Devotional Thoughts

Matthew 5:13-16     "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." These are the words of Jesus spoken to His disciples. I point that out so that we may clearly understand the audience to whom He was speaking. If we are disciples of Jesus Christ and seek to follow The Way, then these words are for us. These words give us a glimpse of how blessed we are and the responsibility that goes with that blessing. Jesus said we are the salt of the earth. We know from experience that salt contributes ...

Ephesians 2:10    "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." "For we are His workmanship." We are the product of God's planning and performing the work of grace upon our lives. Though that is true, we cannot blame God for our faults and failures. God is not the author of sin; therefore, it is our own doing when we fail to properly perform. I know for a fact anything good that is within me is the direct result of God's working in my life. And all goodness flows from us as the direct result of the finished work of redemption that was performed by our Lord Jesus Christ. And all goodness that flows from us is the direct result of the inward working of the Holy Spirit Who lives within us. So, in order for us to properly perform, we must understand that all power comes from our Heavenly Father. In Philippians 2:12-13, "... work out your own salvation with fear and tremblin...

Matthew 5:1-5     "And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." In the close of the fourth chapter of Matthew, we are told that great multitudes of people were following Jesus at this point. He went up into a mountain to be seen and heard. Notice that He likely ascended alone. Only after He was set did the multitude of disciples come up unto Him. It is interesting to note that one of the definitions of “set” as given in Thayer’s Greek Definitions is “to confer a kingdom on one.” Jesus was teaching and preaching that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. It was imminent in the time that Matthew wrote this gospel, and it is still imminent today. Our understandi...

Ephesians 2:1-9     "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  (2)  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  (3)  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  (4)  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  (5)  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  (6)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  (7)  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  (8)  For by grace are ye saved th...

Matthew 4:23-25     "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.  And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.  And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan." Jesus was of the tribe of Judah, and according to the law, He was not a priest. Jesus was not a scribe, a Pharisee, or a Sadducee. Jesus was not an officer of the temple. However, He was regularly found in the synagogues teaching from the Word of God. He travelled around Galilee preaching the gospel of His kingdom. He was able to heal all kinds of diseases an...