Stop Matching Energy

Opening Scripture

Matthew 5:17–48 NIV

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus states He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them (v. 17). The Greek word used here is pleroo, which means to fill to the brim, to bring to full expression, or to complete a design.

The Pharisees viewed the Law as a cold fortress of rules to be guarded.

Jesus viewed the Law as a prophecy waiting to be lived out. He didn’t come to lower the standard; He came to show what the standard looked like when perfectly embodied.

Just like in our day, people back in Jesus’s day had the mentality that if someone wronged them that it meant they were to get even.. This was also the mentality of the religious leaders.

Jesus publically addresses this in the first sermon that he preaches (the sermon on the mount) illustrating that this was and is NOT the will of our Heavenly Father.

Jesus drops a bomb on the crowd: "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."

The only way for Jesus to shift our filter from the mindset of the world to the kingdom mindset is give us the unfiltered truth — The hard hitting truth.

What’s Got You Angry?

James 1:19–20 NIV

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

Some of us allow ourselves to get so angry at someone for something and then try to write it off as “Righteous Anger”.

Have you ever noticed, we get more “righteously angry” at someone else for their sins but yet we don’t get angry with ourselves because of the wrongs that we have done or the sins that we have committed.

The enemy tries to trick us in thinking that it is ok to be angry if we label it as “Righteous anger”

If we chose anger we become enslaved to it…

We fall into the trap of thinking that if we are angry with someone that we have power over them

Truth of the matter is your anger isn’t hurting anyone else but you.

Jesus doesn’t call us to anger… He calls us to peace!

What Are You Looking At?

1 John 2:15–16 NIV

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

As Both Men and Women we fall into the trap of looking at both things and people with Lust.

Jesus calls us to NOT lust after people, because if we do we have committed adultery with that person in our heart.

We commit adultery in our heart because we have the intention of wanting to do things with that person that we have no reason even thinking about in the first place.

It is NEVER ok to be attracted to someone that is NOT your Spouse!!! Famous or NOT. Lust is Lust!

Be mindful of what you fix your gaze on — Keep your eyes on Jesus and protect your internal purity

Don’t Make Promises That you Can’t Keep

Ecclesiastes 5:4–5 NIV

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.

In old Testament days people would make God promises but did not keep their end of the deal.

Even in our current day we make promises to God: I’ll go to church on Sundays of you do this _____ for me.

God knows the intentions of our hearts but He still gives us grace to correct our errors (Sins).

Just as we should not break our promises and or vows to God we should not do it to others as well.

This is why Jesus instructs us to be careful when making promises.

Your Next Steps

1. Flip the High Beams

Think of human anger like a car driving at you with its high beams on. Your natural instinct is to flash yours back to blind them (matching their energy). This week, whenever someone triggers your anger and you feel the urge to judge them, mentally flip the high beams inward. Stop and ask: "What is a blind spot in my own life that I am ignoring right now?" Shifting the light from their mess to your own heart instantly kills fake "righteous anger" and pulls you back into a posture of peace.

2. Shred the "Hall Pass"

Culture jokes about having a "celebrity hall pass"—a free pass to lust after someone because they are famous or distant. But Jesus says a lingering, consuming look is adultery in the heart, no matter who it is. This week, officially shred the pass. If an algorithm pushes a specific account, image, or show to your screen that captures your gaze for the wrong reasons, apply the "3-Second Rule." Acknowledge the distraction, look away by count three, and consciously pray a quick blessing over your spouse (or your future marriage) to protect your internal purity.

3. Tear Up the Contract

Treat your relationship with God like a covenant, not a business deal. Stop trying to negotiate transactional "if-then" agreements with the Creator of the universe. This week, pray a "No-Deal Prayer." When you talk to God, you aren't allowed to offer any bargains or make empty promises to get what you want. Simply lay down your requests, thank Him for His grace, and say: "Lord, You don't owe me anything, and I'm done trying to trade with You. I'm just here to follow."

4. The "0% Hype" Challenge

In a world driven by social media clout and exaggeration, we love to inflate our words to make ourselves look better, cover our tracks, or secure approval. This week, commit to zero hype. If you tell someone you are going to do something, show up and do it without making excuses. If you can't do it, say no from the start. Don't over-promise a deadline at work just to look good, and don't tell someone "I'll pray for you" unless you stop and do it right then. Let your reputation be built on raw, unedited reliability.

5. Overfill the Cup

The Pharisees were obsessed with doing the absolute bare minimum required to legally keep a rule without getting caught. Jesus calls us to a overflowing lifestyle. This week, look for one situation—whether it’s dealing with a difficult customer, handling a family dispute, or helping a neighbor—where you would normally just do the bare minimum to get by. Instead of checking the box, overfill the cup. Go way past standard politeness or basic obligation and shock them with unexpected, unfiltered grace.