Hal’s Blog

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” Matthew 15:10-14

This parable defines the essence of life with Jesus. The words of Jesus epitomize the conflict between God and religion.

Very simply, religion tells you to worship God through human rules. Jesus tells you to worship Him in Spirit and Truth.

The work of God begins in your heart and then the personality of Christ appears in your life.

You cannot change your heart by keeping rules or doing works.

Religion attempts to convince you that Christ comes to you by works. This is a lie of Satan.

Jesus begins in the heart. It is the life of Christ living in you through the Holy Spirit that changes you into a Christ follower.

The analogy in this parable is comparing what you to eat to your thoughts and words.

The religious leaders condemned Jesus for not abiding by the Jewish laws concerning what you eat. Jesus responded that what you eat has no bearing on your relationship with God.

Jesus said you have to be planted in God or you will be uprooted. And, religion is blinded to God and will lead you astray.

He explained that what you eat can’t defile you. Food provides you with nourishment and then leaves your body. But your words come directly from your heart.

They define your standing with Christ!

 

“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” Matthew 13:47-52

The word from God today is to examine your storeroom and seek out the unsearchable riches of Christ.

This parable speaks to the essence of life with or without Christ.

God is like a purveyor who spreads or promotes an idea or view.

He offers the gift of salvation to all. Some except the gift and others reject it.

The Spirit of God will not strive with a person who has a spirit of rebellion. At some point, He will move on to others leaving you to face the consequences of your actions.

The judgment of God is over every human being. This is about your life today and your final destination with God.

We are approaching the end of the age and there will be a time when God determines whether you will live with Him or face an eternal hell.

Several years ago, I was taken by the Holy Spirit to see the destination of those that reject Christ. It was an ugly picture of pain and torture. You do not want to be there. Ever!

We are facing the global judgment of God today. The virus is just the beginning and more is coming.

God has strongly impressed upon me during the day and night hours that now is the time to awaken and become dead to sin and alive to God in Christ.

If you are a believer, you live in the house of God. The revelation of Christ in your life is an evolving story of coming to know Him.

There are both the old treasures of the basic fundamentals of Christ and new insights everyday about the kingdom of God.

The truth of Christ is a process of learning and you will never completely understand Jesus until you meet Him face to face.

Getting right with Christ should be your priority. He lives so you can live!

 

 

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When aman found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46

The word from God today is finding the hidden treasures of Christ.

The parables of the hidden treasure and the fine pearls vividly illustrate how a believer should value Christ.

In these two examples, both of the men found Christ and became willing to give up everything to live with Him. They perceived the priceless value of Christ.

Very few develop this mindset because the cost of following Christ is too expensive.

You have to know the character of Christ to be willing to abandon yourself to Him without limitations.

Knowing Christ happens to those who are willing to die to self and live for Christ.

The two men in this parable met the Living Christ. Their lives were never the same.

They experienced the fear of the Lord and were terrified by His power.

They witnessed His greatness and glory and realized nothing is impossible for Christ.

They became filled with the Holy Spirit who is the source of the resurrected life of Christ. The Lord became the strength of their lives.

They were filled by God with unspeakable joy and a deep satisfaction in their inner being. This joy did not come from success in the world but from the treasure of Christ.

They saw the omniscient power of Christ at work in their lives.

They were astonished you can hear the voice of Christ and have conversations with your Creator.

They accepted the gift of salvation as more valuable than all the gold in the world.

They discovered living with Christ forever is worth the sacrifice of giving up all.

They welcomed the Holy Spirit into their life and witnessed signs and wonders from our almighty God.

They knew in the depth of their heart God could do for them what they never could do for themselves.

They found Jesus to be a lifelong friend who would never leave them and who accepted them with all their faults.

They became a powerful light for Christ sharing the Living Water with all those around them.

They accepted Christ for who He is and lived by faith in His promises.

All the promises of God in Christ are yes and amen!

 

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” Matthew 13:31-35

How big is your mustard seed?

This parable of Jesus compares your growth in the kingdom of God to a tiny mustard seed.

If you are a believer, this miracle started with a mustard seed planted by the hand of God.

You heard the word of God and accepted Christ by faith.

How do you grow from the smallest of all the seeds to become the largest of all the plants in the garden?

This can only be accomplished by God working through a believer with an open heart to Christ.

The seed cannot grow unless you make a genuine commitment to Christ and walk by faith living in His promises.

You were created in the image of God and can only grow by faith in Christ.

Faith is believing Christ and not what you see with your eyes.

The mustard seed grows through the work of the Cross. You must learn to die to self and live through the resurrected power of Christ.

The mustard seed lives with Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The mustard seed requires nourishment through prayer, the word of God, and the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

The mustard seed thrives on praise and thanksgiving to Christ.

The mustard seed is the life of Christ and provides strength, wisdom, and protection for a believer.

The mustard seed lives with Christ forever!

 

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.” Matthew 13:24-26

This parable presents a global view of God’s plan of salvation and how He deals with the devious work of Satan. God also offers insight and wisdom on the role of a believer.

The story is about a man who planted good seeds of wheat in his field.

Satan came along while everyone was sleeping and planted weeds among the good seeds.

The servant of the man noticed the weeds growing and asked the man how they got in the field. The man replied this was the work of the enemy.

The servant asked if he should pull out all the weeds but the man said no because when you pull out the weeds you may uproot the wheat with them.

The man said let them grow together until the harvest. Then you can burn the weeds and store the wheat in the barn.

Some thoughts about this story:

You and I are responsible to sow the good seeds of Christ.

We live in a world populated with both the good seeds of Christ and the seeds of the enemy. Pray for the discernment of the Holy Spirit to see the light from the darkness in the world.

It is not your responsibility to judge others. This is the role of Christ.

We live in the world but we are not of the world. You are a privileged member of the “set apart” people of God and have an eternal inheritance through Christ.

Satan is at work to steal, kill, and destroy. He knows all your weaknesses and will tempt you where you are most vulnerable.

Wear the armor of Christ at all times.

Satan has infiltrated our governments, schools, the media, and our churches. You need to look at the world through the eyes of Christ.

Light cannot coexist with darkness.

Present your body as a living sacrifice to God and live in oneness with Christ through the Holy Spirit.

The blood of the Cross is how you can stay clean with God.

You can defeat Satan with the word of Christ and the blood of the Cross. Satan is terrified of Christ.

Your salvation is the word of Christ. He never changes!

“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.” Matthew 13:13

This parable of Jesus has three teaching components. You might find it helpful to read all of the text.

Jesus begins with a story about the sower and the seed. Then Jesus explains why He speaks in parables, and He concludes with an interpretation of the parable.

As a believer, you and I have received the seed by faith and are responsible to spread the seed.

The most important question to ask ourselves is “Are we hearing and understanding the message of Christ?” This is where many fail God.

You come to understand the seed by the wisdom and the teaching of the Holy Spirit. This requires you to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His guidance.

The seed living in you will not grow without water and good soil. You nourish the seed through the Word of God, prayer, and obedience to the Holy Spirit.

Jesus answers the question as to why He speaks in parables in this text.

He explains most people cannot see or hear the truths of God. This is because they try to interpret God through fleshly capabilities. And, you cannot discover God looking through worldly eyes or human intellect.

Jesus explains the knowledge of the kingdom of God is given to a true disciple of Christ. This person has chosen to live for Christ.

Jesus also teaches if you have the knowledge of Christ you will be given more. If you do not have the knowledge of Christ, what you have will be taken away.

Now let’s look at the examples of the four people in this parable who heard the word of God.

There is the person who hears the word of God but cannot understand it because his ears are not open the truths of God. Satan has stolen the seed from him. He is blinded to God.

Then there is the person who hears the word of God and accepts it with joy. But this person does not nourish the seed. The roots live in shallow ground and disappear when the troubles of life come upon him. His faith weakens and he deals with life from a perspective of self.

Next is the person who hears the word of God but cannot except it because he is preoccupied with wealth and dealing with the worries of life. The weeds choke out the seed and it disappears.

Finally, there is the person who hears the word, accepts it by faith, and understands the message of Christ. This person has made a genuine commitment to Christ and worships Him in Spirit and Truth.

This disciple will be a powerful witness for Christ and sow many seeds producing a robust crop.

He who has ears let him listen to the voice of Christ!

“Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” Matthew 12:22-30

There is a wealth of truth in this parable about Jesus healing the demon possessed man.

What if you personally witnessed Jesus drive out a demon and heal a man?

Would you attribute this miracle to the power of Jesus or be persuaded this was the work of Satan?

The hidden truth in this story is the religious leaders did not want to see their power stripped away. They insisted on defining Jesus in the terms of religion.

They defamed Jesus by accusing Him of doing this miracle under the power of Satan.

Religion is a sinking ship today and is very threatened by the power of the Holy Spirit. They mislead people under the camouflage of laws and regulations.

The goal of Satan is to discredit the power of Christ. He wants to remove the influence of Christ in our world.

Jesus refuted the Pharisees by explaining a divided kingdom will be ruined. If Satan works against Satan the results will be futility.

Jesus said if I cast out demons by the power of Satan how do those in the kingdom of God cast them out? He then says judge Me by My works!

Satan and his demons have the ability to create strongholds over people like the man in this story. These strongholds can only be broken by the Spirit of Christ.

There are two opposing forces at work in this story and in our world—Jesus and Satan.

Jesus was given the authority to drive out demons and set people free. And, you can do this work as a follower of Christ.

The first step is to understand the world is not your friend. Satan is alive and at work to steal, kill and destroy. He is the strong man in this story.

To gain the valuable possessions of Christ, you and I have to bind the strong man and take away his power. We do this through prayer and fasting, faith in Christ, and the resurrected power of the Holy Spirit.

Satan is terrified by the blood of Christ! Call upon the weapons of the Cross to defeat the evils of darkness.

Finally, Jesus states you are either with Me or against Me. There is no middle ground. Your allegiance cannot be divided between Christ and the things of the world.

Believe in Christ and walk with Him through the power of the Holy Spirit!

 

“Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:17

The Word of God for today is to awaken to your new identity in Christ Jesus.

Jesus teaches in the parable about the wine skins on becoming a new person in Christ.

If anyone is a new creature in Christ Jesus all things become new and old things fade away.

Here are some thoughts inspired by the Spirit of God about becoming a new person in Christ:

Man is temporary, God is permanent. The new creature lives forever with Christ.

You can’t patch up a broken person; he has to become new.

You will be on the outside looking in until you become a new creature in Christ Jesus.

There is no remedy for the unsaved except to become a new creature in Christ Jesus.

Temporary fixes have no value in finding Christ. You have to become new.

God values you as a new creature in Christ Jesus. He has no interest in your natural condition.

If you accept Christ without a firm commitment He will leak out and sin will take over!

The Living Water cannot survive in a dirty vessel.

The quality of Christ can only be preserved in a new person in Christ Jesus.

You will be like the blind leading the blind without a new identity in Christ.

You will find the transfigured Christ through the Holy Spirit dwelling within you.

The spiritual relates to the spiritual. The Holy Spirit speaks to the spiritual man.

You become a new creature in Christ Jesus by faith and living under the authority of the Holy Spirit.

“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.” Matthew 7:1-2

This admonition from Jesus refers to judging the faults of others while oblivious to your own sins.

The natural man does not have the ability to judge others. He has not been born again and lacks the Spirit of Christ.

The natural man is not in touch with his inner being and cannot relate to the words of God that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

The follower of Christ has experienced the judgment of God piercing his heart and soul and revealing his inner being. He sees himself for who he is, sold under sin.

If you judge others without the love and compassion of Christ, you will be judged by God for the hypocrisy of your actions. And, God will judge you with the same standards you apply in judging others.

You and I cannot judge others because we lack the ability to look into the depth of the heart of those people around us.

The spiritual person is in a continual conversation with Christ over the sin in their life. He repeatedly asks Jesus to search his heart and purify his motives with the virtues of God.

The spiritual person has the ability to judge all things with the mind of Christ and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

He judges others with the compassion and mercy of Christ. He operates with humility understanding all the virtues of Christ come to Him by faith and have nothing to do with His own efforts.

You will never be able to get the plank out of your own eye without the blood of Christ. After you have been washed clean by Christ you will be able to see the speck in a friend’s eye. Then you can humbly invite him to drink the Living Water.

Happy Father’s Day!

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

The lamp of Christ is the Holy Spirit dwelling within you.

This is the life of Christ embodied in the fruit of the Spirit. Jesus also refers to this as Living Water.

The purpose of the light is to bring glory to God. You and I must decrease and Christ must increase to be a powerful light.

As a believer, you are a member of the “set apart” people of God. The light reflects the characteristics of Christ—renown, praise, and glory

You can’t keep the light to yourself; it was designed by God to be given to others.

The light exposes darkness and draws people to Christ.

Jesus explains the eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your body will be full of darkness.

The health of the eyes is measured by what you see with your eyes. If you choose to look at darkness the light of Christ will become dim or non existent.

The light was created to keep your feet from stumbling and to guide your pathway.

The follower of Christ is charged with the responsibility for binding and loosening. You bind evil through the light with prayer and intercession for those living in darkness. You confront evil with the counsel of Christ.

You loosen the salvation of Christ to others through the light dwelling within you. This happens through the fullness of the Living Water.

The measure of the light given to you by God will be determined by the measure of light you share with others. The more you are willing to be a light for Christ, the more He will anoint you with His light and the gifts of the Spirit.

Listen carefully to the teachings of Christ. The person who has the light will be given more. If you do not have the light what you have will be taken away.