Matt 6:28 “So why do you worry about clothing?”

There was a time, as a pastor, I dressed up in a suit every Sunday – three-piece with tie and shiny black shoes.
I had ties for Christmas, shirts for the 4th of July, and tie clasps for different occasions.
When I began preaching at Crossroads I began dressing more casually with slacks and a collared shirt.
That eventually gave over to blue jeans and pullover collared shirts.
Now you’ll see me in overalls most of the time.
One of the reasons I don’t wear a suit and have started wearing overalls is to remove an excuse.
You see, I have heard it many times when I invite someone to church – “I don’t have anything to wear!”
So, why do you worry about clothing?
It’s not what you wear, it’s that you’re there!
As long as what you wear is modest.
I’ll admit I have had to talk to a few young ladies about revealing clothing and a few young men about sloppy clothing.
Dress nice, dress casually, and don’t let clothing keep you from church.

Prov 18:17 The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him.

I was doing show prep for next week’s radio show and adding Proverbs to the lineup.
I came upon this verse that caused me to stop and think.
I don’t recall reading it before.
Better yet, I never paused and thought about it.
How true this nugget of wisdom for today.
Anyone can claim anything they want to but under cross-examination from someone else that also has some knowledge of the subject, things may change.
I think this scripture is important to use in the discovery of false prophets or errant teachers.
Someone can claim that God said this or that but does it cross-examine with God’s word.
Too many are willing to accept the word of a minister without examining it for themselves.
It’s easy not to do anything when a minister spouts Hebrew word here and Greek word there.
Languages we don’t understand seem daunting to try and define.
So it’s just easier to believe the minister.
It is important to seek the truth yourself.
If it agrees with the minister, you do well.
If not…

Matt 13:24-25 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.”

In a previous parable, Jesus said the good seed was the word of God planted in the heart of the listener.
Likewise, in this parable, the enemy also sows seed.
As both seeds sprout it is difficult to tell them apart.
You know the weeds will overgrow and choke out the good plants.
The servants wanted to do it immediately but the owner said they would end up pulling up the good plants with the weeds.
Given time, you will tell the difference between the two and weed out the bad.
God’s word is truth but the enemy, Satan, wants you to believe his word is true.
In my life, I have heard many “preachers” and read many books that seem true in relating to the word of God.
But as I grew I discovered inconsistencies in some of those teachings and writings, when I compare them to God’s word.
I had to weed out the bad before it choked the word of God in me.
Do not automatically believe every minister or every author that says, “Thus says the Lord!”
This includes me!
But check out for yourself with prayer, study, and the meditation of reading God’s word yourself to see if those things told you are true.
You must weed out your own garden!

John 9:1-3 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

It was, and often still is, common thought that birth defects, deformities, tragedies, and accidents are a result of sin.
Certainly sin effects every person but not necessarily in the way you think.
Sin attacks health, that is, without sin there would be no sickness, no deformities, and no death.
When the reign of sin ends those things will also end – Rev 21:4 “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Now back to the man born blind; although he is a sinner it wasn’t his sin or his parents sins that caused him to be born blind.
Sin is like a virus or a cancer
Paul said, “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.” Rom 7:11-12
Sin is like a virus or a cancer.
It spreads and takes it toll on everyone.
But the lesson learned from todays scripture is you can be better – you can do better.
You do not need to let sin destroy you.
Jesus came to destroy sin and give you a more abundant life.
There are many people that overcome deformities, accidents, and tragedies.
Do not let them define you but allow Jesus to define you through those things.
Be better!

John 8:2 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.

While reading early this morning (3:30 am) I came upon this verse and was reminded about all the other verses with “early” in them.
Gen 19:27 – And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD.
Gen 28:18 – Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.
Ex 24:4 – And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain,
Josh 6:12 – And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.
Mark 16:2 – Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
Early means different times to different people.
Early for me would mean 3-4 in the morning.
But if my wife says, “Let’s leave early”, I think more toward 7:30 am.
For others, early may mean mid-morning.
I don’t know what time Jesus arrived at the temple but people also came early to hear Him.
That tells me no matter what time you call early, the important thing is to spend time with God first.

Acts 19:16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

I believe in demons because Jesus has dealings with them, as did Paul.
Today’s scripture is what happened to some men who dealt with a demon without the benefit of the blood of Christ covering their lives.
Indeed, many people have personal demons they deal with every day with the same results.
Personal demons like alcoholism or drugs leap on the host and overpower them.
They are prevailed upon by these demons until they are exposed and wounded by them.
Certainly, there are great institutions and people that help individuals overcome these demons.
However, nothing is better for overcoming demons than a relationship with Christ – for even the demons are subject to you in His name.
And, although it is great when someone overcomes their alcoholism or drug habit, it is even better when they can say their name is written in heaven.

Acts 8:36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

Yesterday, we had two come forward for baptism.
In the latter part of last year, a woman that had accepted Jesus many years before came to present herself for baptism.
Baptism is an important part of salvation.
If someone accepts Jesus as savior, what hinders them from being baptized?
The eunuch asked the same thing of Philip.
Philip’s answer was “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” Acts 8:37
So it seems the heart is the key.
Belief in the heart gives permission for baptism.
However, the belief in the heart must overcome any phobias.
Some don’t like to draw attention to themselves, which baptism will do.
Some are the tiniest bit fearful of water.
Others, perhaps, fear the commitment that comes with baptism.
I am always honored when someone trusts me for their baptism.
As for the eunuch, he came up out of the water rejoicing and returned to his native land and shared the message of Christ.
There is no fear in baptism – only joy.

Matt 14:8 So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”

John’s preaching had offended the entire family.
Herod had taken his brother Philip’s wife.
Notice it says wife and not the ex-wife.
This is a case of adultery and Herod and Herodias are guilty.
Herodias is the granddaughter of Herod the Great and Philip is her half-uncle.
Now she is with Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great.
Herod the Great is the same that ordered the killing of the children after the visit of the wise men.
He is from Idumea (Edom) and therefore not a Jew of the lineage of Jacob but an Edomite from the lineage of Esau.
Herodias hated John for calling her relationship sinful.
So she had her daughter, Salome, dance for Herod and demand the head of John as payment.
This did not change her adulterous relationship.
In fact, she just added murder to her list of sins.
Many people go to church and hear a message that makes them uncomfortable.
They hear that what they are doing is sin.
Their solution: don’t go back to church, effectively beheading it from their lives.
The problem: it doesn’t change the message of the word of God – we are still sinners.
God’s solution is to listen to His word, repent, and accept Jesus as your savior.

Matt 14:27 “…do not be afraid.”

You’ve probably heard the Bible says “fear not” 365 times – one for each day.
That’s not exactly true.
While the Bible is full of phrases instructing you to not fear, the exact phrase “fear not” is not listed that many times.
Plus there are variations of the term like today’s scripture.
It’s difficult not to fear when you have no hope.
If you know Jesus as savior, then you have the only hope, so why fear?
Fear says, “I do not trust God with my future.”
I admit I have been afraid in my life.
I fear because of the unknown.
I also admit God is faithful in helping me every day.
The only reason I am afraid is that I forget God.
For God, there is no unknown.
So I need to trust in His knowledge for me.
All in all, God does not want us to fear and it does not matter how many times it says it in the Bible.
Once should be enough.

Matt 16:23 Get behind Me, Satan!

Familiar words.
Rough words.
Words said to Peter and I hope never said of me.
It doesn’t take much to get a label like Satan.
According to the remainder of the scripture when I offend God, I am like Satan.
When I am not mindful of the things of God, I am like Satan.
When I am mindful of the things of me, I am like Satan.
The solution: Col 3:2-3 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When I die to myself and live to Christ I effectively kill my Satan-like behavior.
Get behind me, Satan – not good words to have said to you but great words for you to say to him.