matt ames blogs

The Jews insisted, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.’ (John 19:7 NIV)

If Jesus faced no persecution for His time here on earth, he would have still been executed based on a law of the time.  If anyone claimed they were the Son of God, such a claim sentenced them to death.

Jesus’ testimony brought Him to death because of a law.  This fulfilled God’s plan for Jesus being here; a plan which is greater than the law. 

It was always all or nothing for Jesus.

Tonight, I applied a question to my life that I would like to ask you: At what cost will you testify that Jesus is the Son of God, and Lord?

I hope you have strong teeth, because that’s a lot to chew on.

[...] the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:17 NIV)

Speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus tells us the world cannot accept Him.  Did you get that?  The Spirit of truth is unseen and unknown by the world, and therefore unacceptable. 

If what the world had to offer was the truth, wouldn’t the Spirit of it be accepted?

What does this say about those of us the Holy Spirit lives with, and He lives in?

Just something to chew on.

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)

When we a see a fallen leader or fallen brother or sister in Christ, it is easy to do anything but pray.  We want to go through the “why” of it all.  We want the answers; especially if we have invested trust in the person who has now disappointed us. 

The thing to remember about people is they are just that: people.  There’s not a perfect one in the bunch.  The two that came the closest to perfection succumbed to temptation that has spread sin through the entire human race.  The only perfect one is God, and the only perfect one to walk this earth is Jesus Christ.

The verse in Ephesians says to pray on all occasions.  I take that to mean no matter what. 

Anyway, that’s just something to chew on.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”  (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

If we know this to be true about God’s plans for us, why do we stay so attached to our own agendas or get so bent out of shape when things don’t go the way we expected?

This may not always be the case, but I know I can do a better job of honoring God for what He promises in this verse.  Can you? 

It’s something to chew on.

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” (Proverbs 12:15 NASB)

This verse has me reflecting a lot.  Since yesterday morning, I’ve been thinking about the implications of it in my life.  I’m thankful to say that I catch myself being like a wise man, but the way of the foolish still comes natural to me.

I need to pray.  I need to seek the advisement of other believers.  Simply thinking something up and going with it is not enough.  Counsel is where it’s at!

How are you doing with this?

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. “ (John 3:17)

Based on this verse, we can conclude that salvation and condemnation are opposites. 

Why, then, with salvation being the desired result, do we spend so much time condemning?  It’s clearly nothing but gunk clogging up our mission.

I’m currently chewing over condemnation as our sinful nature and a diversion from the enemy.

What are your thoughts?