A Ministry of Knowing The Way, Inc.

"The Master and the Mission" in Matthew-41

We have a short and simple account of a leper being cleansed in Matthew 8:1-4. It is described in this way: "When He was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him and, behold, there came a leper and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them." Much, however, is packed into this brief account. Jesus came to the point of this man's need. The leper worshipped and expressed trust (faith) in Jesus for healing. He recognized Jesus as Lord. He wanted to be freed from his loathsome disease. Jesus was quick to respond. The man was cleansed and healed of his disease. Jesus then instructed him to do what was necessary for giving a testimony of his deliverance. Substitute "sin(s)" for leprosy, "Forgiveness" for healing (and cleansing) and "Christ's church" for going to the priest, and you have a wonderful composite picture of salvation. Selah! The disease of sin is far worse than leprosy, and the forgiveness and cleansing accessed by simple trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord is far more wonderful than this marvelous physical cure. What a testimony! Ron

"The Master and the Mission" in Matthew-40

Jesus continues His teaching on the mountain. He gives an illustration in Chapter 7, Verses 24-29: "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine: for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." Read life for house and you will see what our Lord was explaining. When our lives are built upon Him, the Rock of Ages, they will survive the storms of life. If, instead, people build on the sand, they will find that their lives have fallen apart for time and eternity. We can build on the sand of a Godless philosophy, the sand of false teaching, the sand of living for sinful pleasures, the sand of ignoring God, the Bible and His church, etc. When we build our lives on these types of sand, we can expect great eternal ruin. Before we come to Him and receive Him as Savior and Lord, all of our building has been on sand. When we come to Him, we give up on the old building project and start building on Him, our Rock. That is a life that will stand on into eternity. Selah! Jesus spoke with such authority that His listeners were amazed. He is the final and only authority! It is a foolish person, indeed, who will go on building on sand, when we have His Word for it. Ron

"The Master and the Mission" in Matthew-39

We have a solemn warning in Matthew 7:21-23. "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." In the immediate context (see yesterday's article) Jesus seems to have false teachers in mind. However, while including them, I believe He is also speaking to all who are habitually sinning. "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (II Timothy 2:19). A true believer will be sinning less and less, as the Word does its work. Anyone who lives a life of sin has cause to be worried. He or she would do well to heed Paul's inspired advice in II Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates." The true Christian is overcoming sin and increasing in holiness. Selah! For those who are giving out false teaching (some even assuming that they are serving the Lord) and for those who go right on practicing sin, there is the danger of hearing our Lord say, "....I never knew you; depart from Me...." Ron

"The Master and the Mission" in Matthew-38

There is a danger to avoid that is often missed by God's people. This is due to a lack of good solid Biblical/Doctrinal preaching and teaching. It is also due to neglect of personal study and application of the Word of God. All too often an untaught Christian will become a victim of a cult or some other error. How can we know that we are dealing with a counterfeit teacher/leader? Jesus gives us guidelines in Matthew 7:15-20: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." How can we recognize false teachers? Is there the ninefold fruit of Galatians 5:22-23? Is their love for the Lord obvious? Do they exalt books, tapes and other tools over the Bible with the excuse that without what their leaders teach, we can't properly understand Scripture? Are their leaders exalted more than Jesus? Do they love and honor God's Word? Do they want to lead people to the Lord or into their system? Do they have servants' hearts longing to build up people in Christ? Do they crave and pursue holiness of life, attitudes and values? Careful attention to these (and other) Biblical guidelines should enable you to avoid the clever traps that Satan's agents try to trap folk with and they often succeed with undiscerning believers. Note especially the warning at the beginning of the passage. These false teachers look and sound genuine and they can be very persuasive and pleasant people. Selah! For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ and no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (II Corinthians 11:13-15). Ron

"The Master and the Mission" in Matthew-37

If we saw a sign on a road that said, "Detour-Danger Ahead," most of us would pay attention to it. Some people will foolishly ignore the sign and end up being hurt or killed. Why is it that when people are spiritually on the wrong road that most of them will stay there and a few will detour to the safe road? We enter this life on the wrong road, the one that leads to eternal separation from God and righteousness forever. Jesus gave severe warnings about continuing on that road. In Matthew 7:13, He says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." No one has to stay on that road! There is a road that leads to Life eternal with God and righteousness forever. Jesus mentions that road in Verse 14, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." How tragic that only a few, comparatively speaking, leave the old road to walk in newness of life. We enter the gate to the wrong road at birth. The only way to detour is to have a new birth (John 3:3). That is the gate to the right road. It's a narrow road but He walks it with us and is there to guide us safely home. Once we enter this road, if we stumble, He is there to lift us. If we get off track, He is there to help us get back on track. Selah! He even sends His servants all along the old road to advise people to leave and move over on to the right road. Are you one of those servants? This is the most important rescue operation ever undertaken! Ron

"The Master and the Mission" in Matthew-36

Faithfulness in prayer brings results. Jesus teaches us to continue in prayer and the Word. He said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8). Ask God in prayer and keep asking. This doesn't mean that we are to keep at it until He gives in. It is calling for consistently keeping the matter open to His leading. If it is good, He will grant it in His timing, ".....no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." (From Psalm 84:11). Seek, and keep on seeking. Seek Truth from the Scriptures so that you are in harmony with God's principles. In addition, this will reveal His will for our lives. Remember, if we ask according to His will, He hears us. Knock, and keep on knocking. God often opens or closes doors in our lives. If it is wrong, He will close the door(s). If it is right and in His plan for you, He will open the right door(s). Denial, as well as granting, are ways that God guides. Knowledge of the Word keeps us from seeking that which is not good and can't satisfy. It can also protect us from harm and danger. Knocking (Spiritually speaking) implies that we must make an effort to be to be guided by Him. Selah! Asking, Seeking and Knocking are ways that God uses to show us if we are really serious about being subject to His will. Ron

"The Master and the Mission" in Matthew-35

Verse 6 of Matthew, Chapter 7 is one for us to examine closely. Jesus taught, "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Whatever else He meant, I suspect that He was indicating that there are limitations to offering Truth to those He called dogs and swine. Dogs can be vicious and pigs wallow in filth and contamination. Some people can be reached; others harden their hearts beyond remedy. "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy" (Proverbs 29:1). Those that have given in to heresy are less likely to listen to Truth. Paul, writing under inspiration, advised Titus to try reaching them up to a point. "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself" (Titus 3:10-11). A word of caution is called for here. Some people who seem impossible have opened their lives to Jesus after many attempts to reach them. We need to be discerning and very sensitive to the Holy Spirit's promptings. When dealing with folk like those above, pray for wisdom. It is promised to us in James 1:5, in these words, " If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Selah! Even if you sense it is time to back off, God may still use someone (or even you) later. He loves people even when they are obnoxious. Ron

"The Master and the Mission" in Matthew-34

Matthew 7, Verses 1-5, have been misused and misunderstood much too often. Let's look at the issue addressed: "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." The motivation behind judgment is a key to properly understanding this warning. Do we want to put a brother down without regard to his intent of heart? Do we try to make ourselves look better by comparison? Do we want to help another or just put him in his place? Elsewhere, Scripture calls on us to render righteous judgment and reminds us that we will judge angels. Is this a contradiction? Of course not! We must have concern for brethren. We should desire to be helpful. First, we check ourselves. Only when our backyard is clean, are we in a position to help another. If we must use firm confrontation, we must humbly examine our motivation. Be sure our attempt to correct comes from our own heart being right, with love for our erring brother, seeking his Spiritual good. Selah! Let the Golden Rule apply here. Don't judge in a way that you would not want to be judged. Ron

"The Master and the Mission" in Matthew-33

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:25-34). Some thoughts stand right out: 1). Child of God, why waste time, energy and health worrying? God will take care of you. 2). The key is to put God's Kingdom and His righteousness first. However, the motive must never be to serve God so that He will take care of your needs. We serve Him because we love Him. 3). We can't redo yesterday, we can't do tomorrow until it gets here and then it will be today. The only changes we can make is now. Live Godly, serve Him and quit worrying. (He is in control). Do it moment by moment now! Selah! In the words of Redd Harper's hymn: "Why think of tomorrow, just live for today, following Jesus each step of the way?" Ron

"The Master and the Mission" in Matthew-32

Matthew, Chapter 6, Verse 24, spells it out clearly, for any and all disciples: "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Living to make money and living to serve the Lord is mutually exclusive. Living to make money is to be encumbered with burdens and worries. It is possible to be directed by God to exercise stewardship in the use of money that can be invested for Spiritual ends. However, the motivation must be to serve Him, not to feather our nest. We recognize that it is His wealth and we only manage it, using Scriptural principles of finances. If He allows us to lose it (assuming we have been faithful in stewardship) it is His and causes no regret to us. Usually, if we are not living to make money, He will allow His money to be used by us for personal blessings to a certaint extent. The point is that no matter if it's money or in any other area, we are to be motivated by a desire to honor Him and advance the gospel. Living with this motivation relieves us of unnecessary stress and frees us from worry and fear, as we trust Him and submit to Him. Understanding the thrust of these two verses and acting on them, prepares us for the closing Truths of Chapter 6. Selah!When money (or other wealth) is used for His glory, it is a useful thing. When it is a means of catering to our personal selfish desires, it is a trap. Beware!         Ron