How are you Clothed?

Matthew 22:1-14

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ² “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

⁴ “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

⁵ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. ⁶ The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. ⁷ The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

⁸ “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹ Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹ “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹² ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.

¹³ “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2022:%201%20-%2014&version=NIV1984#cen-NIV1984-23872A)

How many of us, if asked to attend a wedding banquet at the king’s house would simply not show up?  I can only imagine what that feast would be like.  The thing I would worry about the most is what I would wear.  In this parable we see that someone did come to the banquet not dressed appropriately and was thrown out.

When I think of the spiritual marriage banquet with God our King, I must also wonder what I will wear.  If I don’t have the proper clothing now, why would I think that I would have it when it counts?  So, I decided to look and see how I should be dressed and I found the following verses that I would like to share with you.

In Romans 13:13-14, Paul describes to us how we should act as true believers and how we should clothe ourselves here on this earth.  He says,

^13”Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.   ¹⁴ Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,  and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature”.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2013:%2013-14&version=NIV1984)

In Colossians 3:12, Paul instructs God’s chosen people,

^12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%203:12&version=NIV1984)

And look at what Peter has to say to the young men of God in I Peter 5:5,

^5 ‘Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud
    but gives grace to the humble.”’

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20Peter%205:5&version=NIV1984)

Humility, compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience, does that sound like someone you know?  It is the clear picture of Christ? I have not ever heard of anyone more compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, or patient, than Christ Himself.   Now look at I John 3:2, ^2 “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,  we shall be like him,  for we shall see him as he is.”

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20John%203:2&version=NIV1984)

 If we do not have the seed of our Heavenly Father planted within us, we cannot be “like Him” and thus won’t have on the wedding clothes such as the man in the parable.  What happened to him?  He was bound and thrown out of the wedding banquet, thrown where there was darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Not a pleasant place to find yourself.

There are people on this earth who claim to be children of God.  They claim to have God’s seed within them and they will try to sneak into the banquet.  How do we know who to believe?  Let’s look at I John 3:9 – 10, “⁹ No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. ¹⁰ This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.”

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20John%203:9-10&version=NIV1984)

If someone proclaims to be a child of God but continues in the lifestyle of a sinner or cannot find enough love in their heart to forgive a brother, they are not a child of God.  It doesn’t matter how much lip service we may do, maybe we proclaim the Word of God by teaching Sunday School, by preaching, by simply witnessing.  Maybe we do compassionate things for other people, raise money for charities, volunteer on a worthwhile committee, or even go and do missionary work in another country but don’t love our brother, it says that we are not a child of God.  Maybe we show love to your brother but continue in sin, hidden sin or public sin, we continue a lifestyle that is not right in the eyes of God, knowing full well that it is wrong we choose to continue in that lifestyle, this scripture is clear that we are not a child of God.  It is my belief that these will be the ones that will be thrown out of the banquet as Christ parables speaks of.  Those who know, but choose to disguise themselves as God’s chosen people.  Those who God has given the opportunity to but who have not listened, they were invited but did not accept the invitation, the ones who chose instead to kill ( literally or figuratively) those who did believe.

It is imperative for each and every one of us to search our hearts and make sure the seed of God is within us.  We may know that He is in us because His Holy Spirit will give us confidence of this,  Ephesians 1: 13 – 14,   ^13 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,  ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201:13-14&version=NIV1984)

As you seek Him may you find His seed implanted in you in the form of the Holy Spirit and may you serve Him with gladness, knowing with confidence that someday you will be attending the most fabulous wedding banquet and you will be clothed in the wedding clothes acceptable to our Lord. 

If you are not confident of this, do not delay, He is waiting for you to call upon His name and be saved through Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

Broken or Crushed?

 

 

Matthew 21:42-46

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

⁴² Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the capstone;
the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

⁴³ “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. ⁴⁴ He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. ⁴⁶ They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that He was a prophet.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2021:42-46&version=NIV1984

Verse  44 of  this passage stood out to me.  When I read this verse I thought to myself that I would rather fall on the capstone of Jesus Christ and be broken for Him than to be crushed underneath it and destroyed.  Looking at Psalm 51:17 we are told,

“¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2051:17&version=NIV1984

God does not want our sacrifices of time, money or energy, He wants our sacrifice of a broken spirit.  When we have a broken spirit we realize that we are not all that important, that our ways are not always the best ways.  We realize that God is a an Almighty God who left His throne in order to sacrifice Himself as the sacrificial Lamb for us  We realize that there is nothing that we can do to change but that it is through the work of His hands and His hands only that we are even in existence.  In other words, we put life into perspective.  When we do that it I easier to look at someone and say, I forgive you or to accept the forgiveness of someone else. The baggage we carry in this life suddenly becomes lighter because we know that He is carrying it for us.  I would rather be crucified with Christ because I know of His resurrection power than to be crushed by His heel, destroyed by His just judgment.

 

 When we are broken for Christ it allows the Holy Spirit to come and dwell within us to make us a changed person.  It is not by our own power, it is not our will, it is not our conscience, that makes that change, it is the work of the Holy Spirit.  Do you have room in your life for the Holy Spirit?  Or are you trying to be strong in your own strength?  We cannot say that we are a follower of Christ, yet, be unwilling to forfeit your spirit and be broken for Him, and try to continue to do things by our own strength.  We need to fall down onto the rock of salvation and be broken for Him.  There are two types of people in this world, either the ones have been broken for Christ or those who have not.  Those who have not will be crushed. 

 

The Lord has done this and as the verse says, “it is marvelous in our eyes”.  The Pharisees knew that Jesus was talking about them and they were not the least bit happy about it and did not heed the calling.  What about you?  Are you being broken or are you being crushed?

As you seek Him may you find joy, peace, and contentment in being broken for Christ.

 

 

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

 

They Could not be Silenced

Matthew 21:33-41
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

³³ “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. ³⁴ When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

 ³⁵ “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ³⁶ Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. ³⁷ Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

³⁸ “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ ³⁹ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

⁴⁰ “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

⁴¹ “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2021:33-41&version=NIV1984)

Have you ever thought of this world as one big vineyard?  My last blog was on a field and today it is on a vineyard.  God has made a world that is like His harvest field.  He has planted people in the world and He has put farmers in the field to take care of the crops.  He has blessed us tremendously by sending many into the field to work it and to harvest.  He has sent many into the world to proclaim His word yet many failed to listen and even tried to silence them.

2 Chronicles 24:21

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

²¹ But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned^(A) him to death^(B) in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.

Joshua 7:25

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

²⁵ Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.”

Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%207:25&version=NIV1984)

Hebrews 11:33-38

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

³² And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets,³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies ³⁵ Women received back their dead, raised to life again.  Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. ³⁷ They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— ³⁸ the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2011:33-38&version=NIV1984)

 

Matthew 27:21-26

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

²¹ “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

²² “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

²³ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

²⁵ All the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2027:21-26&version=NIV1984)

There really isn’t much more that can be said that the scripture hasn’t already said.  What I have been reminded of in these scriptures is the following:

1.       I must realize that in this world of sin there may be times that I may suffer persecution.  If this does happen, I must remember that it is by faith that I will make it through any situation.  In our weakness His strength is revealed to us. 

2.      The prophets spoke the truth.  Am I speaking the truth?

3.      Even Jesus suffered and died and He did it for us.  He did not stay dead but rose again on the third day.  Hallelujah, Praise His Name!

4.       God has placed each of us in the field/vineyard to take care of His crops.  How do we respond to those who He sends, how do we respond to Him?

No matter what they faced, the prophets held true to the Word of God.  They had such faith that they were willing to sacrifice their own lives in order to proclaim it.  Have you done a faith check lately?  Where do you stand in proclaiming the truth to others?  As you seek Him may you find your strength in Him to do His work and do it faithfully.  As you are called to serve Him may you trust only in Him and by His strength be willing to accomplish His will.  Without the prophets, without Jesus, we would not know or have the saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior.  The prophets could not be silenced, what about you? 

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

What do you Think?

Matthew 21:28-32

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

²⁸ “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

 ²⁹ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

 ³⁰ “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

 ³¹ “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

 “The first,” they answered.

 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. ³² For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

What does the Father want you to do?  As I read this scripture over and over again, I wondered what the Lord would have me write about.  As I thought, I had to ask myself once again, “What does the Father want me to do?”  What is He asking of each of us? 

Matthew 9: 35-38

³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%209:35%20-38&version=NIV1984)

It is apparent from both of these passages that the Lord wants us to be workers in the field.  There are times that we say “yes” and don’t show up but I think it goes a little deeper than that.  Sometimes we say, “yes”, we go and even do what we think the Lord wants us to do much like the pharisees we make up the rules along the way.  Or we go and work because we feel obligated therefore we work with the wrong heart, maybe even grumble a bit.  I have found though that when I am obedient to what the Lord wants me to do, even though I may start out grumbling, those are the times that my grumbles turn to joy and I end the task serving Him with joy.

We all know what the Lord wants us to do.  We are to go out and work in the fields of this world.  We are to be a witness to those who do not know Him.  Sometimes those people are less than desirable.  They may be homeless, prostitutes, criminals, drug addicts, burdensome people, time consuming people, people with more problems than we can possibly handle.  These are the ones that Christ is telling the pharisees that will inherit the Kingdom of God ahead of them. Not those who remain in sin but those who believe and call upon His name.  They were once the rebellious ones that said, “no” but have now seen the glory of the Lord and have shown up to work in the fields.

The other people, are the ones that complain about those who “have not”.  Those who do not have time or patience with them.  When I first got married my husband was a farmer.  I enjoyed the farm life and would have liked to have remained there for many more years than we did.  But one thing I learned about farming is that you have to be patient.  There is a lot of work that goes into growing a crop and many days of growing before the harvest is complete.  We should never tire of doing the Lord’s work and we should never say “yes” and then grumble and complain about what we are being asked to do.

Jesus makes it very clear in these passages that He will accept the repentant heart.  He has no room for those who put on a front, like the pharisees, who claim to be of the Father yet do not recognize His one and only Son. 

My question today, “Are you a “yes man” to the Lord Jesus Christ?  Do you say “yes” and then do as you please?  Or are you a “no way man” type of person who then thinks about it and does as they are asked? 

Jesus wants the broken hearted in order for them to show the glory of the One who changed them forever.  Brokenhearted people are the ones who repent and put God at the top of the list.  As you seek Him, may you find Him when you seek Him with all your heart.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

Who is in Charge?

Matthew 21:23-27

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

²³ Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

²⁴ Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵ John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘From men’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”  Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2021:23-27&version=NIV1984)

The pharisees were so caught up in politics that they could not answer a question on their own but had to discuss it amongst themselves and try to come up with the best answer.  The problem was, they couldn’t come up with a politically correct statement so they gave no answer at all.  Does that sound familiar?  I believe when the founders of the United States of America wrote the constitutions, they had a pretty good idea that politics muddies the waters and decided it would be better to separate politics from religion.  They didn’t intend on separating from God as individuals but they didn’t want to become like the pharisees and mix politics within the church.  They depended on God for their wisdom, strength, and power.    

I once heard a statement by a well-known Christian radio who was talking about the persecuted Christians in other countries and how our government needed to step in and help them out.  He said it was a “no brainer” policy that needed to be put in place.  As much as I want to help the persecuted church, it was my thought that it was not the government that needed to be involved but rather the Christians around this world, praying for those who were being persecuted.  Sometimes I believe that we fall short in the category of prayer.  We tend to use it for our own personal well-being and we depend on the government and money to take care of the larger scale needs.  I actually had a group of ministers laugh at me when I suggested that we pray regarding a money issue.  They all had probably preached on how to depend on God but when it came to a money issue they felt cutting a budget was more of a solution than taking to God in prayer.  It made no sense to me why they would chuckle at this suggestion since God said that “He will supply all our needs” (Philippians 4:19).  Politics, we find it in our churches today and it will only increase when we fail to take our prayer life seriously.  When we grow closer to the Lord we will tend to   look more at Him and less at what the crowd wants.   We have become “crowd pleasers” rather than pleasing our Lord and Savior and it is time to change that.

My prayer is that our churches will become more focused on what the Lord has to tell us and less on what the world has to tell us.  Seek Him with all your hearts, that you may know Him and His power which is far beyond anything that any human or government can supply.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila