Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”  NKJV

The Aramaic word rendered mammon means:  confidence, wealth or avarice.  Most people make it exclusively money but it goes far beyond just wealth or material goods it reaches into the psyche and heart and is descriptive of where your confidence lies.  Jesus is making it crystal clear that it is not just difficult to serve two masters it is not possible.  A master demands loyalty and an undivided heart.  James addresses this as he speaks of a ‘double-minded’ person being tossed about by differing winds and circumstances.  It is a matter of what or whom holds our confidence.

I’ve been told that faith in God is nothing but ‘blind allegiance’ and that surely God helps those who help themselves.  I do believe that God helps those who labor to better themselves, provide for their families and fulfill their obligations and duties in life.  I do believe that God ascribes to the philosophy that the apostle Paul set forth when he said, “if a man will not work he should not eat” and that one who ‘does not provide’ for their own is worse than an infidel.  In that sense industriousness and investing time and effort into material, social, mental and spiritual progress is a worthwhile objective and commendable.  However, if our confidence and trust lies in that which we have amassed, learned, planned, schemed or developed above God it is MAMMON and a hindrance in our spiritual development and life.

If we develop an overriding love and trust in the security of our money, position, education or anything that equals our devotion to God and becomes our master it hinders our spiritual walk.  God is to be Master in our lives.  He is not a cruel taskmaster as we find in human masters but a loving Lord who has our best good at the forefront of His Lordship.  He demands our loyalty and will share His glory with nothing and no one.

Through the years I have encountered numerous people who charted a course for material success and would allow nothing and no one to infringe upon their pursuit.  Their spiritual life, social life, family life, community life took a secondary position to their driving passion to SUCCEED.  Some of them lost everything that most hold dear in their pursuit and climb to the pinnacle of material success and while they secured a very secure future for themselves and their heirs materially they were destitute spiritually.  They began trying to serve two masters and ultimately found that they could only serve one and their passion to achieve what they believed to be security overshadowed everything else including God.  They would argue vehemently that they were devout Christians and yet that which held their confidence was not God but that which they had produced with their own hands.  Mammon won, family, friends, church and God lost out in their lives or should I say they lost family, friends, church and God.

I would never suggest adopting a lazy approach to life or being haphazard in your preparation for the years upon earth but I would suggest that God must be above all at all times.  If we SEEK FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness He will provide.  He will open the doors, bring to light the opportunities and enable us to achieve that which is needed and should we not have the material success we hoped he will send ravens if necessary to bring that which is needed.  But, He MUST be LORD OF ALL.

Service is truly based on trust and we serve that which holds our hearts!  It is my genuine prayer and desire that each of us allow God to be NUMBER ONE in all things in our lives and reject all else that would divide our allegiance.   May God be with you as you go through this day!

John 8:1-12 – “But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”   6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.  

7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”  8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 

11 She said, “No one, Lord.”  And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” 

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”  NKJV

There are so many issues one could raise in this account including the hypocrisy of the Pharisees who brought the woman to Jesus.  How did they ‘catch’ her?  Was she ‘set up’?  Where was the man?  You cannot commit adultery alone can you?  Good and valid questions but not my focus in this devotional.

The accusers rightly quoted the Law of Moses about adultery’s penalty but the fact they were using this as a ‘gotcha moment’ to entrap Jesus is more important than what has transpired with the woman and the unnamed and unidentified man she was involved with.  Jesus’ response is arresting as he calmly addressed the Law, the requirements and allowances of the Law saying, “He who is without sin is to throw the first stone.”  It has been argued and with validity that His statement was not just a blanket statement about SIN but about this particular sin and thereby exposed them as guilty of like sin as this woman they were accusing.  No matter, they had sin in their hearts and as a result of the conviction brought but they words of our Lord they dropped their stones and left.

I find it interesting that Jesus would continue writing on the ground until He knew they had all left with heads hung low and said to the woman, “Where are those accusing you?”  He knew that the Law required two or three witnesses to bring about a conviction and since there were no witnesses He was not violating or ignoring the Law when He said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”  He was offering grace!  He was not justifying her action and clearly identified that in saying SIN NO MORE. 

He then says to everyone present, “I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”  This statement is incredibly powerful coming that the conclusion of the events of this account for these words identify the problem of SIN, the remedy for SIN and the HOPE of man.  This beautiful story can never be used to justify wrong but should always be used to present Grace and serve as a continual reminder that before we seek to condemn others we should look within at our own condition.  If the angels in heaven rejoice when one sinner is brought in how much more should we who have tasted God’s forgiveness rejoice?

            God bless you as you go through this day!

Matthew 18:15-20 – “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.  16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’  17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.  20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”  NKJV

I know a man who describes his way of handling conflicts and insists it is biblical.  He cites the passage in Luke 6 and says, “The Bible tells me if someone hits me on one cheek I am to turn the other and if they hit me on that one then I can knock them into kingdom come.”  When asked where the Bible said that he always responds, “Well it doesn’t say not do it!  It only tells me to let them hit me on both cheeks.”   He is right and he is wrong!  It did not say not to do it specifically but it does teach, in principle, that violence is not the solution.

In this passage our Lord specifically deals with handling conflicts between believers and although the principles can apply to everyone it is specifically speaking to those in the Body of Christ.  It is a method that most fail to follow and some would find absolutely unacceptable as a method of operation.  It is not a complicated process but a most difficult one to honestly follow in spirit and practice.  It is not a directive to become doormats or open yourself to abuse but a prescription to resolving conflicts and restore peace.

• If your BROTHER sins against you.

That is a clear identification as to whom those in conflict are.  We are not talking about difficulties with those outside the faith but those within.  IF or WHEN a brother or sister does something to hurt, offend, wound or harm you the door is open for a rift in the relationship and a division in the Body of Christ.  Therefore, when this happens…

• Go tell him or her what they have done.

Do not go in anger or self-righteousness but honestly go with a heart for restoration and honestly tell them your perspective of the situation.  IF they will hear you and your heart you have resolved the conflict before it festers into an open wound that brings pain and suffering to others.  This is to be private and confidential.  It is not to be a Facebook, Social Media, Twitter war but PRIVATE with restoration as the objective.

• If he or she rejects your appeal take or two reputable Christians with you.

DO NOT take someone who will be viewed as your shills.  Take someone of good report, well respected and of good reputation.  Take someone known for their objectivity and honesty.  Take someone that will not automatically rubber stamp your observations but can objectively hear both sides of the issue.  That will go a long way to resolving the matter.

• If that is rejected then and only then do you MAKE IT PUBLIC.

That can only become a reality if the Local Body (Church) understands and operates in biblical principles of conflict resolution.  It CANNOT become a popularity contest for that will only further divide.

You may be right but you will be wrong if you fail to follow the biblical guidelines for handling conflict.  If your objective is anything other than restoration it will fail for it is out of a wrong motive.  Then, apply the next verses to CONFLICT RESOLUTION and they will take a completely different meaning than the traditional usage of most Christians.  Binding and loosing, as mentioned here is in direct reference to resolving conflicts and God backs up right!  Agreement, as used here is in direct reference to CONFLICT RESOLUTION and brings power to our prayers especially when their objective is restoration.  God IS THERE in the middle of the conflict, not taking sides but observing the process.

            God bless you as you move forward in your Christian walk!

John 10:11-18 – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.  13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.  14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.  15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.  16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

 17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”  NKJV

Through the years I have been troubled by many even in the Christian church who endeavor to blame the Jews for Jesus’ death and have called them “Christ Killers”.  The Jewish hierarchy was responsible for pressing the issue to Pilate and wanted the death of Jesus because they considered Him a heretic and destructive to the ‘nation and place’.  They were motivated by ignorance and their theological understanding but WHO REALLY CAUSED THE DEATH OF JESUS?

If I take the Bible and our LORD’s declaration as factual, and I do, then man did not kill Jesus in the ultimate sense.  According to Jesus in the passage above He LAID HIS LIFE DOWN.  He further declared that NO ONE could take it from Him and that it was HIS CHOICE to die and rise again as a commandment from the Father.  Therefore, the Jewish religious hierarchy and the Roman rulers were tools used to bring about the defeat of Sin and open the door to redemption for mankind.

Some find it useful to hate particular groups of people for various reasons and then misapply scripture in an attempt to validate their views.  If we are to be true follows of Christ and the Bible is to be our guide for faith and practice we must allow the Bible to shape our views not misuse the Bible to validate our preferences.

When I think of the Cross I do not think of the Romans or the Jewish Sanhedrin, I think of my Redeemer who willingly gave His life for me.  I think of the Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World who died for the Sin of the World. I think of Salvation not a reason to hate another member of the human family.  It was a ploy of the devil to defeat the purposes of God and he mistakenly thought that the earthly death of Jesus would accomplish his end.  He was wrong then, wrong when he attempted to supplant God in heaven and continues to be wrong and will remain so throughout eternity.

Jesus had to go to the Cross to pay the price for our sin and to view the Cross as anything other than a display of LOVE for mankind is a mistake.  It is a revelation and demonstration of love in the highest order.  Jesus was not forced to go to the Cross, He choose to go there out of LOVE!  Therefore what really killed Jesus or sent Him to the Cross was SIN.  It was the sin of man!

            May the Lord be with you as you go through your day!

Mark 15:42-47 – “Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. 45 So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.”  NKJV

Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 12 that He would spend three days and nights in the heart of the earth and while they understood they did not understand.  The many prophecies regarding Jesus’ life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension had to be fulfilled but I must ask a question – “Why Was Time in the Tomb Necessary?” 

There are some far more accomplished in biblical commentary than I who can and have addressed this issue but let me offer something dropped in my heart as I contemplated this time of the year and the day the church identifies as “Good Friday.”  The disciples had demonstrated up to the time of Jesus’ death on the Cross that they still had not fully wrapped their heads around the Spiritual Kingdom rather held to the vision of an earthly one.  Deep inside there was still a flicker of hope that Jesus was going to overthrow the Roman’s and establish an earthly kingdom in which Israel was restored.  He tried to convey the truth to them and they believed in Him but their carnal minds still held to the desire of restoration in the natural.

I believe we can say without reservation that Jesus did not need to spend three days and nights in the heart of the earth for Himself.  Therefore, if He is spending time in the Tomb it must have us in mind.  He could have died on the Cross and aside from the prophecies arisen without the tomb and Salvation would have been purchased.  However, in order to confirm that He had truly died spending three days in the tomb provided indisputable evidence He was truly dead from the natural man’s view.  Still further the ‘Time in the Tomb’ provided an opportunity for the disciples to grieve the death of their Natural Restoration Hope and allowed the Death of their Dream to grip them.  They had believed in Jesus and hoped for Natural Restoration of their nation and not that hope was gone.

We call it Good Friday looking back on the events but they would never have called that Friday Good for the Tomb was ever before them signifying the death of their dreams.  The Time in the Tomb provides the foundation upon which the Holy Spirit can take the seeds that have been sown in death and allow them to germinate into life.  Had He not gone to the Tomb and stayed there three days the disciples might well have continued their Natural Restoration Theology and never transitioned into the True Kingdom of God and become a hindrance rather than powerful witnesses of the Gospel.

The Time in the Tomb was for mankind and now looking back we can call it GOOD FRIDAY for it marked the death of a natural dream and the birth of a spiritual reality called the KINGDOM OF GOD.  Sometimes in life we need Time in the Tomb to insure that only what rises is what God desires rather than persisting in the pursuit of the dreams that are the product of our own imaginations rather than the promise and purpose of God.

So on this GOOD FRIDAY I pray that God will allow you to see the death of any dreams not of Him in your life and as Jesus arose from the dead on that third day may His purposes rise to power in your life as well.   God bless you!

Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 – “Moreover I saw under the sun: 

In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there.  17 I said in my heart, “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”  KJV

Since the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden there has been a bent-ness or propensity for wickedness and iniquity in man’s heart.  One teacher said that when man fell in the Garden he was ‘born again backwards’ and in a sense that is true.  Man went from being a creature that was innocent to guilty.  He transitioned from a creature designed to live forever to one that had death reigning in his members.  He was transformed from a creature made in God’s image and likeness able to freely and fully fellowship with God to one who was manipulated and controlled by the devil and gave way to thoughts and deeds contrary to God’s heart and character.  The Fall of Man has been felt for centuries and Solomon writing here echoes that condition.

The writer states that as he observed mankind he witnessed that in the place where leadership and judgment should demonstrate righteousness, equity and morality there was wickedness, self-centeredness and righteousness has been replaced by iniquity.  This speaks not of political ideology but spiritual condition which often, if not always, shapes our ideology.  He continues in the next verses and notes that God views man’s condition and tests us and allows us to realize we are like animals not only in our lack of morality but in our brevity.

I am concerned that we are not concerned enough about the condition of man.  I am troubled that we are not troubled so deeply with man’s depravity that we are driven to the intercessors closet.  I am convicted that we are not convicted of sin more seemingly because we have allowed wickedness to reign in the seat of judgment and iniquity to replace righteousness in our world.  There was a time when many, if not most, of us were heartbroken over sin and I question in my own heart and in my observations today whether we are still that broken-hearted.  Oh God, please never let us become so calloused and conditioned by the presence of sin that we allow it to anesthetize us and render us insensitive to the tugging of the Holy Spirit.

I am convicted as I write today and experiencing contrition of heart and crying out in repentance to the Father asking Him to ‘renew in me a right spirit and create in me a clean heart.’  I never want to become so conditioned by the presence of sin that sin does not bother me as I know it bothers God.  I do not want to become a Pharisee but I do want to be broken and weep over sin.  I do not want my salvation to be solely for the purpose of missing hell and making heaven but a transformation to having the heart of God and desiring righteousness in all things and at all times.

            May God be with you as you go through this day!

Psalm 34:15-22 – “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.  16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. 

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.  20 He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. 22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.”  NKJV

If I had unlimited time or even the time and space of a normal church service I would break this down as exhaustively as I could but due to the limitations of both time and space I will skim over the surface hitting the high points.  I trust that the Holy Spirit will allow me to do so in such a manner that it is edifying.

My question in this, as in all passages containing promises from God, “Do we believe it?”  I do not mean superficially believe it or give it mental assent but do we so fully believe it that we willingly and with determination incorporate it into our personal paradigm of conscious thought?  Do we?

Let’s scan this briefly:

• The Eyes of the LORD.

The Psalmist declares that God is paying attention to His children with careful detail and interest.  He is watching what we do, seeing what we experience and listening to what we have to say.  The implication is that if He is watching and listening He is looking for opportunity to answer our prayers and take care of us.

Also the Psalmist states that God’s face is against those who do evil, his back is turned to them and His ear deaf to their cries (other than in repentance) and the ultimate end will be they will be cut off and left outside the family of God and the blessings and benefits afforded.

If we believe that we should virtually never grow anxious in life and should absolutely never be envious of anyone.  So, do we truly believe the declaration?

• Deliverance Is Promised.

He tells us that the Righteous cry out and God not only hears but delivers from that difficulty, trouble or problem.  He is always NEAR the broken hearted and if we are contrite (repentant and humble) He will rescue us and save us.

If we believe that why do we fret over things that come into our lives and worry about the outcome?  Therefore, I ask again “Do we truly believe the declaration?”

• Many Problems Total Deliverance and Protection.

All of us, at some time or another, have wondered why bad things happen to good people or why bad things do not always happen to bad people.  But, if we believe this declaration of Scripture the Psalmist is issuing we should be forever free of that torment.

He declares that MANY are the afflictions of the righteous.  Have you learned yet that life is filled with potholes?  He clearly states that although the righteous have problems God has not forsaken them and delivers from ALL those problems.  He further declares that God guards the bones and while this is particularly prophetic of the manner in which Jesus was dealt with at the Cross it is also a promise that God will ‘guard’ us and ‘protect’ us.  It is a beautiful picture of God’s deliverance in all aspects of life.

So, if we believe God’s Word and His Promises then let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us banish fear, frustration, fretting, and anxiety from our hearts and learn to walk in the Peace of God daily.   May God be with you as you go through your day!