Introduction: How can we use wisdom in dealing with people both in the Church and outside the Church? Here are three principles that may help in this discussion.

1. Love (Matt 22:36-38) – “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” 

Would you agree that there is a difference in God’s love and man’s love? For example, the writer to Hebrews expresses some incredible insight to our Lord’s love. 

“My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Heb 12:5-6).

This is proof that we are children of God; i.e. we are disciplined when we get out of line. Therefore, we can conclude that our love for others ought to be based on God’s love for us. Sometimes, we need to exercise discipline to those we love. Not because we are “judgmental” or “legalistic” but because the Truth of God’s Word must supercede our feelings.

2. Legalism (Matt 23:1-3) – “Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their finger.”

The Pharisees were legalistic. They made the outside clean, but the inside was left dirty. But they tried to impose their 613 commandments – plus – on every body else. Basically, Jesus called them hypocritical. Both before becoming a CHRISTIAN and afterwards, we can easily get caught in the trap of legalism; i.e. trying to enforce our “rules and regulations” on everybody we know.

3. Liberty (Gal 5:13) – “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

Here again, these Galatian believers as well as us today were prone to use their “liberty” once they had been gloriously saved to do whatever they wanted to – not necessarily sinful in itself. But, if it caused others to “stumble,” then it would be wrong. A certain example was in regards to eating meat that had been offered to idols (Rom 14-15). Stronger CHRISTians said it did not bother them to eat the meat since there was only one God; however, the weaker CHRISTians didn’t think it was right. Therefore, Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit declares it would be wrong to eat it because of the stumbling block effect even though they had liberty to do it.

Are you using your liberty and causing others to stumble?

Introduction: What is our MISSION? What is our VISION? The book of Acts records the experience of the early Church. Whereas, it is not necessarily a total model for every single event in the book, it is an historical record of what the Holy Spirit did thru the disciples. There are patterns that are applicable for today. Let’s glean several truths that will transform any Church.

1. Edified! (Acts 9:31) – “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”

2. Multiplied! (Acts 9:31) – “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”

The word “multiplied” is πληθύνω: (play-thoo’-no). Its definition is to increase, to be increased, or to multiply. This should be both spiritually as well as numerically. A Church can be growing numerically but not spiritually, but it cannot grow spiritually without growing numerically. Are you reaching others?

3. Unified! (Acts 9:31) – “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”

Did you notice two other key words? “Rest” and “Peace.” That speaks of being UNIFIED! The fear of God kept them walking together.

1) Israel was instructed to OPEN its borders! —“Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:21). The Hebrew word for “stranger” is ger (גֵּר), which means a sojourner. God wanted His people to remember that at one time they were strangers. “And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee” (Leviticus 25:35).

Many point to the words of our Lord in Matthew 25:35, “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in.” However, the technical interpretation is that this is during the tribulation—namely at the end when Jesus Christ returns in His second coming. Both the sheep and goats will stand before the King. The “strangers” will be the Jews during the tribulation, and how they are treated by the Gentiles.

These passages in both the Old and New Testaments reveal that God has pity on the widows, orphans, and strangers. But keep in mind, these strangers (resident aliens) would be law-abiding citizens who incorporated the Jewish way of life into their families. That is a “huge” difference than what is going on in our land today.

Even cities of refuge were established by God for refugees (Numbers 35:15).

2) Israel was instructed to CLOSE their borders!—“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it” (Numbers 33:51-56). God knew that the illegal strangers in the land would turn His people’s hearts away from His Will. Therefore, they were not to allow them in the land. Looking back in retrospect, they did not fully obey the Lord and consequently, they sinned against God and were eventually taken into captivity.

Conclusion: There seems to be a biblical balance on the subject of allowing strangers (resident aliens) into the land. On the one hand, legal aliens were permitted as long as they obeyed the laws of the land and incorporated the Jewish practices into their lives. Does this sound familiar? The Word of God encourages believers to have fellowship with other believers. But it forbids to fellowship with unbelievers.

How are you doing? Are you praying?

2. Fig Tree Faith! (Mark 11:22,23) – “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

Did you hear about the Church that called a prayer meeting in order to pray for rain? Only one little girl brought an umbrella! She had FAITH in God!! Do you?

2. God’s out of this world kind of Love! (1John 3:1-2) – “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”

3. God’s sacrificial Love for us! (1John 3:16) – “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

4. God’s disciplinary Love! (Heb 12:5) – “Have ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.”

5. The wonderful Love of God should motivate us! (2Cor 5:14,15) – “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”

Conclusion: Not only does God love us, but we are to love Him. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1John 4:19).

Why? Because we are loved in the 1st degree.

1. FAITH (Heb 11:1,6) – “…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen….. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Remember: Prayer is the door to heaven – FAITH unlocks the door! Go unlock the door.

2. FAITH with OBEDIENCE! (James 2:24,26) – “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only….. as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

Where are your works? Obedience proves one’s faith!

3. FAITH mixed with OBEDIENCE comes thru the Word of God! (Rom 10:17) – “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Do you want to build your faith? Get in the Word! Then obey it!! Next, will come blessings from the Lord.

4. FAITH mixed with OBEDIENCE comes thru the Word of God by the Power of the Holy Spirit! (Rom 8:14) – “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

Faith does not work apart from the Holy Spirit; instead, it is a byproduct of the fruit of the Spirit. Keep the fruit coming.

Introduction: Have you ever heard of this saying, “Put your money where your mouth is”? This devotion is going to explore that thought, but in alittle different way. The setting is found In Matthew’s gospel. Jesus Christ has traveled, taught, and healed all the way from the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt Hermon – northern Israel) to the area called Galilee. Next, after being approached concerning his taxes, Peter is going to witness a miracle in the making. Yet, in this narrative, there are several practical lessons we can learn. Take note:

1. Confirmation for our Provisions! (Matt 17:24-26) – “And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? 25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? 26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.”

Do you remember “Where Jesus GUIDES, He PROVIDES”?

Get the picture. Peter is questioned about paying not only his temple tax but also our Lord’s. What is a “tribute”?

The word “tribute” is δίδραχμον, (did’-rakh-mon), which is a double-drachma, two drachmae, or a Greek silver coin.

This “tax” was an annual fee that was required for the Jewish temple. It would be equal to 1/2 shekel or 8 grams of silver or 160 grains of barley. Someone has calculated it to be about $5.00 today if silver was around $17.00 per ounce.

The point is that the crowd was trying to trap Jesus again. Yet, He will not be put into a BOX! So He already had “Provisions” for Peter’s taxes as well as his. But in response to our Lord’s interesting request, Peter must not rely upon his “FEELINGS,” instead his “FAITH” in Jesus must govern his decision, which it did. Do you need to exercise FAITH in Jesus’s Word?

2. Vision for our Mission! (Matt 17:27) – “Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.”

1. What Jesus Christ has done “FOR” us! (Eph 2:19) – “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”

2. What Jesus Christ is doing “In Us”! (Eph 2:20-22) – “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

These verses explain that with Jesus Christ as the “chief corner stone” (holding up the whole structure), the apostles and prophets (the holy Scriptures) as the foundation, then we become the frame built into a “temple” which allows a living God to reside.

1. Brought “Out to be Brought In”! (Eph 2:19) – “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”

The word “strangers” is ξένος, (xen’-os), which means a foreigner, or a guest. It can also mean an alien. The other word “foreigner” can mean the same. The word “fellow citizen” is συμπολίτης, (soom-pol-ee’-tace). This word means POSSESSING the same citizenship as others.

A citizen is someone who inhabits the same place. As a child of God we are “citizens of heaven.” (Phil 3:20,21)

The word “saints” means set apart. And “household” means family.

In other words, the apostle Paul was saying that the Gentiles who were not Israelites thru God’s Covenants in the Old Testament are now made into one body – one family (the Church) with Jews who trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

2. Built “On” to be Built “For”! (Eph 2:20-22) – “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

• Jesus Christ chief corner stone
• Apostles & Prophets foundation
• The Church is the frame of the building.

1. Shine Don’t Whine! (Phil 2:15) – “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.”

The word “shine” is φαίνω: (fah’-ee-no), which means to bring to light, or it can mean to cause to appear. In other words, we are to bring LIGHT to a dark world. Keep in mind, men love darkness rather than light. Since we are living in a warped and perverse nation (mixed up and confused), we need to turn the light on! Are you lighting up your world?

2. Hold Forth and Look Forward! (Phil 2:15) – “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”

The word “hold forth” is ἐπέχω, ep-ekh’-o), which means to hold fast, to hold toward, or can even mean to stop. In its usage, it can mean to delay or wait or pay attention. The word “vain” means empty, worthless. The word “laboured” is κοπιάω, (kop-ee-ah’-o). It suggests to grow weary, or to toil. In other words, the message is to every Christian to keep serving the Lord as tiring and weary as it may be because we will stand before Him in glory one day.