Matthew 22:34-40, I Thessalonians 2:3-8 In Matthew 22 the Pharisees and Herodians come up to Jesus to entrap him asking him if it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. You see to agree would be against the Jewish Nationalists – the Zealots while not to agree would be a crime of state. Jesus answers cleverly saying “give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” Now if I would have been in that crowd I would have asked, “What are the things that are of God?” Later in chapter 23 Jesus will tell the Pharisees that they’re concerned with insignificant things yet neglect the weightier matters of the law which are justice, mercy, and faith. This is a common theme you will read throughout the Old Testament which is summarized in Micah 6:8 as it tells what is required of you – what are the things of God that we are to give back. These are to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. These are the weightier matters of the law th...

  Psalms 106:19-23; Philippians 4:1-9   Psalms 106 is full of praise for the Lord for God’s enduring steadfast love and for his mighty doings. However, there is something we should be to make us able to fully praise the Lord. It includes those who observe justice and do righteousness at all times. Also included is having a penitent heart. The psalmist here confesses that they themselves have sinned and committed iniquities along with their past ancestors. He brings up the account of the making of the golden calf the Israelites did and worshipped while being impatient with Moses’ delayed return. They again forget about all the awesome deeds the Lord had done parting the Red Sea and providing food and drink for them. Thank goodness Moses stood up for his people and turned away God’s wrath. In Philippians Paul is urging two women to get along – to be of the same mind. These are women who worked hard beside Paul but their disagreement with each other was affecting their minist...

Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 105:1-6,37-45   Was it only in the last chapter of Exodus we studied how the Lord delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians by parting the Red Sea. One thing we learn about this group is they are ones to complain. Instead of waiting for God’s provision they are hungry and look back to all the food they had in Egypt, forgetting the oppression. It is easier to get the people out of Egypt than to get Egypt out of the people. So, God intervenes again. God sends them quail in the evening – meat to eat and in the morning provides bread in the form of manna. They are delivered from hunger pangs. Unfortunately, there will be other times they will complain forgetting the provision of the Lord. It is vital for God’s people to live in a moment by moment relationship of faithful obedience to the Lord. This is built on trust in the character and faithfulness of the Lord demonstrated through God’s actions on behalf of Israel. Psalms 105 is a Call to Worship telling ...