Be perfect...

Today’s scripture:

1. Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)

2. Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. (Luke 6:36)

Do you want to be perfect? Well, I got to tell you; I often struggle with trying to make things look perfect. I think to myself at times, if I get this to look perfect, people will be in awe of my work and think I’m amazing. Now, I don’t directly think that in my mind and say those things but when I really meditate on why I try so hard, that is what I come up with, and that my friend, is pride!

Today we are looking into the eighth topic on the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus is teaching, which is “Love your Enemies”. In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

I find today’s two scriptures very interesting. In Matthew, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “you shall be perfect”. But then in the same sermon in Luke Jesus says, “Be merciful”. And in this context, Jesus is talking about loving your enemies. In the eyes of the world, we see this idea as being a weak spineless type of attitude letting people walk all over you. But that is not weakness. In fact, it is just the opposite! See, to love your enemies takes a huge strong attitude of meekness. Meekness is not a weak thing; rather it is strength under control.

See, to be perfect is to be perfect in love, because perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Fear of what? Maybe fear of being humiliated hurt physically or emotionally. It could be a fear of you being seen as a weak person, but that is not meekness. Meekness is ignoring that anger welling up inside you and CHOOSING to do the right thing… LOVE! PERFECT LOVE!!! And that kind of strength only comes from God.

What about the second verse of today’s scripture in Luke? Why does Jesus say to be merciful in this passage and to be perfect in Matthew’s passage? I believe the love Jesus is referring to is the agape type of love. The kind of love that surpasses all understanding and goes beyond what the world perceives as being a good person. See, Jesus says even the most evil people love those who love them back, but it takes meekness to love perfectly!

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. (1 John 4:17–21)

Reflection:

Loving our enemies is not an easy thing to do! It takes a tremendous act on our part to die to self. In other words, we need to put our own desires, wants, wishes and feelings aside ignoring them as we beat that “old man” into submission and obey God’s command to love them anyway. The precious Lord Jesus lays out in this sermon how we need to treat those who hate us. Go the extra mile, turn the other cheek, and offer the shirt off your back if needed.

Challenge:

Are there people in your life that rub you the wrong way? Or maybe, since that argument you had weeks or even months ago needs some healing, you can go to them and ask for their forgiveness even if you feel you were right. Humble yourself, take on the attitude of meekness and die to your way of thinking, offer them your friendship again, and treat them with gentleness and love. After all, isn’t that what God has done for you so many times?

-Doug McGowan

Win them with Generosity

Today’s scripture:

Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. (Proverbs 19:6 ESV)

The Lord Jesus is always in pursuit of our hearts and does not wish anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). In the verse above, God tells us how to win the hearts of others by being generous to them and through our generosity to them may win them to Christ and eternal life.

Think about that gift of eternal life for a moment. If you are living your life for Jesus, you never have to worry where you will spend the rest of your life after death. A gift of $100 on your birthday is a good gift, a gift of a 5-year membership at the country club is even better, or even a brand new Mercedes Benz or a 5 bedroom home on the lake is even better yet. But all those things will have an end to them. The $100 within a week will be spent, the membership at the club will be finished in 5 years, the new car will be rusted out in 20+ years and the new home will have lost its newness and excitement. However, your eternal life will last forever, no more pain or sorrow will be in existence, and you will never be in need of anything, being totally content in everything forever and ultimately being forever in the warm arms of Jesus! Now that’s a gift!!!

Some might think that is not truly love when it is about just trying to win them to the kingdom. But if you saw someone walking in the dark towards a 1,000 ft. drop off a cliff, you would do whatever it took to get them to turn around to save them from falling to a horrible end. What is the difference when you really consider the reality of heaven and hell?

Today we are looking into the tenth topic on the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus is teaching, which is “Generousness”. In Matthew 5:42, Jesus says “Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” Jesus tells us not to worry, “but when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,”(Matthew 6:3). In other words, don’t get all caught up in keeping track on how much you give and what you give, rather give as you can and when you see a need to be met, then fill that need.

Luke 6:38 says “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” I find it interesting to know that when we give, it will be given to us. That is so true in many ways. See, it is all part of the fact that what you will sow, that you will also reap (2 Corinthians 9:6).

One time, I was living in a trailer for the purpose of ministering to those who were poverty stricken and in need of much. Well, it wasn’t long after I moved in that the colder months crept up on me and up till then I did not have a furnace. I did have a very good sleeping bag that kept me warm for the beginning fall season but soon I would need heat and I had no money to purchase one. I had someone tell me they would donate one and install it at no cost. I was so happy, but then I heard about this single mom with 4 kids have the same situation! It was obvious they would need it more than I would. So, I had made arrangements to give them the furnace I was offered, within a few moments, God provided someone else to donate another furnace to the single mom and I received a wonderful furnace. See, I believe God was testing me to see if I would freely give and trust that He would provide for my needs and He did! Praise the Lord Jesus!

Reflection:

It is the attitude of a selflessness that shines when you freely give as you see needs that need to be met. I believe when we become aware of needs that need filled, that is our golden opportunity to shine God’s love on the needy and to win their hearts with generosity. It also, is a chance to win them to Jesus! You can be such an incredible blessing in someone’s life when they are in such need. Have you ever been in need like that? If you have, you know what a blessing it is to you.

Challenge:

Try and be aware of people’s needs around you this next few days, being ready to say “Here I am Lord, send me”. It may even hurt a little to give but always trust and know that God will provide just like He provided my furnace.

-Doug McGowan

Unlimited Mercy

Today’s scripture:

But I say to you, love your enemies…For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?...Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:44-48)

I’ve said it before and the more I study God’s word and His will, the more I am convinced that mercy is the core of God’s heart! Just like today’s scripture says that you will be perfect as the Father is perfect. What an incredible statement! I believe that it is impossible to love our enemies out of our own strength. Anyone of us can love others who love us back, but it takes the perfect love that comes from Jesus to love those who want to harm us. ““My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” …For when I am weak, then I am strong.”(2Corinthians 12:9-10) See, it is “agape love” that makes us perfect.

Today we are looking into the ninth topic on the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus is teaching, which is “Unlimited Service or Extra Mile”. In Matthew 5:41, Jesus says “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” In this context of these verses, Jesus is talking about people who want to harm you, or take something from you or treat you unjustly. He says to treat them with love. The word “compel” in v.41 is to force someone to do something or to be pressed into service. I believe, just like a lot of these topics, this topic of “Unlimited Service” needs an attitude of humility and meekness.

Meekness is not an attribute of a coward or someone who gets walked on. Strong’s Bible dictionary says Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God's strength under His control – i.e. demonstrating power without undue harshness. Doesn’t that describe today’s scripture?

I know when we think in the ways of rules and laws, we kind of take on an attitude that says, “how much can I get away with” or “how close can I come to the line and still be ok”. Well, is that really taking on the HEART of Christ? Believe it or not, if that is your attitude, that is not a servant’s heart, rather it is a heart with a selfish attitude! You are still looking out for yourself and what you can gain even if you are technically not doing anything to break any rules or laws. See, that is an attitude of a Pharisee’s heart, always trying to live by the law but with no love.

We as servants of Christ, need to get rid of the attitude of this being law. We need to follow God’s commands and live according to His will, but our humanism only allows us to love as deep as those who will love us back. If we want to love deeper than that, we need to take on the will of God and practice Matthew 5:44-48 & 11:29.

Reflection:

If someone forces you or impresses upon you to go a mile, you need to first humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God and submit to His will, and just obey and go that mile with him and then do something extra! Not to obey those who want to harm you but obey God’s Word which says to love your enemies.

Challenge:

What circumstances have you faced lately that would be impossible for you to love out of your own strength? Have you taken the attitude of humility suppressing your anger or bitterness and instead, letting the Lord love them through you by just obeying?

-Doug McGowan