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The Testimony of Matthew

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Matthew 9

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

Matthew 9:9 ESV

When you read that verse, Matthew 9:9, did you consider its author? This is Matthew’s own testimony. Matthew is saying, “This is me. I am that man. I am the one who was sitting at the tax booth. I am the one who Jesus called.”

The very next verse, Matthew 9:10 says that “Jesus reclined at table in the house,” but Matthew doesn’t tell you whose house it is. You have to read Luke 5:29 to discover that it was Matthew’s own house. Matthew has opened his own house and many tax collectors and sinners had come to eat and spend time with Jesus and his disciples.

How awesome is that! I wish that I had been quick to introduce my friends to Jesus. If you have someone in your life that you are discipling, or if you yourself are a new believer, please don’t wait until you have all the answers to invite your friends to meet Jesus.

But the Pharisees didn’t like it. They thought you needed to clean yourself up before coming to Jesus, but I’m here to tell you: You don’t!

Jesus says, “Come as you are… And leave new. I will make you new. I will change you. I am the one who heals and saves. I am the great physician of the body and the soul. Come to me! Today! Don’t wait!”

Heavenly Father, I pray for each one reading this, those who are new in their faith to share their faith today; for those who have been Christians for years, not to look down their nose at unbelievers and new believers who don’t know how to behave; and for those who don’t know you yet that they will come to you today and not delay. Your arms are open wide. Thank you. Thank you for calling Matthew while he was working in that text booth and thank you for calling me while I was running headlong away from You.

Fear and Faith in the Storms of Life

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Matthew 8

In Matthew 8 we read about Jesus healing the leper and the centurion’s servant and then Peter’s own mother-in-law, but when the disciples find themselves in about in the middle of a great storm, they struggle with fear and faith.

And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”
And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”
Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying,
“What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

Matthew 8:25-27 ESV

On the one hand, the disciples showed faith because they did go to Jesus and ask him to save them. Let’s be real – if you and I were together in a boat that is sinking, I’m quite sure you would not come to me and say, “Save me, Kim, I’m perishing!”

And yet Jesus scolds them because they are so afraid. Jesus knows their thoughts. He knows their hearts. He knows they lack the full breadth and width and depth of faith that they need to live lives free of fear. They still have much to learn about the greatness of His power!

This is just what I needed to hear as my area has endured horrific acts of violence and countless tornadoes with more ever on the horizon. How about you? What storms are you facing today?

Will you pray with me?

Heavenly Father, help me not to be afraid about all the health stuff, weather stuff, and family stuff, the daily fears of my life. Help me to fully trust You to lead me, save me, and protect me. I know that You are able. I know that You have all authority in heaven and on earth. Anything that You allow into my life or send into my life, I trust is ultimately for Your glory, for the good of Your kingdom, and for my good.

If I die it’s for Your glory and for my good, because I get to be with You for all eternity. If I suffer, it’s for Your glory and for my good because I can know You more fully. If I am, richly blessed with every earthly blessing – honor and wealth and wisdom – that too is for Your glory and for my good that I may declare Your appraises and majesty and honor.

In the name of our Almighty King Jesus I pray, Amen

Scripture Memory and Scripture Application

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Matthew 7

In God’s incredible providence, Matthew 7 was my scripture memory passage to practice yesterday in my Bible Memory app. My oldest two children and I initially memorized this passage (all 29 verses!) more than 16 years ago – when my oldest two children were about 7 and 10. I love the Bible Memory app because it prompts me to continue to practice passages that I have memorized in the past. I hope you’ll check it out! Here’s a link to learn more or download it. Here’s a link to a video I made about how to use it. And here’s a link to my Teach What Is Good Bible Memory group You can join for free for some encouragement and accountability — don’t we all need that!

There is so much wisdom in all of Matthew 7, but today what I was especially thinking about were verses 21-23 and 24-27. These two passages are deeply interconnected.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23 ESV
 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27 ESV

Notice that connection word “then” in verse 24. Many people say they’re Christians, listening to God’s Word, even saying “Lord, Lord,” and doing Christian things — yet they are not doing God’s will. They are not putting into practice what it is that they keep hearing about.

This reminded me of some other passages I’ve memorized – James 1:22 and 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 1:22 ESV

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV

Let’s be faithful to store up God’s word in our heart (like Psalm 119:11 says), but let’s be just as faithful to put it into practice!

This is what differentiates students from disciples: Students learn and study and listen … but disciples put into practice the words of their teacher, modeling their own lives after their master’s.

Heavenly Father, we don’t want to merely listen to your Word, thus deceiving ourselves. We want to do what it says. Help us to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, modeling our lives after His, loving and serving others, doing good to them and forgiving them, as Jesus Christ perfectly modeled for us. And help us to be faithful disciple-makers, telling others the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, and teaching them all that You have commanded us, remembering that You are always with us even to the end of the age! In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Bible Memory App – 1 Corinthians 13
How to use the Bible Memory app

Christ is Enough

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Matthew 5-6

Bear with me, please, as I silently ponder aloud some thoughts from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount.

  • Is Jesus enough for me?
  • Can I be satisfied in Him? Or do I have to manipulate others with anger or bitterness or unforgiveness?
  • Can I be satisfied in Him? Or do I need to lust after that person or that thing or that circumstance, thinking that is the key to my joy?
  • Can I be satisfied in Him? Or do I need the praise and accolades of man? Do I need good health and good food, nice clothes and nice friends to be happy?

I can just hear the Father whispering to me, “O, Kim, you of little faith. I am enough for you. Trust Me. Look at those birds making their little nests and pulling worms from the ground. Look at those flowers poking out from the dirt. I am taking care of them and I’m taking care of you. Fear not for I am with you. I am enough. You, seek Me. You, trust Me. You, pursue Me. I’ll take care of the rest. I’ll take care of you.”

Please pray for me to cast all my cares on Him and to trust that He cares for me – that He takes care of me and He cares for me. Truly Our Father is a good, good Father. He is Enough.

Enough – Elias Dummer

Blessed?

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Matthew 5

Today, I hope you’ll read something I wrote a few years ago called “Blessed are the meek.”

Lord Jesus, I pray that we would humble ourselves before You, recognizing our need and our poverty, and acknowledging Your strength and goodness. It is indeed good to be afflicted, that we might know You and Your power in our suffering. In the good and gracious name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

I’m so Blessed!

Temptation

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Matthew 4

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit
into the wilderness
to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:1

It struck me that it was the Spirit that led Jesus to go into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Why? Why would God want Jesus to be tempted? I found the answer in the Word, in Hebrews.

"Therefore [Jesus] had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." Hebrews 2:17-18 ESV
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16 ESV

Jesus experienced the very human experience of temptation, yet He resisted the devil by His will and by the Word, and so can we. Like 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

James 1:13-15 ESV

So … What should we do when we face temptation?

  • Take every thought captive to obey Christ. (See 2 Corinthians 10:5) The battle against temptation is won and lost in your thoughts. If you want to resist temptation, you need to “think about what you’re thinking about!” As soon as you’re tempted, capture that thought and get rid of it. Then, replace it with the truth of God’s Word. After 40 days of fasting, I’m sure Jesus was so so so hungry! I know how I feel after fasting for 12 hours. Jesus overcame temptation with God’s Word, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes in the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4 – Look at Deuteronomy 8:3 for it’s original use) The more of God’s Word you have stored in your heart, the more equipped you’ll be to replace those wrong thoughts with the right ones!
  • Resist the devil. Ask yourself this question, “Who am I resisting, God or the devil?” All too often we are resisting God and submitting to the devil. 😩 We’ve got it all wrong! And if we want to resist the devil, we have to keep our eyes open to his temptations and schemes. If you knew you were in the lion’s den, you’d keep alert for a lion, wouldn’t you? Listen carefully to the words of 1 Peter 5:8-9, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
  • Submit to God. In those tough moments, remember that God is your commanding officer. He has every right to give you your matching orders, and He expects you to obey them. Read what James has to say about this. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:7-8a ESV) When you’re struggling with temptation, no matter what it is, turn to God and obey Him in faith. Trust that He is good and that His plans are for your good.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, Each and every day the temptations that come our way are many. Some temptations are stronger than others, but all of them can be overcome by Your Spirit and Your Word. He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. Your Word is my sword by which I can resist the devil’s schemes. Please help me to resist the devil and submit to you. You are my commanding officer. I am no longer a slave to sin. I am no longer a slave to my flash. I am no longer a child of Satan and the world. I am a child of God, by the blood of Jesus. I am a soldier in the army of the Lord. I have been bought with a price and now I want to serve You with my body. I am a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You, my Lord and Captain and King. In the holy and almighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Into the fire

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Matthew 3

“His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:12 ESV

John the Baptizer was calling the people to repent, and so does Jesus. A time is coming when each of us will stand before the throne of God and be judged. Are you ready?

If God asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?

  • I’m a good person.
  • I go to church.
  • I read my Bible.
  • The good I’ve done outweighs the bad.
  • I’m a Christian.
  • Your Son, Jesus Christ, has paid the price for me. His blood has washed away my sins. My faith is in Him and Him alone.

Only one of these is the correct answer. Are you ready to meet God? Have you turned away from your sins and trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation? Have you publicly professed your faith in Him and followed Him in being baptized? If the answer to any of these questions is no, please let today be the day. Don’t delay.

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus, your son, in the flesh, to be my atoning sacrifice, paying the debt that I could never pay. I pray that you would use me to share this good news with others. I pray that those reading this would trust in your finished work on the cross, repenting of their sins and turning to you for salvation. And the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen

The Birth of Christ Fulfilled Prophecies

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Matthew 2

In reading Matthew 2, I was struck by how often Matthew said that these events fulfilled the words spoken by the prophets. For Matthew, as a Jewish man, this confirmed for him that Jesus truly was the long-awaited messiah.

For me, as a former atheist, I have a different reaction. My reaction is that God’s word must be true! God must know what will happen in the future if he can send profits to foretell it. And God must be all powerful and sovereign over the events of Earth, if he is able to achieve His perfect will.

I hope this excerpt from Answers in Genesis’s article Fulfilled Prophecies of Jesus’s Birth blesses you.

“There are no prophecies foretelling details about the birth of other religious leaders. No prophecies alerted the world to the coming of Muhammad (Islam), Joseph Smith (Mormonism), David Koresh (Branch Davidians), Charles Taze Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses), Siddhartha Gautama (Buddhism), or any other founder of the world’s religions. Yet the Old Testament pinpointed numerous details about the life of the Son of God and Savior of the world.

So what do these prophecies tell us about Jesus? In just the first two chapters of Matthew, we see that God foretold the virginal conception of the Messiah, who would be born in Bethlehem, yet in some way would come out of Egypt and be called a Nazarene. We also see that bitter agony would grip the mothers in that area.”

Read the full article here

Please pray with me.

Heavenly Father, grow our faith in your Word. Help us to trust that You know what is coming and that You are the sovereign ruler of heaven and earth. No purpose of Yours can be thwarted. You are working all things together to accomplish Your purposes and to glorify Your name. I pray that we would especially remember that when times look dark like when tornadoes devastate whole communities and it seems the world is “going to hell in a hand basket.” You are still on Your throne. I pray that we, as your children, will seek Your face and be honorable vessels for Your good use. It is in the name of Jesus Christ, the long-awaited messiah, that we pray, Amen.

He Will Save His People from their Sins

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Matthew 1

The Book of Matthew begins with the genealogy of Jesus Christ. The first verse is a brief genealogy. Jesus descended from David who descended from Abraham, but then we get a father to son heritage from Abraham all the way to Jesus’s earthly father, Joseph. You might feel tempted to skip this, but I hope you won’t. I want to point out a few things.

  • The genealogy begins with Abraham, not Adam. Abraham was the father of the Jewish nation. Jesus was a Jew.
  • There are several women mentioned in this account, but every one of them has something that tarnishes their reputation. Look up the stories of Tamar (Genesis 38:1-26), Rahab (Joshua 2:1-3 and Joshua 6:17-25), and Ruth (Ruth 1:4).
  • Bathsheba isn’t mentioned by name as the mother of Solomon, but rather is referred to as “the wife of Uriah,” not because of her sin but because of David’s. You can read about the story of Uriah’s death and Solomon’s birth in 2 Samuel 11-12, but 1 Kings 15:5 says “David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.”

Matthew didn’t try to hide the thread of sin which is woven through the background of the ancestors of Jesus, son of David. Rather, these words help to prepare the reader for the words of the angel —

Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and
you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:20-21

Joseph, too, is a son of David, a good man but not a perfect man. God has chosen Mary, a good woman but not a perfect woman to bear His son, a perfect Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. This Son will save His people from their sins.

Joseph and Mary needed saving and so do we. Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your only begotten Son to save me from my sins. I am Your child and You are my Father. Thank you for showing us that we don’t have to have a sinless lineage to be children of Your Perfect Son. Thank You for my earthly father and mother who did their best to raise me right. I pray that You would bless them with everything that they need for life and godliness by the power of Your Holy Spirit and Your Word. I pray that You would make me a woman after your own heart, treasuring Your word in my heart that I would not sin against you. In the Holy, Blessed name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

I Serve a Risen Savior

Now My Eye Sees You

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Read Through the Bible in 2 Years: Job 40-42

“And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning.
And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He had also seven sons and three daughters.”

Job 42:12-13 ESV

In Job 1, we read that Job had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen and 500 female donkeys. Here at the end of his life, Job has twice as many of these animals. Yet in Job 1, we read that Job had seven sons and three daughters and now at the end of his life, he once again is given seven sons and three daughters. Why was the number of his children not doubled?

Let me share with you my thoughts: When Job’s first animals were wiped out and he got new animals, he no longer counted the ones he had earlier in his life … but children, they are different. Our children are made in God’s image and are given eternal souls. Our children are irreplaceable. If your child passes away, they remain your child. I have two children who have gone to heaven before me and I have four children here on earth, therefore I have six children.

Job began his life with ten children and he ended his life with twenty. The Lord had indeed given him a double portion.

The pain of losing all of your animals is great, but the pain of losing all of your children is immeasurably greater. But may I encourage you with this word: the pain is great because your love is great.

Job was a righteous man with a deep love for God, but Job grew to know and love God more intimately and personally as a result of his great pain – and so can we. Earlier we read the words of Job, “Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it.” (Job 13:1 ESV) But now at the end of this book, Job says, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;” (Job 42:5 ESV)

I remember all too well how much the Lord grew and transformed me through the pain of losing a baby. I pray that whatever trial you are going through now or have gone through in the past, that you will keep your eyes wide open to see God as He walks with you through this dark valley.

Heavenly Father, please grow our faith. Help us to see Your hand guiding us and blessing us every step of the way as we walk through this valley. You are always good and always right. You are all-knowing and all-powerful. We need You every hour. We pray that we will know how deep and high and long and wide is Your love toward us as Your children. We pray that we will see You in our lives and see You in Your living and active Word because we know that You are there. In the Name of Christ Jesus our Lord we pray, Amen.

Watch my testimony for more on how I came to see God more clearly after losing a baby