December 1 Acts 5-11 Being Unmarried is Preferred

Coming down the home stretch - you are in the last month of completely reading the Bible in a year. Praise God for your diligence.

In Chapter 7, Paul urges single people to stay single if they can remain celibate. Too many times, culture teaches us that being married is the preferred - Biblically, it is not. Now hear is the caveat: Singleness is preferred so that a person can focus on serving the Lord. Paul's assumption is that all of the time that one would spend taking care of his/her family would be invested in serving God and His people, instead.

I see single people in the US many times spending even less time than married people on God and His people. Instead, too many young people waste their time with their unbelieving friends on activities that have no eternal value - that time is literally an eternal wasted of time.

If you are single - align yourself with other married and single people - serve God and His people together. If you can spend the rest of your life celibate, you will meet others in the same life. If you are unable to be celibate, you will meet other committed single Christians - and find a suitable partner. If their aren't enough single people in your church align your church's singles with one or more area churches.

November 30 I Corinthians 1-4 Against People Pleasing

A common problem for all of us - to varying degrees - is living to people please rather than to please Christ. We are all apt to do some things in our life to garner the affirmation of men over the praise of Christ. I Corinthians 4:1-5 speaks powerfully to this tendency.

We are simply called to live to please Christ and to forget about trying to please men. In the end, it is only Christ's judgment that will bear any significance.

People pleasing is a tiring goal - it is never satisfied. Give it up - and do what Christ would have you do in EVERY situation.

November 29 II Thessalonians 1-3; Acts 18-19 Burning Our "Scrolls"

In Acts 19:17-20, sorcerers got saved and burned their scrolls that were used by them as sorcerers. The open market value of these scrolls was great. now, they probably could have sold those scrolls to unbelieving sorcerers, but they destroyed them instead - so as to stop the evil themselves and not to have others continue evil.

When we become disciples of Christ, we have to burn our "scrolls," too. We have got to go through our home and office and destroy all things that we used in the commission of anything evil. But we shouldn't stop there. We should also get rid of anything that keeps us to commit sins of omission. If golf clubs keep us from church on Sunday, we should sell them! If an Xbox keeps us from teaching our children the Scriptures, then we should get rid of it. But we shouldn't stop with physical things, only. We must remove everything from our life that is sin - perhaps stop going to bars if that causes us to get drunk and do whatever.

The text tells us that the people who burned the scrolls held Jesus' name in high honor and openly confessed their sins - we too often hide our sins - and that gives them power - bringing them into the light causes us to stop sinning.

In v. 20 - "In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power."

November 28 I Thessalonians 1-5 How To Disciple People

1 Thessalonians 2:5-12 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed-- God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Our church is a couple of weeks away from having our 1st elders. I have always thought that the verses above depict a beautiful picture of spiritual shepherds leading and caring for their spiritual flock. Too many times, Elders see their position as a "board" position similar to a corporate board. Although there is an "overseer" or managerial aspect of eldering, it is not the complete picture. Shepherding people is an essential aspect of being an Elder Council and not just being an Elder Board.

Let's look at some of the aspects of Paul's, Timothy's, and Silas' shepherding:

1. "not looking for praise from men": Our church is really Christ's church. Elders are undershepherds that should be committed to pleasing God, not doing popular things. Sometimes people want to move the church toward being a club that is comfortable and they lose the urgency of being disciplemakers. Elders need to keep the flock focused.
2. "gentle among you": Gentleness should never be confused with weakness. Gentleness is strength applied humbly. Elders must never lord their titles/authority over people. Elders need to be instruments of the Holy Spirit to move people along as disciples as shepherds (lead out in front), not sheepdogs "(those that drive from behind).
3. We loved you so much...delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us": Elders must be willing to mix with people in many phases of their life - not just at church. Private people make terrible elders excluding themselves from the everyday struggles of their flock and depriving their flock of seeing how they navigate life. Elders must consider the people of their church as "dear." Elders must love their people and be delighted to share their lives.
4. "how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you": Very simply, Elders must be committed to living a solid, Christian life - that is visible to all!
5. "dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God": Elders must see themselves as fathers to each of the people in the flock. Fathering requires different parenting skills at different time and a father must be willing to be implement the right skills at the right time. Fathers and Elders have to treat each of their children/congregants individually. Sometimes and Elder needs to encourage the willing, other times he must be willing to comfort the hurting, and sometimes he needs to courageously urge the unwilling/ignorant/rebellious.

Shepherding is an investment of an Elder's whole self; then again, so is effective discipling. An effective discipler shares their whole life with those that they are mentoring.

May God make Calvary Church's Elders and all of its people willing and able to share their lives making disciples who make disciples that love God, love others, and share Christ.

November 27 Acts 15-18 Making Trouble on a Daily Basis

"Lord, give me what I need to be as courageous, bold, and fruitful as the early church." This should be all of our prayer.

Please dwell on the implications of Acts 16:5 - "So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers." For this to happen, all of the believers had to be sharing their faith continuously and God was giving them great fruitfulness.

Now combine this witnessing with the impression of outsiders stated in Acts 17:6 - "These men who have caused trouble all over the world." The world sees evangelizing as causing trouble. people don't like trouble - they work to oppose it and stop it. We must be courageous and not be worried about causing "trouble."

Pray:  "Lord, give me what I need to be as courageous, bold, and fruitful as the early church."

November 26 Galatians 1-6 Works Righteousness Alienates from Christ

Galatians 5:2-4 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

Faith in Christ alone saves. Faith in Christ plus anything is a false gospel - this is the argument Paul presents in this letter. Faith alone in Christ (Protestant gospel) is a different gospel from the faith plus works gospel of Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, and Jehovah's Witnesses. These false gospels are actually more insidious that the false messages of Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. because they combine some truths about God and Christ with their false gospel. Too, too many Biblical Christians are soft on this important distinction.

Paul clearly says that those "trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ." Hear clearly what Paul is saying:

1. He says "trying" to be justified by law. The law can justify a person - IF one could keep it perfectly - as Jesus did - but NOBODY can. 
2. When we try to justify ourselves before God by keeping the Law (or any set of rules), we are declaring that what Jesus did on the cross was insufficient. In fact, we are saying that it wasn't even necessary. In that case, we have fallen away from - rejected - the grace of Christ.

The gospel is one. Anything different "is no gospel at all."

November 25 Acts 13-15 Adding Works Makes A False Gospel

Acts 15:1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." Adding works to the requirements of salvation makes a false gospel. Although the Jerusalem Council was focused on the circumcision and the many, many laws of Moses, they established a precedent for all works. What they teach us is that this is false: "Unless you  ___________, according to the custom taught by ________, you cannot be saved." Some churches teach you must be baptized to be saved - FALSE! The Catholic Church teaches you must be baptized and do certain things according to the traditions of the Catholic Church - FALSE! What Christ did on the cross is sufficient - TRUE!

All false religions (including false gospel churches) preach this formula:

• Faith + Works = Salvation
• Works must be added to faith to be saved
• Works merit salvation - they are meritorious

True Biblical Christians preach this formula:

• Faith = Salvation + Works
• Faith alone in Christ's finished work on the cross is all that is needed for salvation
• Works are a grateful response to the work of Christ applied to our lives. 
• Works are NOT meritorious. 
• Works do not get you saved, they do not keep you saved, they do not make you more saved.
• Works are evidence that you are saved. Again, they are not meritorious.

Am I arguing details? No.

If you preach works are required to earn salvation, then you are saying that what Christ did on the cross is insufficient. In the final analysis, your motivation for doing the works is selfish - you are trying to save yourself. The grace of Christ is no longer sufficient.

Paul will later write about a gospel that includes works:

• Galatians 1:6-9 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!  As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

Paul wasn't wishy washy - we shouldn't be either.

FYI What an individual Catholic believes may be very different from what Rome teaches. What an individual Protestant believes may be different from what his church teaches.

November 24 Acts 9-12 The Lord's Hand

Acts 11:21 The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

This verse caught my attention tonight. What a great time for the disciples - to have the 'Lord's hand" with them. I am in awe of this statement. I am jealous of these believers - I want the Lord's hand to be with me - with our whole church. But I wonder, if the Lord's hand is with us and we are missing the blessing. I want to be bold - to determine if the Lord's hand is with me - with us. I would love to be a part of the church who "a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord."

It is also interesting to note the people believed AND turned to the Lord. I think there might be a difference between believing and turning to the Lord. It seems like both are necessary to be a Christian - believing - and turning toward Christ, so as to follow Him. Would it make any sense to believe and not follow Christ? Would anyone really call that person a disciple (follower) of Jesus. Of course not.

November 23 Acts 8-9 The Holy Spirit Leads

The books of Luke and Acts were written by Luke. In the Book of Acts, Luke continually highlights the work of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the book, the Holy Spirit is leading and empowering the believers to do great ministry in the midst of persecution.

Today, we either tend to minimize - sometimes to forget - the ministry of the Holy Spirit OR we overemphasize His ministry. The ministry of the Holy Spirit to exalt Jesus, not to draw attention to Himself - certainly not to exalt certain believers.

In the early church, it was evident that the disciples were very aware of the ministry of the Holy Spirit and were seeking and sensitive to His leading and empowering. In our day, we should do the same. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The Holy Spirit is still building the Church of Christ today.

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was like the wind (John 3) - you can't see wind, but you can see its effects. Likewise, the Holy Spirit isn't visible, but you can see His works - if you are sensitive to them and on the lookout for them. As we follow the Holy Spirit, each of our ministries will become more and more powerful.

November 22 Acts 6-7 Full of God's Grace and Power

Stephen was described as, "a man full of God's grace and power." A Christian might ask, "how do I get those?" Stephen didn't get them at Jerusalem Seminary! He did know the OT from his synagogue attendance and he sat under the teaching of the Apostles. But most of all, he must have understood and connected with the personage of Jesus Christ - as God and man. He grew to understand the grace of God - creator and redeemer - His great love for us in dying on the cross, so that we might have eternal life. Jesus became the center of his life - the One Who mattered most to him.

By knowing God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit - knowing their grace and power - and living in awe of them - Stephen was made a man full of grace and and power. Stephan became a man that we all can be.

November 21 Acts 3:1-6:7 Don't Need a Seminary Degree

The Jewish leaders were surprised that "unschooled, ordinary men" could know so much and be persuasive. They put a lot of faith in formal education for religious leadership. So do we!

A degree doesn't make one fit for full-time ministry and not having a degree shouldn't disqualify anyone. What is important are knowledge of the Scriptures and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. People can learn the Scriptures informally on their own and with the help of other knowledgeable Christians. I am willing to help anyone do this - as are many other pastors (with and without seminary degrees) and mature Christians. No one can help with the anointing of the Holy Spirit - He anoints Who He anoints. However, we all should be able to discern who He has anointed.

Look for knowledgeable, anointed people for full-time ministers - with or without seminary degrees. Remember, the early church leaders did a pretty good job - much better than most seminary-educated ministers today.

November 20 Acts 1-2 Repentance is What is Missing

"Repent and be baptized" is what Peter told the people to do. Repent basically means to turn, to from, or to change your mind. In the Biblically sense, it means to be sorry for our sins and to want to change our course and not continue to sin. Peter used the word to describe the purpose of salvation - to turn from our lifestyle of sin in rebellion to God and to receive Christ as Lord (director of our life in the future and God) and Savior (forgiver of the penalty of our sin through sacrificial atonement - paying the penalty in our place).

The church in general acts too much like the rest of the world because people want the forgiveness of their sins, but have never changed their mind or turned from (repented) their sin. When they "said the prayer," they wanted the "fire insurance" (free gift of heaven), but never really wanted to turn from their present life of sin to godly living.

Repentance is not an additional requirement of salvation, it is the overarching want for salvation.

November 19 Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24: John 20-21; Acts 1 Life After Death

Quite simply, the resurrection of Jesus proves there is life after death. It also proves that all Jesus said is true. The Jewish leaders have tried to suppress the truth, but how has that worked for them! Scared disciples were changed into courageous heroes of the faith. The truth of the resurrection is the only thing that makes sense out of all of the facts that we have.

Believe in Jesus as Savior - nothing else makes sense.

November 15 John 15-17 Living on the Vine

John 13-17 is sacred ground in the sacred Bible. When we read this section of Scripture, we should want to take off our shoes as we are in truly sacred territory between Jesus and His closest disciples. We see the tenderness between God and His people - and the harsh realities of kingdom living here on earth. 

Jesus said that those who hate Him, hate God the Father Himself. Those who reject Jesus, reject the One true and living God of the Bible. Those that reject Jesus as the God-man, bristle at this truth - yet it is still truth no matter how mad it makes someone.

In this world, we must stay on the vine to bear kingdom fruit. Jesus says that no connection means no fruit. I take this to mean a personal connection to God and to God's people (church). 

Jesus also makes it clear that a strong connection the God of the Bible and His people will make unbelievers hate us. That's bad news for people pleasers.

We all have a fundamental decision in our life - to be recommitted to everyday - to live to produce fruit for the kingdom - to please God - OR - live to please others - to live fruitless lives.

November 14 Matthew 26; Luke 22; John 13-14 Knowing Your Security in Christ

In a great show of Jesus' humility, He got down and washed the feet of the Apostles - normally the job of the very lowest slave in the household. What in Jesus' nature allowed Him the strength of humility (It takes strength to be humble, none to be proud)? We are told in John 13:3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal...

Jesus was secure in His place in the Kingdom of God - whether he did the job of the lowest slave or not, He was from God, returning to God, with all power under the Father. Nothing was going to change Who He was. He could humble Himself and serve - in strength!

We, who have received Christ as Savior, are co-heirs with Christ. Nothing will change that. We can be humble servants, too! We often think that we can't become servants as people will think less of us - that isn't always true, but we shouldn't care - because God will never think less of us. In fact, if we serve, we will be pleasing Him. Until we truly believe this truth deep in our hearts, our willingness to serve humbly will be compromised.

Know who you are in Christ. Life then becomes so much simpler - as a servant.

November 13 Matthew 26; Luke 21-22; John 12 One True God

John 12:48 There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.

There are many people who say they believe in God, but not Jesus. There are others who only believe certain things about Jesus, not that He is Savior. There are others that say all roads lead to God - as long as one acknowledges a god or even gods, that will lead him to salvation. In John 12:48, Jesus says that they are all wrong!

To deny who Jesus says He is, is to deny the One Who sent Jesus. All the people described above are acknowledging, even worshiping, a false god that does not exist. People don't want to accept the plain and simple logic - gods with different characteristics, natures, and expectations from humans can't be the same god. If they are and people just messed up their understanding, then people still aren't doing what the true god wants. If that's ok, then the god really doesn't expect anything from humans. What I just described is not the God of the Bible. If you profess to believe in the God of the Bible, then logically, you must reject all of those suppositions described above.

November 12 Matthew 24-25; Mark 13; Luke 21 Stay Busy for God

Many people are preoccupied (like I used to be) with end times prophecy - trying to understand exactly how every detail will unfold and trying to discern how close we are to its coming. But the more you try to get into the detail, the hazier it becomes. There are many good, but conflicting, interpretations of the details.

But there are a few things that we all agree on - Jesus will return in bodily form, there will be a final judgment with some heading to eternal life with Christ and others to eternal death with Satan apart from God. Since we don't know when this occurs, we must listen carefully to Jesus' exhortations - to continue doing God's work - because Jesus may come sooner than we expect - but be faithful - because His coming may be a long way off.

When it comes to end times prophecy - be ready for Jesus' return - or your death for that matter as it may come before Jesus' return - by faithfully carrying out the will of the Lord - like He might come back in a couple of days or in a thousand years. Whatever you do, do NOT put off your faithfulness one minute.Don't let Jesus' return - or your death - catch you unprepared.

November 11 Matthew 21-23; Mark 11-12; Luke 20 Character > Reputation

Reputation is who people THINK we are, character is who we really are when no one is watching. Jesus condemned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees - "Outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."

Jesus wants us to change from the inside-out. If our character changes - so we think and feel as Christ does - our words and actions will follow. We are not to put up better filters, but are to go to the root of our son and to ask ourselves, "Why did I just do that (or say it or even think it)" We must get to the heart of the matter - literally.

Things like anger management classes are not based on Christian theology. We are not to "manage" our unrighteous anger, we are called to be changed in our beliefs to not even experience unrighteous anger.

Christ cares about our character - reputation built on poor character - not at all!

November 10 mark 11; Luke 19; John 12 Jesus Means It

We tend to water down some of Jesus strong, but plain messages. Suppose for one day, we all assume that Jesus means exactly what He says:

John 12:25-26 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me.

Have you lost your life to follow Christ (full-time!)? Are you truly following Christ? Are you serving Christ?

The rewards are eternal! Literally.

What do we have here so good that following Christ isn't better?

November 9 Matthew 19-20, 26; Mark 10, 14; Luke 18-19; John 11-12 Judgment of Gain

In Luke 19:11-27, Jesus tells a story (Parable of Ten Minas) that His hearers would have related to. This is very similar of what really happened with one of the Herods going to Caesar. Those who grew the kingdom for the king were handsomely rewarded for their efforts. Those that did nothing were punished - thy lost their life.

God has given all people natural abilities and provided them with blessings here on earth - to varying degrees. He expects everyone of us to "invest" our own personal assets to grow God's kingdom here on earth. For those that do, the rewards will be to rule with Christ in the Millennium (most likely). For those that don't will be rebuke and great loss.

With whatever God has given you, what are you spending it on? Can you expect a reward or loss?

November 8 John 11 How True, How True

John told us that Caiaphas actually prophesied when he said it was better for one man to die than for the whole nation to perish. he unknowingly was prophesying about the substitutionary atonement of Jesus - He died to pay the penalty for us for our sin - in our place.

Jesus performed an undeniable miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. But instead of believing Jesus was the Christ - the things of this world drove them to want to kill Jesus - to protect their place with the Romans. Their own agenda kept them from believing in Jesus.

Many times we think we have to provide just the right argument to convince someone to receive Christ as Savior. The truth is that people understand the salvation plan - they even agree with it as truth - but they don't want to trust in Jesus because of its implications - they would have to give up something - a favorite sin, a different lifestyle, new friends, etc. - the cost of discipleship is just too high.

Consider asking a rejector of Christ, "Suppose you did become a Christian, what do you think would have to change in your life?" You may get a very revealing answer. The answer may be the real issue - not wanting to part with it.

November 7 Luke 13-18, Matthew 20 Costly Discipleship

People too often describe themselves as 'believers" and less often as "disciples." Too often we spend our efforts to make people believers and spend little or no time making them disciples. But Jesus called us to "make disciples." Jesus wants followers, not mere assenters to a set of truths.

In Luke 14:25-33, large crowds were following Jesus. A word study in Luke will reveal that these people were differentiated from disciples - in other words, Luke's "crowds" were mostly unbelievers - but at least seekers drawn to some aspect of Jesus' ministry.

Jesus turns to the crowds and encourages them to consider the cost of discipleship. He encourages them to make sure that they can finish what they have started. Jesus makes sure that they understand the high cost of real discipleship - "Any of you that does not give up EVERYTHING he has cannot be my disciple."

Do you really think that Jesus was using hyperbole (overstatement merely for the effect of emotion) to get their attention - but He really didn't mean it? I don't think so - He meant it. To give up EVERYTHING means to put up all we are and have to at the disposal of Christ - our time, money, possessions, and abilities/spiritual gifts for building the kingdom of God.

Are you a disciple? Is EVERYTHING at the king's disposal? Remember, "Any of you that does not give up EVERYTHING he has cannot be my disciple."

November 6 Luke 9-11, 17 John 10 Jesus Did Claim Divinity

Detractors to the Bible claim that Jesus never claimed to be God. Oh yes He did. The Jewish leaders definitely knew He did in John 10. They wanted to stone Him. And Jesus did not back down.

Many want to make Christians as poor readers of the gospels - that we have made Jesus into something He never claimed to be. Jesus claimed to be in yesterday's reading, "I am" (John 8:59).

The Jewish leaders rejected Jesus as God - as do many today. Who do you say Jesus is? The answer to this question will affect your eternal destiny.

November 5 John 8-10 Do What Pleases him

In John 8:30, Jesus says that He only does what pleases the Father. I believe that this requires two things - doing what pleases God and doing it to please Him (motivation). If I want to live my life to please God, then I have to really learn about God and what pleases Him. This will take a lifetime of study and moment by moment contemplation.

I also need to be motivated to please Him. Not only must I strive to do the right things, I must want to do them for the right reason. I must ask God to help me love Him totally. If I love God way above loving myself, I will put his agenda foremost in my mind.

I believe these two items are circular - as I learn more about God, I will want to please Him. And as my motivation changes to please Him, I will want to learn about Him more. So get on this "merry-go-round" and live to please God.

November 4 John 7 Checking Out Jesus

Jesus says something very profound in our reading today - John 7:17 "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own."

Wow! Jesus almost says that a test of whether one really wants to live for God, he must check out Jesus' teachings to see if they are true. Jesus will not be dismissed summarily. Jesus says very explicitly that ignoring Him is not an option for sincere God seekers. In fact, it is a test of a sincere God-seeker.

So, how does one check out Jesus' teachings. First of all, by comparing them to the rest of Scripture - especially that which preceded Him. Is Jesus consistent and does His teachings make the Old Testament clearer.

Also, is Jesus' theology coherent - does it hand together?

Jesus seems to say that a good way to bring people to know Him as savior is to study Him. Interesting to me because most people use Paul to evangelize people. Maybe we need to reconsider our methods.

November 3 Matthew 16-18, Mark 8-9, Luke 9 Forgiveness

I was interviewed today by an University of Hartford student for for one of her class projects. She asked me a question that I had never fielded before, "What one word from the Bible sticks out for you." While there are many words like grace, mercy, love, etc., the one that immediately popped into my head was - forgiveness.

I am convinced that to have a fruitful, blessed life on earth, we have to be forgiven and forgiving. When we receive Christ as Savior, we begin to understand how much sin we have in our lives and how great a cost God the Father and Jesus Christ paid to forgive our sin. We begin to understand how much we are forgiven and how great its cost. Being forgiven, helps us to forgive others - to overlook minor offenses and to forgive others for more major ones. We keep short accounts and we quickly resolve conflicts in love and truth. We value relationships as much as Christ does.

Saints, Matthew 18:15 through the end of Chapter 18 is a critical piece of Scripture to know and live. The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant is a chilling reminder about the cost of unforgiveness. Value you all of your relationships as does Jesus - and forgive - as you were forgiven.

November 2 Matthew 15-16, Mark 7-8 Yeast of the Pharisees Today

Jesus talked about the yeast of the Pharisees. A pinch (very small amount) of yeast will cause bread to rise. The analogy is a good one that most people miss.

Jesus and the Pharisees both believed wholeheartedly in the Old Testament. They totally agreed on the books and what was taught. However, they did have some differences in theology that put them at odds. The crux of their disagreement was over the question, "What must I do to be saved?" Jesus taught faith alone; the Pharisees taught faith plus works (as they defined them). The Pharisees were leading people to hell.

So what about today. Protestants who are Biblical Christians share the Bible with Roman Catholicism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons. Biblical Christians teach faith alone saves. The others all teach faith plus works saves. The works that save are different among each of them. But like Pharisees, Roman Catholicism holds their church tradition equal to the Bible; Mormons hold the Book of Mormon equal.

The bottom line is this - faith plus works gospel messages are false - even if they are based on the Bible. The essential yeast that Jesus is talking about is the addition of works to the salvation equation.

Are there people who take on the name Roman Catholic, but reject the addition of works to faith for salvation? Yes. Are they saved? Most likely? Are they immersing themselves in a lot of error by continuing to be part of Roman Catholicism? Most definitely!

Is there any yeast in your loaf? Jesus told us to "Beware."