Matthew 7
COMMENTARY:
: 6 Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast you your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. (39 “holy” [hagion] means having the characteristics of moral and ritual purity, dedicated, set apart for God, consecrated, upright, or blameless.)
DEVOTION: In witnessing to others you will find individuals who could care less about spiritual matters.
In fact, they will make fun of you. You can talk to them and talk to them and all they will do is laugh at you. This can even happen with family members or good friends.
Once you become a genuine follower of Christ and start acting the way HE wants you to others will take notice and ask what is different. We had a deacon in one of my churches who was one who did drugs before he was saved. He thought he could go back to these friends and talk to them about Jesus. He went to their drug parties and started to witness and all they had to say is “What are you doing here.” He was at the wrong place doing the wrong things trying to witness for the LORD.
We have to pick the environment that will help us be a good witness. We have to have individuals alone to share the gospel. If we try to do it in a group many times there will not be any good response.
If we want to preach to a group it will still take individual instruction to help someone make a genuine commitment to the LORD. This also has to be followed up with more instruction for them to grow in the LORD.
CHALLENGE: We can’t leave a baby alone to grow on its own. We can’t leave a new believer alone to grow on their own in Christ either.
: 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (154 “ask” [aiteo] means keep on asking, beg, crave, request, call, or desire.)
DEVOTION: The Christian life seems to be so easy when you listen to the LORD Jesus Christ teach the people who are following HIM into the wilderness. The disciples are at HIS feet while HE continues to teach them about the life they must live to please the Godhead.
HE was a man of prayer while HE was on this earth. When HE had major decisions HE would fast and pray. HE would get alone with the Father and talk with HIM regarding HIS plans. HE would yield to the will of the Father.
We are commanded by Jesus to request things of the Father. We are told that if we seek them diligently they could be found. We are told to continue knocking on the door of heaven for answers to our needs.
God the Father will give better gifts than earthly fathers do to their children. Sometimes earthly fathers give things that might hurt their children. The heavenly Father will never give anything that will hurt HIS children. HE always gives the best. HE always gives what we need. HE always gives with the knowledge of what is good for us.
We sometimes pray for things that HE knows are not good for us. Other passages of Scripture tell us that we need to pray according to HIS will not our own. We really don’t understand what is best for us. We always think we do but in the end we realize that HE is only giving us what we can handle properly.
Continue to go to HIM in prayer believing that what HE gives will help us live a life that is pleasing in HIS sight. HE wants us to bring glory to HIS name and we can only do it when we understand that our prayer life is a lifeline to safety. It is safety sometimes from ourselves and our desires.
CHALLENGE: Never stop craving from the LORD what is best for our usefulness to HIM.
: 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (2081 “inwardly” [esothen] means within, inward man, your soul, a person’s inner self, or secret intents of the heart.)
DEVOTION: Throughout the Word of God the genuine believers are warned about fake believers. They will come with the right words and sometimes with the right actions to fool those who are not careful to evaluate their teachings and lifestyle.
The Bible asks us to follow the LORD through knowledge of HIS Word the Bible. There are places in the Bible that are hard to understand and also hard to read for some. It can confusion new believers but the LORD will always send someone alongside through the ministry of the Holy Spirit to assist those who are genuinely seeking to grow.
However, the enemy will send someone to us to try to lead us astray from the true teachings of the Word of God. These individuals will sound good and look good just like the Pharisees did in Jesus day. They said the right things and taught some right things but their lives were a lie. They were not living the way the LORD wanted them to live and they were not teaching properly. They were using religion to make themselves famous and rich. God judged them.
Many people seem to think that those who work seeming miracles in Jesus Name are nto false prophets but the LORD faces some of them on judgment day and says “I never knew you.”
Continually ask the LORD to give you discernment when a new individual comes into your life and wants to instruct you in the LORD. Never become a follower of one author or preacher. The one you are follower of is Christ. You are not of Paul or Apollos or Christ. You are only a follower of Christ.
CHALLENGE: Each human is still sinful and some of their teachings are still growing. Paul even stated that he had not arrived yet. Christ is sinless and HIS Word is always true.
: 28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayin the people were astonished at his doctrine. (1322 “doctrine” [didache] means doctrine, instruction, act of teaching, that which is taught or teaching.)
DEVOTION: In chapter four there were three types of ministry that Jesus was doing: preaching, teaching, and healing. Here we find another word that tells us that instruction was given concerning the life of a believer.
Jesus wanted HIS disciples to understand what the Christian life was all about. HE continued his teaching on the mountain. HE dealt with Christians judging others. HE dealt with them casting their pearls of wisdom before fools. HE wanted them to build their lives on the ROCK. That ROCK was HIM.
Many in the world think that they are Christians but they are not. It takes instruction to help them understand what it means to be a real Christian. Real Christians are going to produce good fruit. Real Christians are not going to have to stand before the LORD and beg to get into heaven. Real Christians are going to be given understanding from the Holy Spirit regarding what is happening in their lives.
Those who are given the responsibility to train the future leaders in our churches need to teach doctrine. The people in our churches need to understand the eleven basic doctrines that are found under this commentary. The people in our churches need to understand the disciplines of the faith that are listed below. Why? Because that is what a real Christian believes and practices in their daily walk with the LORD.
If we are not able to defend our faith after a few years of our Christian walk then maybe we are not walking with the LORD the way we should be. We need to study the Word of God to be a witness. We need to practice the disciplines of the faith to grow in our knowledge of the Word of God. We need to be encouraging one another to excel in our understanding of the Christian live through the Word of God. Are we studying? Are we instructing others? Do we have a church full of baby Christians or mature Christians?
CHALLENGE: The actions of those in the church will show what their foundation is built on!!!
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
Visit our Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.