In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus had just talked about prayer and forgiveness. He goes on to talk about fasting. Jesus is our example. When He talks about a subject, Jesus is showing us how to do something. Prayer isn’t just saying something repeatedly. It is entering into God’s throne room. We must go in with praise and Thanksgiving. Then when you do enter in, you must forgive those who have ought against you. And you must forgive yourself. Then you are ready to ask of God. Jesus shows us a better way. The better way is fasting. But He said not to make it known to anyone. When fast, you go out into the world like any other day. You clean up and look presentable. Never hinting that you are fasting. I went to a business meeting with some colleagues. After the meeting, we went to a steak house. I order tea. While everyone was eating steak, they asked me why I wasn’t eating. I wasn’t going to lie. So, I told them I was fasting. Then they asked why. And I was able to share the gospel. As you fast, God will place you where you can do the will of God. Fasting makes you more sensitive to the presence of God. It is part of praying. As you draw closer to God, your prayers are answered. And you get to see the results. This is prayer and fasting.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

In Matthew 6:7-15, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. He said not to use vain repetition. Thinking that you will be heard by talking a lot. Jesus said to enter your prayer closet. Then enter into the throne room with thanksgiving and praise. When you do, you can enter into the throne room. Jesus said to say thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. This verse change the way I prayed. When I saw what prayer meant. We ask God to do something for us. When we pray His will, God will bring His will down to earth and answer our prayer. If you don’t get before God and pray, your prayer is hit or miss. The Lord prayer isn’t rote or something to say repeatedly. It is an example of how to pray. Yes, we can use that prayer to pray, but mean it the first time. There is a second part to the pray. God says if we don’t forgive others, God will not forgive us. This means that you are in sin and God will not hear you. So, when you pray forgive others that your prayer may be heard by God. Your ability to reach God with prayer isn’t to be wasted on yourself. God says if we pray for others, He will heal us. God knows what you need before you ask. So, begin to pray for others and God will supply all of your needs. You first must believe that He is and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Seek God and pray with your heart for others and watch what God will do.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637. com

In Matthew 6:1-6, God is talking about our actions toward Him. everybody has heard of the expression, keeping up with the Jones. It is where we compete with our neighbor or co-worker to show how good we have done. In any gathering, you can listen and hear how people compete against each other. If they aren’t trying to show off, they are poor mouthing. It’s competition in reverse, trying to out do how badly each other has done. it is as ridiculous as it sounds. but people do this. In Matthew, God is talking about giving tithes and not doing it before people. God says if you give before man, you have you reward. But if you give secretly before God, He will reward you openly. God goes on to talk about prayer. He said to enter into your prayer closet and pray. Then God hears your prayer and answers it openly. It’s an attitude of the heart. When you seek God privately, God will be found and answer you. So, it is in secret that we must seek God.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

Jesus addressed many subjects in the sermon on the mount. One was in Matthew 5:43-48. It says there is a teaching to love your neighbor and hate your enemy. Jesus said love enemies and bless them that curse you. He said pray for those that persecute you. Because if you only love people who love you, you don’t do anything more than the sinners. Jesus was showing us how to develop as a believer. The 2 great commandments are to love God with everything you are and to love you neighbor as yourself. We love ourselves more than any one else except God. So if you loved your enemy like that, they wouldn’t be your enemy for long. I have a challenge for you, everyone that come across, bless them. Everyone is saying stay safe. You say God bless you and stay safe. Then you will be following what Jesus said. God bless you and keep you in all the darkness.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

What does it mean to humble yourself before God? You know how much you want to do things on your own. You have confidence in yourself and your abilities. But the one thing that you can’t do is come to God in your own strength. We don’t have the power or the abilities to stand before God. Being a Christian isn’t what you can for God. It is what God can do through us. The more God uses you in the work of kingdom, the closer you are to God. To get close to God you have to humble yourself. I don’t write this blog. If God wouldn’t give me the information and show me how to write, this blog wouldn’t get written. I have my part to play in this. I have to study His word and pray. Jesus teaching on the sermon on the mount, talked about what it is to a believer. In Matthew 5:38-42, He said to humble yourself to be used of God. In Roman’s 12:20, God said it you fed your enemies or give them water, you heap coals on their head. They are convicted of sin. This is why God wants us to humble ourselves before Him and the world.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

What is your word worth? Especially, when you tell God you will do something. The bible says it is better that you were never born, than to break a vow to God. In Ecclesiastes, it says that God will take everything that you have and you are. When did I make a vow to God? When you told God that you would do something if He helped you. The words in your mouth are as important as your actions. Because your words come from your heart. And there is no escaping what you say. God would rather you make no vows at all, than to break them. Those that God has given much to, are required to do much in the kingdom of God. If he gave you faith to believe, then He requires you to believe for other people who can’t. If your prayers reach the throne, then it is required of you to reach the throne for others. All of our gifts are for this world of lost and dying people. Look around, this world is lost and dying, not because of the Corona virus. It’s because they don’t know God and His son Jesus Christ. In Matthew 5:37, it says, let your communication be, Yea,Yea:Nay,Nay: for whatsoever is more than these, comes of evil.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com sew

In Matthew 5:27-30, it talks about thoughts and Intents of the heart. The letter of the law of God said, if you committed an outward act against God it was a sin. Jesus came preaching the spirit of the law. He said if you think about doing something wrong, it is sin to you. Why did the commandments of God change? It’s very simple. It is how God lives. When Jesus preached, people thought His sayings were hard. For man to do this by himself, it was impossible. But with God living inside us, we can do all things. That’s what changed from the law to grace. Does this mean that we can live like we used to? Of course not, the answer is no. It is now the thoughts and intents of the heart. If you think about sin, you have sinned. God gives us the power and opportunity to resist the devil. And he will flee from us. Our battleground is our heart and mind. We defend ourselves with the word of God and our faith. “For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and Intents of the heart. (Heb.4:12).

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

I love Joseph1637 | Proverbs 18 Lesson #1, let’s play it! https://www.podbean.com/ea/pb-sv3ns-d6da99

We ask God all the time to keep our hearts and minds. Because we know that it’s the battleground we fight on. We also know that what comes out of our mouth can defile us. God warns us to hold our tongues. Because the issues of life come out of our heart. So, in Matthew 5:21-22, it says that killing and anger are the same sin. Because it comes from the heart. Out of our hearts comes everything that we are. As you believe so are you. Walking with Jesus requires everything that we are. If a person strike you on one cheek, turn and give him the other. Jesus was dumb before his accusers, as a lamb led to the slaughter. Protect your heart at all cost, for out of it are the issues of life.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

Our lives are structured. We may claim that there is no structure in our lives. But even having no structure is a structure. We depend on that structure to live our lives in peace. When it is threatened, we respond in kind. Because without that structure, we are lost. Jesus came preaching the coming of the kingdom of heaven. Most people don’t understand that it is the right structure for us. So, in Matthew 5:17-19, Jesus address their fears. He said I haven’t come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. Jesus also said, that it wouldn’t disappear until every thing was fulfilled. I have heard most of my Christian life, that the old testament isn’t relevant for today. All 27 books of the new testament are from the old testament. God added a new covenant to the bible, to bring us home. But all the old covenants are in force. We as Christians have entered into the covenant of Abraham. We are the sons and daughters that God promised Abraham. The word of God will not disappear until all of it is fulfilled.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com