TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 5:23-26
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TODAY IN THE WORD
When D.L. Moody was four years old, his father died, leaving a large, impoverished family. The eldest son ran away from home, but each night his mother put a light in the window, hoping for his return.

Mr. Moody recalled that when his older brother did come home, he was barely recognizable behind a heavy beard. It was only as he began to cry that Mrs. Moody realized it was her son and invited him in. ""No, mother,"" he said, ""I will not come in until I hear first that you have forgiven me."" Mrs. Moody threw her arms around her son and brought him indoors.

Moody's older brother was clearly in the wrong and he knew it, which made his mother's gift of forgiveness and reconciliation a special one. We as believers have the gift of re-conciliation to offer others, and Jesus urges us to give it freely.

In fact, Jesus commands us to initiate reconciliation whether we are in the right or in the wrong. In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus doesn't define who is the guilty party or who is responsible for the broken relationship. The point is not to assign blame, but to make the situation right.

The same is true in the courtroom scene Jesus outlined in verses 25-26. He didn't say the person being taken to court will definitely be found guilty, although that seems to be the likely outcome if the case goes to trial. It doesn't matter who's right or who's wrong--again, the point is to ""settle matters quickly.""

Taking the first step in re-conciliation is our responsibility as believers. When we fail to do so, we often try to justify ourselves by saying something like, ""I'm not mad at her, she's mad at me. It's her problem. She needs to deal with it.""

But Jesus turns that kind of logic upside-down. God wants us to do everything we can to remove barriers and offenses between us and other Christians. Otherwise, our acts of worship are hollow to Him. That ought to be motivation enough to seek peace!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Let's admit it. These are tough commands to follow.

Why? Be-cause it's difficult for us to set aside the issue of blame. When we feel we are innocent, most of us want justice. It's only when we are in the wrong that we want mercy.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 5:27-32
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TODAY IN THE WORD
In his provocative book, Reclaiming Surrendered Ground, author and biblical counselor Jim Logan debunks the myth that ""private"" sexual habits such as pornography are basically harmless because no one else is involved. Many men who use pornography buy into this false and dangerous argument. Logan cites Scripture and examples from his counseling ministry which show that practicing sexual lust leads to spiritual bondage which can have devastating effects on a person's marriage and family relationships.

Jesus knew the inner damage that lust can do. He knows the workings of the human heart because He is God (see Psalm 139). In the Sermon on the Mount, He warns us strongly of the dangers of lust and of how seriously God views it. Although some have taken the language of verses 29-30 literally, self-mutilation is not at all the point here. After all, as many Bible teachers have noted, a blind person can still lust in his heart. Rather, Jesus is expressing the serious nature and consequences of lust.

The Savior's strong language in these verses highlights and emphasizes the deadly nature of sin. Untreated, sin leads to hell, as we saw yesterday. Since that is the case, we are wise to do whatever it takes to avoid sin and obey God.

Since marriage is the most intimate bond on earth, it naturally suffers or sustains the greatest damage from lust. So although verse 31 begins another thought on Jesus' part, it's appropriate that we include these verses in today's study.

The Jewish leaders' attitude toward marriage clearly revealed the true condition of their hearts. Whereas Jesus affirmed the permanence and sanctity of marriage, they took a lighter view. One school of thought permitted divorce for the flimsiest of reasons, and some believed that it was acceptable under almost any circumstances (Matt. 19:3). Current law made it easy for a husband to get rid of his wife.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jim Logan says lust is an addictive sin that often causes its victims to go to great lengths to satisfy their desires.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 5:33-37
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TODAY IN THE WORD
On his first voyage west in 1492, Christopher Columbus knew that his crew felt uneasy about sailing into unknown waters for an unknown period of time. So he kept two logs for the journey. In the first, he recorded the distances traveled as he calculated them. In the second log, he deliberately entered shorter distances so his crew would think they were closer to home than they actually were.

This deception had an ironic twist, however. As it turns out, the phony mileage figures Columbus entered to soothe his nervous crew were more accurate than his ""real"" calculations. His ""lies"" had been closer to the mark than his ""truth""!

Deception usually has unexpected and harmful results. It's always better to let your word be your word. This exhortation from the lips of Jesus is incredibly practical in our world of agents, multi-year contracts, performance clauses, labor agreements and international treaties. Whether on the personal, corporate or national level, we haven't left much room for people to live by their individual integrity.

Some people believe Jesus is forbidding any oath, even legal oaths. But His prohibition seems to focus instead on our personal conversation and actions. When we follow every promise or declaration with a flurry of guarantees that we are telling the truth, our words become suspect. After all, if we are as good as our word, what need is there for additional guarantees?

Jesus underscores the binding nature of oaths made to God as a backdrop against which to contrast the flippant oaths people make in everyday talk. He also likely had in mind the ""clever way"" the Pharisees and Jewish legal experts had of excusing themselves from their promises (see Mark 7:9-13).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We often hear people speak nostalgically about the days when a person's word or a handshake were as good as a written contract. For God's people, of course, this kind of clear-eyed integrity is how we are to live today. How is your IQ, your ""Integrity Quotient,"" lately? Do your family, friends and co-workers know they can count on you to stand by your promises?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 5:38-42
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Russian Czar Peter the Great was fascinated with the study and practice of medicine. So when one of the czar's valets asked the monarch to pull his wife's tooth, Peter grabbed his dental instruments and followed the valet to his apartment. There Peter pulled the woman's tooth, ignoring her cries of protest. Only several days later did Peter learn that the woman had never had a toothache at all. The painful extraction was her husband's revenge for a domestic quarrel. Talk about ""tooth for tooth""!

Despite the Old Testament ""law of retaliation"" cited by Jesus in today's text, the czar's vengeful servant was not following Scripture when he had his wife's tooth pulled as ""payment"" for their argument. In fact, the principle was designed to prevent just such personal vengeance-taking.

The phrase ""eye for eye, and tooth for tooth"" receives a lot of bad press in the secular world today. Opponents of Christianity quote it as an example of God's harshness. They forget that this punishment was not for personal retribution or revenge, but was to be administered by the authorities with strict adherence to justice.

This law was merciful and just because it limited punishment to the severity of the crime. In theory, our legal system is also built upon this principle.

By contrast, human revenge is almost never just. If you doubt that, spend some time around a local elementary school and watch students interact on the playground. One insult or unkind word prompts many more. One punch brings a flurry of blows in return. We're raising a violent generation, which makes the Sermon on the Mount more timely than ever.

There is a specific cultural background to verses 40-41. Jewish law in Jesus' day forbade taking a person's outer cloak, which the poor used as their bed. And it is well-known that occupying Roman soldiers could compel a Jew to carry their military pack for one mile.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Admittedly, it's difficult to let go of our rights in cases of personal insult, injury or injustice. Everything in our human nature cries out for justice--or even revenge. But Jesus goes further than simply telling us not to retaliate. We are to return good for evil. The goal is to win people through love (Rom. 12:19-21).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 5:43-48
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Napoleon's triumphant attitude toward his enemies had softened by the time his French forces defeated the Russians at the Battle of Borodino. Losses on both sides were heavy. As Napoleon walked the battlefield the next day, taking a count of the dead, he heard a cry of pain from a fallen soldier and ordered a stretcher. One of his aides pointed out that the wounded man was a Russian, but Napoleon retorted, ""After a victory there are no enemies, only men.""

Treating a wounded enemy is commendable, but Jesus would have us go one step further and prevent the battle if possible. Today's text is a clear statement of God's merciful love to the undeserving. From His standpoint, that includes all of us! If God took revenge, no one would be left standing.

Notice that Jesus didn't say loving our enemies would be easy. One of the proofs we are made in the image of God is our sense of justice. Because of our sinfulness, our ideas of justice are easily thrown off balance, but there is still something within us that cries out for justice. No one likes being wronged.

Still, if we are to obey God, we must love our enemies. Jesus' point is that God in His mercy sends rain and other blessings to both good and bad people. Therefore, our job as Christians is not to try to decide who does or does not deserve our mercy. By loving our enemies, we reflect the love of God expressed in Christ's death for sinners.

All of us are familiar with the ""selective kindness"" Jesus described in verses 46-47. Many people in our world live by, ""You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."" While this attitude may win people social or business advancement, Jesus isn't impressed. Citizens of His kingdom are to live by other rules.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Being nice to those who are nice to us is so easy that Jesus says even unbelievers can pull it off. God's people are called to live by a higher standard. Forgiving and praying for those who mistreat us is an unmistakable mark of those who claim to follow Jesus.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:1-4
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The story is told of two brothers who owned a farm and divided the income. One brother had a large family, while the other was single. One night the single farmer, knowing his brother was struggling to raise his family, bought a box of things for the family and set off for their house, planning to leave the box secretly. That same night the married farmer, knowing his single brother did not have the joys of a family, set out for his house with a box of homemade goodies to leave secretly. The brothers met each other on their errands and embraced in tears.

These brothers acted out of love for each other. Their purpose was not to give their gifts publicly in order to impress others. In today's reading, Jesus had in mind just such motives for righteous behavior.

In Matthew 6, Jesus changed His direction as He continued the greatest sermon ever preached. He had been showing how current teaching about God's law differed from its true intent. Now He turned His attention to other areas of Christian discipleship, beginning with the issue of motivation. Although He does not refer to the Law in chapter 6, He continues showing differences between merely human standards and God's righteousness.

Verse 1 establishes the basic principle that there are two ways to live, two audiences we can attempt to impress. We can perform our ""acts of righteousness"" to enhance our ego and reputation with the people around us. Or we can do our service for God's eyes, to please and glorify Him.

These two ways or choices become very evident in the area of giving. To ""announce it with trumpets"" (v. 2) may refer to the proclamation of public fasts. At such times, prayers would be said in the streets, and it was thought that giving to the needy would help ensure answers to these prayers. Such an event would be perfect for someone performing good deeds for human applause.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Last month, we encouraged our Today in the Word family to review 1996 giving habits and make any needed adjustments.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:5-8
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TODAY IN THE WORD
How important is prayer?

The Kneel-ing Christian, an anonymously-written devotional classic, says: ""Prayer is our highest privilege, our gravest responsibility, and greatest power God has put into our hands. Prayer, real prayer, is the noblest, the sublimest, the most stupendous act that any creature of God can perform.""

And Charles Spurgeon once advised: ""We should pray when we are in a praying mood, for it would be sinful to neglect so fair an opportunity. We should pray when we are not in a proper mood, for it would be dangerous to remain in so unhealthy a condition.""

Prayer is the second ""act of righteousness"" Jesus addresses in this portion of the Sermon on the Mount. Along with giving to the poor and fasting, prayer was one of the three chief acts of piety for Jews. But the hypocrites of Jesus' day had turned prayer into another empty performance. Jesus is no doubt thinking here of the Pharisees and Jewish legal experts, whom He flatly called hypocrites in Matthew 23:13.

What was wrong with the way they prayed? The problem was not with the posture, but in the heart. As with giving, those who pray merely to score points with people do not impress God. The Pharisee in the parable of Luke 18:9-14 demonstrates this type of prayer.

In contrast, the true disciple of Jesus seeks to pray in secret (Matt. 6:6)--that is, for God's delight and glory alone. Jesus was not forbidding public prayers. After all, the early church prayed together constantly (see Acts 12:12). Jesus' concern here is the attitude with which we come to God.

What about the length of our prayers? Again, Jesus is not telling us to make our requests to Him in twenty-five words or less. The offense here (v. 7) is meaningless babble, the repetition of words with no thought or feeling, mouthed in the mistaken belief that they have some magical effect on God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Prayer is for believers of all ages and maturity levels. Even young children can learn to pray effectively.

If you have children or teenagers at home, why not help them toward practicing the joy and discipline of prayer? Too many families give up on devotions because of a lack of time or of confidence in knowing what to do.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:9-13
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TODAY IN THE WORD
A shepherd boy tending his sheep one Sunday morning heard church bells ringing in the village. Thinking he would like to talk with God, the boy began repeating the alphabet. A man passing by overheard the shepherd reciting his ""prayer"" and asked what he was doing. ""Well, sir,"" explained the boy, ""I don't know any prayers. But I figured if I said all the letters I knew, God could put them together and know what I need and want.""

What an unusual approach! And what faith was shown by that untutored shepherd in his heavenly Father. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He wanted them to come to God with the same attitude of love and trust. We call His model prayer ""The Lord's Prayer,"" but perhaps we should call it ""The Disciples' Prayer.""

This classic prayer covers a lot of ground in only a few words. One thing that becomes clear is that God's priorities in prayer are often not the same as our priorities.

For instance, Jesus teaches us to begin our prayers by acknowledging to whom we are praying. Praying in the name of God is not just a ""code"" we use to ""crack heaven's vaults."" Instead, we are to approach God with reverence and holy fear, holding His name in the highest esteem. We shouldn't burst into His presence like a breathless child, making our demands before running off.

Not only does Jesus want us to put God's name above our own needs, He also teaches us to seek God's kingdom and God's will before anything else. The Sermon on the Mount is for ""kingdom people,"" those who know and serve the King. As His subjects, our highest concern ought to be the growth of His kingdom and the accomplishment of His will.

But the Lord's Prayer doesn't stop there. We are also urged to pray for our daily material needs, for forgiveness of sin, and for deliverance from the temptations of the evil one.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you find it hard to pray for very long without going straight to your mental or written list of prayer requests? If so, spend some time making a different list this weekend. Using a Bible concordance, look up what the Bible says about God's name, will and kingdom and note a few of the passages you find.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:14-15
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The Wall Street Journal reported that one of the longest civil cases in memory was settled last year by a secret agreement. The case, a libel suit involving a Phila-dephia prosecutor and the city's leading newspaper, spanned more than 25 years and two separate trials. The incident that was the subject of the newspaper story happened in 1963, although the article itself was published in 1973. The first trial was held in 1983, and the second in 1990. None of the principals in the case are at the same jobs today; in fact, one of the key figures died in 1989.

One has to wonder if a simple plea for, and the granting of, forgiveness would have made this ordeal unnecessary. Unfortunately, we live in a society in which lawsuits, complaints and damages are more eagerly sought (and often more easily given) than forgiveness. But when animosity and bitterness take root in our lives, the results are always destructive.

Jesus' warning in verse 15 is a disturbing one, and we should take it seriously. But it's important to read this in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, which we already know is addressed to believers. Jesus is not dealing with the forgiveness that leads to salvation. His concern is our fellowship with the Father, not our eternal standing before Him.

Animosity and bitterness between believers stems from a failure to forgive. Such attitudes break our intimate fellowship with God because they grieve the Holy Spirit, who is sensitive to sin (see Eph. 4:30-31).

The apostle John puts it in unmistakable terms: ""Anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen"" (1 John 4:20). John must have been paying attention on the mountain that day!

Today's verses echo the request made in the Lord's Prayer, where Jesus taught us to ask forgiveness of God in the same measure as we forgive others (Matt. 6:12).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Are you ever overwhelmed by the forgiveness of God?

The Psalmist asked, ""If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?"" (Ps. 130:3). Thanks to the grace of God, we can stand before Him because no charge can be against us (Rom. 8:33).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:16-18
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TODAY IN THE WORD
What does the Bible teach about fasting? Reflecting on Matthew 6:16-18 and other passages, Richard Foster comments in Celebration of Discipline:

""It is sobering to realize that the very first statement Jesus made about fasting dealt with the question of motive. To use good things to our own ends is always the sign of false religion…Fasting must forever center on God. It must be God-initiated and God-ordained…Fasting reminds us that we are sustained by 'every word that proceeds from the mouth of God' (Matt. 4:4)…Therefore, in experiences of fasting we are not so much abstaining from food as we are feasting on the word of God. Fasting is feasting!""

Fasting, like praying and giving, is a legitimate spiritual discipline to be practiced in private between a Christian and the Lord. How often we practice it is not prescribed, because that too is between the believer and Christ. When we desire to seek God's face more than we want dinner, that will be the proper time to fast.

But as with other disciplines, fasting opens the door to showmanship rather than spirituality. In Jesus' day the Pharisees fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12). While fasting, they went about with somber faces and disheveled appearances so that everyone would see (and praise) their piety.

Why did Jesus scorn this custom? Because He could see their hearts and their true motives. He also knew that fasting had been abused by the Jewish people in the past (see Isaiah 58:1-7).

What about fasting for us today? The issue is the same as it has been throughout this section (Matt. 6:1-18). How you fast depends on whom you want to impress. If your fast is for your spiritual benefit and God's glory, no one else needs to applaud your commitment.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Moody Press author Tony Evans says, ""Until you have fasted and prayed about an issue, you haven't really prayed yet.""

He has a point. We want to encourage you today to reflect on the value of fasting as a means of seeking God's favor, and on the reward fasting can bring (v. 18). If you have never fasted, you might want to begin by setting aside one meal for prayer.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:25-30
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Recent studies on the U.S. labor force have detected a ""lost"" group of workers--more than one million men in the prime working ages of 25-55. They are lost to the labor force because they are neither employed nor actively looking for work.

One expert says these men are discouraged by the bleak prospects of finding a new job. One 49-year-old man says, ""It's an employer's market. I would probably be the last one on the list they would hire.""

It doesn't take much imagination to picture a husband and father who has been let go by his company sitting at home, fretting over the future. There are also plenty of employed people who worry every day! Worry is a disease that is common in our culture.

Although we have divided up Matthew 6 for the purpose of these studies, you should read verses 19-34 as one unit. Today's text begins with the word ""therefore""--a signal that Jesus is about to apply the principles He has just taught. This includes some of the most practical teaching on worry in all of Scripture.

When we read verses 25-30 and then step back to look at the big picture, at least two things come into focus. The first is the futility of worry. The second is Jesus' admonition not to store up earthly treasure alone (v. 19). We are clearly told not to knock ourselves out to meet needs that God has already promised to provide.

Jesus is not trying to make us feel guilty. Rather, He is trying to free us from the burden of worry. Most of us carry the burden of worry voluntarily, even though it does nothing but weigh us down and wear us out.

Jesus reminds us of the sinfulness of worry. His question in verse 30 stings our souls because we can hear Him asking it of us. When we contrast our own worry to the promise of God's provision, we see how worry becomes sinful.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What are you worried about today? Go ahead and write down your worries. Include all the details that make the situation troublesome.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:31-34
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Has dramatic new evidence been uncovered that worry may be productive after all? At least one person thinks so. He offered this observation: ""Most of the things I worry about never happen anyway, so it must be working!""

That old line reflects our attempts to downplay and make light of our human tendency to worry, but Jesus isn't content to leave us in a fretful state. Worry is decidedly counter-productive to spiritual growth. We could even say worry is un-Christian.

That conclusion seems justified based on the Lord's distinction between how pagans act and the way God's children should behave. Pagans worry about and ""run after"" the stuff of daily life like food and clothing. Does that mean we as Christians should neglect our basic needs? Hardly. The Father's knowledge of our needs is the most comforting thing Jesus could have said about the necessities of life. We can lay that concern to rest.

So if we're not to chase after these things, what should we pursue? Jesus makes our life's purpose clear. God wants us to pursue Him. He wants us to be as hungry for Him and for holy living as we are for the bread we eat each day.

How do we know when we have come to this stage of spiritual maturity? We will stop being obsessed about the small stuff: money, food, clothes and shelter. While these things may not seem small to us, especially when they are in short supply, the needs of daily life are no problem to a God who cares for all of creation every day.

Matthew 6:33 is such a familiar verse that we forget it is not Jesus' last word on this subject. His concluding admonition is this, ""Do not worry about tomorrow"" (v. 34).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe offers a helpful alternative to excessive concern over material things. Instead of worrying about food, drink and clothing, we should be concerned about feeding the inner person (Eph. 3:16; 1 Pet. 3:4); we need to drink deeply of the ""living water"" Jesus offers (John 7:37-39); and we should make sure our spiritual garments are in order (Col. 3:7-14).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:1-6
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Bob Gibson was a fiercely competitive all-star pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1960s-70s. His glare alone could freeze a batter.

Broadcaster Tim McCarver likes to tell of the time when as a young catcher for the Cardinals, he went to the mound for a conference with the pitcher. Before he could even open his mouth, Gibson fixed him with a withering glare and growled, ""What do you know about pitching? Get out of here!""

So much for ""high level conferences"" on the pitcher's mound! But the point is worth making. If you are going to try and counsel someone else, you'd better check yourself first. That's the spirit behind Jesus' famous prohibition against hypocritical judgment in today's text.

Actually, this passage is famous because it's often used incorrectly to silence objection against sin or wrongdoing. But a simple reading of the text shows that Jesus is not forbidding all sorts of judgment. He is focusing on the hypocrisy of the one doing the judging (see Rom. 2:1).

Jesus' reference to hypocrisy takes us back to Matthew 6, where He dealt with hypocrisy in worship. Matthew 7:1-12 is part of this same line of thought Jesus began in 6:1. He is teaching us about worship (6:1-18), wealth (6:19-34), and our walk (7:1-12). The emphasis in each is the way His true disciples should act.

Jesus wants us to avoid judging another person's motives. We can't see into our brother's heart, so we have no right to judge inner motives. Paul agrees. Romans 14 is a classic treatment of our need to accept fellow believers without passing self-righteous judgment on their convictions.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
There are two ways to misuse Jesus' warning about care in judgment.

The first is to ignore it and pass judgment on the motives of anyone and everyone who comes within range. The other mistake is to feel that we must be perfect ourselves before we can exhort or correct an erring fellow believer.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:7-8
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Derrick Redmond hobbled toward the finish line in tremendous pain.

As the 1992 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles drew to a close, British distance runner Derrick Redmond was leading the race. Suddenly, his hamstring muscle snapped and he fell to the track. As he got back up and limped toward the finish line, a figure came out of the stands and put his arm around Derrick's waist. It was his father, Jim. Together, father and son made their way to the finish line, well out of the race but the true winners that day.

What a great picture of perseverance. We all admire the person who refuses to give up in the face of great odds or even pain. And we would all love to be that kind of stay-with-it person. But the truth is that we often get weak, stumble, and need the Lord to come alongside us.

When it comes to the Christian race, prayer seems to be the discipline that causes most of us the most problems. Jesus knew how hard it would be for His disciples to watch and pray for ""one hour,"" so He took the occasion of His first public teaching to encourage His followers to pray.

Our prayer problems usually come in one of two areas. Either we become discouraged and weary and give up too soon, or worse, we somehow become convinced that our prayers are not doing any good. Today's text speaks to both problems. There's no mistaking Jesus' message: prayer pays off.

Far from being futile, prayer is the most powerful weapon we have in our Christian arsenal. Why? Because in prayer, we are in direct communion and communication with God.

Jesus also makes it clear that persistent prayer is the kind that gets heaven's attention. It's hard to ignore someone who won't stop pounding on the door.

Today's text is an incredible prayer promise, as is today's verse. How do we balance Jesus' unvarnished promises with the reality that we don't get everything we pray for?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Maybe you feel like Derrick Redmond hobbling down that track when it comes to your prayer life.

If that's the case, the key is not to stay down. The Father is waiting to help you through the Holy Spirit, who always stands ready to intercede for you. Don't quit yet on that important prayer need. Ask the Lord for the strength to pray one more day--then do the same tomorrow.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 7:9-11
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Author Louisa May Alcott grew up in a generous home, even though her parents had little to spare. A friend once said that meals in the Alcott home, which were meager at best, were often reduced from three to two a day when there was another family in need.

Louisa learned her lesson well. One time when she was still a young girl, Louisa gathered together a group of hungry, ragged children and ran to the family pantry to find food for them.

The Alcott family knew how to give good gifts to others, even if it meant going hungry themselves. While today's society can tend toward selfishness, we still see many examples of selfless and sacrificial giving. In today's passage, we realize that if we as sinful human beings can give like that, imagine the generosity our perfect Heavenly Father lavishes on us.

Jesus is talking about prayer at this point in the Sermon on the Mount. He is encouraging His disciples to be bold and persistent in prayer, much like the man in His parable who doesn't stop pounding on his friend's door until he gets what he needs (Luke 11:5-8). In Luke's Gospel, in fact, this story precedes Jesus' admonition to ask, seek and knock.

Jesus assumes the best in human relationships when he tells how a hungry child's request for food is met by his loving father. A trusting child doesn't need his father to give him a useless stone, or worse, a harmful snake. He expects only the best from his dad.

Do you see the word-picture Jesus is drawing? As our loving Father, God will give us only what we need, never anything that would hurt us. He never needs to repent for any of His gifts (Rom. 11:29).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Author Philip Yancey has referred to pain as the gift nobody wants.

Sadly, many times we feel that way about God's gifts. While we may not ask for a hard-to-handle gift such as pain, sometimes our wise and loving Father sends one our way.