To me, there’s nothing more comforting than today’s words from Jesus . . .

Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives;
he who seeks finds;
and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
If you, then, though you are evil,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father in heaven
give good gifts to those who ask him!

(Matthew 7:7-11)

I love the picture these verses paint. Over and over Jesus reminds us that we are never alone in this world. We can bring our earthly requests to our Heavenly Father who loves us waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more than we can possibly imagine.

Think about that a minute. The Creator of the Universe cares about us. We’re his kids. He’s our dad. He listens to us. He watches over us. He has plans for us. He wants what’s best for us. He always gives good gifts. He may not always give us what we want, but he always gives us what we NEED.

What’s the ultimate gift? As mind-blowing as it sounds, God gives us HIMSELF in the person of the Holy Spirit living INSIDE US. As Jesus explained elsewhere: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:13)

And what gifts does the Holy Spirit give? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22)

What could be better than that??

Today, Jesus dives right into our hearts again and gives us instructions for how to relate to others in this world. Here’s what he says . . .

Do not judge,
or you too will be judged.
For in the same way you judge others,
you will be judged,
and with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust
in your brother’s eye
and pay no attention to the plank
in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
“Let me take the speck out of your eye,”
when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

You hypocrite,
first take the plant out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly
to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

(Matthew 7:1-5)

Jesus hates it when we’re either (a) hypercritical or (b) hypocritical. It’s all about LOVE.

We must first deal with the sin in our own hearts before even thinking about opening our mouths. If we don’t ask God to yank our planks, we can’t possibly spot others’ specks.

Once we’ve been de-planked, we should then ask God to help us KINDLY and GENTLY approach others with an attitude of LOVE. Jesus’ words are plain and clear: if we display self-righteous, others-condemning attitudes and actions, we risk being judged that same way ourselves.

As the Apostle Paul put it:

You, therefore, have no excuse,
you who pass judgment on someone else,
for at whatever point you judge the other,
you are condemning yourself,
because you who pass judgment do the same things.

Now we know that God’s judgment
against those who do such things is based on truth.
So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them
and yet do the same things,
do you think you will escape God’s judgment?
Or do you show contempt for the riches
of his kindness, tolerance and patience,
not realizing that God’s kindness
leads you toward repentance?

(Romans 2:1-4)

Worried? Anxious? Stressed out? Today’s message is for you.

Yesterday, Jesus reminded us of two things: (1) to store up treasures in heaven instead of on earth and (2) that we can’t serve both God and money.

Today, he tells us how to live those principles out . . .

Therefore I tell you,
do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink;
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more important than food,
and the body more important than clothes?
Look at the birds of the air;
they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they?
Who of you by worrying
can add a single hour to his life?
(Matthew 6:25-27)

Jesus then equates worrying with a lack of faith . . .

And why do you worry about clothes?
See how the lilies of the field grow.
They do not labor or spin.
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was dressed like one of these.
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field,
which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire,
will he not much more clothe you,
O you of little faith?
(Matthew 6:28-30)

Jesus closes by encouraging us to get over ourselves and to SEEK GOD FIRST. Trust Him 100% TODAY. It’s the only way to live.

So do not worry, saying,
“What shall we eat?” or
“What shall we drink?” or
“What shall we wear?”
For the pagans run after all these things,
and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
(Matthew 6:31-34)

What’s your investment strategy? Here’s what Jesus suggests . . .

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moth and rust do not destroy,
and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
(Matthew 6:19-21)

Take a long, hard, honest look at your life. What do your actions show about your heart? Are you more focused on building up earthly treasures than heavenly ones?

Jesus continues this theme . . .

No one can serve two masters.
Either he will hate the one and love the other,
or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and money.
(Matthew 6:24)

Ask yourself this question as you go about your activities this week:

Am I serving God . . .
or something else?

This, then, is how you should pray:

Our Father in Heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

(Matthew 5:9-13)

Today we come to what a great theologian named John Stott calls the “highest point of the Sermon on the Mount.” I love how he describes it:

It is both most admired and most resented, namely the attitude of total love
which Christ calls us to show towards one who is evil (verse 39) and our enemies (verse 44). Nowhere is the challenge of the Sermon greater. Nowhere is the distinctness of the Christian counter-culture more obvious. Nowhere is our need of the power of the Holy Spirit (whose first fruit is love) more compelling.

Pray through these words with all your heart and then go change the world.

You have heard that it was said,
“Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.”
But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person.
If someone strikes you on the right cheek,
turn to him the other also.
And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic,
let him have your cloak as well.
If someone forces you to go one mile,
go with him two miles.
Give to the one who asks you,
and do not turn away from the one
who wants to borrow from you.

You have heard that it was said,
“Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.”
But I tell you: Love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

(Matthew 5:38-45)

Today we come to a verse that I taught my kids when they were tiny little tots. Since that time, they have used it against me approximately 6,394 times.

Simply let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No”;
anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
(Matthew 5:37)

Use your words wisely. And then stick by ‘em. The world is watching.

How serious is God about sin? Here’s what Jesus said . . .

You have heard that it was said,
“Do not commit adultery.”
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
gouge it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one part of your body
than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one part of your body
than for your whole body to go to hell.
(Matthew 5:27-30)

The message couldn’t be clearer: stop sin at its source. Now. Right now.

Jesus isn’t advocating self-mutilation. That wouldn’t cure our lust because it’s a disease of the heart. He uses this graphic language to get us to see the deadliness of sin and to urge us to nip our lustful thoughts in the bud before they bloom into full-blown adulterous actions.

Jesus’ words apply today probably more than at any other time in the history of the planet. Lust-inducing images are everywhere: TV, Internet, movies, billboards – even the grocery store checkout line. Almost everywhere you go, sin screams “Look at me!”

The solution? It’s simple: DON”T LOOK! Every time you’re confronted with an offensive image, remember Jesus’ words, think “gouge!” and look away. And never forget that we’re never alone. Ask the Holy Spirit to smack sin down before it seeps into your heart.

Here are some great verses to keep in mind. Guard your heart:

Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
(Proverbs 4:23-26)

Fill your mind with holy thoughts:

Whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable –
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy –
think about such things.
(Philippians 4:8)

Or, put another way:

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus . . .
(Hebrews 12:2)

Yesterday, Jesus told us that he came to deepen — not destroy — the demands of God’s law. Today, he begins to show us what he means . . .

You have heard that it was said
to the people long ago,
“Do not murder,
and anyone who murders
will be subject to judgment.”
But I tell you
that anyone who is angry with his brother
will be subject to judgment.

Again,
anyone who says to his brother, “Raca,”
is answerable to the Sanhedrin.
But anyone who says, “You fool!”
will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Therefore,
if you are offering your gift at the altar
and there remember that your brother
has something against you,
leave your gift there in front of the altar.
First go and be reconciled to your brother;
then come and offer your gift.

Settle matters quickly with your adversary
who is taking you to court.
Do it while you are still with him on the way,
or he may hand you over to the judge,
and the judge may hand you over to the officer,
and you may be thrown into prison.
I tell you the truth, you will not get out
until you have paid the last penny.

(Matthew 5:21-26)

Jesus knows where murder starts: in our hearts.

Hateful thoughts. Angry insults. How often have we murdered others in our minds? Crushed their spirits with our words? Destroyed reputations with our whispers?

Jesus wants us to take action now. If you’re in church about to put money in the offering plate and suddenly remember that your brother has something against you, leave immediately and go make it right. If you’re headed to court with an adversary, settle quickly before you get there.

John, one of Jesus’ closest friends, put it this way:

Anyone who does not love remains in death.
Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer,
and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
(1 John 3:15)

Don’t wait. Stop the hate. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with love right now.

Jesus started his sermon with the Beatitudes – eight essential aspects of Christian character. Then he explained how Christians should appear to the world — salt and light.

In today’s selection, Jesus tackles another highly controversial subject: What about all that Old Testament law stuff? Here’s what Jesus said . . .

Do not think that I have come to abolish
the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them
but to fulfill them.
I tell you the truth,
until heaven and earth disappear,
not the smallest letter,
not the least stroke of a pen,
will by any means disappear from the Law
until everything is accomplished.

Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do the same
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,
but whoever practices and teaches these commands
will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I tell you that unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law,
you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

(Matthew 5:17-20)

No one other than Jesus can perfectly obey God’s law. The penalty for our sin is death. But through his sinless life and sacrificial death, Jesus perfectly fulfilled each and every requirement of the Old Testament law. He paid 100% of our penalty; his righteousness is credited to our spiritually bankrupt accounts.

But does this mean we can say, “WOOHOO — now we can do whatever we want!”? Hardly.

As Jesus makes clear throughout his entire sermon, we are expected to live righteous lives. He tells us clearly to “practice and teach” God’s commands and the dire consequences if we don’t. He also tells us that our righteousness must exceed that of the superficial, self-seeking Pharisees and teachers of the law. In other words, God is after our hearts — he wants us to love his word and to live it out.

But how in the world can us sinful people possibly live up to these holy standards? It’s simple: we can’t. God gives us himself — in the person of the Holy Spirit living inside us — to empower us to live like Jesus. Without him, we’re dead. But if we allow him to fill us, we can become meek and merciful people who hunger and thirst for righteousness and light up this dark world with God’s love, joy and peace.