Friday & Weekend Reading

Matthew 18:23-20:28; Psalm 23, 24, 25; Proverbs 5:22-6:11. We have several readings to complete this weekend. But oh, they are so good! In Matthew, Jesus gives us more illustrations concerning the Kingdom of Heaven: 1) Forgiveness is key!! The blood that Jesus shed on the cross has covered all of your sins. You have been completely forgiven. Therefore, you are called to completely forgive others. Those that accept the gift of salvation, yet refuse to forgive others will be harshly judged by the Father. 2) Everyone who comes to the Father in faith, whether at an early age or on their death bed, will receive the same gift of eternal life. But don't wait, for you don't know the number of your days. 3) It's all about relationships. Position, power, and money have no meaning in the kingdom of heaven. Rather, the humble heart of a servant will be rewarded. Jesus didn't come to this world as a king. He came as a baby. He lived His life serving the people by teaching them, healing them, and finally dying for them. As Christians, we are to follow His example. Within these teachings, we find the pharisees once again questioning Jesus. This time about divorce. Again, Jesus says it's all about relationships. When a person enters into a marriage relationship, they should do so recognizing the importance of the commitment. Marriage should not be taken lightly. The severing of that relationship should only happen if a partner betrays the other in sexual sin. The disciples think, "Well then, it's better not to marry." Jesus lets them know that, just like every other aspect of life, one must depend on God to have a successful marriage. The three psalms today are great prayers. Mark them in your Bibles and pray them when you are in need. Finally, our proverbs hold great council: don't deny Truth, be careful in accepting someone else's debt, & avoid laziness - work hard.