The 7 woes of Matthew 23

In my study of Matthew I am now to Chapter 23. The beginning part of this chapter has helped me in the past, but I've not gone further in it until now. In reading the 7 woes it became increasingly clear how they parallel our culture today. And people say the Bible isn't relevant any more! I do not claim to be a Bible scholar or even a good student of the Bible for that matter. What I do have is a desire to know God and his Son Jesus more through reading His word, and then sharing it in hopes that it stirs within someone a desire to know him more as well. So with that being said, here is my thinking on the 7 woes.

• Woe #1 - "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in."

The teachers and leaders of the day had made a religion of their own. It became a religion made up of rules and false ideas of what God had established. The religious leadership had added to and taken away so much from God's laws that not only were they not entering the kingdom, but they were keeping those who would enter from entering through their false teachings. How often have we in the past and still continue to make up rules within the church that have no biblical standing? How often do we lay burdens on others that we ourselves do not have to carry because of Christ? Are we missing it? Are we missing Him in our religiosity?

• Woe #2 - Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

The teachers and leaders are able to convert some to their way of thinking, and even go to great lengths and faraway places to do so, but in doing so with false teaching they have just converted someone who is destined for the same place they are. There is no Truth in their teaching. How many people have been converted to a wrong way of thinking because of untruths that have been taught throughout generations? How many have been led to believe they are saved without that saving knowledge? How many are feeling good about themselves because of the false teaching of someone who cannot accept the God of scripture?

• Woe #3 - Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

They have it backwards. Their focus is on the superficial and not on the significant. How often do we put our focus on the things man made within our churches and not on the truly important things of God. Our focus is on the simple, while missing the amazing. Our focus is on earth, while missing the heavenly, and in doing so leading others astray in our blindness.

• Woe #4 - "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

They did all the right things for all the wrong reasons. They again focused on the rules and missed the blessings. Tithing is important, Yes! But when you focus on the tithing, when you make it all about how much or how little, what should be included in the tithe you have missed the point. Stop focusing on these small matters, focus on what is important to God: Justice, Mercy and Faithfulness. Funny thing, if the latter were focused on the former would not be an issue.

• Woe #5 - "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

Don't we all look nice on Sunday? We cover so much with a veneer. We look all shiny and clean, but the heart, the heart! Self indulgence, so much of society today screams this! We want what we want when we want it (My word look at the those "W's"!!). How we try to clean up and make it look right on Sunday, when in fact, just like the leaders of old, our insides are not clean.

• Woe #6 - "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Whitewashed tombs. Tombs, they hold dead people don't they? Are our churches whitewashed tombs? Are we? Do we ourselves appear righteous to others, but within are we full of hypocrisy and lawlessness? Are we kidding ourselves? Do we know the drill, and how to talk the talk, but walking it faithfully is a mystery? Are we any different then those Christ is admonishing here?

• Woe #7 - "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

How often do we say "We would never have done that"? We are more civilized, more enlightened then our ancestors. In the church how often do we say, when going through a conflict, "we would never do what so and so are doing"? Yet we do. Here the leaders paid homage to the dead prophets, killed by their forefathers. Saying they would never do the same, but at the same time plotting to kill The Christ. How often are we blind to our own hypocrisy?

Church of Jesus Christ WAKE UP! Let go of all that hinders (Hebrews 12:1) and run the race for Him! He is crying out to us too! He longs to gather us as children under his wings. Let God open our eyes and ears so that we can say we have persevered, and are not like the scribes, Pharisees and Hypocrites!

500th Post! Well actually 504th post, but whose counting!

Thought I should recognize my 500th post! I can't believe I've made it, especially since I have been blogging so little. I have been mulling over this post for days, thinking what clever thing can I do? What do I want to do?

First of all I want to recognize a few people who are such an encouragement to me in the blogging world:

Mari @ My Little Corner of the World - If I get one comment on a post, it is from Mari! She is such a faithful bloggy friend and church friend. Thanks Mari for always coming by and leaving a sweet comment!

E- Mom @ Chrysalis - E-Mom has always had wise words of advice for me here in bloggydom and on Facebook. I so appreciate all the things I learn from her and her blog!

Linda @ Mocha with Linda - First of all I love her book reviews! Sometimes I have way to many books to read because of her (shame on you Linda!!!) Also when she posts her "Then Sings My Soul Saturday" posts, I'm always brought back to my childhood, with all the wonderful old hymns! I don't know where she finds those videos!!! She is so funny, and sometimes I think she's the Texas me because our lives have paralleled at times.

There are so many blogs that I still love to go to, and get so much enjoyment from, just not as often as I used too! Thanks for everything!

O.K. now I have a selfish request! I have never gotten many comments on my blog, and I would love to see how many comments I can get for my 500th post. Since I don't get many people by these days, I was wondering if I could get help from my faithful readers : - ) There will be something in it for those who comment.

Since there are three things I love: My Heavenly Father, Coffee and Stones, I would like to have a give away to one commenter. A copy of one of my favorite devotionals, a pounds of my favorite coffee (Winter Wonderland (I drink it in the summer too, tee hee)), and a stone from my favorite place on earth, the UP of Michigan!

Thanks for the ride!

Cyrus - "God's Annointed"

The other day while reading the first chapter of a book by R.C. Sproul called "Holy, Holy, Holy, Praising the Perfections of God", he quoted from Isaiah Chapter 45, verses 1-8. It just blew my mind! Cyrus was called my anointed one! A Gentile King, one who did not know God, and he was still God's anointed. This passage again shows me the sovereignty of God. It shows me how God's hand is over all things, even those who do not proclaim His name are used by him. Nebuchadnezzar was used to discipline God's Children, Cyrus was used to redeem God's child and to restore them back to their land so that prophecy could be fulfilled. I want to take it section by section and point out to you what I saw:

Isaiah 45:1-8

"This is what the LORD says to his anointed,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of
to subdue nations before him
and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors before him
so that gates will not be shut:

² I will go before you
and will level the mountains ^a]">[a] ;
I will break down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.

First of all as I studied this I learned that Isaiah spoke this prophecy 150 years before Cyrus' birth. Isn't that amazing! A gentile king being spoken of as God's anointed. God tells him I will take your "right" hand and subdue, strip, open doors, and gates won't be shut before him. In other words "What you will do will succeed because I am the one doing it, not you. You may think it's all you and your advisers, but not so much (my emphasis)".

³ I will give you the treasures of darkness,
riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the LORD,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

"so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." How did this make Cyrus feel? When I did my study of Ezekiel I noticed the phrase "then they will know that I am the LORD" over and over again. God has been continually revealing himself to us from the beginning of time. Those who say you cannot know God are lying. He has revealed himself and still is revealing himself! That is why I love the Old Testament so much. My Father God, and all his Holiness is revealed so powerfully!

⁴ For the sake of Jacob my servant,
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you do not acknowledge me.

Now this one for me is a hum dinger! "For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen". On so many levels this is powerful! Just like Nebuchadnezzar was used to punish Israel (See Jeremiah 25:9. Cyrus was to redeem and restore Israel. He was sent to provide the way to get the Israelites back to the Holy Land, where the Christ (the true Anointed one) would be born. One thing I want to point out here is the fact that Israel is God's chosen. Please remember that God is the Covenant keeper. He is Immutable (meaning he cannot change). So Israel is still his chosen. The great thing is "the Church" is now part of his chose people through Christ, but that does not negate the covenant made between God and Abraham. The Jews still are not making decisions that God is pleased with, but they are still His chosen people. One last point that struck me on this portion is scripture. Sometimes God brings trials and adversity into our life's for our good. The Israelites were punished through Nebuchadnezzar for their good, and they were redeemed through Cyrus for their good. Good and bad come down from the hands of a Sovereign God.

⁵ I am the LORD, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,

This passage just shouts! Cyrus did not have to acknowledge God to be used by God! How many people today are being used by God to fulfill his plan, and they are not even aware of it? They believe it is they that control their destiny. If you are ever told this - do not believe it - it is a lie from satan sent to turn your eyes from God back unto yourself. Our life is in God's hands. Our future is in God's hands. His plan has been marching forward every since, even before time began. I hope this gives you comfort. It does me! I have come to find peace, even when I see all that is going on in the world today. They way that Christians are viewed already in this country is enough to make one lose a sense of peace, but then we refocus our eyes back on The One True God whose plan is being played out. Knowing full well that in the end we will be victorious, and already are victorious in Christ Jesus!

⁶ so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
men may know there is none besides me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other.

⁷ I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the LORD, do all these things.

⁸ "You heavens above, rain down righteousness;
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation spring up,
let righteousness grow with it;

I, the LORD, have created it.

He is the LORD! There is no one like Him! He has created and sustained the heavens and the earth! He and He alone is to be praised! We are his workmanship created for good works that he has created in advanced for us to do (Eph 2:10). Dictators, Terrorists, Presidents, Senators, Governors, you name it, they are only they because God would have them be there. Take heart brothers and sisters! Stand firm! Keep your eyes on the prize and continue to bring Him glory in all that you do!

Marriage Monday - Honeymoon Memories

Want this button?

We were married on July 22, 1995. It was a great day, with the promise of looking forward to Gatlinburg, TN the following day. We had a cabin on hold for us at I believe Cades Cove. The car was loaded up and ready for our trip the following morning.

I didn't know it through the whole wedding day or into the evening the my new husband was in intense pain from kidney stones. I thought from time to time, he doesn't really seem to be enjoying the "Happiest day of his life!", but he never said anything to me.

Well that changed at about 10:30 at night in the hotel room he so lovingly rented for us. He told me he had been feeling kidney pain for 3 days but didn't want to tell me because he knew it would stress me out. Sweet sentiment, but seriously I wish he had told me. Well by 12:00 we were on our way to the hospital, where my new hubby was put on morphine and I filled the time walking around, or reading outdated magazines.

Needless to say we couldn't leave Michigan, so we cancelled our cabin in Tennessee. Even though the lady felt bad we still lost our deposit. Well being me I started thinking of other options. I found a bed and breakfast in Harbor Springs, MI (a little resort time) called Kimberly Country Estates (appropriate right, since my name is Kim). Well at first Steve balked at going because it was really prices, but his brother told him basically dude you have to give her that, so we spent one night there. It was beautiful and secluded. They had these beautiful thick and thirsty robes that I loved. Since we got married a week before my 31st birthday Steve surprised me by purchasing one.

After the night at Kimberly Country Estates, we headed for northern Michigan. Mackinaw City to be exact. We stayed in our little tent at the Tee Pee Campground in Mackinaw. I don't know if you've ever been there, but if you get the chance it's a great place to go.

On my birthday we headed over to Mackinaw Island. Now that is a great vacation spot! 2 weeks before we got married we purchased roller blades, so being the smart people we are, we decided to roller blade around the island. Did you know that Mackinaw Island is 8 miles around. Needless to say we were wasted by the time we made it around that place. We went back to the campground and collapsed!

The rest of the week was spent in Northern Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula. It was a great week!

Steve passed his Kidney Stone a week later. This July we CELEBRATE 15 wonderful years of marriage! I thank God everyday with my wonderful husband, and can't wait to see what other adventures we get into together.

Enrique's Journey - Me trying to understand Illegal Immigration - Final Installment

Well this is the final post on Enrique's Journey. It has helped to write about it, and clarify it in my head.

Enrique is now in America. It has not been as he or his mother would have thought or wished it would have been. He is angry, and still fills abandoned, or that his mother will again abandon him. She is frustrated over his lack of respect and the fact that she still has one child (her daughter) in Honduras. Enrique also has a daughter back in Honduras. His girlfriend gave birth after he left.

To me this situation is humanly hopeless. I say humanly because if God were allow to govern peoples live; if they gave him control, we would not have these issues. But because we are evil all the time (Genesis 6:5), this situation will continue to go on. Below are some things that struck me:

• Illegal migrants are able to get driver's license. Enrique was charged with driving while impaired. In the book it talks about how nearly 4 times as many Hispanic drivers as non-Hispanic drivers in North Carolina have been charged with driving while impaired. I find it amazing that he could get a drivers license while not being here legal. And when charged all he had to pay was $1,000 and tell the judge he was sorry. No deportation.
• These immigrants can buy fake ID's, and then find work. (Here again it is not the legal way, but illegal)
• In Honduras if you are a woman and over the age of 25 or 28 you are no longer considered for many jobs. Middle age women have 3 options: Washing and Ironing clothes, cleaning houses, or making tortillas at home. These jobs pay $50 to $90 per month. A family needs $350 a month minimum.
• A quote from Enrique to his aunt or cousin: "You think that filling our bellies is the same thing as love." Enrique was basically on his own from the age of 5. At this point in the book also Enrique moves away from his mother. She says "Her live is in Florida with her "de facto husband", daughter (who was born in US) and sister. "You never acknowledged me as a real mother. I have to work at my life with my husband now". When did Enrique, or any child like him, have a mother?
• Despite the increased danger, more migrants are making the attempt. Between 2001 & 2004 , the number of Central American migrants detained and deported each year by Mexico nearly doubled, to more then 200,000....During that same period the number of children detained by the U.S. Border Patrol while entering the country illegally and without either parent nearly doubled.
• Through out Latin America, even in traditional societies such as Mexico divorce and separation are increasingly common.
• The countries they leave benefit in different ways: Lower unemployment being one. Also the money sent back to the families brings $30 BILLION a year to Latin America alone. The cash flow makes up a whopping 15% of El Salvador's gross domestic product and is Mexico's second largest contributor to the economy after oil. Do you think they want it to end?
• A quote from a Honduran migration official: "Keeping the family together-even if they are poor-is more important then leaving and improving their economic conditions."
• Each year the US legally admits nearly a million people. Another 700,000 arrive illegally.
• 36 million residents of the US were born in another country; nearly a third of those live in the US illegally.
• Enrique and his mother disagree about the impact of this on the US. Enrique says that were he an American citizen, he would want to curtail illegal immigration. He admits he does not contribute no taxes on what he earns. Lourdes says: "To her immigrant labor is the engine that helps drive the American economy. Immigrants do the work no American wants to do. (Lazy us)
• The immigrants notice a lack of work ethic in Americans. The native born workers take alot of breaks and work slower. The immigrants want to keep their jobs so they work harder.
• The Center for Immigration Studies, which seeks reduced immigration levels, found that in 2002 nationwide, households headed by illegal immigrants used $26.3 billion in government services and paid $16 billion in taxes.
• Those hardest hit by the influx of immigrants are disadvantaged native-born minorities who don't have a high school degree.
• The Labor intensive industries in America use migrant labor to help their bottom line. (There's the greed thing again. It's not what's good or what's right, but what will make them the most money.)

There is so much more I could quote or mention from the book, but I realize this post is already getting long, so I will end with my conclusion.

• I am still very much against "illegal immigration". No matter the circumstances that one faces, several wrongs do not make things right. With the choices these people are making there is destruction left in the wake.
• Even though my heart grieves for these people, I cannot condemn their method. It would be tantamount to saying that those who live in poverty anywhere can rob, sell drugs or kill because they live in impoverished conditions.
• This issue will not be away or be solved, because of greed, incompetence and apathy. Also no one is working for the greater good, but for themselves. The rich need the migrants for cheap labor, and they have become such a fabric of our society that truly our economy would suffer if they weren't here.
• In the end the biggest thing for me is it's just WRONG. Period. It's illegal. Follow the proper channels. Come to America, come the right way, not the dishonest way. Come and make the most of what America has to offer, but do not slink in her in the cover of darkness to take what would be given to you freely, if you came the right way.

O.K. I think that's it. At least I feel better about getting it off my chest.

Enrique's Journey - Me trying to understand Illegal Immigration Part 2

Today I want to cover the journey Enrique and thousands (and I do mean thousands) attempt every day. Some successfully and others unsuccessfully by either being deported, maimed by the trains they ride, or beaten by gangsters, bad cops, and badly hurt or killed.

There were parts in this book that were so very hard to read. The journey is around 1500 miles long. The majority of the trip is done by jumping on and off trains. The state of Chaipus Mexico is very dangerous to pass through. That is where most of the gangsters go that have been deported from the US because of criminal activity. I cannot decide if the country of Mexico cares or even knows what their citizens do to these migrants. Also what state employees are doing to them as well. Enrique was badly beaten up by a gang that demanded money. His injuries almost killed him and left him with several scars, both inside and physical. Where most of the really bad physical injuries come from though are trains. Jumping off and getting on. One wrong move and the train sucks the person under the wheels. Here is a quote from the book: "At a rate of nearly one every other day, the Red Cross estimates, U.S. bound Central American migrants who ride freight trains lose arms, legs, hands or feet. ...It does not count those who die instantly when they are cut in half or decapitated." Enter an angel unaware: Olga Sanchez Martinez. This woman's story is amazing in itself, but I'm not going to go into her whole story, just know that she takes in these people, who others treat badly. She ministers to them. These people wish to die, but Olga tells them "God has a plan for you. You will learn to live another way". She is a wonderful testament to God's love and grace, and she gives testimony of God's goodness to all those she helps. She has opened a shelter for these amputees called: The Shelter of Jesus the Good Shepherd. Through this book I have developed a desire to reach out to her and help her with her mission. Olga has had to beg for food to help these people. She is truly showing them the love of Christ. Here is a website about the book. It includes a website where you can send money to help, if you feel led.

There are many other people who show kindness to these migrants, while others look down on them and abuse them. Sounds familiar doesn't it. It really doesn't matter where in the world you are from, there are evil people everywhere.

These people suffer much on this journey. It is a testament to their determination and desperation. Going to the "land of milk and honey". Where everything will be great, and they will be able to help their families back home. So sad that this isn't always the case.

It takes Enrique 122 days to make the trip.

When things calm down both mother and son have many struggles. Most of them stemming from the fact that he harbors anger and resentment over her living and her believing he should respect her because of her sacrifice. Many times they fight over this issue, never to a resolution that benefits both of them.

One thing I forgot to mention and with this I will close today's post, with one more tomorrow. These illegal immigrants are preyed on. Not only by the gangsters and bad police, but by people that say they want to help them. They have people that say they will smuggle their children into the US for a sum of money and then disappear with the money. Lourdes (Enrique's Mom) also tried to become a US citizen (of course again not through the proper route) and was bilked of a few thousand dollars that she could have sent to her children. Another bad decision on her part. It never ceases to amaze me the evil in men's hearts, where they will prey on the poor and desperate. It again proves the verses in Genesis 6 & 9 "Men are evil from birth". Without Christ we are truly lost!

Enrique's Journey" - Me trying to understand illegal immigration

Recently in a Facebook status I asked for someone to enlighten me about illegal immigration and why some seem to think it is O.K. My nephew and sister in law told me to read the above book and it would help me understand. I have read the book and this post is to help flesh out my thoughts and feelings about the issue, and the final conclusion I have come to believe.

First of all let me say that my heart just breaks over the poverty and corruption in this world. Reading this book was very hard because I could see and feel the abject poverty that would make someone decide to do something like this. I feel empathy for the migrants that make this journey, and I wish so badly that their governments cared for them as they should (more on that later).

After reading the first 25 pages here is what I saw:

• Father's abandoning their families
• Government's not helping their people (maybe from corruption or maybe because of the country being poor, I don't know)
• Mother's making a desperate decision, how be it wrong (as it states in the book Enrique would have rather dug through the dump and still have his mother, then what she could give him by leaving) to leave their children.
  
• The mothers are seeing false advertising about the USA. The pictures they have are of New York, Las Vegas and Disney. Now there's a clear picture of the US isn't it. Once they get here (and that journey is unreal) they realize that "all that glitters is not gold". They have been told a lie, and leave all that is precious in search of that lie.
  
• Kids just want their MOM's. No matter what country they are from.
  
• The government cannot and will not be able to help everyone. This goes for Latin America's government and ours. That is a pipe dream. There is not enough money in the world that can solve the world's issues. What needs to happen is we need to practice what the Bible teaches about helping the poor, widows and children. (James 1:27). We are all called (as Christians) to help others. To put others before ourselves. To remember the poor (Paul writes about this in Galatians).

That was all from the first 25 pages! So now the book is finished and I have much to process. After Enrique's mother left, he was shuttled from place to place. His father "left" him with his grandmother and started another family. One of the things that just hits me so hard is the fracturing of the family. It is not only happening here in the US but all over the world. Parents (in this case the fathers) are abandoning their God given rolls and responsibilities and it begins the process of destruction that can never be repaired. Enrique's mother has been gone for 10 years before he starts his journey. 10 years of promises to return, for visit, for Christmas, etc.... 10 years of desire and questions in a boys mind of why his mother abandoned him. And this book clearly states that most if not all children left behind feel abandoned. I have so many dog ears in this book where there are things I desire to quote, but I'm afraid there's to many, but I will quote one here. This quote is from a portion of the book that discusses what happens after the children are brought to America: "Inside Murillo's office, children usually fire the first salvo: "I know you don't love me. That's why you left me there." Some mother's to avoid traumatic farewells, told their children they were going out to the market, or to see their children's teachers, and instead leave for the United States." These relationships cannot be repaired (unless of course God is given control). The book states that the children begin to look elsewhere for love and belonging. The boys go to gangs, and the girls longing for unconditional love get pregnant young.

This post is getting to be long and I haven't even begun to go over Enrique's journey, so I guess I will do as many post as it takes to process this material and conclude my thoughts. I hope that these posts stir in you a desire to not only read the book, but consider what you can do to not just understand the situation, but to possibly do what you can for any who are poor. They are all around us.

Stay tuned for part 2.......