Matthew, 40 Days thru NT

  

Enter Jesus. A king without a crown. Born without a palace. Yet He comes with honor that breaks the heavens with angelic praise; comes with such authority that men are afraid to even loose His sandals; with such sovereignty that glory interrupted a water baptism to alert everyone that God was among them. 

This is Jesus. God and man. 

Reading into Matthew, I’ve taken a radical challenge to look at this Gospel with an attitude that I’m going to read like this is all new to me. Like its a new TV series. The “episodes” so far in Matthew have been wild and riveting.  I plan to share some more on what God has been showing me already from the first seven chapters I’ve read today. 

Welcome you to join our #The40DayNewTestamentChallenge. 40 days, 28 minutes each day reading through the 27 books of the New Testament. It’s going to be wild! Read or listen- let’s get fed! 

Please share what you’re reading here or Twitter: @johnbell360!  

Today Starts 40 Day NT Reading!

 

Today begins 40 day reading through the New Testament. You can read the Bible or listen to it.  I’m reading the @YouVersion plan ‘The 40-Day New Testament Challenge’. Check it out here: 

http://bible.com/r/Dz

Share what you learn either here in the comments below or on Twitter: @johnbell360!  Maybe you prefer evening than morning it doesn’t matter as long as we getting that food for the soul! 

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! (‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭8‬ NKJV)

Read Through the New Testament with Me!

  

Let’s be real: we are better together. Sharing the Gospel. Serving at church….pulling weeds. We are able to do great things as a body of believers. 

I struggle reading my Bible. It’s pretty hard for me to sit down and concentrate to do anything. Especially if there’s a butterfly outside or somebody is watching “Sherlock” in the next room. 

My friend David rallied me to join his challenge to read through the New Testament in 40 days. I’m passing the baton to you. 

Why don’t you join us! 

TOMORROW Read together through New Testament in 40 days. 

That’s roughly 28 minutes a day. You can read the Bible or listen to it. We can even share what we learn as we go along either here or on my Twitter feed @johnbell360! 

 I’ll be reading the @YouVersion plan ‘The 40-Day New Testament Challenge’. It will help me ignore the butterflies. Check it out here:

http://bible.com/r/Dz

Changing Your Circumstances

 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! (Luke 15:17 NKJV)

You can always change.

The Prodigal son demanded his inheritance, and when he got his share of his father’s estate, he went out wasted it on wild living. Bankruptcy found him and a famine followed after, driving him to the epitome of labor, feeding swine.

Life hit rocked bottom for this young man. He landed in a pit which set only gloom over his young life. It seemed that he would forever live under the status quo of being destitute and unwanted.

But the Bible said that “when [the Prodigal] came to himself…” There is a shift in the current, a sudden change in the way his life is going. He came to his senses and sought to better himself. He realized that life was better at home and he was going to make things right with his father, even if it met being his servant.

When it seemed like The Prodigal reached a point of no return in his life, the young man arose from his circumstance and made a change. The end of his resolution was an anticipated father, a welcome home party and the reconciliation of a father and son.

Seldom do people climb out of the rut in their lives. Society assumes that people are victims of their circumstances, that they are hopelessly enslaved to the life of their environment. Nothing can be further from the truth. 

Whatever has happened to you does not have to define you. The triumphs of our lives is how we respond to our circumstances.

History shows great men and women who through the ages made timeless impressions that came from terrible backgrounds. Israel would not have a deliverer if Moses allowed his past as a murder to define him. Lincoln would not have become one of America’s greatest presidents, if he decided to quit after he lost eight times running for office.

The Prodigal was under the circumstances, but he came to his senses and changed his life. The sun is always behind the clouds. Don’t let the darkness then run your life. Own the day! What is even better is that you’re not alone. Remember that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4 NKJV)!”

Don’t like how you’re living your life. Don’t cope with it, CHANGE IT.

Today is a day to change! 

Your Heart, Home for God’s Word

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ NKJV)

Devotional author Kay Arthur has a real cozy way to explain verse:

“God wants His Word to be a home to us”.

Who is a stranger in their own house? Is there anywhere that I can kick up and relax – it’s my own home! It’s a place of refuge, security and familiarity – a sense of belonging.

Having God’s Word dwell richly within us is letting the message about Christ become a place of belonging in our lives.

It’s me opening my Bible each day with desire.

Reading the Scriptures should be just a fluid as me using the facet. I regularly use the facet because I want to use it; I need to use it; (my family likes me using it too especially I first wake up and apply the toothbrush to the tongue) and because I enjoy to use it.

The message of Christ was much at home to Timothy. Paul regarded this when he wrote to Timothy:

“…from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (II Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬ NKJV).

Growing up in the Word was a part of Timothy’s life. It was home to him!

Let the Word live in your life. Make it something you delight to seek.

Don’t just read it. Welcome it home!

Desiring God vs Dating

There is such a great wealth in being content with desiring God. It is futile to live to culminate earthly treasures that will ultimately sift through our fingers when we leave earth at death.

And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. (I Timothy 6:8 NKJV)

So what about romance? There is nothing under this profile of contentment in 1 Timothy 6 that talks about being content with being single!

After all, wasn’t God who said, “It is not good that man should be alone.” (Genesis 2:18 NKJV)?

God did said that. In fact, Proverbs 18:22 says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord.”

So what’s the problem, John? I find a wife: it makes God happy, and He even blesses me with His favor.

I interrupt the eharmony chat room only on this ground: Is she/he the upmost pursuit to win your greatest interest? In other words, is she the center of your drive through life?

If so, you might need to evaluate.

Check this out. You’ve decided to follow the Son. I mean that’s why you’re reading this blog right?…right?

Then what does this verse convey to you?

If then you were raised with Christ [dead to sin and now alive in Christ as this new creation] seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1 NKJV)

Seek Heaven’s treasures: golden streets, big mansions, loved ones and crowns. No. Seek those things which are above: where Christ is. The things we glean from above is the outcome as we set on eyes on Jesus. The focus is Christ. He is our life.

Read what follows verse three:

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3 NKJV)

This new life we have been rebirthed in is inside Christ. So we set [our] mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:2 NKJV) because Christ is literally our life now.

I’m all for relationships! I just want you to see that Christ is crazy about you.

You know enough that in any romantic relationship, you need to give your everything for that person. Christ gave Himself for you that He might redeem you from sin. And it goes on. Read Ephesians 1 and see some great blessings of God you have in Christ!

He is jealous over you (Ex 34:14). In my opinion, I wouldn’t venture in a relationship, if you’re cheating on your first love!

Being content in God is great wealth in itself. Romance should never steal your heart from loving the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV)

Enjoy relationships but enjoy God more.

Prize the Moment!

How can we live everyday and not be moved by the awesome fact that, those who are in Christ, possess an immediate, intimate, inspiring, lively relationship with Almighty God?

When Martha had Jesus all to herself, she busied herself! How can you entertain the God in Man at your home and be distracted with serving?!

Jesus diverted her back to what was important: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41, 42 NKJV)

Martha’s sister, Mary, seized the moment to be at the feet of Jesus. While I’m sure whatever Martha was preoccupied with was important, being alone to enjoy Christ is an advantageous privilege in itself.

Serving God is vital; but don’t let that work supersede your relationship with Christ. He is a Treasure to be prized!

Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer

Here’s a great book to refresh that zeal to chase after God: Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer.

Tozer in his book confronts various life transitions that permeate our lives, steal our attention in seeking God and leaves us complacent. You will find that though this book is over 50 years old, that is still very relevant today.

Pursuit of God can be a good warm up to restart your chase after God!

Phil 1:21 vs Phil 2:21 Christian

My buddy Carlo in our prayer group commented, “There are two types of Christians: A Philippians 1:21 Christian and Philippians 2:21 Christian”.

Philippians 1:21 Christian lives by the verse: For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21 KJV)

This Christian understands God is passionate for His glory. He looks at the Scriptures and accepts the fact that he was created to exalt God. His life channels through this verse:

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (I Corinthians 10:31 NKJV)

This person sees and reflects the glory of God as the Spirit makes him more and more like Christ (2 Cor 3:18). He accepts that his life was predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29 NKJV).

He leaves behind the past and sees himself in the aftermath of his choice to follow Christ. He accepts that he is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17) and that the life which [he] now live in the flesh [he] live by faith in the Son of God, who loved [him] and gave Himself for [him]. (Galatians 2:20 NKJV).

To him, salvation wasn’t an insurance of eternal security from everlasting damnation, but a sorrowful repentance of his rebellion against God and a sincere acceptance of God’s offer of mercy by believing in Christ’s shedding of His holy blood, he is remitted of his sins and is imputed Christ’s righteousness.

Being born again to him is to be an imitator of God (Eph 5:1). He realizes when 1 John 2:6 says, “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (I John 2:6 NKJV), he sees that he must “deny himself, and take up his cross and follow [Christ] (Luke 9:23 NKJV).

To him, he counts all things as loss for Christ (Phil 3:7). He views the mercy God had on his life, and he gives up his wants, dreams, ideas, presumptions, goals, plans, ambitions, desires, temptations to live for the wants of God (Rom 12:1). He isn’t entangled with the culture of this world (2 Tim 2:4; Rom 12:2), rather he aims for Christ always to be magnified in [his] body, whether by life or by death. (Philippians 1:20 NKJV).

Suffering for Christ is not a trifle, but a privilege (Phil 1:29).

His joy is unconditional. His delight sings the same song: Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. (Psalms 73:25 NKJV).

Death is not a dead end to him, but the obviosous anticipation to desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. (Philippians 1:23 NKJV).

The profile of the Philippians 2:21 reflects the verse: For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:21 NKJV)

His life is centered on himself. He abuses the grace that Christ dreadfully purchased for him (Rom 6:1). He lives totally to gratify himself. Although his pattern of lifestyle can be affiliated with a follower of Christ, his true colors are as the Apostle Paul describes:

For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame— who set their mind on earthly things. (Philippians 3:18, 19 NKJV)

He is hindrance to the advance of Christ, because (pretty much) he is in the way. His religion is impure and defiled (James :27), because he lives well and sees others in need and takes no pity on them (1 John 3:17). His wealth is stored for the here and now. He is so ineffective to share the Gospel because he is so preoccupied with life here on earth. Every success he makes, he perceives it as a blessing and blames the Devil or even God for any discomfort.

He is pretty much useless to the cause of Christ (Luke 14:34-35). These words of Christ label his worship: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. (Matthew 15:8 NKJV)

He believes that he is a valuable asset to God, but he is actually nothing more than a whitewashed tomb (Matt 23:27).

What he says in his heart is what Christ condemn to the Church of Laodicea: Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— (Revelation 3:17 NKJV)

Both profess Christ, but they don’t walk the same path. Which of these profiles address to you?

…When you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.
-Francis Chan, Crazy Love

Dealing With Heartache

Dealing with heartache is a life transition that still today I struggle traveling through.

Maybe everyone does.

Old Wounds seem to reopen and refresh their infliction. Last night I reminisced a girl that I really loved and I grieved for her all over again. It seemed it was just yesterday that this pain occurred.

Some immediate remedies I find in the Bible are “the Lord is close to the broken hearted” (Psalms 34:18 NKJV). Strength to find that God will meet me at my pain.

“Pour out your heart before [The Lord]” (Psalms 62:8 NKJV). I can cry to God. That’s soothing to me that I can just fall apart to Someone. I can just vent all my hurts, upsets, etc to Him.

It’s been 18 years since God adopted me into His family. I do feel belonged to Him, but honestly there are times where I still struggle with just running to Him first and disclose my pain, rather than dealing with it my way.

I think also that I’m just feel pulled to releasing my hurt to another human soul. Even then Jesus is also man who sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15 NKJV).

Please if you can pray for me.

Thank God that He is a refuge to all of us, especially during the storms of life.