Covenant Grove Daily Devotionals

Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peters brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (Jamess brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him). Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: Dont go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of IsraelGods lost sheep. Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! Dont take any money in your money beltsno gold, silver, or even copper coins. Dont carry a travelers bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Dont hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed. Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. When you enter the home, give it your blessing. If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day. Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, dont worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speakingit will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus sent His disciples to expand the work of the Kingdom. Chapter 10 is the second major teaching discourse in Matthew, and it focuses on the mission of Christ through the disciples. The Lord promised He would make them fishers of men and women (4:19), and this is exactly what He was doing. This is still what He is teaching His followers, even today. Being a Christian not only means we are forgiven and loved; it also means we are sent with His mission to the world. We have been given authority and the power of the Holy Spirit. Dont forget this! We move the mission of Christ forward using the methods of Christ, including love for enemies, healing the hurting, and sacrificial love. They would suffer, and so will we. Jesus gave them comfort and told them to radically trust Him: take no money, God will provide as you work hard.

You may not realize it, but Jesus was summarizing the Gospel of Matthew (up to this point): go to the people of Israel, heal the sick, call people to the Kingdom, live into the abundance of the Kingdom, trust God, and be ready to be hated and misunderstood by others. This was the life of Christ, and this continues to be the life for those who follow Him. Jesus invites us to follow Him onto His mission.

How is your life living out the mission of Jesus (not your own agenda or plans)? Where is Jesus sending you to share His light and love and hope?

As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. My daughter has just died, he said, but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her. So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him. Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, for she thought, If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed. Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well. And the woman was healed at that moment. When Jesus arrived at the officials home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. Get out! he told them. The girl isnt dead; shes only asleep. But the crowd laughed at him. After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up! The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside. After Jesus left the girls home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, Son of David, have mercy on us! They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, Do you believe I can make you see? Yes, Lord, they told him, we do. Then he touched their eyes and said, Because of your faith, it will happen. Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, Dont tell anyone about this. But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region. When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldnt speak was brought to Jesus. So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel! they exclaimed. But the Pharisees said, He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons. Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭18‬-‭38‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus does incredible things when we have faith. In each of these stories of healing, there was incredible faith. The father asked Jesus to bring his daughter back from death; he trusted that Jesus could do it. The woman reached out in faith and touched the hem of His robe. And Jesus specifically asked the blind men if they believed, and they said yes! True faith is not just knowing Jesus is capable; it is active trust. The woman had to reach out, the father had to travel, the men had to speak their trust. So often our faith is deadnothing more than mental assentand we wonder why we dont see the wonders of God. Real faith is a living trust in Jesus.

This chapter ends with Jesus being moved to compassion for the crowds. He did not despise them. Jesus didnt tell His followers to do all the work but pray for workers. Pray and workall with Jesus. It is still about faith, active trust. As we trust Him, He changes us from observers to workers, to make a difference in the world.

In what specific ways could you say your faith is active trust in Jesusnot just mental assent or religious routines? How can you make sure your faith includes social connections? How can you make sure your faith is more than just social connections?

Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven. But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, Thats blasphemy! Does he think hes God? Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say Your sins are forgiven, or Stand up and walk? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins. Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home! And the man jumped up and went home! Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for giving humans such authority. As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collectors booth. Follow me and be my disciple, Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, Why does your teacher eat with such scum? When Jesus heard this, he said, Healthy people dont need a doctorsick people do. Then he added, Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices. For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners. One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, Why dont your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do? Jesus replied, Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭1‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus came to save everyone. So why did He say, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners? Because we are all sinners. The greatest obstacle to following Christ is thinking that you dont need Him (self-righteousness). Most of us think and act like we are fine on our own; we think we are good enough because we compare ourselves to other people. We search for those who are worse than we are rather than looking to Jesus who can accept, forgive, and transform us.

It is only by reading the Gospels that we can know what Jesus was really like. Christ calls us to follow Himnot our made-up version of who He is. These three stories give great insights into what Jesus was like. He deeply cares for people; He forgave this man of his sin because that was the deeper issue. Jesus focuses on the deeper issue, even if it offends people. Jesus called the outcasts of society and defended them. He was a friend of sinnersthe best friend. Matthew was so transformed by Jesus that he followed Him, gave his life to Christ, and wrote the very book we are reading (the Gospel of Matthew). And Jesus life was marked with joy. He taught: Blessed are those who mourn, and there was mourning in His ministry. But Jesus was not somber; He was full of joy! His disciples, quite unusually, did not fast (they would after He ascended). To be around Jesus was to be filled with joy.

Do you see yourself as a sinner, a good person, or something in-between? How does your view of yourself affect your need for (and dependence on) our Savior? Which of the three stories, and their lessons, do you need to remember and live out today?

When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. But Jesus replied, Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head. Another of his disciples said, Lord, first let me return home and bury my father. But Jesus told him, Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead. Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, Lord, save us! Were going to drown! Jesus responded, Why are you afraid? You have so little faith! Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed. Who is this man? they asked. Even the winds and waves obey him! When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one could go through that area. They began screaming at him, Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before Gods appointed time? There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. So the demons begged, If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs. All right, go! Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬-‭34‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Who is Jesus? People saw His miracles and wanted to follow Him, but He called them to obey beyond what they expected. He demanded absolute and total devotion to Himself. He is not just a rabbi or miracle worker; He is God. These verses are shocking until we realize Who He is; our Creator has the right to demand our highest allegiance and obedience. We have a choice: will we be His followers and get in the boateven in the storms? Or will we demand that He leaves our town (v.34) because we are afraid?

Those who followed Him closely experienced more than the crowds. The crowds saw miracles, exorcisms, and healings. The crowd was fed and taught. But only those who got with Him in the boatthose who put Jesus ahead of their families, jobs, and comfortgot to see Jesus stand up and tell the winds and the waves to be quiet as if they were His to command (they are). For those who have faith to take the first steps, Jesus reveals more of Himself to them. We do not need to be afraid of His power.

Do you realize the power of the One to whom you are praying? Do you comprehend the wonder? Soak it in today. When you are trying to share Christ with others, don't over talk; invite them to walk with Jesus and see the good work that He does, every day. Soon they may ask, Who is this man?"

Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. Lord, the man said, if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean. Jesus reached out and touched him. I am willing, he said. Be healed! And instantly the leprosy disappeared. Then Jesus said to him, Dont tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed. When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain. Jesus said, I will come and heal him. But the officer said, Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, Go, and they go, or Come, and they come. And if I say to my slaves, Do this, they do it. When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, I tell you the truth, I havent seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the worldfrom east and westand sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelitesthose for whom the Kingdom was preparedwill be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened. And the young servant was healed that same hour. When Jesus arrived at Peters house, Peters mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him. That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus is the Healer. He healed those with skin disease, those in pain, those paralyzed, those with fevers, and those possessed with demons. He did all this, only using the power of His words. The centurion (Roman officer) realized the authority Jesus had; he understood that Christ could heal with only the power of His words; the centurion trusted in the authority of Jesus.

Christ didn't heal every disease in His day because His mission was to seek and save the lost; this is bigger than our physical ills (as terrible as those are). As His followers, we are called to continue His healing ministry through prayer, listening, medicine, and more. We befriend the outcast, fight for the oppressed, and tell the world the Good News of Jesus. Where is God in the suffering? God is in YOU and all those who love Him.

The healing ministry of Jesus points to His ultimate mission: His death and resurrection ensure that there will be a day where there will be no more pain, no more disease, no more death, no more sorrow. Jesus Himself died in agony; He knows our pain. We can run to Him in our hurt and know that He understands and has the power to heal. He loves us. He lives in us and He makes us stronger for the storms of this world, and it gives us secure hope that He is coming back and will wipe every tear from our eyes.

How has Jesus helped you through a time of hurt or pain? How can you help others and point them to Jesus?

You can enter Gods Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cant produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cant produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Not everyone who calls out to me, Lord! Lord! will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name. But I will reply, I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break Gods laws. Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it wont collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesnt obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash. When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authorityquite unlike their teachers of religious law.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus is God, and He has the right to call for absolute obedience. There are five major teaching sections in Matthew (chapters 5-7, 10, 13, 18, 24-25), and each section ends with a call to obey (and consequences if we dont). The crowd was amazed at the teaching of Jesus because He taught with authority. He did not cite other rabbis (which was the custom), and He called for total obedience to His teaching. His teachings are the words of life.

There will be storms in lifethat is guaranteed. Christ did not spare Himself from those storms but suffered rejection, misunderstanding, injustice, pain, and death. Each one of us has a choicewill we blame God for the storms or prepare for the hurricane? The words of Christ are a firm foundation that can withstand the storms. But if we are honest, His words are often NOT the foundation of our lives. We give much more authority to news, friends, entertainment, and our own opinions. These cannot withstand the storms.

Christ made it clear: fruit is not optional for salvation (see also John 15). There can be false fruit (Matthew 7:22), but producing no fruit is not an option. Those who have a relationship with Jesus (v.23) surrender to the work of the Spirit and produce good fruit (see Gal 5:22-23). The priority in our lives is to be closer to Him, experiencing His love and power, and obeying His commands.

Do you see the words of Jesus as optional advice or commands to be obeyed? What will you do to learn, remember, understand, and obey the teachings of our Lord?

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. How can you think of saying to your friend, Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye, when you cant see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friends eye. Dont waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Dont throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you. Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You parentsif your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭4‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Dont misunderstand these verses (and most do). Jesus told us not to judge; He is not telling us to abandon discretion. Wise people have good judgment. First, Jesus is warning us about our standards: with the measure we measure others we will be measured. We also measure ourselves, sometimes too critically and sometimes too easily. We continue to live with ourselves, and we can give this same mercy and love to others. Second, Jesus is teaching us to allow Him to work on our hearts and remove the planks from our eyes, so that we can help others remove the specks from their eyes. The way most people (wrongly) read these verses, the planks and specks stay in everyone's eyes because we are all supposed to stay silent.

Jesus is the ultimate Judge, and He taught about judgment and discretion. Jesus taught His disciples to be wise about in whom they invested their time (v.6) and later taught them to beware of false leaders (23:1-3) and false prophets (24:4-5). Our Lord wants us to be wise and have discernment; what He taught us NOT to do was condemn others. He wants us to judge others the way He has judged us. How has He judged us? We are sinners (He doesnt lie about that), and He Himself came to pay the penalty so we would not be condemned. In condemning others (or ourselves), we are working against the sacrifice and love of Christ.

How can you use wise discernment without condemning others? In what ways do you struggle to evaluate yourself and others through Gods eye

Dont store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday lifewhether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isnt life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They dont plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And arent you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They dont work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So dont worry about these things, saying, What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So dont worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Todays trouble is enough for today.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭34‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Worry and materialism are two of the most dangerous problems in the world today. Having more than we need is usually seen as a sign of success, yet the more we have, the more we have to worry about; our possessions possess us. These verses are powerful and counter cultural. If we would live them out, our lives would be very different. He taught us to store up treasure in heaven not stuff on earth. We can do this by giving to Kingdom causes, helping those in need, and making the world better. Where your treasure is, there your heart is. Our heart follows where we spend our moneyit matters! We cannot serve God and stuff.

Jesus also taught about worry, which relates to possessions and money. Life is more than our possessions; we are made to love God, love others, and make a difference. We can trust God to provide for what we really need because we are valuable to our Father. We should be focused on our Father and seeking His Kingdom first. Worry cant add time to life (it robs us of life and joy). Hear the voice of Jesus inviting you to let go of worry. He is with you and will never let you go.

Jesus invites us into the Kingdom, a world of abundance. We can live without fear because we know that God will always take care of us. We can be generous and wise because we know God is with us. Stop taking more than you need and unleash generosity in your life.

What can you give away? What can you sell and give to those in need? How can you let go of worry

Watch out! Dont do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, dont do as the hypocrites doblowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, dont let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. When you pray, dont be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. When you pray, dont babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Dont be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And dont let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. And when you fast, dont make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Motives matter. Why do you pray? Why do you pray for others? If we are honest, there is often a self-centered goal at the root of our acts of devotion. We want to look good. We want to be better or look better than others, comparing ourselves rather than serving our Savior. It is not that our relationships with others dont matter (see v.14); it is that serving is not about self-righteousness but honoring God. Our acts of goodness dont increase our value; our value comes from God alone. Jesus cuts through our muddled motives and calls us to the only One: God Himself. There is no higher good; there is no higher motive.

We are invited into a direct relationship with God; He is our FATHER. It all starts with accepting the Father's perfect love, the love that only He can give. Filled with His love, we overflow. So being filled with His love is priority one. Jesus said WHEN (not if) we pray, fast, forgive, and give to those in need, so we must be doing these things. They are not optional; they are also not possible without the love of the Father flowing through us.

Honestly, what are some of the false motives that are part of your serving? Will you find your full worth in Christ alone, and ask God to change your motives? Which parts of the Lords Prayer do you need to add to your daily prayers?

You have also heard that our ancestors were told, You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord. But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, By heaven! because heaven is Gods throne. And do not say, By the earth! because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, By Jerusalem! for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, By my head! for you cant turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, Yes, I will, or No, I wont. Anything beyond this is from the evil one. You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and dont turn away from those who want to borrow. You have heard the law that says, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭33‬-‭48‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This chapter is not a list of rules, it is a charter for a new humanity. Simply put, God wants us to become like Him. He wants us to keep our word, following through on what we say. He wants us to forgive people who have wronged us (without giving up the need for justice). He wants us to love, truly love, those who hate us. This is what God does because this is His character. The image of God is restored in us through Christ who lives in us and changes us from the inside out.

At first glance, these teachings of Christ look like weakness, turning us into doormats for the world. Yet the life of Christ gives us the perfect example to follow; He was not a doormat, He served in strength. Tragically, very few people follow His way. Revenge and reciprocity rule the day. We are so eager to guard our dignity that we miss how undignified in hate we are all becoming.

The way of Christ is not weakness; it is love stronger than all hate. These commandskeeping our word, giving to those who ask, serving all, and loving enemiesare only possible if a person has the eternal love of Christ inside of them. It is only when we hear the voice of Christ that we can ignore the voices of hate, criticism, and condemnation. This way of life does not mean we are doormatsChrist was not, and we follow His example. No one had taught these things before Jesus, and few have lived them out since.

How can you follow these commands without being walked on by others? What would it mean for you to live these commands out in your life?