out of the comfort zone

Matthew 15:21

"Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon."

Our study of Women of Faith in the Holy Bible has helped us to understand that it is the unsung heroes that maintain our FAITH. They simply and humbly do what they do for the GLORY of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! It is becoming clear that GOD is looking at our TEMPER and CHARACTER. With GOD it is always a heart issue. GOD sees our motivation and thoughts. GOD calls us to do His work in our world.

When we live in FAITH according to GOD'S plan we benefit from HIS GRACE, COMPASSION & GOODNESS. Our work and our words should always praise the Lord! Throughout the Holy Bible we see the results of God's Abundant Mercy. This week we catch up with Jesus after He has performed miracles that have once again raised the anger of the Pharisees. To the Disciples their current journey looks like they are withdrawing from conflict with the Jewish leadership. Putting them on the road OUT of Israel toward the ancient port cities of Tyre and Sidon. This is a place inhabited and ruled by Gentiles because in the Old Testament days Israel failed to conquer Sidon as they claimed the Promised Land. Ever since then, Tyre and Sidon have been thorns in the side of Israel and often led them into idolatry. We should appreciate that the Disciples would have been a little stressed in this situation...

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Elisha’s example

1 Kings 19:19-21 "19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? 21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him." In Luke 9:54, after James and John sought to call down fire on a Samaritan village that rejected Jesus, they referenced Elijah, saying, “even as Elias did?” Jesus then taught three lessons about rejection: 1- Discipleship demands sacrifice, embracing hardship and forgoing earthly security. 2- Following Jesus requires immediate, un...

I will make you

Matthew 4:19&20 "19 And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him." In our "Follow Me" series, we study Jesus calling His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew. By the Sea of Galilee, a thriving fishing hub, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew casting nets as humble fishermen. His disciples were ordinary workers, not wealthy or educated elites. Jesus approached them and said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Remarkably, they immediately left their jobs to follow Him. This brief exchange conveys a profound truth: Jesus says, "I will make you." Only God can transform us to accomplish His purpose. We should often pray, "Help me, God," seeking Jesus' guidance to follow His plan for our lives.

God’s patience

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." God did not immediately punish King Solomon when he allowed his foreign wives to build altars for false gods. Despite multiple compromises, God remained patient. Over time, Solomon’s endorsement of idolatry defied God’s covenant, leading to divine judgment, including the loss of the kingdom for his son. Some mistake God’s patience for indifference or inaction, but He follows His plan in His timing. If our nation, culture, church, or we ourselves stray like Solomon, we can repent and return to God’s path. And, should do so sooner than later! Amen!

Sermon Notes; a Daily Devotional

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