Ritualism or God
Matthew 21:18-19 – “Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.”
As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, something out of Judges and Matthew captured my attention. Some churches and individuals have nothing but form and maybe a faint memory of God’s presence and power. Everything is rote ritualism but devoid of God.
Samson is an example. He became so friendly with the world (Delilah) and so presumptuous about God’s favor that he lost his strength. Judges 16:20, “He did not know (realize) that the LORD had departed from him.”
In Matthew 21:18-19, we see the barren fig tree. Jesus was hungry. Jesus saw a tree that looked fruitful on the outside (actions & words). Jesus found no fruit and cursed the tree at its roots.
How many churches and individuals have the appearance but no presence (fruit)? How many go through the routine and do not know God has departed? Maybe they never knew anything but form. Maybe they no longer believe in or expect power.
What is the answer? Matthew 22:36-40. We are to love God with every fiber of our being and love our neighbors as ourselves. If we get those two right, and everything else gets right.
It all begins with LOVE! It all continues through LOVE! Do we love God with our all? If we do not, we cannot love our neighbors rightly. If we do not love our neighbors, whom we can see, how can we love God, whom we can’t see? LOVE is the motivation and vehicle by which we become!
LORD, help us to avoid ritualism and enter your presence!
Spiritual Poverty
Matthew 16:6 – “And Jesus said to them, ‘Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, several realities filled my thoughts. Natural thinking leads to spiritual poverty. In Matthew 16, the disciples had forgotten to take bread (needed provisions). In verse 6, Jesus warned about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Natural thinking robbed them of Revelation.
In verse 8, Jesus called their faith small. He reminded them of the miracles of feeding the multitudes. In other words, “Hey guys, you are concerned about bread! Remember what I did! I have already demonstrated that natural food is not a problem.” Having the wrong focus opens the door to wrong actions.
Natural thinking prevents one from having God’s fullness. Matthew 18:16-20 is a powerful reminder of the path to peace and plenty, or poverty spiritually. Sin is never ignored, but restoration must be the goal. Go to them “in private.” That is key #1.
Then, take 2 or 3 for a second meeting. This is not a gang of buddies but godly, prayerful, objective, and informed people whose hearts are for restoration. Their counsel may be to you as well as the offender. The objective is not exposure; it is restoration.
Then, take it to the church. Do you notice something missing? It is private, and before the church, not a public proclamation of their sins and failures. That is not seeking restoration. God’s desire is restoration!
In verses 21-22, Peter spoke out of natural thinking. He sought to limit forgiveness, but Jesus made it unlimited. Natural thinking wants justification for its anger. Spiritual thinking seeks restoration even at the expense of hurt.
The key is Matthew 19:21. Die to self, release everything to God (even your hurt). That which holds your heart controls you. My heart breaks for the offender and the offended. Both need healing and restoration. I’m praying for an outpouring of the mind of Christ to break the power of natural thinking.
LORD, help us to avoid Spiritual Poverty and live in the Abundant Life of Jesus!
Lord, I Am Trying
Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, godliness became my focus. Sadly, too often, even the most well-intentioned fall into the trap of religious legalistic living. How many times have I heard someone say, “I’m trying to live for God!”
That’s the problem, we are trying to live godly through the strength of the flesh. It is impossible for us to live for God through human effort. We have to live a life that flows from Him as He lives “in” us. The godliness of our lives is reflected in His life, nature, and character shining through. In Matthew 11:28-30, we have the infamous declaration of Jesus for us to take on His yoke.
Some have the mistaken view that coming to Jesus and giving Him our concerns means immediate ease and that all our problems magically go away. Godliness is not ease but trust. It is not the absence of problems but the faith and courage to endure. It is to relax rather than fretting and trying to figure out how to fix it. Flesh-driven lives have no true peace. Godliness overflows from peace.
In the parable of the sower, we see a picture of life. How many hear the Word, the Promise, or the prophetic and rejoice only to find that shortly their focus is on the problem and their joy is gone. They toss and turn, worry, and fret, and are left empty. (Matthew 13:20-21).
In Matthew 14, we have Jesus walking on the water and Peter’s request. Peter got the Rhema to “come.” We get our Rhema Word in our situations, and then we have a choice: faith or fear. Faith gets out of the boat and stands on the Word. Then many find that they are like Peter, they refocus, and the cares of life overwhelm them. If we are going to enjoy the provision of a life of godliness, we must not lose focus and refocus on the cares of life. He is God!
We must decide to die to the flesh and allow the Holy Spirit to bring the life of Jesus to fullness in us. The song “I Surrender All” embodies our need. When did God put us in charge? Well, He did not? Then, why are we trying to do what only He can do?
LORD, help us to stop trying and start living!
Reciprocity
Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return.”
As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, the thought of reciprocity would not leave. Reciprocity is in the Law of Sowing and Reaping. Reciprocity is the Law of Harvest as seen in Luke 6:38. It is involved in our interpersonal relationships.
In Matthew 7, the focus is on judging. In verses 1-2, we have a clear example easily understood. Then in verses 3-5, there is the warning, “Before you throw rocks at another, take a long look in God’s mirror.”
Matthew 7:12 is applicable. The Golden Rule is contained in the Law of Reciprocity. Then, verses 13-21 should shake us to our core. Before we judge the fruit, we must be sure it is fruit, not our opinion we are basing our judgment on.
Likewise, verses 21-27 are disturbing. It is not what we have done, but the condition of our hearts that matters. In verse 24, Jesus speaks of hearing Him. Hearing implies understanding, and heeding transforms truth into life and walks it out in a practical way daily.
In every facet of life, we reap what we sow. Reciprocity! That reality should be our daily radar and guidance system.
Lord, help us always look in Your mirror before we do anything.
Who Rules?
Isaiah 8:13-14 – “It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread. 14 “Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, and a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, several things flooded my mind. One question that arose was, “Who Rules and Who Gives Authority?” I heard, in my heart, “If people make you King, who rules?” It is not rocket science – They do!
When the people came to Jesus with the intent of making Him King, He fled to the mountains. That was one of the most presumptuous acts in the Bible. Imagine, mortals, trying to make Jesus King! Jesus could not be made King; He was King.
Today, everything called Apostolic emphasizes form, but the true Apostolic offers no emphasis on Form; it is on Formation. God is creating New Wineskins to house the New Wine of the Holy Spirit He is pouring out. But realize that we only need New Wineskins if we have New Wine. The New Wine Skin does not produce the Wine. The New Wine produces the need for the New Wineskin.
Something interesting transpired when two of John’s disciples began to follow Jesus. He saw them and asked, “What do you seek?” They responded with a question, “Where do you dwell?” They didn’t ask which groups were right, which doctrine was pure, or what form of worship they should pursue. NO, they asked, “Where do you dwell?”
That is the secret to moving into Kingdom Authority and living the Kingdom Lifestyle. The focus is Him! We are transformed by what we Behold, and if we are focused on anything but Him, we will be molded into that image. We need to discern between what God blesses and what He inhabits.
For example, when the Glory fills the Temple, it is not the Temple that gets our attention but the Glory that fills the Temple. Remember Ishmael? God made him a great nation and blessed him. God blessed him but did not inhabit his works. Isaiah 8:13-14, “It is the LORD of Hosts whom you should regard as Holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread, then He shall become a Sanctuary.”
God is calling His people to become the Kingdom of Priests He designed and desires us to be. The Church Jesus is building and coming back for is a body, not a building. It is an organism, not an organization. It is a life, not a set of regulations!
It is time to be who He says we are! It is time to live like He says we can live! It is time to sound the war cry and possess the promises! Are you willing?
LORD, help us to be fully committed to your purposes!
Roy's Covenant Corner 