Matthew 7
Music has a powerful influence upon people. The beat of a song can usher us into joy, deep reflection, inappropriate behavior, and others make us feel invincible. The beat has a powerful draw upon us, often something we can’t explain, but we feel it running through our soul. Now, secular music (secular means separate from religion) we can imagine all the influences of sin, flesh, and the devil, but can such music infiltrate Christian borders? It sure can…and has.
Jesus tells a parable about a pasture land that is given to the sheep that follow Him (John 10:1-18). This peaceful pasture land is given through the gift of eternal life. The sheep represent those the Lord has called by name, loved, and cared for. Jesus said that the sheep know His voice and follow Him (into eternal life) – a stranger they will not follow (John 10:3-5).
Many people want to know how to hear God’s voice. However, the BIGGER desire (or question) must be to KNOW His voice. God speaks to us all (even before believing in Jesus)…and so does the devil (and our own lust). The issue is to recognize God’s voice above all others, so that when He speaks, you know it is the Lord.
Why do I always have to go through trials and temptation? I don’t want to continue facing the same things over and over and over AND OVER again! I just want to be free.
Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever felt like the Apostle Paul when he said that when he wants to do right, sin is right there (Romans 7:21)? OR the things you want to do you don’t do, but the things you don’t want to do, THAT you find yourself doing (Romans 7:15)? Many of us can relate to Paul’s statements of temptation and sin, but we often stop there without going any further. We continue to live in a cycle that goes from temptation-sin-repentance-temptation-sin-repentance and it never seems to stop. We want to get off the merry-go-round, but it doesn’t seem like we ever can. Why do I have to go through this? Why can’t God just take it away because He knows I want to serve Him. If I didn’t have this ‘sin’ issue, I could just run for Him.
Growing up, most of us can remember a Candy Lady being in our neighborhood. In the heat of the summer months and after school, we would look forward to homemade snacks, Chili Fritos, fruity ice cups, Jolly Ranchers, Now-a-Laters (as we called them), and Grab Bags. Somehow as adults, many of us desire some of the same ‘sweets’ within our homes, workplaces, and ministry. We want the best of sweetest of what life has to offer without any of the bad. We want to be told that we’re the best, great things are on their way, and we can have it all.
2 Timothy 4:3 – For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
As we mature in Christ, we must grow beyond wanting the delicate ‘candies’ of life. We must grow past wanting people to tell us what we want to hear rather than what we need to hear. We must live above tendencies that are a detriment to our health.
There are many reasons why we make the decisions we do. When we look back at the outcome of some of the decisions we made, sometimes we can’t understand how we got into such predicaments, how to get out of them, or what we can do to live as God desires. Listed below is an outline of why we make the decisions we do; the consequences behind them; and how we can make good (and godly) decisions.
1. What consumes our decision making?
- Fear of Man (Proverbs 29:25; John 12:37-43)
- Motives (Proverbs 16:2; James 4:2-3)
- Friend of the World (1 John 2:15-17)
- Emotions (Proverbs 19:2)
- Sin/Temptation (John 3:19-21)
Romans 2:1 – Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
Have you ever judged someone…forgetting you may have done the same thing (or still doing it)? In the verse above and the previous chapter, Paul was writing about people that knew God, but did not glorify Him as God or was thankful toward Him (Romans 1:21). As they ‘progressed,’ their hearts were darkened and they engaged deeper into ungodliness. God would eventually give them over to uncleanness through the lust of their own hearts (1:24), vile affections (1:26), and a reprobate mind (1:28).
What were some of their actions?
1. Knowing God, but did not glorify Him as God or was thankful (1:21)
2. Became vain in their imaginations (1:21)
3. Their foolish hearts were darkened (1:21)
4. Changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image (1:23)
5. Worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator (1:25)
6. Men and women leaving natural affections and lusting after one another (1:27)
7. Did not retain God in their knowledge (1:28)
8. Filled with unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful (1:29-31)
…remember, this is people that knew God…
In Romans 2:1, Paul states that if we engage in the actions listed above, we have no excuse to judge others. So what should we do?!
1. Repent and pray.
2. Remain silent, verbally and mentally.
3. Show empathy for others because if we think back, we’ll remember how hard it was for us during the same period of our lives.
4. Support and restore them in a spirit of meekness (Galatians 6:1).
It seems easy to point the finger at other people and look at the ‘mess’ in their lives, but by doing so, we set ourselves to be judged in the same manner (Matthew 7:1-5). Remember when you may have been in the same situation…
Photo courtesy of freeimages.com/Billy Alexander
Luke 13:22-30 – And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
From this parable, we discover two separate ‘groups.’ Both groups may have started on the outside of the house, but some made the effort to enter through the narrow door of the house. The door of the house represents the entrance into the kingdom of God.
Why did some not enter?
Matthew 7:6 – 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.
When some people think about dogs and swine, they may think of evil sinners and others that mistreat or hate Christians. However, Matthew 7:6 pertains to ANYONE that is unable to appreciate or accept holy and precious gifts of God (knowledge, wisdom, etc.), even if they profess to be a Christian. Just because someone professes to be a Christian, their fruit will prove if they are (Luke 6:43-45).
Photo courtesy of deviantART/squidpig
1. Superheroes have a hidden identity. As children, most of us watched superhero cartoons. We would witness people with superhuman strength and abilities entrusted to stop evil and create a safer environment for city. Many of the superheroes had a separate identity among the public. (I never understood why the animators would do this because it would be a lot easier to for the superhero to remain ‘super’ all day, but I guess superheroes have to make a living too.) They could easier conceal their identity and no one could figure out who they were.
As Christians, we should not live in this manner. Jesus is calling us to be a light in the world (Matthew 5:14-16). We must allow our light to shine so that others may see our good works and praise our Father in Heaven.
Unfortunately, many of us hide our identity as Children of the Most High. We hide behind other characteristics that conceal our true identity. We display characteristics of anger, malice, sexual sins, robbery, lying, etc. No one would ever believe you were a Christian – even if you told them!
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.
1. Many false prophets (and teachers) dwell among our congregations. Most people would probably be surprised because they think they could recognize these individuals easily. The goal of a false prophet is to be among the people without being identified in order to spread their message.
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