Matthew 22 - 7.22.26

Scripture

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22: 37-40

Observation

The religious leaders of Jesus’s day were constantly trying to trap Jesus by asking him tricky questions. This was one of those. A pharisee asked him, “Which is the greatest commandment?”

Jesus quoted the Old Testament and spoke from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. He said that the first commandment is to love God with all our heart and all our soul and all your mind. And the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. More importantly he said “all the law and the writings of the prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matt 22:40). Let us examine how.

If we look at the ten commandments (Ex 20), the first five is about our relationship with God, and the second five are about our relationship with others. The first five are - you will have no other Gods, you will make no idols, you will not take the Lord’s name in vain, you will honor the sabbath (Sunday as the Lord’s day), and you will honor your parents. If we love the Lord with all our hearts we will not break any of these commandments.

The next 5 commandments are - you will not murder, you will not commit adultery, you will not steal, you will not bear false witness and you will not covet what your neighbor has. If we love others as ourselves, we will not break any of these, which will hurt somebody else. 

So we see that all the commandments of the Bible are directly related to one of these two commandments - love God with all our heart and soul and mind, and love our neighbor as ourselves. 

Application

Let us examine our hearts to see if we love God with all our heart, all our soul and strength. Is he truly the first priority of our life? Do we truly live for him? Does it grieve us when someone takes our precious Lord’s name as a curse word?

God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). The Bible defines love in 1 Cor 13. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor 13:4-7). Do we love our brothers and sisters like this? However, if we have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth, cautions the Bible in James 3:14. Let us look carefully so that we do not fall short of the grace of God, and no root of bitterness springs up (Heb 12:15). Let us examine our hearts.  If we find that our heart is not right, let us confess our sin before God, and get our hearts right before him. Ask him to pour his love in our hearts so that we can love as he loves.

Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for your love for me. I remember the first and greatest commandment and the second commandment that you have laid out for us. Search me, God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Ps 139:23-24). Please help me to listen to your voice convicting me and make changes in my heart as you require. Please help me to love you with all my heart, soul and mind. And please help me to love others like myself. I know I don’t have it in me. I can’t do it with my own ability or willpower. I need your help and your power to do this. Please help me, Lord. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13). Please lead me in your way. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight (Ps 19:14). In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

Asha Chacko George

Matthew 21 - 7.21.26

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew 21:22

“Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea’, and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

OBSERVATION:

Right before Jesus spoke this to His disciples, He was hungry, and had gone up to a fig tree, and saw that there was nothing on it except leaves.  He spoke to it and said, “May you never bear fruit again!”  Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed, and asked Jesus how the fig tree withered so quickly.  Jesus taught them about the power of prayer.

APPLICATION:

Faith combined with prayer unlocks the door to God’s blessings. Jesus wasn’t referring to any kind of asking, He emphasized believing.  “…When you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”  (James 1:6-8).

Doubt hinders our prayers.  When we ask in faith, it requires not only our words, but our heart that fully trusts in God. 

PRAYER:  Dear God, I pray You will help me to trust in You fully and completely.  May my prayers be aligned with Your heart.  Thank You for being so caring and attentive to answer every request that I have brought to You in faith.  Help me not to ask selfish prayers, but to trust and rely on Your wisdom, and to have unwavering trust in Your power and perfect timing.  In Jesus name I pray, amen.

- Robin Orefice

Matthew 20 - 7.20.26

Scripture

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭20‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

““What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered.”

Observation

The mother of James and John comes up to Jesus and makes a request on behalf of her sons. She asks Jesus if her sons can sit at the right and left side of Him when Jesus establishes His kingdom. But you see, James and John’s mother is still thinking Jesus is going to overthrow the Roman Empire, establish His earthly kingdom and put Israel back on the map again. But, the kingdom Jesus is going to establish is not an earthly one, but rather a heavenly one. 

Application

We should be glad that Jesus doesn’t give us everything we ask for.

I remember a time when a promotional opportunity came up for me at work. I felt it was the perfect spot for me. The job was not only gonna pay me more, but the location that I would be working out of was as close to home as I could get! To add the “cherry on top,” the job was less busy and less stressful than my current job at the time. I remember praying to Jesus every day. I’d ask Him to give me favor when I interviewed for the position. I asked that He bless me with this job so I can help out with my family. So, I interviewed for it and it was actually one of the best interviews I ever had! So a couple of months go by and I find out that they gave the job to another guy. I was confused. How could this happen? I was almost certain Jesus was going to come through and answer my prayer!

Fast forward a year or two later. I am in a new job location at work. I still carry the same work title and pay, but definitely a less chaotic work environment than my previous spot. Now get this. This job had required me to help out every now and then at the job location I previously interviewed for and let me tell you, the days I had to cover there were so miserable for me. It was so boring there 😫! There was no human interaction, (other than the truck drivers I had to load/unload). It was a one-man operation, in the middle of nowhere, with no one to talk to. Now I know some people may like those type of work conditions, but even for an introvert like me, that was a bit much. Let’s just say, I’m glad that Jesus didn’t answer my prayers regarding that job. It seems Jesus knew what was best for me. 😁

The same can be said in this particular passage in regards to what James and John’s mother was asking of Jesus. She had no clue the bitter cup of suffering that Jesus was about to endure on that cross. She and her sons were only focused on obtaining those highly sought after prominent positions of stature seated at the right and left hand of Jesus in His kingdom. But like I mentioned earlier, Jesus was not there to establish His earthly kingdom, but rather his heavenly kingdom. In order to do that, it started at His sacrifice on the cross and who were at Jesus’ right and left side on that cross?…the two thieves, who too were being crucified. Now, would the mother of James and John or any mother for that matter want that sort of fate for their sons?! I think not. I think it’s safe to say that she too was glad that Jesus didn’t give her what she asked for. 

At the end of the day, Jesus doesn’t always give us what we ask for. It could be a job request, a physical healing, or even getting us out of a difficult situation. But, we need to trust in Him. We need to understand that He knows what is best for us. We need to know that He is faithful. He will never leave our side and He will give us the strength and fortitude to carry us through.😊 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”-Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for being someone I can trust in. Thank You for being someone who I know wants the best for me. Forgive me for being childish and wanting my ways all the time. Let me remember how You set the example for me in the Garden of Gethsemane. You put aside Your desires of wanting that bitter cup taken away, to submit to the Father’s ways. May my life, my prayers, be about seeking Your will to be done over my own. In Your precious name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽 

-Moses Gaddi