Devotional Thoughts

Matthew 5:31-32     " It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery."   I realize there are varying interpretations of divorcement and what comprises the grounds for it. It is an emotionally charged situation filled with heartache, sorrow, and anger. Whatever your view, one thing is clear by Jesus’s words here. Divorcement is not simply a legal proceeding to afford people an “easy way out.” Jesus tells us that there is no reason for putting away of the wife except for fornication. Fornication is defined in a variety of ways. One definition is sexual activity between unmarried parties, while another definition is sexual activity between two people not married to each other. The Greek word for fornication is also the...

Ephesians 3:8-13     "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;  (9)  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:  (10)  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,  (11)  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:  (12)  In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.  (13)  Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory." "That's too hard! I can't do that! There's not enough of us to be able to do that. Somebody else needs to do that."  How many times have we heard that, or maybe even been guilty of saying it or ...

Matthew 5:27-30     " Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." Jesus continues to teach His disciples from the mountain. In earlier verses, He begins by telling us about the many ways in which we are blessed and what the fruit of those blessings is. He then begins to address man’s idea of righteousness as opposed to God’s idea of righteousness. The kingdom life is found in understanding and seeking the st...

Ephesians 3:1-7    "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,  (2)  If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:  (3)  How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,  (4)  Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)  (5)  Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;  (6)  That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:  (7)  Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power." I used seven verses this morning because that is one complete sentence. Paul wrote long sentences. Just a side note here - I never thought 4th grade diagramming sentenc...

Matthew 5:21-24     " Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;  Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."   Remember that the words we are reading were spoken by Jesus to His disciples. As His followers, we are held to a higher standard than simply what is acceptable from a legal standpoint. Jesus had just declared that our righteousness must exceed that of the lawyers and the self-righteous (Matthew 5:20). ...