Devotional Thoughts

Matthew 7:12-14     " Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.  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:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."   We have heard it called “the golden rule.” Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. We need to consider this instruction from Jesus very carefully. It does not guarantee us that people are going to be good to us if we are good to them. This instruction was not given as a formula for reciprocation in life. The issue here is that we are to treat everyone like we want to be treated. This is a basic truth of discipleship. We are to do this every day regardless of how we are treated in return. This instruction was not a new thing; even the law and...

Ephesians 5:21-33     "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.  (22)  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.  (23)  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.  (24)  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  (25)  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  (26)  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,  (27)  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  (28)  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  (29)  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherish...

Matthew 7:7-11     " 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.  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"  These instructions are so simple that we may simply glance at the words and move on. Or we may think about things that we asked for and sought after that we never got. The source of the problem lies in verse eleven. Here, Jesus speaks of those He is addressing as being evil. Let us be reminded this morning of who this audience was (and is). Jesus was speaking to His disciples (Matthew 5:1). The word translated as “evil” carri...

Titus 3:1-8  (1) Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, (2) to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. (3) For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. (4) But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, (5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, (6) whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, (7) that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (8) This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.  Tit...

Matthew 7:3-6     " 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.  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." I remember as a child, I was once talking about some fault I had seen in someone else. Hearing my comments, my grandfather remarked to me, “Boy, you just remember that it is always easier to see the dirt on the other man’s coattail.” I never read today’s scriptures without thinking of that incident. My grandfather’s words were the country version of Jesus’s words in verse three. A mote is defined as a dry ...