In many Christian circles emotions seem to be controlling the lives and even actions of many professing Christians. A church in Lakeland, Florida, televises services where people practice what they call “holy laughter.” They literally roll on the floor while laughing uncontrollably, which defies the instruction from I Corinthians 14:27-34 about being in control of one’s spirit, and doing things in an orderly fashion. Similarly, the trend today is to constantly ask others, “How do you feel about that?” Christians are not to be dictated by their feelings. What we believe, how we act, and even the way we feel is supposed to be subject to God’s Word. It should never be a matter of how we feel, but as Galatians 4:30 says, “Nevertheless, what saith the Scripture?”

Prior to Matthew Chapter 16, the Savior had not disclosed to His apostles that He was going to suffer, die, and rise again from the grave. Luke 18:34 confirms “…this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.” Once he understood, Peter did not take this announcement well. “Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from thee Lord: this shall not be unto Thee” (Matthew 16:22). Peter had always reverenced the Savior, standing in awe of His power, doctrine, and commanding presence. But, this news completely upset his plans and his emotions began to control him. The Savior’s response to Peter was very strong. He “said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offense unto Me…” (Matthew 16:23). This verse implies Satan was behind Peter’s heightened, fleshly, emotional response. Satan was distracting Peter from seeing the greater truth and need for the Savior to fulfill prophecy, and the needed task of going to Jerusalem to die for the sins of all mankind. Isaiah 53:7-12 explained the Messiah must be brought as a lamb to slaughter, to pour out His soul unto death and become an offering for sin. Peter was allowing his emotions, or his flesh, to rule him rather than His head and God’s will. This is a common mistake occurring regularly in these closing days of the Dispensation of Grace.

Christians should rejoice over their salvation, eternal security, heavenly hope, and regular service for Christ. However, we need to be on our guard to monitor, control, and bring our emotions into conformity to the Word and will of God in all areas. Are you being careful in this area?

When your author first became concerned about where he’d spend eternity, he first went to his denominational pastor asking if he could tell him how to have eternal life. This pastor did not have the foggiest idea, but he vehemently opposed my going to another church, and made a huge public ruckus.

When the scribes and Pharisees came from Jerusalem to question and oppose the Lord Jesus Christ, His answer was surprising. He confronted them about their inconsistencies in placing their traditions over the written commandments of God. Then, He plainly told them, “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias [Isaiah] prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:7-8). This strong rebuke was intended to jar these spiritually dead men out of their cold lethargy, and into a living relationship with Him.

Only going through the motions of religious activity without a genuine, heartfelt desire to have a close, pleasing relationship with the Lord is hypocritical behavior in any dispensation. We can attend church services, dress up nicely, act spiritually, even read our Bible, then go out and live just as sinfully as the world. When this happens, we resemble the scribes and Pharisees, who the Savior so sharply rebuked. The Apostle Paul warned the saints at Ephesus about persisting in a cold, unemotional, spiritually dead internal condition. He explained that even believers could eventually become so spiritually hardened that their “understanding [becomes] darkened” and so blinded to God’s truth that they could become “past feeling” (Ephesians 4:17-19). These examples are intended to encourage us to be genuine in our walk with the Lord, fervent in spirit, and intentionally cultivating a close walk with the Lord. We can accomplish this through regular study of His Word, with a consistent pattern of putting biblical truth into practice in our lives each day.

It is more than appropriate, when we read about biblical examples that had hearts far from the Lord, for us to ask ourselves about the condition of our own heart. Is our heart only lukewarm for Christ? Is our heart likewise far from the Savior who died for us? Are we only going through the motions of religious activity? If our hearts are not in the right spiritual condition, we can choose right now to begin to respond with genuine zeal and obedience toward our Savior.

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After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, American men really stepped up to the plate. In great numbers, and with a strong loyalty to their country, they voluntarily reported for military duty. Our victory in WWII came largely through the responsiveness of these brave men.

Matthew 14:35-36 touches on an extremely important timeless principle that we don’t want to miss. When the Savior came into the land of Gennesaret, “And when the men of that place had knowledge of Him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto Him all that were diseased…[and each one was] made perfectly whole.” Please notice that it was the men who led the way here, and not the women. Men have been sold a false bill of goods from Satan to believe that being spiritually-minded is something unmanly. On the contrary, it is manly, as well as Biblical, for men to take the spiritual leadership in their home and church. Men should be ashamed when they shy away from prayer, Bible study, church attendance, and general spiritual leadership. In fact, God makes the point over and over in Scripture that men should be the driving spiritual force leading their families toward a closer walk with the Lord. Joshua stood before the spiritually anemic men of Israel and told them, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Gideon asked, “Where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?” (Judges 6:13). The Psalmist wrote, “Give ear, O my people…I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us…which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children: that the generation to come might know them…That they might set their hope in God” (Psalm 78:1-9). Paul wrote, “And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

It is not an accident Matthew 14:35 records the men taking the spiritual leadership in bringing many to the Lord Jesus Christ. God places this in His Word to encourage men to be spiritually-minded, involved, proactive, and to provide consistent spiritual leadership in their home and church. We are in a serious warfare with Satan. Godly men are desperately needed. Don’t be AWOL. Step up to the plate.

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While attending a Christian college to prepare for the ministry, one of my precious memories was that of several thousand students gathering for the evening meal, and collectively giving thanks to God. Giving thanks before eating is something we have practiced regularly since trusting in Christ for salvation. It has even been a testimony at restaurants where we occasionally have people thank us for this example.

When the Savior prepares to miraculously feed “five thousand men, beside [or in addition to] women and children” (Matthew 14:21), He first pauses to give thanks to the Father. Matthew 14:19 simply says, “and looking up to heaven, He blessed [meaning to thank or invoke a benediction], and break, and gave the loaves to his disciples.” John writes, “and when He had given thanks, He distributed to His disciples” (John 6:11). Surely the Lord’s purpose in providing this clear record is to enable us to realize that if even the Son of God stopped to give thanks before eating, we should also do so every time we are blessed of the Father to have something to eat.

Not only do we have this example from the Lord Jesus Christ, we have other Scripture that likewise teach the practice of giving thanks before eating. Romans 14:6 tells us, “He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.” The point here is essentially that unbelievers do not give God thanks before eating because they are not acknowledging the Lord. But, believers are to give thanks before eating because they are to acknowledge the Lord as the true provider of their daily food. Similarly, we learn from I Timothy 4:3-4 that “God hath created [meats] to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.”

On the basis of these Scriptures, we encourage every believer to cultivate the practice of stopping to pray consistently before each meal. However, we urge you not to do so with mechanical memorized prayers, or as a mere ritual. Instead, speak to the Lord from a thankful heart, acknowledge Him as the real provider of the food, and give Him thanks for His generous provision.

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What should you do when a friend loses a loved one in death? Many are so uncomfortable and so unsure what to say, they simply avoid these friends. Others offer platitudes in an attempt to give comfort, while some urge their grieving friend to move on with life. There are actually three passages that give us keen insight for what do to help the bereaved.

The book of Job gives a lengthy account of four friends who came to give comfort as soon as they learned of Job’s sorrows. Their initial responses were very good. They immediately came to spend time with Job to demonstrate compassion and comfort. Then they wisely sat in silence with Job for seven days, letting their presence voice their love. Only when they began to speak, and render conclusions, and judgmental ultimatums did they undo the previous good. We learn from these examples that when others grieve, we simply need to be there, be quiet, be a good listener, and be nonjudgmental. When Mary came to our Savior grieving and weeping over the loss of her brother Lazarus, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). There is nothing wrong with men or women allowing the sorrow of a friend to touch their own soul so that they literally weep with those who grieve. When these emotions are genuine, they express a love, connection, compassion, and understanding that no mere human words can convey adequately to those in mourning. The lesson here is to allow yourself to cry with those who sorrow, if your tears are genuine. Paul put it this way, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep” (Romans 12:15). When John the Baptist was murdered, his (John’s) disciples came and “told Jesus” (Matthew 14:3-13). Our text says that Jesus “departed…into a desert place.” However, Mark 6:31 specifies, “He said unto them [the disciples of John], Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest awhile.” Luke 9:10 tells us Christ “took them, and went aside privately into a desert place.” We learn from our Lord’s response that those who are grieving need time to rest, not in solitude, but with a compassionate friend who will attend to their physical and emotional needs while their spirits grieve and begin to heal.

Arm yourself with these principles for action when someone is grieving. In fact, it would be good to record these principles in your Bible so you have a quick reminder the next time they are needed.

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A woman in the town where we live was such a nasty, nosy, in your face type of person that, instead of referring to her as Eva, many called her “Evil.” Not surprisingly, she raised a daughter who followed in her mother’s pattern of ungodliness. Those who really know these women want little to do with them.

Herodias was the same kind of evil woman, yet even worse. She was an immoral woman who had a consensual union with Herod after leaving her husband, Herod’s brother. When John the Baptist rebuked them for this union, he was imprisoned. Angry and vindictive, Herodias wanted John put to death. When Herodias’ daughter went to dance seductively before Herod during his birthday banquet, she was “before instructed of her mother” to ask for “John (the) Baptist’s head in a charger” (Matthew 14:8). Herod complied, but he did so by going against his better judgment because he feared the multitudes that considered John a prophet. What Herodias could not achieve outright, she did by coercion, manipulation, and trickery.

The mother of Solomon stands in stark contrast. “The prophecy that his mother had taught him” included a strong warning to beware of “wine…lest they [kings] drink, and forget the law and pervert…judgment” (Proverbs 31:1-5). The law, or strong commands, of his mother was given “to keep thee from the evil woman” (Proverbs 6:6, 24). She told Solomon to look for “a woman that feareth the Lord” (Proverbs 31:30) and gave a lengthy description of how such a woman conducts herself (Proverbs 31:10-31). These qualities in a woman were of great price in the days of Solomon, and they are just as important today. We learn from Titus 2:3-5 that older women are to teach younger women about “behavior as becometh holiness… [and is] discreet.” Mothers are also to teach their children to “know how to possess his [or her] vessel in sanctification and honor” and not to “defraud” others in areas of temptation, such as wearing revealing clothing, or being sexually aggressive outside of marriage (I Thessalonians 4:3-6).

We urge women who read these descriptions to purpose to eradicate the qualities of ungodliness, and avoid those who revel in them. But do more. Seek to build true godliness into your life. To the men, we urge you to look for a truly godly woman as your soul mate in marriage. And if you have found such a woman, tell her today how thankful you are for her godly example.

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Growing up on a farm, every spring we would prepare the ground, then sow seeds for a harvest of oats. Nearly every year seagulls followed behind the wagon, and would eat a good deal of the seed. As soon as we finished sowing the field, we would harrow the ground to cover the seed, but it always bothered me that we were losing too many seeds to the birds.

We have a parallel of this experience in our Lord’s parable of the sower in Matthew Chapter 13. The key elements are “a sower went forth to sow,” what was being sowed was “the word of the kingdom,” and “the wicked one…catcheth away that which was sown in his heart” (vs. 19). It will greatly help our understanding if we remember the context preceding this parable. The Lord Jesus had come offering eternal life in the Millennial Kingdom to Israel if she would follow Him by faith as her promised King and Messiah. Even though fulfilled prophecy, many miracles, and His powerful preaching authenticated our Lord’s ministry, most in Israel remained in unbelief. Verse 37 identifies the sower in this parable as “the Son of man,” the Lord Jesus Christ. What was being sown to Israel was “the word [offer or promise] of the kingdom” (vs. 19). “The wicked one” who caught away the seed (vs. 19), is identified as “the devil” (vss. 37-39). It is also noteworthy that there were human “children of the wicked one” seeking to turn others away from saving faith in the Savior.

While the circumstances surrounding this parable and its primary application deal directly with Israel, there are secondary applications for us today that we should not miss. Satan still seeks to steal away the seed of gospel truth when it is sown in the life of an unsaved soul. As he did with Israel, Satan attacks, either through evil men or his fallen angels, those who hear and may respond to our gospel of grace. Paul tells us “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ…should shine unto them” (II Corinthians 4:4). Knowing that Satan and his forces seek to thwart a lost soul coming to Christ when we share the gospel, we should be much in prayer, generously use God’s powerful, written Word, and follow up soon on those who have heard how to be saved, before Satan gobbles up the seeds of truth and conviction.

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