (I Corinthians 9:7-14; I Timothy 5:17-18). I should never begrudge the blessings that God bestows on those who faithfully do the work of the Gospel.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Laborers in God's harvest trust the God of the harvest to meet their material needs.
 
[end]
 
Have a "living by faith" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- NO PRICE TAG

 NO PRICE TAG
Matthew 10:7-8
 
" 'And as you go, preach, saying, "The kingdom fo heaven is at hand." Heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.' "
 
Grace does not have a price tag. It is freely given and received without expectation of repayment. I have freely received the message of the Gospel – God's forgiveness, healing, and deliverance. How could I then turn around and make it something to be merchandised? I did not earn God's grace, nor should I expect others to earn mine. When I do, I only cheapen its value – like marking down a sale item at Sears. Grace is so expensive, it cannot be bought or sold. It can only be given freely.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: No price tag can be attached to grace.
 
[end]
 
Have a giving and receiving day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- EATING AN ELEPHANT

 EATING AN ELEPHANT
Matthew 10:5-6
 
"These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying, 'Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' "
 
Ministry comes in bite-sized pieces. Jesus instructions to the disciples were very focused. They were to go to the nation of Israel. The commission to go into all the world would come later. And even then, it was one step at a time – to Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and then to the end of the world (Acts 1:8). Jesus does not ask me to do more than I can handle. He gives grace and power to take small steps. I can get so overwhelmed by the large task than I neglect to do the small ones. A picture puzzle is put together one piece at a time. A story is written one word at a time. A baby learns to walk one step at a time – not with a marathon. Eating an elephant begins with one bite at a time. I can't do it all at once, but I can start with one small step. "Do not despise the day of small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand" (Zechariah 4:10 NLT).
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Accomplishing God's calling begins with one small step.
 
[end]
 
Have a "baby step" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BIBLE SCHOOL

 BIBLE SCHOOL
Matthew 10:5a
 
"These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them....."
 
Jesus called and sent His disciples out into ministry. But He did not send them into the harvest field (Matthew 9:37-38) without preparation. Before they went, there was a time of instruction. The rest of Chapter 10 is detailed teaching about who they were to go to, what their message was, how to minister, and how to handle rejection. Training for ministry is important. In retrospect, perhaps I would have been more successful as a pastor if I had gone to Bible School. Even Paul had three years of training in Arabia before he went to Jerusalem to begin his apostolic ministry (Galatians 1:15-18). I would advise anyone who feels called to ministry to take time for training and preparation to maximize their effectiveness. As the old saying goes: God loves F.A.T. people – Faithful, Available, and Teachable.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Training and preparation are vital for successful ministry.
 
[end]
 
Have a learning day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- NICKNAMES

 NICKNAMES
Matthew 10:2-4
 
"Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him."
 
It is common to attach nicknames to people that identify them is some way or another. It may be a character trait (Honest Abe or Lying Hillary), a physical characteristic (the Humpback of Notre Dame), some accomplishment (George Washington, the father of our nation), or a relationship (Mark Kelly, the husband of Gabby Giffords). Benedict Arnold is synonymous with traitor. Jesus' apostles also had nicknames: Peter, the Rock (also bigmouth and denyer); Matthew, the tax collector; Simon, the zealot (Luke 6:15); James and John, the Sons of Thunder (Mark 3:17); Thomas the doubter; and of course Judas the betrayer. What moniker would people attach to me? John, the smiler? John, the pessimist? John, the fool? John, the faithful? What I would really like to be called is "Christian." Lord Jesus, help me to live up to that name.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Nicknames help identify who we are.
 
[end]
 
Have an "identity" crisis today. Love you, Dad.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE HARVEST

 THE HARVEST
Matthew 9:35-36
 
"Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.' "
 
There are a variety of jobs involved in the process of harvesting a crop. Obviously there are those who run the combines, but they are not the only workers. There are also truck drivers, those who clean the seed, the mechanics who keep the machinery running, the cooks who feed the workers, and other peripheral laborers who are vital to the reaping process. God does not call everyone to the job of driving the combines, but He does call all Believers to be involved in His harvest. As the old saying goes, the pay may not seem great, but the retirement benefits are out of this world. The fields are always ripe because there are always souls who need to be saved.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Everyone has a job to do in the Kingdom harvest.
 
[end]
 
Have an involved day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DUTY OR COMPASSION?

DUTY OR COMPASSION?
Matthew 9:35-36

"Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd."

Jesus had a job to do – to be a Shepherd. The job description was teaching, preaching, and healing the poor sheep. But His motivation was not just fulfilling a duty or obligation. He was "moved with compassion." Duty and obligation are good and powerful motivators, but they will not cause a person to die for someone else. Jesus got His heart of compassion from His Father. God so loved that He gave (John 3:16). "We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with out weaknesses" (Hebrews 4:15). A double negative means we do have a compassionate Savior and we can come boldly to His throne of grace in our time of need (vs. 16).   I want to have His heart. As the old song says, "Give me a heart like thine."

TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Jesus did not minister out of duty or obligation but from a heart of compassion.

[end]

Have a "Jesus-heart" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- EXPLAINING THE EVIDENCE

 EXPLAINING THE EVIDENCE
Matthew 9:32-34
 
"As they went out, behold, they bought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, 'It was never seen like this in Israel!' But the Pharisees said, 'He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.' "
 
What the Pharisees proposed as an explanation of the facts was totally illogical. It makes no sense to say that Satan would cast out his own forces. People who do not want to believe will reject the evidence and make up their own theories. It happens every day in courtrooms across our nation. Perhaps the greatest illustration of this is theories about origins. People who do not want to believe in God the Creator will concoct their own ideas to explain the beginning of the universe that deny and contradict laws of nature that we know are true. Spontaneous generation is not rational because we know that it is impossible for something to come out of nothing. But the human mind will go to great lengths to explain away the evidence for the existence of God, even if it is not rational. The Apostle Paul nailed it on the head when he wrote that they "exchanged the truth of God for the lie" (Romans 1:25). It is easier for me to believe in the miracle of Creation by an all-powerful God than to believe in spontaneous generation.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Rational thinking demands unbiased examination of the evidence.
 
[end]
 
Have a rational day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE LAST WORD

 THE LAST WORD
Matthew 9:23-26
 
"When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd waiting, He said to them, 'Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.' And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all that land."
 
The word of the Lord is often ridiculed, mocked, and scorned by unbelievers. But what He said is true and will come to pass. "For all His promises are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us" (II Corinthians 1:20). He will have the last word. I can count on it.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: What God has said is true and will happen.
 
[end]
 
Have a believing day. Love you

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE GREAT PHYSICIAN

 THE GREAT PHYSICIAN
Matthew 9:21-22
 
"For she said to herself, 'If only I may touch His garments, I shall be made well.' But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, 'Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.' And the woman was made well from that hour."
 
Mark's account of this event includes the fact that "she had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse" (Mark 5:26). This is not meant to belittle the medical profession. Doctors do much good, but there are some things they cannot heal. I remember what the doctor said when our infant daughter Cheryl had a neck injury caused by being born breach: "There's nothing we can do medically." But Jesus did!!! She was miraculously healed by the prayer of faith. Praise His Name! I believe that God has given the medical profession the knowledge and ability to bring relief for many ailments. But there are some things that only God can do. I don't think of Him as a last resort because all healing comes ultimately from Him. Whether I am healed by medicine or by divine healing, He is still the source.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Jesus is the Great Physician, and we can touch Him with our need.
 
[end]
 
Have a faith day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- INTERRUPTIONS!

 INTERRUPTIONS!
Matthew 9:18-20
 
"While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, 'My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.' So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. And suddenly a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment."
 
Interruptions! He was interrupted in the middle of a teaching session by a man who pleaded with Him to come and heal His daughter who had just died. So he stopped teaching and went to heal the girl. On the way to that situation, He was interrupted by a woman with female issues, perhaps fibroids on her uterus. So He stopped to heal her. Jesus was not controlled by a clock or an agenda, but by the needs of people. He was available. Perhaps this is what Paul was saying to Timothy: "Be ready in season and out of season" (II Timothy 4:2). Lord, help me to not get so involved in my own agenda that I miss opportunity to minister to the needs of other people.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Opportunities to minister do not always fit my timetable.
 
[end]
 
Have an "interrupted" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A NEW LIFE

 A NEW LIFE
Matthew 9:15-17
 
"And Jesus said to them, 'Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.' "
 
I'm not sure I understand the meaning of these three metaphors – the bridegroom, the cloth, and the wineskins. But it seems that the common denominator is "new" – a new day, a new cloth, a new wineskin. I think the warning is against trying to mix the old with the new. Jesus came to give new life – not just to improve the old. God calls us to a new life – a total change of heart. Jesus said, "You must be born again" (John 3:7). That is not just patching up the old, but starting fresh. "Put off concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:22-24). Just adding some religion to the old life without being transformed will fail. The patch will tear; the wineskin will be broken. That is the reason some people do not endure in their Christian walk. They have never really been made new in their heart.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE:  God does not just improve life; He  transforms it. 
 
[end]
 
Have a new day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SPIRITUAL PRIDE

 SPIRITUAL PRIDE
Matthew 9:14
 
"Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, 'Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?' "
 
Do I sense some spiritual pride in the disciples of John? "We fast and you don't." It sounds a lot like some Christians today in their esteem of other believers. "We are holiness people and you aren't." "We keep the Sabbath, and you don't." "We speak in tongues, and you don't." I think this kind of snobbery must stink in God's olfactory glands. We may have different callings and persuasions, but if we have accepted Jesus as Savior, we are one in the bonds of Christ. We are all sinners who are forgiven by God's grace, and that eliminates any cause for boasting. My spirituality should not be a source of pride. God, forgive me for my superior attitude toward Your other children.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Sinners who have received God's grace have no room to boast about their spirituality.
 
[end]
 
Have a humble day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MERCY OR RELIGION

 MERCY OR RELIGION
Matthew 9:11-13
 
"And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to the disciples, 'Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' When Jesus heard that, He said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice." For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' "
 
Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees – self-righteous people who thought that religion was all about keeping the Old Testament Law. There are people who think that Christianity is all about fulfilling a duty, going to church, keeping a list of "dos and donts," and living a "righteous" life. But Jesus did not come to establish another religion. He came to save people from their sin – to show them mercy. A person can keep all the rules and still not be a Christian. The first step toward understanding what it means to follow Jesus is to acknowledge how much I need a Savior and God's mercy. The Apostle wrote, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief" (I Timothy 1:15). Religion will not get me to heaven. I need God's mercy.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God's mercy is more important than religion.
 
[end]
 
Have a "merciful" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FRIEND OF SINNERS

 FRIEND OF SINNERS
Matthew 9:10

"Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples."
 
Jesus did not come to live in a monastery. He was out where the sinners lived. Some people have taken the admonition to "come out from among them and be separate" (II Corinthians 6:17) to mean avoiding being tainted by contact with sinners. But how can I touch the lives of people with the Gospel if I never have any contact with them? If I follow Jesus' example, He was where the people were who needed His love and grace without regard for His reputation. He was called "a friend of sinners" (Matthew 11:19) without fear or shame. So should I. I can be a friend of the ungodly without violating my sanctification or faith. Isolation is not our calling.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The Christian cannot isolate himself from sinners if he wants to minister the love and grace of the Gospel.
 
[end]
 
Have a "friendship" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE IRS AGENT

 THE IRS AGENT
Matthew 9:9
 
"As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him."
 
Tax collectors – the IRS agents of the day – were despised by the other citizens. They were considered low-life because they were pawns of the Roman occupation. They were also hated because they usually gained their wealth through the unscrupulous practice of charging people more taxes than was due, padding their own pockets. It reminds me of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) who said, "If I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation." It was not a question of "if" but of "since." It was just a normal part of their job. The amazing thing to me about Matthew is that his response was immediate. There does not seem to be any prior contact with Jesus, though he undoubtedly had heard of this itinerant preacher from the people who passed by his tax office. When Jesus called him, he immediately left his job, his security, his wealth, and became a part of Jesus entourage. There must have been something in the core of his being that wanted more meaning in his life than just having wealth and security. Truly, Jesus came "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). Both Matthew and Zacchaeus were lost. Their lives were empty and they wanted more than this world had to offer. Jesus knew their Matthew's heart and called him to follow. My own heart longs for more than this world. The deep longing for significance cannot be assuaged by the things of this world. Only Jesus can satisfy that desire.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Jesus calls people to Himself who want more from life than what they have gotten from the world.
 
[end]
 
Have a "following" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- HEALING AND FORGIVENESS

 HEALING AND FORGIVENESS
Matthew 9:5-7
 
" 'For which is easier, to say, "Your sins are forgiven you," or to say, "Arise and walk." But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins' – then He said to the paralytic, 'Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.' And he arose and departed to his house."
 
Jesus posed an interesting question. Is it harder to forgive sins or to heal? To my human mind, it would be easier to heal than to forgive sins, because Jesus is the creator and if He could create, He could certainly recreate and make whole. But it would seem more difficult for a holy God to forgive someone who had violated His righteousness. I think that Jesus was saying to the Jews that it is just as easy to forgive sins as to heal, because He has the power to do both;  they are both a part of His nature. This I know: that if I had to choose between the two, I would rather have forgiveness, because sickness only lasts for this life, but forgiveness is forever. What a gracious Savior who would forgive sin and heal.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God is able to both heal and forgive sin.
 
[end]
 
Have a "forgiven" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THOUGHT-LIFE

 THOUGHT-LIFE
Matthew 9:4
 
"But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, 'Why do you think evil in your hearts?' "
 
My thought-life is very important, first and foremost because God knows what I think, but also because my thoughts guide my actions, just like a rudder guides a ship. What I allow my mind to dwell on is the well-spring out of which my actions flow – either for good or for evil. Jesus said, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man" (Matthew 15:19-20a).   Just as evil thought produce evil living, so pure thought will produce pure living.  So, whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy, think on these things (Philippians 3:8).
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Evil thoughts produce evil action; pure thoughts produce pure living.
 
[end]
 
Have a pure-thoughts day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- HOME TOWN MINISTRY

 HOME TOWN MINISTRY
Matthew 9:1-3
 
"So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. 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.' And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, 'This man blasphemes!' "
 
Jesus' home town was Nazareth where He was raised. But coming home was not very productive for Him. Although He was called "Jesus of Nazareth," He did not spend much time there. It was at Nazareth that He launched His earthly ministry by claiming to be the promised Messiah of Isaiah 61:1-2), and the people tried to throw Him off a cliff (Luke 4:29). Even His own brothers did not believe in Him (John 7:5). And certainly, the people of Nazareth did not believe in Him. All they could see was that He was the carpenter's son, and they were offended by Him. "He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief." It was at Nazareth that Jesus said, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house" (Matthew 13:54-58). Truly, "He came to His own and His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11). Why is it so difficult to share the Gospel with family and friends? I just know that it is hard to minister to my family (cousins, aunts and uncles) and people I went to school with. Perhaps it is because they can only associate me with my childhood – the little kid next door. It is comforting to know that Jesus had the same experience. It must have been trying for Him. Still, He kept trying. He did not give up even though He was rejected.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE:  It is difficult to minister to people who knew you as a child.
 
[end]
 
Have a "trying" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GETTING RID OF JESUS

 GETTING RID OF JESUS
Matthew 8:32b-34
 
"So when they [the demons] had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. Then those who kept them fled, and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they begged Him to depart from their region."
 
What a contrast: the presence of demons which causes insanity and destruction, or the presence of Jesus who brings sanity, peace and wholeness. Evil spirits come to "steal, kill, and destroy" but Jesus came to bring life (John 10:10). Mark's record of this event says that the people saw "the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed in his right mind" (Mark 5:15). One would think that the people who saw this would rejoice for the men's healing and deliverance, and worship Jesus. Instead, they beg Jesus to leave. I see the same thing today in our society. People want to get rid of Jesus. They choose the insanity and confusion of evil forces over Jesus Who brings life and peace. How unreasonable. How strange. How sad. How insane.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Satan brings death, destruction, and insanity; Jesus bring life, health and wholeness.
 
[end]
 
Have a Jesus day. Love you.