Matthew 18:19-20 If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them.

This is the age of the megachurch, congregations with memberships that total in the thousands. Some of these churches have their own orchestras, parking lot attendants, and even restaurants and aerobic classes. They offer families support services that go far beyond what small congregations can offer.

There is one thing, however, that both large churches and small churches must offer, and that is Christ. He is the reason we have church. He must be the center of all we do in our congregation. All our social and entertainment programs, as important and helpful as they are, cannot take the place of "the one thing that is needful."

There are very few places in the gospels where Jesus mentions the function of the church. In the previous verses of Matthew 18 He addresses the issues of church discipline. Now, He mentions that "where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them." Two or three is a pretty small congregation!

It doesn't matter what size our church is or what programs we offer our members. As long as we are meeting in the name of the Savior who suffered, died, and rose again for our salvation, we can be assured of His presence and blessing.
--
 

Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Matthew 11:28-29 Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Everyone has heard the statement, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Many offers and promises sound awfully good until one tears away the packaging or looks at the fine print:

"You're poised to win $10,000,000.00."

"Save an additional 75% off the price."

"No matter how bad your credit, we'll put you in a new Cadillac with no worry about payments for one year."

"Just step up and try the game. Everybody wins."

Who hasn't been stung by some slick salesperson touting his or her goods, some commercial that guarantees riches and happiness, some investment scheme that promises a large monetary lifetime return? They urge us to buy, to invest, to indulge, but after we have, we discover the claims were at best exaggerated. The barker at the circus promises that "everybody wins," but what one wins isn't worth what you've paid to play the game.

In the process of believing and then discovering time and time again that a claim or a promise isn't true, we become cynical and distrustful. We even become skeptical of God's promises, such as the one made by Jesus in Matthew 11:28-29. He invites all who are burdened to come in faith to Him and He'll give them rest. It's an offer that seems too fantastic, but it's true. Even in doubt, we need to remember St. Paul's words, "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also, along with Him, graciously gives us all things?" (Romans 8:32).
--
 

Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Matthew 10:32  Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.

When your first child or grandchild was born, did people have to pry this news from you? Most likely, you sent announcements and told everyone you knew. It has been my experience that grandparents share pictures and tell stories about their wonderful grandchildren even to people who may not be very interested, including store clerks, doctors, and lawyers.

In this Matthew passage, God gives each of us the opportunity to be billboards for Jesus. We have the special privilege of telling the story of Jesus.

We are promised that if we acknowledge Jesus before other people we will be acknowledged by Christ Himself to the Father in heaven. There are many who desire an audience with the pope, an invitation to the White House, or a request to appear before the queen of England. Here is our opportunity to come into the presence of the King of kings. Can there be a more prestigious invitation than the one offered?

If we received an invitation to meet a head of state, it is unlikely that we would keep it a secret. Having an invitation from the King, let each one of us accept this special offer to tell our own story about the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Most of all, let us acknowledge Jesus to our children and to our grandchildren. How are you telling the story?

--
 

Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Matthew 6:33  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

A layman was making a call on a wealthy businessman, asking him to help in the Lord's work. The man wrote a check for $250 and handed it to him. Just then someone in his office brought in a message. The business read it with dismay.

"This message tells me I have just suffered a great loss," he said. "It makes a great difference in my affairs. I shall have to write you another check."

"I understand," said the layman and handed back the $250 check."

The business's checkbook was still open. He wrote another check and handed it to the layman, who read it with amazement.

"But this check is for $1000," he gasped. "Haven't you made a mistake?"

"No," said the businessman. "That message was really from God. It read, 'Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth'" (Matthew 6:19).

That man had his priorities in proper order. He had placed the kingdom of God first and his material affairs second.

How often do we put ourselves first and the "things that come from the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:14) second?

God says, "My son, give Me your heart and let your eyes keep to My ways" (Proverbs 23:26). Oh, may we always lovingly respond, "With all my heart...I will obey Your decrees" (Psalm 119:145).

Summed up, always place Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself third. Then you will truly have J-O-Y.

--Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Matthew 5:16  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

There's nothing more frustrating than driving up and own a dark street, looking for an address, and none of the houses have any lights on, including, apparently, the one you are looking for...the home to which you have been invited. This is an area that you are not very familiar with, and you've had a hard time even finding the right street. Now you are creeping along, peering into the darkness, not even sure you are in the right block, wondering which side of the road you should try. When you finally do find the right house, it sure doesn't seem very inviting.

We invite people to our homes all the time. If our invitation is not very sincere, perhaps a salesman that we couldn't get rid of, we're not very helpful. But if we are excited about our guests coming, we give them good directions, we describe landmarks, we leave the lights on, and we eagerly greet them. How much more excited, then, could we be than when we invite people into our Father's home?

As we, by the power of the Spirit, witness the love of Jesus Christ to other people, we need to leave our lights on. As people see our lights, the joy that radiates from us, the surety of our salvation, the fruit of the Spirit that dwell within, they will feel invited; they will feel welcome.

--
 

Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Matthew 1:21  Give Him the name Jesus because He will save His people from the sins.

      O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend,

      My Prophet, Priest, and King,

      My Lord, my life, my way, my end,

      Accept the praise I bring.

John Newton, formerly captain of a vessel transporting African slaves, wrote that verse. How well Newton knew of whom he wrote! He who had made his living off the sale of human beings into bondage was reclaimed by the name and in the power of Jesus. Newton became a leading voice in the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.

The name Jesus contains the essence of the divine will. The arrival of the Son of God in human flesh was designed to accomplish human salvation from sin and death. Jesus was sent to free us from the profound bondage to sin.

Jesus! The name above all names. The name Jesus means "Savior." In the original Hebrew it is pronounced Yeshua, which is translated in the Old Testament as Joshua. But the name had to be matched in truth and life by the one carrying it. There have been many boys named Joshua. Only one lived, suffered, died and was raised for us. It is this Jesus who captures human hearts and frees them from heaven. It is this Jesus whom we pray!
--
 

Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,
 

Zechariah 4:6  So He said to them, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty."

Seven-year-old Spencer opened his birthday present and found a battery-operated toy robot. The box for the toy was illustrated with pictures of all the different things the robot would do. Spencer set the robot on the table and waited. Nothing happened. Spencer reached over and manually tried to force the arm and leg movements depicted on the box. The arms and legs wouldn't move. Spencer tried harder and broke off one of the arms. He was angry and threw the robot on the floor. Spencer didn't realize he had to flip on the off-on switch to tap into the power from the batteries inside the toy.

Many of us are like Spencer. We get an idea of things we want to do, opportunities to minister we want to take advantage of, and ways we want to live. Then we start working on our own strength to reach our goals. Often we find that nothing goes right for us. We do not get to do what we want. We do not find opportunities to use our gifts fro singing, writing, speaking, teaching, or administering. We do not reach our goals. We become disillusioned, heartbroken, angry, and bitter.
 

The problem is that we fail to tap into the power source within us, the Holy Spirit. In our own strength we cannot succeed. If we try to force situations to go our own way, we may end up hurt or hurting someone else. If we trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the opportunities for action come at the right times. The Holy Spirit empowers us to do the right things. We will succeed.

--
 

Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,