Matthew 15:32- 16:12 "Beware False Teachings"

Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City!

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Please turn in your Bibles to Matthew 15, picking up in V32.

Today we are finishing our theme…‘The Grace of the King’…where over the past 6 weeks, we have been observing Jesus’ grace towards a number of people despite hostility and tensions mounting.

In the last couple weeks we saw Jesus confronted by Pharisees from Jerusalem on the issue of why His disciples transgressed their ceremonial hand washing traditions and Jesus set them straight, but then He departed from the entire Galilee region and went to Gentile regions: Phoenicia and Decapolis…which ended His Great Galilean Ministry.

Jesus went to the Jews first, and then last week we saw Him heal the Syro-Phoenician’s daughter and then a multitude of sick people in the Decapolis region, and all of these Gentiles glorified the God of Israel…which should have been the response by the Pharisees.

Today, we are picking up where Jesus is still with this Gentile crowd in Decapolis, and we will see Him spending time teaching His disciples, and warning them about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

The title of today’s sermon is “Beware False Teachings.”

Let’s Pray!

Matt 15:32 “Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”

So, three days have gone by where Jesus has been ministering to the Gentiles. And, now He has “compassion on the multitude.”

We read last week in Vss 30-31 “Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. 31 So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”

This is a ‘near’ -or- ‘partial’ fulfillment of Isa 35:5-6 “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing.” We’ll see the ‘far ‘ -or- ‘total’ fulfillment in the Millennium...but what a preview!

Now, three days later, Jesus had compassion on this same multitude of people because they had nothing to eat. There are many verses like this throughout the Bible that tells us... God cares for and about our physical needs.

In Matt 6:31-33 ...the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Missionary George Müller, in the 1800’s, knew well of trusting God for his daily bread, and saw God’s faithfulness time and again.

The Gentiles travelling with Jesus were hungry, and Jesus would take care of their need as well.

V38 tells us there were 4,000 Men…thus this account is commonly titled, “The Feeding of the 4000.”

Some think the Feeding of the 5,000 and the Feeding of the 4,000 are the same event… but they are not. There are numerous differences…enough to clearly warrant these miracles as separate and distinct events:

First, the obvious difference is the different sized crowds…5000 vs 4000 men…much larger when you add in the women and children.

Then there is the different number of loaves, “five loaves and two fish” verses “seven loaves and a few little fish.”

They were in different locations for different crowds… Jesus fed 5,000 Jews outside Bethsaida, and 4,000 Gentiles in Decapolis.

Even the leftovers were different… ‘twelve baskets’ versus ‘seven large baskets’ at the feeding of the 4,000.

And, the Greek words…the types of baskets were different… at the feeding of the 5,000 they used kŏphinŏs- small wicker baskets, and the feeding of the 4,000 they used spuris- large reed baskets.

Not to mention the Gospel records…the feeding of the 5,000 is recorded in ALL four Gospels, where the feeding of the 4,000 is only in Matthew and Mark…this is not just another view of the same miracle, too many differences…and Jesus had a great purpose of discipling His disciples with the feeding of the 4,000.

But, the most compelling difference is the word of Jesus. We will read later today in Matt 16:9-10 Jesus said, “Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets [kŏphinŏs] you took up? 10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets [spuris] you took up?” Jesus Himself viewed these events as separate and distinct.

“Wow, Pastor Marc…that’s very interesting, but why does this matter? How does this impact me and my life today?”

Let me tell you why. It vital to pay attention to the details of the word, so you are not deceived. I just shared 8 reasons the feeding of the 5000 and 4000 are different, and that’s a minor example…what about major doctrines? Know your Bible.

In just a few verses, Jesus is going to rebuke the Religious Leaders for not discerning the signs of the times.

If you even pay attention even casually to the world around us... it’s not hard to see that we are in the last days…and in these last days, it is crucial to know and to be particular about the word of God, so you discern the signs of the times.

In 2 Tim 4:2-5 Paul exhorted Timothy, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

In these days we live, there are false teachers who want to take away the truth of the word of God.

Some “teachers” think they have special knowledge about scripture. 2 Pet 1:20 states, “...knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation [or one’s own interpretation or understanding], 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

Watch and be careful about those prophets and teachers and scholars who have “special knowledge” about the word.

Some “scholars” want to twist scripture to fulfill an agenda like the social acceptance of homosexuality. There are many churches and leaders who don’t speak truth in love…they normalize homosexuality, but the Bible clearly states, Rom 1:26-27 “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.”

Happy Pride month! You know what the Bible says about “pride”…right? Pro 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall." Pride is a slippery slope.

And, look…I don’t hate homosexuals…I was in the rave scene…I was friends with gay and bi-sexual people…that culture is not foreign to me. But, I grieve for them in their lostness. I grieve for all people who ‘love darkness rather than the light’...rejecting Jesus Christ because they love their sin and are heading to eternal destruction... and IN LOVE I speak truth.

The world applauds LGBTQ, but their message is counter to the truth found in Scripture. What’s inclusive about that movement is everyone is justifying one another’s lifestyle which is counter to God, and as they don’t want God in this lifetime...God will honor that in eternity.

In John 3:19-20 Jesus said, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved [agapaō] darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”

“Pastor Marc, are you saying that homosexuality is that evil and dark deed?” Not specifically, but it is on the list…there are many sinful lifestyles that if chosen over God will lead to condemnation...

Paul wrote to the Corinthians [a culture full of sinful practices] 1 Cor 6:9-10 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals [Gk. malakŏs- by def. effeminate, a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness] , nor sodomites [ Gk arsĕnŏkŏitēs a homosexual; an abuser of self with mankind; one who lies with a male as with a female], 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”

And, look I was on this list…I can identify with it…I lived as an idolater and a drunk for years. Most of you can identify with things on this list as well.

Many of the sins on this list are being flaunted as good…they are being normalized in media…in advertising…in movies…by the rich…the famous…the influential. But, the agenda behind the LGBTQ movement is very dangerous because they are not only targeting our kids…and breaking ground into school systems,…they even have a whole month to celebrate gayness. There’s not a drunk month, or adultery month, but there is Pride Month.

And, LGBTQ is on the offensive against any voice that would speak against them, plus they are attacking Biblical Christian truths. Not just Christian truths, because they’ve already infiltrated the church (many birds lodged in the branches). I’m talking about Biblical Christian truths…they are attacking the truth of Scripture and salvation in Jesus.

There was a man who once said, “He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future.” Do you know who said that? -Adolf Hitler. That’s the same mindset as these evil movements…they want to change the culture and are doing so by influencing the next generation.

But here’s the good news....the following verse after that list…1 Cor 6:11 states... “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

Anyone who lived these ways and comes to God in the name of the Lord Jesus is washed, sanctified, and justified by the Spirit of God. It doesn’t matter how you were living…believe in and start living for Jesus Christ and that sin will be erased from God’s mind… you will be justified…just-as-if it never happened.

And, here’s my point…it’s vital to be particular about God’s word in these last times...

You’ve heard the phrase “Be a Berean.” In Acts 17:11, the Bereans were described… “These were more fair-minded [noble] than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness [eagerness], and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

They didn’t just accept Paul’s word…they checked his teachings against the Scriptures... their source of truth. I hope you fact check what I teach…search the scriptures daily.

All these thoughts about standing up for truth and God’s word…and what’s happening in our society reminds me of a famous quote that many people have been quoted saying, “If You Don’t Stand for Something, You’ll Fall for Anything.”

A more accurate phrase is, “If you don’t stand for ONE THING, You’ll fall for anything.”

And, that One Thing is Jesus Christ…the living word of God…and that which the Holy Spirit gave us…the written word which helps us know Him.

There are numerous “One Thing” sayings in the Bible…an interesting study...

Ps 27:4-6 reads, “One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. 5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.”

Ps 27 is a Psalm of faith during times of persecution written by David…beautiful Psalm…I recommend reading the whole Psalm…just 14 verses. Wonderfully encouraging.

Well, back to Matthew...

Matt 15:33-39 “Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?” 34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few little fish.” 35 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. 37 So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. 38 Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.”

So, Jesus is quick to identify and have compassion on the problem…and the disciples…well…not so quick to find the solution. Their response is almost hilarious… “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?”

The feeding of the 5000 was chronologically only a few weeks or months prior…we just read that account in Matt 14…how do they not remember the 5 loaves and the 2 fish? They took what little they had and put it into Jesus’ hands and He multiplied it? How did they forget this miracle? Why do they even ask this question of how will it be possible to feed so many people when Jesus is right beside them?

Memory may not be the issues at all…we read in Matt 16:8 “O you of little faith,” so the issue may actually be a lapse in faith…an issue of doubt.

Whichever, once again, they stare at the problem…so many mouths to feed…and look at their own resources…so little bread…and they know not what to do. Peter, when he was walking on water, saw the effect of the wind…the waves…the stinging rain…the loud whistling whipping past his ears…and he sank as he took his eyes off Jesus.

The disciples find themselves in this place once again, where they take their eyes off Jesus…focus on the problem, and are overwhelmed and without answer for a solution.

And, how many times do we find ourselves in this same place? Looking at a trial in our life instead of focusing on Jesus? Lapsing in faith? Do we give what little we have to Jesus...surrendering it to Him to watch what He does?…the miracle He will perform? Do we look back on the stones of remembrance of God’s faithfulness to get us through the situation at hand? Do we stand strong in faith and not flounder?

When you do…you are victorious in the trial…when you do not…you will be just like these disciples…a little dull…a little spiritually immature…floundering. As Peter was sinking in the water, “Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Jesus exercises the same grace and patience with all His children. He does that here in V34 with His simple question, “How many loaves do you have?” He doesn’t rebuke them for being thick. He doesn’t say, “Guys, are you serious?!? I just multiplied the loaves and fish for 5000? How can you ask such a stupid question?” No…He doesn’t say that…He is patient with the disciples.

Jesus models patience. And, Lord forgive me for the times I am not patient…for the times I am fail as a Husband and a Father and a Pastor.

James 1:2-3 says “...count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

As difficult as that is to swallow, trials are producing in us the Godly fruit of patience.

The disciples have seven loaves and a few little fish, and as they surrender what little they have to Jesus…once again He performs the miracle of multiplication. God is willing to show us the same miracle…to repeat the lesson for us if we need it again.

Repetition is the key to learning, and these disciples were learning who Jesus is and how to overcome trials, and problems, and challenges in life…by putting them in Jesus’ hands. Their faith and revelation of Jesus Christ was growing.

Heb 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” He is doing the same in our lives today.

And, just like the feeding of the 5000, Jesus commands order… V35 “So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.”

Jesus prayed and gave thanks to God for the provisions...V36 “And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks”

Jesus “broke them”…He broke the bread…which is a reminder of how once our lives are put in Jesus’ hands, we must be broken before we are multiplied. The old man of the flesh must be broken before the man of the spirit is effective.

And then, Jesus “gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.” Jesus uses us as a channel of blessing. We read earlier... “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” God used ordinary men to write the Bible, but they were inspired or “God-breathed.”

V37 “So they all ate and were filled...” All the gentiles in the massive crowd that Jesus had compassion on ate and were filled, meaning “to gorge, fatten, satisfy.”

I have a weakness for free food...all you can eat places...company dinners…I just pig out. In the past, I’d eat the choice meats…and was careful not to fill up too much on carbs and veggies, because the dessert trays…I would get like 4 or 5 different desserts. And, I’d eat it all.

And, my wife would hate me because I wouldn’t gain any weight…I’d lose weight in fact.

And then I turned 40…I still haven’t gained weight, but my body gets really angry if I eat like that now. But, I kind of miss it!

These gentiles ate until they couldn’t eat anymore…they gorged themselves.

And, again…there were leftovers enough to feed all the 12 apostles “...they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.”

V38 “Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.” So a crowd of about 8,000-12,000.

Upon caring for this crowd’s physical and spiritual need, Jesus departs. We read in V39 “And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.”

Mark’s Gospel says the “region of Dalmanutha” (also known as Magadan)…same area…Northwest shore region of the Sea of Galilee…just North of Tiberius…west of Capernaum.

So, they depart Decapolis (the “Ten Cities” in the Southeast section of the Sea of Galilee) and sailed to the clear other side of the sea.

Matt 16:1-4 “Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered [Mark 8 records Jesus’ emotion, “But He sighed deeply in His spirit”…they were so privileged and yet so blind] and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.”

In Vs1 we see a little “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” mentality because the Pharisees and Sadducees come as a united front. The Pharisees being the ultra conservative religious and the Sadducees being the liberal political leaders…united against Jesus, but otherwise they would be bickering against each other. (sounds like our political parties today…there is nothing new under the sun).

In Acts 23, you may remember how Paul, when he stood on trial before the Sanhedrin…he divided the council by bringing up the hope of the resurrection. Sadducees said “there is no resurrection.” But, the Pharisees believed in the resurrection. So, Paul, with wisdom, said he was on trial because of his hope in the resurrection, scripture records, “a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees”…and they forgot all about Paul. Very smart.

So, that was typical. Here in Matt 16:1, the Pharisees and Sadducees united…this was not typical.

The Pharisees and Sadducees are “testing Him” …their motive is not pure when they “asked that He would show the a sign from heaven.”

The word “testing” by definition means “a test, a trial, an experiment.” The root word has the idea of “piercing.” This is a piercing trial or test. They are attempting to prove Him…not as Messiah, but as a false Messiah…they have ill motives.

For 3 years now, Jesus performed miracles. Many prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus’ birth and life. His teachings were a sign. No additional signs were needed.

It’s the Grace of the King that He didn’t show them a “sign from heaven”… Good thing I’m not God… they might have gotten the sign of a fire from heaven, like Elijah called down on the Moabite troops.

I like in 1 Sam 5, when the Philistines took the Ark, scripture records, “He ravaged them and struck them with tumors...” [by def. hemorrhoids]. That would have been an appropriate curse to the Religious Leader who were being a pain in the butt.

Often, we think like the imprecatory psalms that pronounce a curse or judgment, and cry out for justice… “ Like Ps 79:6 “Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You, And on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name.”

Jesus does respond firm, but He doesn’t destroy them. He first points out that they have the ability to discern the weather by the appearance of the sky. Likely where the weather lore saying came from... “Red sky in the morning, sailor warning; Red sky at night, sailors delight.”

Jesus rebukes them as hypocrites for knowing the weather patterns, but not knowing the signs of the times. And, there were many.

I’ll give you just one sign of their time, Mic 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

An entourage of wise men came to Jerusalem, and Herod inquired of the chief priests and scribes as to where Messiah would be born…they said Bethlehem and quoted Mic 5:2…they knew, BUT they didn’t travel the few miles south to see Messiah…to verify. Lot’s of head knowledge, but no heart…no authenticity.

In Matt 12, scribes and Pharisees demanded a sign as well, and Jesus responded the same way as V4... “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

These hypocritical religious leaders were “wicked and adulterous”… ‘evil and unfaithful.’ They were charged with leading the nation, but they were unfaithful to God. Only one sign would they receive…the sign of the prophet Jonah…the Resurrection.

I taught in depth on the sign of the prophet Jonah… the resurrection... when I taught on Matt 12:38-41 which actually fell on Easter Sunday…amazing…so check that message out on our website for an in depth study.

V4 concludes, “And He left them and departed.”

Matt 16:5-12 “Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.” 8 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? 9 Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? 10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? 11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

So, now…back in the boat…to the other side…not back to Decapolis, but heading towards the North-shore. Next, in Mark 8 they would be in Bethsaida where Jesus spits on the eyes of a blind man and heals him…so this places us on the North side of the Sea of Galilee.

And, the disciples forget their provisions “they had forgotten to take bread.” And, Jesus warns them to “Take heed [or ‘watch out,’ ‘be on guard’) and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees” and V12 interprets the leaven as the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

So, Jesus’ intent is to warn the disciples about a dangerous teaching, which Jesus describes as leaven. Leaven was a corrupting substance. Leaven causes dough to ferment. Fermentation is “controlled spoilage,” and is a picture of sin.

Now, the Pharisees and Sadducees had different doctrines or teachings:

For the Pharisees…the warning against their doctrine is clearly defined later in Jesus’ ministry, when He explicitly says, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Lk 12:1

In Matt 23, Jesus pronounces Woes upon the scribes and Pharisees for the various ways they were hypocrites…adhering to the tiniest details of the law, while their hearts were far from God.

Matt 23:27-28 reads, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Now, the Sadducees were rationalist. They were like liberal scholars today. They doubted and denied teachings of God’s word. They denied the resurrection, angels, spirits, the eternal soul, and eternal punishment.

In Matt 22, the Sadducees presented a ridiculous hypothetical situation to Jesus about a woman who was widowed seven times, therefore in the resurrection, who’s husband would she be? And, Jesus’ response summarizes the failure of their doctrine…He said, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.”

They were in error, unfamiliar with the Scriptures, nor the miraculous power of God.

Thus, Jesus warns the disciples about both of these groups who were spreading false teachings…Take heed and beware.

And, today you have to do the same. There are many liberal scholars and liberal agendas in the church. There are Pastors and Teachers who are in the pulpit, but their hearts are far from God…they are hirelings…and hypocrites.

And, there are many wonderful Pastors and Teachers, and there is the true word of God, but wherever there’s authentic…there’s also counterfeit.

If you know the authentic…if you know the scriptures…you’ll spot counterfeits a mile away. You won’t be deceived.

Well, let’s wrap up looking at the disciples response…it’s like a Twelve Stooges moment...

They must have been toiling in their minds that they forgot to bring bread, and then Jesus says a buzz word… “leaven” which is a dough rising agent, and they get a little defensive, “It is because we have taken no bread.”

Now, during the Feeding of the 4000, Jesus was a little more gentle at their denseness…He just said, “How many loaves do you have?”

But, now Jesus is a little more vocal with them…confronting their doubt, their lapse of faith…their little faith…a scene ago Jesus was commending the Syro-Phoenician… “O woman, great is your faith!”…what a contrast to the disciples.

Jesus redirects their attention away from bread…away from dwelling on their physical needs, and onto spiritual matters.

And, this just touched my heart. Too often this is the struggle we face. Another bill, another sickness, conflicts with people, intense schedules…these are all things of this world.

We are to be good stewards of our money, our health, our relationships, but you are not a good steward if these things are ruling you versus you managing them.

The disciples have their minds so heavily on the physical need…bread, that they miss what Jesus is teaching them. Jesus reminds them… I got this.

‘You don’t need to worry about bread because I am the bread of life…I fed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish…I fed 4000 with 7 loaves and a few small fish…I will care for you as well.’

Whatever your situation, Jesus has it. Just surrender it to Jesus…put it in His hands. And, praise God when He redirects you.

Let’s Pray!

I very much appreciate the disciples. They have great moments, and some very human moments. And, I appreciate Jesus all the more…the love and patience of our God.

Let me leave you with this…we live in a world that is stricken with all kinds of false teachings and agendas, and God could end it all in a moment, but He hasn’t yet.

2 Pet 3:9 states “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering [He is patient] toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Be on guard…beware false teachings, but also have the heart of Christ this week…a love and patience for the lost.