Tales of a Modern-Day Missionary: July 2015

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Matthew 11: Empowering Children and Teens Today!

John the Baptist is in prison. He has been there for roughly two years (refer to Matthew 4: 5-12). While in prison he hears about the activities of Christ, and he sends two disciples with a question for Jesus, “Are You the One Who was to come, or should we keep on expecting a different one?” John the Baptist had not yet seen the miracles of Jesus.
Jesus answered, “". . . tell him what you hear and have seen for yourself, that the blind and lame and lepers and deaf are healed, the dead are raised up, and the poor hear the good news of God's kingdom. Happy is he who has no doubts about me." (Matthew 11:4 - 6) All of what the disciples had heard and seen were signs of the Messiah (Isaiah 35, 61).
The crowd around Jesus heard the question and answer. Jesus addressed them by asking them what they went out into the wilderness to see: a weak, spineless person shaken by every wind of doctrine? Or a man in soft clothing? If that is what they expected, they were mistaken. Jesus spoke highly of John the Baptist to them saying he was more than a prophet . He was the one Malachi spoke about (Malachi 3:1) who would prepare the way for the Savior.
Within the teachings in Chapter 10 Jesus sent out his his disciples telling

them they were as ”sheep in the midst of wolves”. King Herod had
imprisoned John the Baptist for preaching the truth into the situation with the king and the marriage to his sister-in-law.
People do not always want to hear the Word of God because it
contradicts their own will, their wants and desires. Has there been a time when you knew what you wanted to do was wrong, but you did it anyway?
How to you change your own strong, stubborn will and desires? How do you change the thoughts that lead to these? If you make up your mind to change on your own, you will find yourself fighting it, and eventually loosing.
Change from the inside out takes time, but is not as difficult as you may think. Read the bible, get close to God through prayer and worship. As you read you will hear a still small voice, a knowing, talking to you. Your thoughts will become His thoughts. And, since the change is from the inside, a renewing of the mind, that stubborn, defiant will of your own moves out of the way, and God’s will becomes your will. It takes time, and a steady diet of the Word, but it will come easily.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Matthew 10: Empowering Children and Teens Today!

Jesus sends out the 12 apostles in Matthew 10, instructing them to go out to the lost sheep of the house of Israel preaching, healing, and casting out devils. He equips them with the power to do this, too.

As a child of God, a born-again believer, every promise in the Word of God is ours. Every benefit in the Word of God is ours. If the bible says it, we can have it, if we believe it is ours. What we see God do for others in the Bible is ours too! But, we should not forget to share what we have with others. "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8 NKJV). Everything we receive from God, we are to also give. One of the ways to do this is by being involved with your local church.

A preacher I once knew said, "Never pray, 'Lord bless me.' Instead, pray, 'Lord, me a blessing." In this way, God will make us a part of His divine plan.