Matthew 7

I am confused by verse 6. What is it getting at?

v. 6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."

As I was reading it just didn't seem to fit.

Matthew 6

The biggest thing that I got out of this chapter was just the point of making sure to do things for the glory of God, not for others to see. In doing so God is happy which makes us happy. I remember one of my elementary teachers challenge us to do a good thing for someone that didn't know it happened. She used this bible verse to teach us this lesson and I have never forgotten it. I like doing things for people when they do not know that it is happening. I know that we can not always do this, but it brings joy to do something for someone and expect absolutely nothing in return.

Matthew 5

Wow, reading this passage closely really got me to thinking. I have read the sermon on the mount many times and can recite it back pretty closely to how it is written. I haven't spent as much time reading chapter 5 beyond that. There really are a lot of things in there that are convicting and things that I have known that I need to work on. Melissa and I have talked about how going through the Bible will be a challenge and how it will really bring on a lot of convictions. This chapter did it for me.

The chapter for me is broken down into quite a few different sections, I will go through with my individual thoughts for each of those sections.

Salt and light -
I sing "This little light of mine" with the girls a few times each week. I like holding their hands up when I sing it as if they are actually holding their lights up. They love it and I love watching their faces while I am playing with them. These words go beyond just the singing of the song and saying that we have a light. Verse 16 "let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven," is one that shows ultimately let your light of how you praise God and what you do for Him be seen by all others. I always like to do things for people to help them out. I like to be a positive roll model. I like to make decisions that make others think that I am a good guy. I want to always make these decisions so that people see that I am a Christian and that the life they see is one that they would want to emulate and be more like because of knowing that it is my commitment to Christ that makes me do what I do. Unfortunately, I do these things selfishly at times. Not always, but plenty of times. I want people to really think that I am a good guy because I want the recognition for personal gain. This has been a struggle in the past and will continue to be one. I know this is something I need to work on.

The section on adultery was pretty convicting as well. In college, my small group looked at this section specifically and talked about how in our day and age it is difficult to get by this one without additional help. I will say that I have improved since looking at this passage and seeing the world with different eyes. I try to divert my eyes during racey commericals and while checking out at the store, but I still find myself catching a glance at some of these images. I am constantly in prayer over this issue because it is not a safe or comfortable thing for me to go through each day. I struggle and know that these images will always be around. I know that God will deliver me from these problems and help me to get by eventually. I know I can't ask God to just fix it. I need to work toward fixing myself as well.

The last section that really stood out to me is the one that dealt with how to treat enemies. I know that there is the love your neighbor, that is easy, but the people I don't like is so much harder. I am glad that we had the section in Bill Hybel's book that talked about how to pray for these people. I need to remember that often it is my problem that I need to get by. Without a real change in my outlook, things can not be changed.

Ultimately, I would like to continue to have convicting passages like this each day because without really looking at the problems in my life I will not have the changes in my life that I would like to experience.

Matthew 4

As my first post, I just wanted to say that I am looking forward to growing in my spiritual life though the readings and this blog…now on to the chapter.

This chapter has always impacted to me, specifically v. 1-11 and v. 18-22.

The same being that tempts us to sin tempts Jesus. Satan attempts to convince Jesus to sin against God by using his supernatural powers, gaining followers by using his power, and bowing to Satan. The amazing this is that Jesus denied him. Jesus had no inclination to take the worldly things over his ultimate purpose. But it’s not just that he denied him, but how. Jesus uses scripture to deny the temptations that Satan bring him. I think that this is something that we should take hold of. By knowing the word will equip us with the wisdom and faith to deny sin.

The second thing I can take from this chapter is when Jesus called out to his first disciples. What courage of these men, who literally dropped their nets to follow a man that they didn’t know, but felt a calling to follow. Amazing.

Matthew 3

The story of John the Baptist is really neat. How crazy it was that he just waited out in the desert for God to call him into service and to tell him what to do with his life. John was the original "Jesus Freak" and he did everything in his life to live that way. There was no mistaking that John the Baptist believed in what he was doing and devoted his life toward God. It would be interesting to see how that type of lifestyle would be accepted in today's world. I would like to see myself be more devoted toward God and to live my life that way so that people all around me know where I stand. I know that people around me know that I am a good guy, but my faith is a big part to what made me into the person that I am.
The way John preached was not one that is really accepted well in our day. From the way that it was described in the Bible, I would compare some of his tactics to those that stand on the corner and say "Repent or go to Hell." I am sure that there were a bunch of people back then that responded undesirably as they do now, but John was doing what he thought best for his ministry.
I would say there needs to be a balance between telling people they need to repent and being able to reach them on a personal level. People today just don't listen and respond to the same things that they did in the past. If they did, it would make some things much easier.

Matthew 2

I never knew that the Magi went to see King Herod before they saw Jesus. There could not have been very many people on the earth at that time. I think that it is a miracle in itself that Herod wasn't able to locate Jesus. I wonder how long they lived in Egypt?

Matthew 1

I didn't get a whole lot out of this chapter. Obviously, there is the genealogy to take in. None of those people really brought too much to mind. The one thing that is always interesting to me is that the line goes through Joseph. I think it is weird just because Joseph wasn't really the dad. He was the step-dad. I don't know. Maybe some day I will get more insight into this.

The other thing that came to mind was how incredible it was that Mary conceived through God. What would happen today if God decided to do that again? The whole world would laugh and not accept that God was involved. I am sure that the Inquirer would do a whole lot of stuff with it. I am sure that it took a ton for Mary to accept her pregnancy. The amount of pressure you would feel would be very intense, especially knowing that there would be a great deal of "shunning" going on because of her not being married. How tough. I guess it was just the start for this family for the amount of persecution that they would experience.