Matthew 7 - LOTS That We Can Learn

SF Stagecoach, NV

Dear Brothers, Sisters, Prodigals and Unsaved,

    Starting with Matthew Chapter 7 today and the Lessons are just as important to us.  Since, it's all most all in red letter, it's actually Jesus talking to us still.  He's telling us why we should overcome.  And what we should do and watch for in - Judging Others Ways, Encouragement To Pray, Ways Contrasted - Fruits Contrasted and The Two Foundations.  So hang in there, there is much for us to learn and use in our lives.

Verse  NOTE: ALL meanings are from Strong's Concordance.

7:1-6    Concerning Judging Others:

• [Matthew 7:1-6 NKJV] 1 "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank [is] in your own eye? 5 "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces."
• JUDGE means to pronounce an opinion concerning right or wrong, to pronounce judgment, to subject to censure, and to contend together, of warriors and combatants
• The ones I've underlined will get us into trouble enough, but IF you have a plank in your own eye, and tell others, [telling other peoples problems, which is NONE of their concern], that's gossiping.
• NOTE:  1) If you expect perfection from anyone, except Abba, Jesus or the Holy Spirit you'll be very disappointed in your spiritual growth.  Because while we're on earth, NO ONE IS PERFECT.  We're ALL like children, constantly learning how to read and write, tie our shoes - YES, we all start out small and learn to become adults as we grow up in the Word.  Our job is not to make anyone accept Jesus, just tell them [we plant the seeds].  It's the job of the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin.  Then He'll lead them to someone who will give them the living water.
• NOTE: 2)  We are all uniquely made [1 Corinthians 12:18-27 NKJV] 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where [would] the body [be]? 20 But now indeed [there are] many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those [members] of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable [parts] have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable [parts] have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that [part] which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but [that] the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with [it]; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with [it]. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually."  Then other Scriptures continue on, letting us know...i.e.,
  [1 Corinthians 12:28-29 NKJV] 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 [Are] all apostles? [Are] all prophets? [Are] all teachers? [Are] all workers of miracles?"  NO, or we'd all be the same toe, finger, etc., but no body.  What Abba has pre-ordained you to accomplish, you'll receive what you need.
• Abba[God] likes variety, so He created that in us, knowing how board we'd be if we were all the same.  We'd be squabbling about everything someone does - really dumb things, like what side you chew your gum, that is if we ALL had a mouth only!
• HOW?  INTERCEDE for those you do not "THINK" are good or righteousness enough, for the ministry of Christ - ask Abba to HELP THEM!  YOU'RE NOT GOD, YOU DIDN'T CREATE THEM - HE DID!  The twerp [satan] is attacking you, to go against what Abba has made, for HIS GLORY!  BIND HIM from your thoughts!

7-12     ENCOURAGEMENT TO PRAY

• [Matthew 7:7-12 NKJV] 7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them [Luke 6:38], for this is the Law and the Prophets."
• This one is easy, because of [Mark 11:24 NKJV] "Therefore I [Jesus (Red Letter)] say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive [them], and you will have [them]."
• So, IF you can't BELIEVE, than YOU CAN'T RECEIVE.  CHANGE your mind to Believe that God is ALIVE and KICKING just for you!  Truly, He hears EVERY WORD you say.

13-23   WAYS CONTRASTED - FRUIT CONTRASTED

• [Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV] 13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide [is] the gate and broad [is] the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 "Because narrow [is] the gate and difficult [is] the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."
• A narrow entrance is always more difficult to enter, that's why so few find it.  But it is also hard, because so many think they are better than others, so their fat heads will not fit through he narrow gate.  If we're to come like children to Jesus, all children want to do, is eat, sleep and babble while they discover their toes.  The narrow gate is ONLY through JESUS - don't believe the lies of others.
• Why do so many find the wide gate?  It's because it's easy to walk according to the ways of the world - instead of making changes in our own lives, that please our Creator.  We've all been called to "make it on earth as it is in Heaven" - It's been said, [Genesis 1:28] since Adam OT to our present day [Matthew 6:10] NT. 
• HOW?  Ask the Lord, for forgiveness and repent of your old ways, meaning turn them around to do what Jesus did [DWJD].  Also, know this is the only WAY you can change your FRUIT.

• [Matthew 7:15-20 NKJV] 15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor [can] a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 "Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
• This one, is fairly easy to discern - BEWARE - meaning watch out for the twerp's "got-cha-plan".  The only way you'll know good from bad, is by the fruit that grows on them.  Such as: is the person, one who's always in trouble, wanting you to join them?  Or do they ask you to go to church with them, not a gossip or speaking negatively about people, but speaking kind words.  They are complete opposites so it's pretty easy to tell one from the other.
• Matthew 12:34; Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 10:11; Psalm 14:1; Proverbs 21:2; Proverbs 24:12; Ezekiel 11:21; Ezekiel 16:30; Luke 6:45  I won't list all of them, but it's amazing how common this must be, when it's listed so many times for us to REMEMBER the snare of the twerps.
• [Matthew 12:34 NKJV] "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."  I don't think it can be any clear than that - DO YOU?

24-29   The Two Foundations:

• [Matthew 7:24-25 NKJV] 24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock."

• To become a WISE MAN in Abba's Eye, LISTEN to what He says in His Word and DO THEM!! - that should be clear enough.

• [Matthew 7:26-27 NKJV] 26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."
• IF YOU DO NOT LISTEN, then you are "FOOLISH PERSON" - Jesus' Words, not mine.  Your house [body], is the temple of God and that's what will be your great fall!  You'll not be in Heaven!

• [Matthew 7:28-29 NKJV] 28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
• ONLY JESUS had the AUTHORITY to teach ABBA's TRUTH.  Anyone, unless taught by God's Word, doesn't know the truth.
• Did your Mom or Dad ever say "BECAUSE I SAID SO?"  Mine did.  They didn't know the Word, as they raised us 5 girls.  Now I say in Jesus' Authority "BECAUSE GOD SAY'S SO".  Big difference - your will or God's?

    My prayer 4 U:  Father, in Jesus' Name I'm asking You to reveal, to Your Children, how to think from Heaven's perspective, so we can release Heavenly solutions in our lives and to others, help us NOT TO LEAD with our head, but with the heart of JESUS!  -  In Jesus' Name - AMEN! and AMEN!

Blessing to ALL, see you Thursday

Sandy - The Lord's Servant