Matthew 15

[Elder-Shawn Denise Briscoe]

Matthew 15:8-9; 11; 18-19; 22; 25; 27-28; 34; 36-37

What is your relationship like with JESUS? Is it lip service or heart service? We must examine ourselves to see if we are pleasing others; self or JESUS. Too often we write and tell others our desires or beliefs that are contrary to what GOD desires. This is a major factor as to why we have so many denominations as if when we cross over from death to life. Heaven will have a special place for each denomination. Our beliefs must line up with what the LORD GOD and CHRIST JESUS has informed us with. To get clarity don’t rely on your own understanding; go to the Holy Spirit who will clarify all things pertaining to CHRIST JESUS and the will of HIS FATHER.

 

Traditions can kill you if you are not willing to change. One of the things we must change is our way of speaking to others and ourselves. For example; you tell people that you love them to death. I don’t want anyone to love me to death but I do want people to love me to life and that more abundantly. What you are actually saying when you say that phrase is that you love the death of people or you love them so much you want them dead. And I know that is not what you really mean at all. But life and death are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit. We have to think before we speak; I know most of us have heard that one all our lives; now we must realize that it’s true. If we don’t think about what we are about to say; we may speak death over another or ourselves instead of life. Each time we speak our heart is revealed to others as well as ourselves. Are you mature enough to have a general conversation as you are being taped? Be prepared to be surprised at how dark the heart is; you will find all kinds of wickedness there.

 

Have you ever thought about what gets JESUS all excited to help us? First it’s worship then faith. When we worship HIM we acknowledge that HE is the only one capable to do what we stand in need of. Our faith little as it maybe is what caused us to come in the first place. So we don’t need more faith we just need to stand strong on the faith that we have. We all need help but let’s face it there are many who are not deserving of HIS help because they do not belong to HIM. But because you acknowledge that you are not worthy of HIS help and that if HE does not help you; there just is no hope of being helped; JESUS will be moved by your faith; not your tears; your tantrums but your faith.

 

How many times has JESUS shown up on your behalf and gotten you out of a sticky situation only for you to forget and come to HIM again as if HE may decide not to be there for you as HE was in the past? Well that is the perception given by the disciples when JESUS had feed 5 thousand people with 2 fishes and 5 loaves of bread. Now the disciples question HIM about only having 7 loaves of bread and a few fish. How quickly they had forgotten what HE did with the other meal.