Matthew 4:18-25 Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Here is one of the specific callings Jesus makes to people to follow him. Peter and Andrew, James and John are fishermen who work in the Sea of Galilee. What does it mean for these men to follow Jesus? Jesus tells them that he will make them fishers of men. What does “fishers of men” really mean? In the following context, we can see that Jesus’ ministry activities included teaching and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom as well as healing people afflicted with disease. In the previous context, we can see that the content of the gospel message is “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Then, fishing for men (and women) is to invite them to enter the kingdom through repentance after praying for their needs. We find this same paradigm in the early Church of preaching the Gospel and praying for people’s needs (Acts 4:29-30). When was the last time I asked an unbeliever if he wanted me to pray for his/her needs to God? A prayer for their needs may lead them to repent and believe! Who knows what God will do?

How did Peter, Andrew, James, and John respond to the calling? They left boat, nets, and family to follow Jesus. Becoming fishers of people begins to show a cost. It may mean to leave family and livelihood behind. This is very important. Contrast that response with the crowds that “followed” Jesus without becoming disciples because Jesus’ fame as a healer spread throughout the area. It is possible to “follow” (seeking God’s benefits) without really following (offering our lives). Jesus wants us to follow him so that we may become fishers of people who boldly proclaim entrance in the kingdom through repentance and offer prayers for their needs.

Father, teach me to follow your Son to become a fisher of people. Grant me boldness to proclaim the Gospel and pray for unbeliever’s needs.

Psalm 29 Ascribe to the Lord Glory

In my early years as a Christian, I developed a bad habit in my prayer life. I used to come to God and just blurt out all my needs. It is not wrong to ask for what I need, but I had not developed the habit to ascribe glory to the Lord. I was treating him as a messenger boy to go out and run some errands for me. I was approaching God with a "gimme" attitude that is selfish to say the least.

When I realize who is the God that I approach, my attitude is changed. I stop treating him like a messenger and start realizing that I'm standing before a God of glory and strength who deserves all the honor and praise a human being can offer. Actually, according to the psalmist, he deserves all the glory, honor, and praise that the heavenly beings can muster as well. 

"Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name." All our worship and adoration to God is not wasted. It is not exaggerated either. He deserves it all. It is due his name. In others words, it is expected. We could spend the rest of our lives, every minute of it, just ascribing glory to God and it would not be overdoing it at all. The love language that God understands is worship to his great name.

The Lord is enthroned above as King of kings and Lord of lords. He is not enthroned for a little time, but he is enthroned forever. Everything on earth is under his control and subject to his powers. The whole of creation is subject to him including my life and not the other way around. 

For this reason, now I always begin prayer ascribing glory to the Lord before anything else. When he taught his disciples to pray, he began with "Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be your name." I must learn to honor as holy the name of God and give him praise and glory before I attempt to present my list of needs. Then, it is proper to pray: "May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace."

Father, you are the awesome and benevolent Creator of all that exists, including my own life. You are the divine, eternal, forgiving, gracious, holy, invisible, just, kind, loving, and merciful God. There is no one and there is nothing like you. Amen.

Psalm 7 When Slandered...

Some time ago, I was falsely accused of covering up the sin of a friend. In reality, I did not know about his sin and never set out to cover it up before other people. The unfair criticism of the people against me brought much pain to my life during those agonizing months. But there wasn't much I could do about it. Only time would allow the truth to surface and in the meantime, I had to endure the abuse. The truth is that I could not endure it on my own strength. My God became the source of strength I needed to stay above water.

Psalm 7 is a psalm for all who are suffering because of slander or unfair criticism. Cush, a Benjamite made some accusing remarks against David for which he suffered greatly. Instead of exacting revenge, David prays to the Lord for strength. We can learn a thing or two on how to respond to slander as we read this psalm.

First, we are to run to the Lord as our refuge to find safety in him and no one else, and nothing else. Then, as we pray to our God, we can make our claim of innocence before him, since no one else may believe us. Through prayer, we also keep a long term perspective on how those who slander will pay unless they repent. God is our judge and all these matters will be dealt with in the future by him personally. We need to surrender our desire to make them pay and turn them to God for payment. At the end of the psalm, we find that David ends with thanksgiving and worship. Ultimately, after processing our pain before God and relinquishing our desire for revenge, we can give thanks and praise his name.

My initial reaction to slander and unfair criticism is to lash out against my accusers. But that only stirs up more strife. At times, I felt the desire to run away from the problem, but we all know that running away would not solve anything. Many times, I felt like giving the cold shoulder with silent treatment by distancing myself from those brothers and sisters, but that would damage the environment of love and peace in the church. I most certainly don't want to be the culprit of such terrible negativity in the church.

Slander is painful. Unfair criticism is just that: unfair. But living these experiences teaches me to depend on God and make him my refuge. It helps me to see God as the Judge of injustice and not myself. When I learn to pray like David, I am set free to give thanks and worship my God. Ultimately, time will tell if what people say of me is true or not.

Father, when slandered, help me run to you right away. May I pray like David in your presence. Become my refuge and strength that I may be grateful and worship your name. Amen.

Acts 16:11-15 The Conversion of Lydia

The Holy Spirit's call to Paul and his team to land in Macedonia certainly had a purpose. It took Paul completely out of his comfort zone. Usually Paul went to the synagogue of the area to begin his ministry among the Jews. In Philippi there was no synagogue. The closest thing was a prayer gathering at the gate of the city. Paul's ministry was mainly among men, but this prayer gathering was made up of women. This is all new to Paul. The Holy Spirit wants to take me out of my comfort zone and challenge me into new directions. Am I open to the Spirit's challenge? Am I too set in my routine as to allow room for God's challenge in my life? Am I listening to the Spirit's whisper?

The woman that responded to the Gospel message was named Lydia. Why did she respond? The Scripture says that the Lord opened her heart to pay attention. Divine appointments begin with the guidance of the Spirit and the drawing of the heart to listen is also the Spirit's work. The preaching of the Gospel is not about human persuasion, but about power to change lives. Do I rely on the Spirit to open people's hearts to pay attention? Do I preach the Gospel out of my own strength?

Lydia was a business woman, a seller of purple goods. She was a very influential person in her time. The fact that she interacted with many people for her business would make her a great ambassador for the Gospel. The Spirit opened her heart so she could take the message later to others. This divine appointment proved to be very strategic for the spread of the Gospel. I should pray that God will grant me divine appointments that are strategic to the taking over of our community with the Gospel. Am I willing to pray in earnest for this?

Lydia's conversion provides a great argument for the believer's baptism. It is important to note that most conversions in the book of Acts are followed by baptism. This is what we call believer's baptism. A person is baptized once they have believed. It is for this reason that infant baptism does not fulfill the requirement of baptism as preached by the Apostles. Infant baptism is the confession of faith of my parents, but my personal confession of faith is only stated by believer's baptism. I must own my faith and make a statement for myself. The preaching of the Gospel is to repent and be baptized - in that order!

Father, guide me to divine appointments that challenge me. Take me out of my comfort zone and help me to welcome it. Holy Spirit prepare my heart and the hearts of those who need to hear the Gospel. Guide me to one person that is strategic in the spread of your Gospel in this community. Empower me to faithfully share your Word. Amen.

Acts 10:9-33 Peter's Vision

When Peter explained the giving of the Spirit on Pentecost, he quoted Joel who said "...and your young men shall see visions." Little did he know at the time that he would be given the privilege to see this one. God uses visions as a means to communicate something to his people with a visual image or images. The images of Peter's vision came to him while he was praying during the sixth hour (11-noon) on the housetop of Simon the tanner in the city of Joppa. The homes in these days had a flat rooftop that was used as living space, accessible via some steps on the side of the house. It was used as a gathering place as well as a place to do laundry, dry fruit, winnow chaff from grain, sleep during hot nights, and pray.

The vision came to Peter while he was on the rooftop praying. He was hungry, and while he waited for food to be prepared, he saw a sheet descending from the heavens with all kinds of animals on it and a voice that told him to kill and eat. The reason Peter refused to do so is rooted in the dietary laws of the Jews. According to Deuteronomy 14, there were clean and unclean animals, birds, and insects. The unclean (ceremonially speaking) were not to be eaten and these included the pig, camel, hare, eagle, vulture, falcon, owl, bat, insects, etc. among others. Peter's refusal to eat was met with the words: What God has made clean, do not call common."

Peter could not understand God's message because of the prejudice already built up in his life by tradition. How easy it is for me to get lost in the traditions that I have locked myself into! Traditions are not bad, they are good. They are the means to remember what God has done in the past and to celebrate the many benefits we enjoy for what God has done. But traditions have this other edge that cuts open, honest, and relevant communication with my God. Traditions can be the material necessary to build bridges that lead to the truth, but it can also be used to build a box to keep God inside and mold him according to my prejudiced conceptions of him.

As Peter tries to figure out the meaning of this vision, the men sent by Cornelius arrive. Timing is everything here. God speaks through the ordinary things of life as well as through the great visions of the heavens. Am I listening? The so called "coincidences" in life many times become the voice of God speaking loudly to me. Am I paying attention? I need to take time to get away from the hustle and bustle of life, the hurry, the busyness, the noise of the crowd so that I can hear God's voice. My refusal to slow down makes it almost impossible for me to perceive and discern what God wants to say to me.

I consider listening to God a task of great precision for which I must focus all my attention and energy to do it right. Have I ever tried to make a measurement reading with precision while moving? No! I stop. I take my time. I focus. I concentrate. I make sure I know how to use the measuring tool. And sometimes I measure again to make sure I did it right the first time. Why do I think I can listen to God while on the run? Why don't I take time to be with God and listen to his voice?

Traditions, busyness, and lack of attention can all stand in the way of hearing and understanding God's voice. Peter heard and finally understood God's message: Do not call any person common or unclean! The Gospel is also for the Gentiles, not just for the Jews! Am I listening? Am I paying attention? Am I able to see? I yearn to hear God's voice.

Father, allow my eyes to see you at work in the ordinary things in life. Allow my ears to listen attentively to your voice. Don't allow tradition, or busyness, or lack of attention to stand in the way of my relationship with you. Speak to me. I want to hear your voice. Amen.

Acts 4:23-31 The Believers Pray for Boldness

What will Peter and John do after being threatened and released? Will they pout? Will they plot? Will they play? None of the above! They reported what happened to their friends - better translation is to their own, referring to other believers and they PRAYED. Complaining about the situation was not going to make it better. Trying to exact revenge was not going to make it better. Ignoring the situation and going back to business as usual was not going to help either.

What did they pray about? They could have complained to God in their prayer, but they didn't. They could have asked God to rain fire and brimstone upon the priests and Pharisees, but they didn't. They could have prayed for a hiding place, but they did not. Instead, their prayer acknowledged God as the Sovereign Creator of all things as an opening. Then they acknowledged that God had spoken through David, referring to Psalm 2, explaining that the Gentiles, peoples, rulers, and kings would come against the Christ. After quoting the Scripture, they acknowledged its fulfillment in their day through the Gentiles, Israel, Pontius Pilate, and Herod. Again, this prayer shows that predestination and human responsibility are completely compatible with one another.

What did they pray about? They asked God to look upon their threats. It is an expression to bring something to his attention. Given the threats, they asked: "grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with boldness." Awesome! In the midst of opposition, they viewed their circumstances in light of the Scriptures and asked for what they needed most. Considering that the mission was already clearly stated by Jesus before his ascension: Make disciples wherever you go or be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, there is no question that the greatest need is boldness to speak the word given the threats.

The focus of my prayer in similar circumstances would've been on protection. For God to protect me from the threats, but I don't think I would've asked for boldness to do exactly what the leaders prohibited me to do. This is evidence that my prayer life is too self-centered. I need to be more Christ-centered, more Kingdom-centered. I have to realize that I am called to be a witness upon this earth and nothing should deter me from being one. A true disciple follows Jesus no matter the circumstances. A true disciple makes kingdom business the priority of his life.

Their prayer also acknowledged that God would continue to work among them with healings, signs and wonders through the name of Jesus. Evidence that God listened to this prayer was that immediately, the place was shaken, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and in the long term, they continued to speak the word with boldness. The results are in the hands of God!

Father, fill me with your Spirit and grant me boldness to speak your word in season and out of season. May I be a Christ-centered disciple. May my business be your kingdom above all other things. Amen.

Acts 3:1-10 The Lame Beggar Healed

Judaism had three hours of prayer a day. The first one was at the third hour of the day or from 8:00-9:00am. The second was at the sixth hour of the day or from 11:00-noon. And the third was at the ninth hour of the day or from 2:00-3:00pm. The Jews counted the hours starting at 6:00am instead of midnight like we do (the Roman system). The disciples continued to pray according to this schedule. In our day, we have watered down our devotion through prayer. Many Christians don't practice a devotional life at all. I must fight to keep a meaningful devotional life every day.

During this hour of prayer, many Jews would make their way to the temple. Beggars came to take their place at the different gates that lead to the temple to ask for alms - beg for money. This was the only way that the handicapped poor could survive since they could not work. In the case of this lame beggar, probably family and friends would carry him to the gate to a place where he could be seen to receive some alms. Poverty is a difficult social issue that I wish I didn't have to deal with. But Jesus told us that we would have the poor with us. My responsibility is to ensure I have a benevolent heart to help those who are in need. It starts in my home, my church, and my community. My Christian faith demands that I "direct my gaze" at the poor and not away from them.

Interestingly enough, Peter and John are not in a position to give any money because they didn't have any to give. But the fact that they didn't have money did not deter them from interacting with the beggar. Actually, they had something to offer that was more precious than money - Jesus Christ! With authority, Peter calls on Jesus on behalf of the beggar for healing and the beggar is healed! I must understand that Christ is more important than money. The opportunity to pray for God's intervention in someone's life, including the outcast of our society should not be passed up. Sometimes, I focus on the material things I can offer people and don't stop to consider that a prayer may be as needed. Of course, I don't want to become one who just offers a prayer and does nothing to relieve the physical need. But I don't want to think that all I have to offer is material because Jesus Christ can do things in a life that nothing and no one else can do.

The results of offering a prayer on behalf of people and their needs are in the hands of God for sure. But I cannot enjoy testimonies of wonder and amazement unless I take that step of faith. The Gospel is proclaimed by the testimonies of people whom God touches through his body - the Church. I am part of that body. I am the hands of Jesus to touch those who are in need. I am the mouth of Jesus to say a prayer for those who are oppressed. I am the feet of Jesus to carry the Good News wherever I go. The poor and the oppressed need me to direct my gaze at them and offer them what I have - physically and spiritually. I will offer relief for the body as God enables me, but I will also offer relief for the soul in the name of Jesus Christ. I will offer my prayers on their behalf. I will intercede to my heavenly Father for them to receive a healing touch. For some it may be physical, but the real healing begins with the soul.

Father, help me be a man of prayer. May I seek you day by day with all my heart. Fill my heart with compassion so that I may be benevolent towards the poor and the oppressed. Give me courage to offer what I have to those in need. Amen.

Acts 2:42-47 The Fellowship of the Believers

The apostles experienced such an explosive growth - just 3,000 people responded to Peter's sermon. What did they do? What was their lifestyle like? How did they spend their time? The Scripture says they "devoted" themselves to certain things. Their existence in the community of faith was one of devotion - giving most of their time and resources, to persist obstinately, to adhere, to be constant, to be steadfastly attentive, to give unremitting care. They were attentive and persistent despite the obstacles; they dogged these things. As I read this, I am convicted about my own level of devotion.

What were the things that were so important and worthy of their constant devotion? They were the apostles' teaching, fellowship, meals, and prayers. I have the apostles' teaching in the Bible. Fellowship is a communion, partnership, association to pursue a common interest. My relationships are not for the sake of a friendship, as great as that is. It is to come together to plan and strategize to work towards a common goal. Meals together are more likely referring to both the Lord's Supper (communion) and eating together as a family. The Lord's Supper gives me the opportunity to remember the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ - one Lord, one faith, one Church. Also, having meals together is a great reminder that I am part of the family of God. I am my Father's child together with other brothers and sisters - my siblings in the faith. Am I devoted to these things?

The effects upon ones life for devoting oneself to these things should motivate me to pursue them with a passion. Notice the resulting effects: awe, signs and wonders, unity, community, gladness, generosity and worship. The interesting thing here is that growth was God's doing and not the people's doing. If I devote myself to the Scriptures, fellowship, meals, and prayers, my life will be filled with a sense of awe (reverent fear) for God. The gifts of the Spirit will be at work producing more signs and wonders. There comes a unity that becomes community as everyone's needs are met and not ignored. My heart is filled with gladness (contentment) and generosity that moves me to worship and praise.

A community like this would be a magnet for a needy world! The Lord would then add the numbers. Growth is a result of devotion to the right things and not pursuit of growth per se. If I devote myself to the teaching of the apostles, to fellowship, meals, and prayers, there is no stopping of what God can do in terms of growth. He takes care to add the numbers. I should take care of devoting myself to the right things.

Father, forgive my lack of devotion and forgive my devotion to the wrong things. Give me a heart that is fully devoted to you and your kingdom. Help me prioritize my life to make Scripture, fellowship, meals, and prayers the most important things in my life.

Acts 1:12-26 Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

After Jesus' ascension, the apostles obediently returned to Jerusalem and waited in prayer. Many others joined them (120 people total) including Mary, the mother of Jesus. Peter, stands and speaks to the brethren gathered there. He explains Judas' treason and fate as a fulfillment of the Scriptures as written by David in the Psalms. So the Scriptures are used as the authoritative source to understand and explain what has happened.

Many see a contradiction in the this account of the field's purchase as compared to Matthew 27. It is best to see them as two different perspectives on the same event and they are reconcilable. Peter recounts that Judas acquired the field with the reward, but Matthew states that Judas came back to the Pharisees with a guilty conscience and threw the money at them in the temple and hung himself afterwards. It is not difficult to think that the Pharisees purchased the field in Judas' name since they knew it was blood money and could not keep it for themselves. None of them would want a property in their name associated with blood money. So much so, that the people called the field a Field of Blood (Akeldama). Peter quotes Psalm 69:25 as a prophecy to be fulfilled - it would be desolate and no one would dwell in it.

Moreover, the Scriptures also are the authoritative source, not just to understand what has taken place, but to decide what must take place. Peter quotes the Psalms (109:8) as the basis for their first decision as apostles - Let another take his office. Understanding that Psalm 109 predicts Jesus' suffering and the final fate of his betrayer, they decide to choose a replacement for him. They established the requirements, they prayed, and they selected by casting lots.

Concerning casting lots... It was a method of selection that eliminated human influences like popularity, money and other controlling factors from the process. It is important to note that the selection criteria was established beforehand and the candidates had to meet such criteria. Manny people don't feel that there is an election unless there is a popularity vote with at least two people competing against each other. Not so in the Scriptures. It is best to have the leadership establish the requirements and choose those who meet the requirements. If there is more than one meeting the criteria for a given position, then cast lots!

The Scriptures are central to the believer's life. They are the only authoritative source for all of life and faith. I must make the Scriptures central in my life. In order to derive the benefits that the Scriptures offer, I must meditate on them often. I must also take them seriously. The Scriptures should always be my light and my guide.

Father, make me hungry for your Word every day. May I seek what it says. May I strive to live what it commands. May I delight in it every day of my life. Amen

Matthew 26:36-46 Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

In the kingdom of God, prayer is the prescription for my trouble. The intensity of the prayer should be at par with the intensity of the problem. Jesus' problem was great indeed. It was not fear of torture and death, though that may be enough to trouble me. But it was the prospect of having to drink of the cup. This cup represents the work of redemption on the cross. It represents the bearing of the sin of all humanity with all its shame and guilt and condemnation. Jesus was to bear the wrath of God in our place. Now that is troublesome. All my problems pale in comparison.

When my trouble is difficult to bear on my own, I should recruit supporters to pray with me and for me. Jesus took his disciples to pray and he even chose his inner circle to be closer to him as he prayed. Unfortunately, the disciples were too tired to pray. They could not watch with him, not even one hour. Jesus was so troubled that he prayed three times the same prayer: if it was possible for the cup to pass from him. On all three occasions, the disciples fell asleep. I have fallen asleep plenty a times instead of watching and praying.

When temptation is at hand, I must watch and pray to prevent falling into it, seeking for a way out. Jesus' temptation at that moment was to refuse to drink of the cup, but he surrendered his will to the Father through prayer. He humbled himself to ensure that his human will would not interfere with the Father's will. How many times my will does not want to do the will of God? I have wrestled and unfortunately, I have not been victorious because I don't come in humility. I come demanding what I want.

I must discipline my flesh to follow the desires of the spirit because the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. This is the main reason for spiritual discipline. It is to train the flesh to follow the spirit and not the other way around. Unfortunately, the disciples missed their opportunity to prepare for what was to come. They were unprepared and responded with violence, fear, and denial of Christ. How many times have I missed the opportunity to prepare in prayer for lack of discipline?

Lord, thank you for your willingness to drink the cup to redeem me. Teach me to pray. May I discipline myself to seek you day by day to prepare for life's challenges. May I seek you especially when I am in trouble.

Matthew 21:12-17 Jesus Cleanses the Temple

It is difficult for me to picture Jesus angry and probably for most people. But anger is an emotion that every human being experiences. Anger in itself is not a problem. The problem is what I do with my anger. If I lash out at people and hurt them in my anger then I have a problem. The term "anger management" tends to depersonalize anger making it an object outside myself that I have to control by mastering certain skills. The truth is that what I do with my anger comes from within, the heart, and cannot be depersonalized that easily. What I really need is an inner transformation that will help me manage my heart not just my anger. I most certainly don't oppose acquiring skills to cope with anger, but don't want to ignore my need for inner change. 

What made Jesus so angry? For sure, the buying and selling of animals for sacrifices and the money exchanging activities were part of temple life. People came from all over the surrounding nations to worship. It was necessary to have a market for animals and change of currency available. Notice that Jesus' accusation is that the temple has become a den of robbers. The robbers were the people selling and exchanging. Instead of providing a fair price for their sales and exchanges, they had attached a heavy tax for the local government as well as a cut for themselves ripping off people. That's what angered Jesus.

What does he do with his anger? He goes into the temple and drives people and animals out  of the temple. He definitely made a scene by overturning tables and probably raised his voice to call the attention of those present. He certainly has a flare for drama, but for a good reason. It is his Father's house and he is consumed by the lack of respect shown by others. He is the Son with all the rights in the world to correct something so blatantly wrong as robbing in the temple courts. Instead of prayer, robbery was taking place.

Am I that zealous for God's business? Would I display my anger when I see God's purposes perverted? I pray God will give me the strength to do so. It is so easy to fall prey to the practical and the easy. For example, at church, why would I stand in the lobby or the hallway when everybody else is worshipping God? Why would I sit in the lobby to chat with someone else when the Word of God is being preached? Do I come to church to meet my friends or to meet God first? Understanding that I am the temple of the Holy Spirit, why would I give my body to uses that insult God, like sexual immorality, overeating, drug abuse, etc...

Lord, may your holy anger move me to make changes in my life to please you. Help me overcome that which perverts your purposes in my life. May I drive out all that stands in the way of genuine worship and adoration to you.

Matthew 18:15-20 If Your Brother Sins Against You

When it comes to conflict resolution, nothing beats the procedure outlined in this passage. Yet I find myself ignoring it time and again. The first step is one of evaluation: "If your brother sins against you..." I have to discern if my brother's fault is worth a confrontation (second step: "...go and tell him his fault")  or if I am willing to let it go without a confrontation. I should be willing to sit down and talk if my brother's well being is in danger due to sin or if it bothers me to the point that I can't be at peace. Even if there is a misunderstanding on my part, I should be willing to sit down with my brother to clarify.

The reason I ignore this precious passage so often is fear. I fear hurting someone, so I tell myself. But reality is that true love speaks the truth and does not hide behind a mask of being "nice." There is no value in being nice when your brother's soul is in danger of hell or your peace of mind does not let you sleep at night. Since my need of venting is so great, my fear drives me to sin by violating the privacy clause "between you and him alone." Somehow, I feel justified to tell someone else my problem with my brother falling into gossip. I realize there is need for counseling to deal with internal issues, but venting with others and speculating about my brother's intentions and motives is not healthy at all. I must go to him!

So often I look at conflict as a nuisance to avoid instead of an opportunity to grow a relationship. The benefit is clear: "If he listens to you, you have gained your brother." There is much to gain from proper conflict resolution. If my brother does not listen, I should be willing to bring witnesses. If I am willing to bring witnesses it is because I am very certain of what I am talking about. I should not bring witnesses to a situation if I am not certain. If my brother still ignores my warning, then I should be willing to come to the church - not the whole congregation, but its representative government (pastor, elders or governing board).

If no resolution is possible after all this, it means that my brother may not be a brother at all. I should have compassion and treat him like an unbeliever: "let him be to you like a Gentile and a tax collector." This does not mean to despise him, but to love him as one who needs Christ. The powers of binding and losing are given to me as a kingdom person through the Gospel. Just a reminder that the binding and losing takes place in the heavens and I am called to discern what my God is doing and follow his lead not the other way around. The Father has promised to be with me and answer my prayers when I am willing to sit down with my brother to resolve our conflict.

Father, thank you for your presence and power in my life to deal with conflict. Don't let fear hold me hostage to be nice and never deal with my issues. Set me free to welcome conflict as an opportunity to grow as a Christian and mature in my relationships.

Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus Walks on the Water

Jesus takes time for a prayer retreat. Much ministry is ahead of him and he needs to prepare for it. Is it also possible that after ministering to over 5,000 people, he needs some rest? It is easy for me to think of prayer as preparation for ministry, but it is not that easy to think of prayer as recovery from ministry. Rest in the Lord is not just sleep. Isn't it also to have peace, inner quietness, and focus? I can't achieve that on sleep alone, but through prayer.

Jesus prayed alone. He sends his disciples ahead of him to be alone in prayer. The disciplines of prayer and solitude are very important in life and ministry. Am I willing to be alone with my Lord in prayer? Silence and solitude are the ingredients necessary for contemplation and self-reflection though many despise them because silence can be deafening and solitude can be overcrowding.  If I desire depth in my relationship with God, I must take time to be with him alone.

By the fourth watch, the disciples are still out on the Sea of Galilee fighting a storm and trying to reach land. A watch is a three hour period during the night. The first watch is 6-9pm; the second is 9-12am; the third is 12-3am; and the fourth is 3-6am. This means that the disciples have been on the boat for over 9 hours fighting the winds of a storm. Mind you that these men are no amateurs when it comes to sailing since many of them used to make a living fishing there. They were obeying the Master's orders to go to the other side and yet encountered a great storm. Many obstacles await me in my obedience to the Master. Will I be as faithful as the disciples battling against the storms of life to obey?

Finally, the Lord comes to their rescue. The disciples are frightened because they think he is a ghost. The Lord identifies himself and encourages them not to fear and Peter requests to be with him. Unfortunately, fear grips his heart in the middle of the storm and he begins to sink until he cries out for help and the Lord takes a hold of him. Not only are there obstacles in accomplishing Jesus' mission, but there are obstacles in getting close to him. Neither one can be accomplished on my own strength and power as capable as I may think I am. I need Jesus.

The accomplishment of Jesus' mission is dependent on my relationship with Jesus just like Jesus' ministry is totally dependent on his relationship with the Father. That's why Jesus prayed alone. I am called to faith and not fear if I am to enjoy fellowship with Jesus because faith overcomes all obstacles. Trust in and obedience to Jesus ensures my footing even upon the stormy waters of life. Thank God for his compassionate hand when my faith waivers and my footing is lost that rescues me from sinking altogether.

Lord, may I seek you day by day in prayer and solitude so that my faith may grow. Sustain me in my attempts to obey you. Hold me with your compassionate hand when all of life seems to fall apart.