45 Days in the Gospels: Day 3

Matthew 6-7

- Humility is a part of holiness. Jesus starts chapter 6 by talking about privacy in your relationship with God.

Not that you should hide your relationship with God and nobody knows, but that you do not serve God, pray, and fast to win men's approval.

To be honest (I hate this part of blogging... the honesty), I struggle with this. As a pastor, I want my relationship with God to be respected and seen by the teens and adults and children at our church. And at the same time, I do not want to make what God commands to be private a public thing.

I find it very difficult not to "brag" about my spiritual growth. I want to share lessons that God is teaching me without coming off as self-righteous. It is a difficult line that I tread.

Oh yeah, and humility is something I struggle with. But you all already knew that.

- The Lord's Prayer is a whole lot harder than what we quote. The paragraph continues with verses 14 and (more specifically) 15... But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

We always seem to miss this part. I know that we have already said Amen, but Jesus makes a very important statement... and we seem to forget about that one.

- Worrying is a sin. That's right... worrying and stressing is a sin. If you think about it, what are you worried about?

God is Sovereign over EVERYTHING. He is completely in control. Do you honestly think that you have any control? Do I think I have control? HECK NO!!!

Why worry? God is going to do what God is going to do. In the word's of my favorite philosopher (3-year old, Josh Jackson) God says "I do what I want."

-Don't judge me! You don't know me! You don't know my life!!! You ever heard that phrase? I have heard a few too many times.

The problem is that my judging them is making me a hypocrite. What makes me any better than anyone else? Paul thought he was the chief of sinners; He never met me though.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm a HUGE sinner. And I'm the worst kind, I'm a self-righteous sinner. I think I'm better than you. (just being honest) And that is a sin. And I apologize. Pray for me...

- Are you saved? Seriously, are you? And then again, am I?

How can anyone read Matthew 7:13-27 and not doubt their salvation? If you don't know what I am talking about take some time and meditate on what it is actually saying.

Then, examine your life. What gate are you going through? What path are you traveling? What fruit do you show? What are you building your life on?

And just because you know the right answer doesn't necessarily mean you are doing it. Take some time and search yourself.