Wisdom – Hope for Complete Healing

Conclusion of Jesus’s First Sermon – The Wise Obey.

Below, I summarize Jesus’s instructions in His first sermon with links to the related post to learn more.

Matthew 5:13-20 – Be the salt and light for the world by showing our faith by our good works and giving glory to our Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:21-24 – Do not murder by being angry and insulting a fellow Christian; instead, seek peace.

Matthew 5:25-26 – Appeal to your accuser and make it right with the person you wronged.

Matthew 5:27-32 – How to control defiling thoughts of lust.

Matthew 5:33-37 – Do not take oaths. Let your “yes” be yes, and your “no” be no.

Matthew 5:38-39 – Do not retaliate.

Matthew 5:40-41 – Give extra to those who ask.

Matthew 5:42 – Give to beggars and borrowers.

Matthew 5:43-48 – Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 6:1-4 – Do not practice your righteousness to be noticed by others.

Matthew 6:5-15 – Pray to your Father in heaven and forgive anyone who has sinned against you, just as your Father in heaven has forgiven you.

Matthew 6:16-18 – Do not fast or give to be noticed by others. Our reward is from God.

The Wise Person Helps the Poor

Matthew 6:19-24 – Serve God, not money.

Matthew 6:25-34 – Do not be anxious (concerned) about anything but seek first God’s kingdom.

Matthew 7:1-6 – Be careful how you judge.

Matthew 7:7-11 – Ask, seek, and knock through prayer and expect answers.

Matthew 7:12 – Treat others as you would have them treat you.

Matthew 7:13-14 – Enter by the narrow gate and not by the wide gate that leads to destruction.

Matthew 7:15-20 – Recognize false teachers by their fruit and avoid them.

Matthew 7:21-23 – Do your heavenly Father’s will to enter His kingdom.

What is your impression of Jesus’s first sermon? Would you attend His church if He was the pastor, and you heard this sermon? No doubt, His teachings are hard to understand and follow in our earthly minds. Understanding Jesus’s lessons requires the Holy Spirit’s help. For those who received Jesus by grace through faith are raised up and seated in the heavenly place with Him (Eph. 2:4-9). So we need to set our minds on the things above, and then Jesus’s teachings will make sense (Col. 3:1-2). Jesus’s first sermon is about being heavenly-minded, not earthly-minded. He begins by telling us how we will be blessed when we focus our fleshly minds on what is important to God and His Kingdom. The rest of His sermon is about how a citizen of heaven lives as an ambassador on earth (Phil. 3:20 and 2 Cor. 5:20). Jesus said we are to be the light and salt on the earth by doing what He wants us to do.

Building On a Rock Verses Sand.

Jesus ends His sermon with this analogy. “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” ̶ Matthew 7:24-27.

What rock should we build our house on?

If Jesus Christ is our rock, then by faith in Him we will stand firm. Romans 9:33 states, “As it is written, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’” And 1 Peter 2:6-8 tells us, “For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’ ^7-8So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’ They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.” When we stand firm in our faith in Jesus and obey his instructions, we will not be destroyed by the storms that will certainly come. So, when people fall away from the Lord, it is because they have a shallow faith and do not obey His instructions.

Jesus taught us what He expects of us if we were to be wise and follow Him. Building on a rock gives your house a solid foundation. 1 Corinthians 3:11 states, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Obey Jesus’s instructions and build your spiritual lives on His truths, then you will not fall. If you ignore His instructions and build your life on the sands of self-centered living, human opinions, unhealthy beliefs, and worldly wisdom your life will fall apart. You will know who is Christ-centered and built their spiritual life on the rock because they won’t be destroyed when trials and difficulties come. Likewise, those who fall away and leave the church because of being offended, their spiritual life was built on the sands of self-centered living.

Conclusion

Too many Christians have a casual interest in Jesus’s teachings and do not want to follow and obey Him. Jesus is not hell insurance. He wants a love relationship with us. Do you love Jesus Christ and desire to obey His instructions? Only those who love Jesus will obey Him and do His will. Jesus tells us in John 14:21, 23, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” Verse 23, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” Also, John 13:35 tells us, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” So, if you were to be arrested and taken into a courtroom, what is the evidence to show that you love Jesus and love others?

********************

All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website. Check out my latest book Breaking Mental Strongholds, which you can order on Amazon. To learn more about it, read my post called Breaking Mental Strongholds Book. Also, check out Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. To learn more about this book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

Why Some Believers May Not Go to Heaven

Why doesn’t every believer go to Heaven? This is a tough question because the Bible is clear that everyone who believes will spend eternity with God in heaven (John 3:16, 1 Timothy 1:16, and 1 John 5:13). So why does Jesus say in His first sermon, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ – Matthew 7:21-23” Woe! If you consider the verses before these verses to beware of false prophets, then verses 21-23 make sense because they refer to false prophets who often preach on TV and in our churches. If you haven’t read the previous post, read it now, How the Wise Recognize False Teachers and Teachings.

False teachers have a belief in Jesus, but they distort God’s truth and do not submit their minds to the Holy Spirit’s renewal to be righteous and holy (Eph. 4:24). We are renewed in our minds by reading God’s Word every day, and meditate on the truth, and apply it to memory. Each one of us could be guilty of having false beliefs and being a false prophet. As a Christian blogger, I am very concerned that I may misrepresent God’s truth, which is why I rely on Scripture to do the teaching. You may call me out if you feel I am not representing the truth of God’s Word. I noted in my last post that not all Bibles are equal, and many versions misrepresent the truth, especially the paraphrased versions.

What is a prophet? It says in 1 Corinthians 14:3, “The one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding [not tearing down] and encouragement and consolation [comfort, support].” If you don’t know the truth of God’s Word, you can be a false prophet. For example, your friend is unhappy with their marriage. If you comfort and encourage them by saying, “God wants us to be happy, so it is okay to divorce your spouse.” That is a false teaching. Instead, speak the truth explained in 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18, which is “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. ^16-18Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” And Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Changing our thinking and doing the will of God is difficult, but when we obey, we will be rewarded with joy and peace even in difficult circumstances. If you have misrepresented the truth of God, repent, and ask His forgiveness, and He will forgive and restore you. Next, read your Bible every day and meditate on the truth. Then you will do well (Ps. 1:2-3).

What do you want God to say to you when you stand before Him? What if God says, ‘I never knew you; depart from me.’ (Matt. 7:23)? The subject of this post is heavy, but necessary to ponder because we all will stand before Him someday, maybe today. Will He say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matt 25:21,23)?

What is The Will of God?

Jesus said in His first sermon in Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” The condition is doing the will of God, though our assurance is by grace. So, what is the will of God? The Bible says that the will of God is to obey His instructions and do what we know He has called us to do, which I will write about in the next post. I wrote extensively about what the will of God is in Unanswered Prayer. Asking For God’s Will or Your Will?

Disclaimer: Our salvation and eternal destiny with God are not because of what we do or by our works, but by the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8-10 states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Once we have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit seals us, and then we must work out our salvation by renewing our minds and doing His will. See the blog posts called Forgiven and Saved? Now Renew Your Mind (Part One) and Three Steps to Renew Your Mind (Part Two).

How can I be assured God will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant?”

The Apostle Peter’s instructions in the next passage give us hope. Peter tells us to be diligent, which means to apply ourselves to accomplish something. Meditate on the words of 2Peter 1:3-11:

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,

through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence,

by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises,

so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature,

having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire (lusts).

⁵For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, virtue (moral excellence; right action and thinking; goodness of character), knowledge, self-control, steadfastness (perseverance), godliness, brotherly affection (kindness), and love. (My paraphrase in parentheses.)

⁸For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁹For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

¹⁰Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities, you will never fall.

¹¹For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

A promise is an assurance we depend on. Verse 10 promises we will never fall if we seek and practice faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, kindness, and love. Then, verse 11 promises we will enter the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ. And verse 8 promises if we have these qualities, we will not be ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ Jesus. How fantastic is this!

Conclusion:

Our life on earth is but a blink or breath compared to eternity (Ps. 144:4). So, be mindful of the day of judgment and what God will say to you. In this post, you learned you are eternally secure when you do the will of God, fear Him, and diligently seek to add to your faith; moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. In the end times, there will be a great falling away because of deception and suffering. Resolve in your heart today that you will not fall away and begin today to do the will of God found in the Word of God. Hebrews 3:12 states, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.”

RELATED POSTS:

What Is Required to Stand Before God?

Posts About Godliness

Example of Suffering Well and God’s Response: Part 2 of Suffering Well

All verses are from the English Standard Version. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family: hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

My latest book is Unlocking God’s Promises, which explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

Additionally, consider my book Fighting Unseen Battles, which describes the many unhealthy beliefs that control our lives and what the truths are. To learn more about this book, read the post How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-Changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, the 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

How the Wise Recognize False Teachers

Have you met a false prophet or teacher? Would you know a false prophet if you saw one? Jesus explains how to identify a false teacher in his first sermon. As I read through Jesus’s first sermon, I am tempted to think his sermon is a series of unrelated ideas. So how does Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves,” relate to verses 13 and 14. Jesus taught about the path of life, and how few find it compared to the path of destruction where many enter. To learn more about the path of life, read How to Find and Stay on the Path of Life.

Jesus’s next point in verse 15 warns us about false prophets who lead people away from the path of life and onto the path of destruction through wrong teaching. Jesus said in Matthew 24:11, “And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.” A false teacher or prophet is not born-again, thus Jesus compares them to a ravenous wolf who appears to be a Christian in sheep’s clothing. Isaiah 8:20 (KJV) tells us why, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Christians have the light of Christ in them, but those who do not practice the truth are in the dark. John 3:20-21 explains, “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. ²¹But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Jesus Explains How to Recognize False Teachers.

In Matthew 7:16-18, Jesus explains, “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.” Jesus uses the fruit analogy to explain how to recognize false teachers. So, the good tree produces good fruit, therefore, a person who has the truth will produce the truth found in God’s word. But if a person is full of false beliefs, they will teach heresy, which is a teaching contrary to God’s Word. Many false teachers begin with a scripture verse to appear as if they abide in the truth, but then twist the scriptures into a false doctrine. I can list many false doctrines, but I won’t.

Here are a few of my experiences with false teaching. I went to a Bible Study at a local church that I did not attend. One member said they believed Jesus sinned because they read Jesus was perfected by suffering. The pastor agreed with the false belief. I had to speak up and graciously share the truth. At another church we visited, the pastor requested that the church members invite their dead relatives to the communion table. My husband and I were mortified and did not take part. The pastor knew us and kept inviting us to the communion table; we did not budge. In another church, a new pastor was hired who did not have the fruit of the Spirit. He also did not allow small groups to study the Bible together but had to use books he approved, which shows a problem. I learned later that they were part of the Hill Song movement, which teaches false doctrine. I remember sitting in one of the small group leader teaching sessions with the Hill Song leadership and thought they were not teaching the truth and distorted the truth of God’s Word.

Ask the Lord to give you discernment to know when the teacher or preacher is speaking a false doctrine or distorting the truth. Read the entire Bible at least every two years. Memorize the truth so you recognize heresy. For example, a woman in my Sunday School had the wrong belief that Christians did not have to face the judgment of God. I gently disagreed and could show her the Scripture in 2 Corinthians 2:10, which says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” Had I not known that truth, other believers in the Sunday School would adopt that false teaching. With that said, we all can be false teachers if we don’t know God’s Word. Likewise, choose an accurately translated Bible such as the New King James, The New American Standard, or the English Standard, which are all accurately translated. To learn more about translations, read this article.

Another way to recognize a false teacher is to use the 1 John 4:6 test, “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” Don’t be afraid to confront your pastor or teacher about specific truths you believe they are misrepresenting. The Apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 2:1, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.”

False Teachers are Destined for Hell.

The end of 2 Peter 2:1 tells us that false teachers bring swift destruction upon themselves. Jesus continues his sermon by saying in Matthew 7:19-20, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” Fruits in our lives are the work of the Holy Spirit as we submit to God and let Him sanctify us in his truth. John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

A teacher or preacher whom you are learning from should show love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness/humility, faithfulness, and self-control. Therefore, if you want to be a teacher, make sure you abide by the Word of God, submit to God’s authority by obeying Him, and set your mind on the things of the Spirit and not your flesh (Rom. 8:4-10). James 3:1 states, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

Be aware of the “Christian” literature you read online or in books, that they do not twist the truth or add their truth to God’s truth. Revelations 22:18-19 states, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”

The Apostate Church.

What is an apostate church? An apostate church is led by a teacher who is living in obvious sin, such as homosexuality, pedophilia, adultery, drunkenness, and so on. Such leaders rebel against the commandments and truth of God and teach a false truth that leads those who listen down the path of destruction. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 tells us, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” And 1 John 4:1 instructs us, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Conclusion

A good Biblical teacher will fit the description in Titus 2:7-8, “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” Another description is in Titus 1:7-9; “For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. ⁹He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” If your pastor or teacher resembles these two passages, you have a sound teacher.

My latest book is Unlocking God’s Promises, which explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

How to Find and Stay on the Path of Life

What is the path of life? How do we get on the path of life? Jesus said in His first sermon, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14). Why is the gate narrow and the way hard that leads to life? Why would anyone want to walk the path of life if it is hard? Everyone is invited to enter the narrow gate and walk the hard path of life with Christ, but few want to because it requires living a holy life according to the Golden rule (Matt. 7:12). Hebrews 12:14 explains, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Living righteously and treating others as you want to be treated is hard in a world ruled by wickedness and self-centered pride. The evil one lures us to walk his wide and easy path of destruction, which is self-centered living that leads to eternal death and separation from God. A person who unwisely is offended will take the path of destruction until they forgive the offense.

What is the Path of Life and How Do We Find the Narrow Gate?

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus died on the cross to set us free from the control of sin and save us from the wrath of God because of our sin. Sinners are those who disobey God’s command to love Him with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love their neighbor as themselves (Luke 10:27). Read my previous post on the Golden Rule.

God is holy and perfect, and He hates sin and must punish disobedience. But He loves us and sent His only son, Jesus, to take our punishment and to cleanse our sinful nature. He promises to forgive you of all your sins and remove all unrighteousness (1John 1:9). Unrighteousness is not doing what is right in God’s eyes. To follow Jesus requires perseverance and dedication to live a life worthy of Him (Col . 1:10).

Believing in Jesus leads to the path of life and ultimately eternal life (John 3:16). Believing is finding the narrow gate, walking the path of life is where people fail. Some mistakenly think that if they just believe, it is enough to keep them out of the lake of fire. The devil believes in Jesus and that He is the son of God, yet he is destined for the lake of fire. Some mistakenly believe that grace covers all our sins, and we don’t need to repent or put off our sinful behavior and put on a new life that resembles Jesus’s holy life.

Who is on the Path of Life?

When we find the narrow gate and believe Jesus is the Son of God and the savior of the world, we need to go through the narrow gate and walk in love as Jesus did. Jesus says that we need to strive to enter the narrow gate (Luke 13:24). Hebrews 12:14 says we are to “Strive to live in peace with everyone,” which is an example of holy living. Striving takes an effort on our part. The effort is putting off our old life of sin (self-centered pride) and putting on the new life, “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). Also, 1Thessalonians 4:7-8 states, “For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. ⁸Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”

So, what are we to discard? Colossians 3:5-10 tells us to, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶On account of these the wrath of God is coming. ⁷In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. ⁹Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

Many people in the church have not put on a new life of righteousness and holiness. Dare I say, going to church is not entering the narrow gate. Choosing to heed God’s calling and be a disciple of Jesus is the narrow gate. The path of life is hard because it is the path of love. Loving those who sin against you and forgiving them is hard to do. Being kind to your enemy is hard. Praying for those who persecute you is hard. Trusting Jesus to meet your needs is hard. Giving to the poor and ungrateful is hard. Giving up your old sinful ways and friends is hard. But those who obey God are wise (Matt. 7:24). Wise people will strive to stay on the path of life that leads to eternal life.

What happens when the gate is closed?

Luke records the following exchange with Jesus in Luke 13:23-28, “And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, ²⁴“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

²⁵When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’

²⁶Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ ²⁷But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’

²⁸In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.

This passage is sobering. Why does God close the door? The first thought that comes to my mind as I pray for God’s answer is the door is closed when Jesus returns to rule. The opportunity to enter the narrow gate is ended. Many Christian people who believed in Jesus but did not submit their lives to Him and continued living a sinful life will be left behind. They will realize they are not on the path of life. You may have been a Sunday school teacher or a deacon in your church. If you have not entered the narrow door/gate yet, don’t wait, because the next moment may be too late.

Conclusion

The golden rule explains why the path of life is hard and few find it. We must strive to enter the narrow gate and live in peace with all men (Rom. 12:18). Those who do not put off their sinful desires and put on the holy life are still on the path of destruction. Follow Jesus to the gate and stay yoked to Him as you walk the hard path of love (Matt. 11:29-30).

Check out my latest book Breaking Mental Strongholds, which you can order on Amazon. To learn more about it, read my post called Breaking Mental Strongholds Book. Also, check out Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. To learn more about this book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

How Does a Wise Person Treat Other People?

Have you heard about the Golden Rule? Where did you learn about the Golden Rule? Did you know that Jesus Christ is the original author? He said, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12). First is the principle of doing to others what you would want them to do to you. The second principle is the Law and the Prophets.

The golden rule seems so simple, and I wasn’t going to write a blog because it is common sense, but after writing a blog about the following two verses, I understood why Jesus gave this command. To understand the next two verses, you need to understand the golden rule.

Why is this command golden? Take a moment to quiet your mind, then imagine a world where everyone treats everyone around them as they would want to be treated.

We will treat other people as having worth.
Everyone will be respectful, kind, patient, and gentle.
People will show grace and forgive others for offenses.
We all live in peace with everyone else.
No one is arrogant.
People won’t keep a record of wrongs.

How many marriages, families, and communities would be transformed if they would follow this rule? The problem is that we have a sinful nature that is prideful and self-centered. I explain the damaging effects of pride on relationships in HOW PRIDE DESTROYS.

What is The Law and the Prophets?

What is the law and the prophets? This exact phrase can be found in four other verses: Matthew 22:40, Luke 16:16, Acts 13:15, and Romans 3:21. The law was given to Moses by God when the Israelites were in the desert. God’s law governed their behavior, much like our laws govern our behavior. The laws God gave were to lead the people to love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others as themselves. The Pharisees added burdensome legalistic laws of dos and don’ts that had nothing to do with love.

Prophets are God’s messengers to warn people to repent when they forget God’s laws and disobey Him. The following is another example of the law and the Prophets. Matthew 22:35-40.

³⁵And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ³⁶“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

³⁷And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ³⁸This is the great and first commandment. ³⁹And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

⁴⁰On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

The following verses explain how love fulfills the law.

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. – Romans 13:8

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. – Romans13:10

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” – Galatians 5:14

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. – James 2:8

Conclusion

The golden rule is the same as loving your neighbor as yourself. Read my post about this called Diminish the “Self-centered” Belief to Expand Goodness (Other-centered). How amazing it is to obey God’s command to love others as ourselves. Do you love other people as yourself or do you have any hate for someone who hurt you?

Related posts

Wise People Love Those Who Hate Them

How to Dig up the Unforgiving Belief to Grow in Love

Hope for Lasting Peace, Love, and Victory

Love From a Pure Heart

A Wise Person Knows When to Ask

Have you prayed and asked God for something but He did not grant your request? Many people become offended and angry at God for unanswered prayer. So why does God promise to give us what we ask? I wrote a series of posts on God’s promises and learned that most promises come with a condition. I also wrote a series of posts on why God may not answer our prayers the way we want Him to. So, I will refer you to that series of posts for increased understanding.

Jesus said we should ask, seek, and knock.

Jesus spoke the following in His first sermon in Matthew 7:7-11, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. The condition is we must ask, seek, and knock. This verse follows the verses on judging, which I wrote about in the last post. So, if you ask God to show you the plank in your eye, He will show you. If you seek Him for wisdom to know when to judge and when not to judge, you will receive wisdom. If you knock on the right doors to open opportunities for ministry to others, He will open opportunities. ⁸For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. When does God not give us what we ask and seek Him for? James 4:3 states, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”

Jesus wants to give us good gifts.

Jesus compares His desire to give us good gifts to our earthly fathers. ⁹Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” The condition is having God as your heavenly Father. Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and took your punishment for your sins so you can be forgiven and saved from God’s wrath on sin? Did you ask for forgiveness and freedom from sin’s control by seeking Jesus as the Lord of your life? If you answered yes, then God is your heavenly Father, and you are a joint heir with Jesus.

Luke clarifies the good gift as the Holy Spirit in Luke 11:13. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Jesus says the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth in John 16:13, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” So, when you receive the Holy Spirit you will discern the truth about people, yourself, and circumstances.

Good gifts God has given me.

I needed a spinet piano for my living room because my son was taking piano lessons. I did not have any money to buy one. I asked God to provide one. The next day, I turned on the radio, which I rarely did, and heard the Care and Share announcement. Someone was giving away a spinet piano, we just had to pick it up. Coincidence? I don’t think so. We then gifted it to our youth pastor’s wife.

Another answer to prayer was for a Rhode Island chicken. A raccoon was eating my chickens, and I was very upset. We caught the coon, but I was missing chickens. It was late in the season to get more chicks, so I ask God for a Rhode Island chicken. The next morning, I went to my garden to see what I needed to harvest that day, and I heard clucking. I looked around and there was a Rhode Island pullet in my fenced-in garden. I did not know why she was there, other than it was a gift from God.

I could tell you many other times God answered prayers. I wrote a post about miracles I experienced that you might find interesting called Trust God to Keep His Promises

RELATED POSTS

POSTS about God’s Promises

Posts about Prayer

The Wise Person Carefully Judges

Jesus’s first sermon is broken up into three chapters, and it is tempting to make the chapter break into different sermons even though it is one sermon. In Matthew 7:1-6, Jesus warns us not to judge based on what He previously said. Read the previous posts on Jesus’s first sermon to refresh your memory. Passing judgment on someone is expressing a critical opinion based on a limited understanding of the other person’s perspective. We must remember that all believers are in the process of renewing their minds to walk like Jesus. Some are further along than others, so let us show grace to those who do not have the same level of obedience. As born-again believers, we are all holy and set apart for God, but we are all at different stages of sanctification, so we should be careful how we judge another person’s actions and instead be encouraging. Spouses are guilty of judging each other when they become offended by what the other person says or does that they dislike. Be kind and patient, and do not judge in arrogance.

How much do you want to be judged?

Jesus teaches us to not judge hastily but carefully. Matthew 7:1-2 states, “Judge not, that you be not judged. ²For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” Take a moment and ponder what Jesus means by “with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” It sounds like we will reap what we sow. When I am around someone who judges people, I feel like I need to defend the person being judged. Then I think, why are they judging others? Could that person have childhood insecurities, are they prideful, do they want to gossip, or are they truly offended and need to talk to the person who has offended them instead of judging them?

Also, in Luke 6:37-38 Jesus further explains, “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; ³⁸give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

The Hypocrite Passes Judgment

Jesus continues His sermon in Matthew 7:3-5, “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” A speck is barely noticeable unless you are looking for it.

The person who passes judgment on minor offenses in others and tells them about it but does not consider their own offensive ways is a hypocrite. A hypocrite is someone who thinks they are righteous but can’t see their own sin. Romans 2:1 explains, “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” I have observed that people judge others for the very same issues in themselves.

Before you judge someone, ask God to show you, if you have the same problem then offer the same grace you would want to receive. Seeing our offensive ways requires us to humbly ask God to search our hearts and minds (Jer. 17:10). Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” And Psalm 139:23-24 explains, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! ²⁴And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

When is it necessary to judge?

In 1 Corinthians 5:11-13, the Apostle Paul says, “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. ¹²For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? ¹³God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” For example, my husband and I were friends with a couple who said they were Christians but were in sexual sin. I felt very uncomfortable associating with them because of these verses. We spoke to them about getting married, but they were both clear they did not want to marry. They continued to attend our church. Eventually, they broke up, but neither one submitted their lives to God and continued in sexual sin with other people. In the passage above, the Apostle Paul is saying to “purge the evil person from among you.” Why do you think he said this? Yet most churches do not do that. I would like to know your thoughts.

My husband and I had another instance when we needed to judge a brother in our Christian group. We asked a Christian brother who had a tree-cutting business to cut down some trees for us, which he did, and we paid him. He tried to swindle a significant amount of money from us by falsely billing us for other work that he clearly did not do. Then he went around telling others we did him wrong. We had to judge him as a swindler and a liar. When we presented our case and the truth before the leadership, he backed off. We forgave him, but then we had nothing to do with him, though the leadership continued to befriend him. God removed him from the fellowship by sending him to jail because his evil heart led him to commit a crime. Evil men need to be removed from the church because they cause corruption within the church.

In the next verse, Jesus is telling us when we should judge those outside the church. Matthew 7:6 states, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” The words of God are holy, so when we speak to people about Him, and they curse the words of God, they are the dogs. Pearls are God’s truths, so when you present God’s truths to someone, and they despise their value and trash all that God calls good and say it is evil, they are pigs. These are profane and corrupt people who need Jesus but are clearly antagonistic toward the truths of God. If they begin to attack and abuse you, you need to get away quickly.

Conclusion

Judging is complex but it is always better to give grace and encourage others to love and do good deeds (Heb. 10:24) . Proverbs 24:23 states, “These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality [bias; prejudice] in judging is not good.” No need to elaborate. We have all been wrongly judged in one way or another by others who disagree with our decisions based on their bias. Conversely, we have judged others based on our biases and beliefs. Instead, we should patiently show grace and gently correct those who are in opposition.

Someone will say, “What if the other person is clearly in sin according to Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Yes, gently and lovingly warn those who are clearly sinning and pray they come to repentance. James 5:19-20 says, “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, ²⁰let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

May God Bless this word and give us all understanding that we would obey it.

Why the Wise People Are Not Anxious

In Jesus’s first sermon, He goes into great detail explaining why we should not be anxious. So why are we naturally anxious and worried? Jesus says it is because we don’t have enough faith. Remember, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). George Muller, the German missionary to England during the black plague, showed great faith in God’s provision. He started orphanages to take care of all the children whose parents died during the plague. Then he prayed and believed that God would provide food and necessities for the orphanages, and He did. This is an encouraging testimony; I recommend everyone read his story. All the missionary stories involve faith in God and how God came through for them.

The Wise Knows God Cares.

I must admit that I have a stock of food and necessities in the event of a disaster, or another quarantine like during Covid. So, having at least three months of food and water to get through an unforeseen disaster is wise. But we should not be consumed with worry about a disaster that may never happen. Dictionary.com (2023) says that being anxious is being full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune, or greatly worried. Jesus explains in Matthew 6:25-26, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Jesus does not want us to be anxious but trust that He is our provider. To build your faith, read in the book of Deuteronomy about how God provided everything for one million people for forty years, plus their clothing and sandals did not wear out.

This concept is hard because it defies our fleshly nature to not trust God. We work so we can buy food and clothing and keep a roof over our heads. What does Jesus mean when He says, “Is not life more than food?” Maybe we should be more concerned about living our lives for our heavenly Father and not be mentally consumed with our daily or future necessities. ²⁶Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Jesus is saying, our heavenly Father will provide what we need because He cares for us. Does this mean we don’t have to work? No, the Bible says, if we don’t work then we should not eat (2Thes. 3:10). I am pondering what Jesus possibly means, and I don’t really know. Maybe we are to trust our heavenly Father for everything, even what we need in the future, knowing He cares for us even more than the birds. This principle goes beyond food and clothing. One time, I needed a cheap place to live with my two toddlers, because I had no actual job and just started an alterations business. I trusted God to provide, and He did a miracle. Read my story in the post called Trust God to Keep His Promises.

The Wise Have Faith

Jesus further explains in Matthew 6:27-32 “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? Anxiety and worry cause stress in our bodies, which weakens it. Read this article to learn how. We need to keep in mind that in Jesus’s time, they did not have shopping centers and grocery stores everywhere or clothing factories, so this was a legitimate concern. We may not worry about not having clothing, but we may worry about other things, like our family, finances, jobs, and so on.

²⁸And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”

God is all-knowing and all-powerful, so why don’t we trust Him to provide what we need, now and in the future? The answer is that we are sinful and would rather trust in worldly institutions, even ourselves and others, to meet our needs. The remedy is to stay in constant prayer and expectation of how our heavenly Father will meet our needs. Philippians 4:19 states, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” And the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.”

The Wise Are Kingdom Minded

Jesus says in Matthew 6:33-34, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ³⁴“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Seek means to look for. The kingdom of God is an actual place and a place where our faith dwells. Romans 14:17 states, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” We must first look for God’s presence and purpose in our lives. I wrote a post about this. Read, How do you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?

Conclusion

The Apostle Paul told the Philippian church in Philippians 4:6-7,“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” So never be anxious, stay in constant prayer and expectation and you will live in peace.

Other posts on the Sermon on the mount.

Posts about God’s promises.

The Wise Prioritize Riches

Do you have a goal to build up wealth to live a comfortable life or retire comfortably? But did you ever think about how temporary life is on Earth and how never-ending eternity is? Yet, we are so focused on our temporary physical comfort, that we forget about reality. We need to transform our temporary thinking and remind ourselves that we are eternal beings created to serve God and buildup treasure for our eternal life. As I pray and meditate on this next part of Jesus’s sermon, I see so much I can write, but I will stick with two truths. One, there is heaven and hell. Two, only those who believe Jesus is the son of God and abide in Him will have eternal life (John 3:16; 6:40; 17:3; Rom. 6:23).

Why Must We Be Eternally Minded?

If you are a believer, then you will be eternally minded. Some of us forget and focus on worldly pleasures and idolatry. Colossians 3:1-2 states, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Ephesians 2:6 says we have been raised with Christ and are seated in the heavenly places. Praise the Lord! Yet, we forget, so remind someone of this fact. I also want to remind you that we are citizens of heaven right now (Philippians 3:20).

With these truths in mind, let us read our text from Jesus’ first sermon in Matthew 6:19-24.

¹⁹“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The gospels record a story where Jesus responds to a rich man who wanted to know how to have eternal life (Matt. 19:16-23, Mark 10:17-25, and Luke 18:18-25). In Luke 18:22, Jesus told him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Luke goes on to say in verses 23-24, “But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. ²⁴Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, ‘How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’” Having wealth is not bad but good. Realize your wealth is not yours but God’s because He has blessed you and given you the ability to get wealth (Deut. 8:18). So how are you investing His money to increase His kingdom? Read my last post to learn why Jesus wants us to give to the poor.

Pause for a moment and ask yourself, where is my focus? Be honest, do you value your possessions more than God and people? If God asked you to sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, could you? Some people say that money is evil and causes us to turn to evil. Not true unless you love money more than God. The Bible says in 1Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

How do you know if your heart seeks the pleasures of the world, or desires to please God? Does your heart want others to recognize and value you, or do you want God to get the glory? Do you find your security in what you have in the bank or in your investment portfolio? Wealth can be an idol that you are trusting in instead of God. You can know where your heart is by the things you think about most.

Are You Spiritual Healthy?

If you can’t understand how to lay up your treasures in heaven, then ask God to open your spiritual eyes to understand this truth. Some people are prideful about what they have, even poor people, which blinds them. You may have a spirit of pride that must be put off to remove the darkness of your heart. You can read more about pride in my post called, How Pride Destroys. Jesus teaches about spiritual health and seeing spiritually in Matthew 6:22-24.

²²“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, ²³but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Why does Jesus say that we cannot serve God and money? How do we serve money? Do you allow God to control how you spend your money, or do you spend it on yourself and worldly pleasures? If a person is not submitted to God and does not love God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength, or love others, they cannot serve God. If a person is wise, then they will prioritize their wealth that pleases God, and they will invest in a heavenly treasure to help grow the kingdom of God. Does this sound right to you? Please comment and let me know your thoughts.

I do not see a biblical issue with setting up a budget and allowing some of your wealth to be used for entertainment, eating out, going on trips, and so on. King Solomon wrote much about the toil of work, and how we are to enjoy the work of our hands. Ecclesiastics 2:24-25 states, “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, ²⁵for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?” Also, see Eccl. 3:13; 5:15, 18-19; 8:15.

In summary, serve God, not money. Build up your treasure in heaven, not on earth. Do not focus on getting rich and become spiritually blind.

RELATED POSTS

Can You Be Too Heavenly Minded?

The Wise Person Helps the Poor

The goal of my blog is to help you recognize unhealthy beliefs or non-biblical thinking that keeps you from receiving God’s blessing in your life. The last two posts challenged me to evaluate how I think about the poor in my community. One struggling single mother in my church always seemed down on her luck. A woman in my church didn’t feel she deserved her help and didn’t feel compassion for her. I pondered that comment and told her that God would want us to help her.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Mercy is giving something to someone who may not deserve it, or we don’t think deserve it. We do not deserve the kingdom of heaven, yet Jesus said in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit [humble], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” People interpret this verse in many ways, but God wants everyone to humbly see their need for Him and seek His help and salvation. It is not for us to judge why someone is poor and how they could make better decisions.

I was one of those poor when I was a child because of poor decisions my father made, and when I became a single mother because of my husband’s decision to divorce. It was very humbling to receive help from others, yet I was thankful. I had to wear hand-me-down clothes that were not the latest style, yet I was clothed, and it was okay. My children wore hand-me-down clothes and what I could find at yard sales. The church helped me with grocery gift cards, so thankful. As a single mother, I claimed Philippians 4:19 and trusted God to provide all that I was in need of, and He provided all the finances I needed each month. He did a miracle and provided a mortgage for me to buy a fixer-upper home for me and my children when the only job I had was a small seamstress business. When my kids started elementary school, I became a substitute teacher to help make ends meet. God is good.

In the last post, we learned in Isaiah 58:6-7 that true fasting was having a heart of compassion for the oppressed. Verse 6 says, “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?” (Fasting is seeking freedom from the control of sinful actions and thoughts in our lives.) ^7”Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?” Many of us have no problem giving food to the hungry or clothing to those in need, but many of us resist the command to “bring the homeless poor into your house.”

Some people say well, the culture was different in 800 BC when Isaiah wrote those words. It may have been safe to bring the homeless into their home, besides, they became servants. You may think, the homeless can receive a housing allowance to help with renting a place to stay. It is true that the homeless poor in 800 BC most likely was NOT violent, addicted to drugs, alcohol, or mentally ill. God knew there would be a homeless problem because some people lack the spiritual, mental, and financial means to care for themselves. The Bible also says we are to be wise and obey God, so pray and ask Him to help you know His will and wisely do His will concerning the homeless. It may not be wise to bring a homeless person into your home. We all have heard horror stories. One man I know is in jail because he had compassion and brought a homeless man into his home, who then molested his daughters and one of them got pregnant. So sad, but a reality.

I find it hard to help those I think could help themselves, who seek others to care for them. God does not differentiate who deserves His help and who does not. We are all poor compared to God, and we all need His help and blessing. As His image bearers, we are to do the same to other poor souls regardless of why they are poor or even if they choose to be poor for whatever reason. We know the government does not lift anyone out of poverty but keeps them in bondage. Only God can lift us out of poverty and provide all we need according to His riches (Phil 4:19).

How should we treat the poor immigrants flooding our country? They are looking for a better life, so how can we help them? And they are ripe to hear and receive the Gospel of Jesus. This is not the time to shun the incoming immigrants. Ask yourself, “What if I was an immigrant or poor, how would I want people to help me?”

James 2:13 states, “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” God wants us to show compassion and mercy. This post is my reflection on God’s view of the poor and how we should think. Take your time as you read each passage to understand the heart of God towards the poor.

For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ –Deuteronomy 15:11

Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin. –Deuteronomy 15:9

“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.” –Leviticus 23:22

Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. –Proverbs 14:21

Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. —Proverbs 14:31

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed. –Proverbs 19:17

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered. -–-Proverbs 21:13

Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor. –Proverbs 22:9

Conclusion

We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. The poor are our neighbors. James 2:8-9 exhorts us, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. ⁹But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” Also, James 4:17 states, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

You may say, “But the Word of God also says in” 2Thesalonians 3:10-12, “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. ¹¹For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. ¹²Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.” These verses are in the middle of a discourse about people who are idle (2Thes. 3:6-15). Paul set an example for believers concerning the importance of work. Yet, we can still show mercy and encourage such a person to work and even help them find work. Pray and ask God to give you His wisdom and compassion for the poor, only Jesus can lift them up, share Jesus as you show them compassion.

I would love to hear how you help the poor in your area.

RELATED POSTS

SERMON ON THE MOUNT page

Check out my latest book Breaking Mental Strongholds which you can order on Amazon. To learn more about it, read my post called Breaking Mental Strongholds Book. Also, check out Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. To learn more about this book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.