Tag Archives: children

Bible open to Matthew

Mindfully Meditating on Matthew chapter 19 or MMM19

Mindfully Meditating on Matthew Catalogue , the collection of these studies
(First 100 days of 2023, day 50, Feb 19)

Passage Matthew Chapter Nineteen

It doesn’t matter which version you choose. It can be digital or paper. You can use one of those fancy coloring bibles and do a page or coloring along with the passage.

I will mostly do Holman Christian Standard Bible because of their copyright freedoms.

author note – no video this time because I am having too many migraines from the eye surgery, and I have to give up something. My apologies.

  • Matthew 19
    • Mt 19:1-12 Divorce and Remarriage
      • I’m just going to post what God says – if you have other opinions, or go with other understandings, you have grace to follow Christ according to the knowledge that He provides for YOU!
      • Pharisees trying to trick him
        • 3 Some Pharisees approached Him to test Him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?”
      • something about the genders and creation that makes the joining important
        • 4 “Haven’t you read,” He replied, “that He who created[a] them in the beginning made them male and female,”
        • 5 and He also said:
          • “For this reason a man will leave
            his father and mother
            and be joined to his wife,
            and the two will become one flesh?[c]
        • 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”
        • I don’t understand how this goes with Jesus saying that in the new kingdom there is no giving or taking in marriage.
          • Matt 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven.
        • I have not studied this except as to how it applied to me, and this verse kept Jim and I married through the tough times.
      • Hard hearts – what does this mean about the laws???
        • 8 He told them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts. But it was not like that from the beginning.
          • I’m trying not to get too deep here…but Jesus is in Deep Water!
      • The disciples say
        • 10 His disciples said to Him, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry!”
      • Jesus says:
        • 11 But He told them, “Not everyone can accept this saying, but only those it has been given to. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs who were made by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way because of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”
        • For more see 1Corinthians 7:1-16
    • Mt 19:13-15 Bring the Little Children
      • 14 Then Jesus said, “Leave the children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to Me, because the kingdom of heaven is made up of people like this.”
        • Did the Disciples forget about who was the greatest in Heaven?
    • Mt 19:16-22  What must I do to have eternal life?
      • 16 Just then someone came up and asked Him, “Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?”
      • Keep the Commandments
      • 18 “Which ones?” he asked Him.
      • Jesus summarizes the whole OT set of laws
        • Do not murder;
        • do not commit adultery;
        • do not steal;
        • do not bear false witness;
        • honor your father and your mother;
        • and love your neighbor as yourself.
          • Other than the Loving God part – these are the ones Jesus’s Father wrote on the Mountain! Ex 20:1-17
      • 20 “I have kept all these,”[i] the young man told Him. “What do I still lack?”
      • KICKER FROM JESUS
        • 21 “If you want to be perfect,”[j] Jesus said to him, “go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
      • 22 When the young man heard that command, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.
        • Was his possessions really what Jesus was getting at?
    • Mt 19:23-24
      • 23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “I assure you: It will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
        • WHY????
    • Mt 19:25
      • 25 When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished and asked, “Then who can be saved?”
    • Mt 19:26
      • 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
    • Mt 19:27
      • 27 Then Peter responded to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You. So what will there be for us?”
    • Mt 19:28-30 God’s got us taken care of
        • Matt 6:21
          • For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
        • Matt 6:24
          • “No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money.
        • Mt 6:21-34
          • 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
          • 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
          • 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
        • Matt 7 7:7-12 
          • 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
        • Philippians 4:19
          • And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
        • 1 Peter 5:7
          • 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
    • Mt 19:30 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Mindful Meditating

  1. choose a verse,
  2.  set a timer for 5 minutes, or whatever works for you.
  3.  example: Matt 19:26
  4. repeat to yourself, and at each word, enunciate the next word in the sentence starting with the first word…

example:

  • 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
  • BUT with God all things are possible.
  • but WITH God all things are possible.
  • but with GOD all things are possible

…and so on.  This will cause you to look at the verse more intently, and may have you memorize it before your five minutes are done.

Jesus loves the little children from StAnnesHelper.com to color

Quick Questions – if  you have time, or to think about over the course of the day, and jot down thoughts later.

  1. What do you think it means that divorce was allowed by Moses?
    1. your answer
  2. Do you think the disciples forgot all the teaching about who is the greatest in the Kingdom, about the children?
    1. your answer
  3. What do you say it takes to be saved?
    1. Your answer
    2. There are two plans of salvation just below if you need them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Older woman with shades of coral in jewelry and sweater, glasses, silver and brown hair.

M. Christine Wildman

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

2018 Lent Day 2 – 2/15/2018 Zacchaeus and Children

Lent Week One

We have created a facebook group to follow and discuss, please join! – 40 days of Lent!

Lent Day 2 – How to come to Jesus!

Do you remember the song Zacchaeus was a wee little man?

Pass Me not, O Gentle Savior – Don Moen
Open my eyes Lord, I want to see Jesus – Phil Driscoll
Open My eyes Lord – I want to see You. – Michael W. Smith

Zacchaeus and the Children.

Zacchaeus

Luke 19:1-6 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Jesus Visits Zacchaeus
19 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. 4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since He was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today I must stay at your house.”
6 So he quickly came down and welcomed Him joyfully.

The Little Children

Luke 18:15-17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Blessing the Children
15 Some people were even bringing infants to Him so He might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 Jesus, however, invited them: “Let the little children come to Me, and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I assure you: Whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

I see a very similar theme in these two stories.
Zacchaeus was too small to see Jesus, so he climbed a tree.
The children were too small to go up to Jesus, so their parents brought them.
JESUS WELCOMED BOTH!

In a way, I can see Zacc as a child, climbing a tree! His innocent desire to SEE Jesus – and that heart is what JESUS saw!
Not what the others saw!
I konw that the parents were probably wanting Jesus to bless the children, but I think the children must have wanted to see Jesus also. Or he would not have stated that we need to come to him as a little child.

When Jesus went to Zacc’s house, those religious folk said “he’s gone to the house of a sinner!”(Luke 19:7)
We know that Jesus let them know elsewhere that he didn’t come for the well, but for the sick! (Mark 2:17)

Zacc’s response to Jesus coming to his house was this:

Luke 19:7-9 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
7 All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to lodge with a sinful man!”
8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give[a] half of my possessions to the poor, Lord! And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay[b] back four times as much!”
9 “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham.

Jesus’s response was SALVATION!!!

In Matthew 19, we are told that Jesus said this about the children and heaven!

14 Then Jesus said, “Leave the children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to Me, because the kingdom of heaven is made up of people like this.”

In Mark 10, we see Jesus show love to the children!

16 After taking them in His arms, He laid His hands on them and blessed them.

I think that Jesus speaking to Zacchaeus, while he was in the tree, and then going to his house was just as wonderful to Zacc as being welcomed onto the lap of Jesus, and prayed over.

In the beginning of the book In His Steps, the church is confronted with a sick, homeless man. How they treat him leads them down the path to what we know as the WWJD movement. What Would Jesus Do? this book transformed my attitude about people, and helped me to see things a bit more from Jesus’s POV.

There is a movie that is NOT a reproduction of the book, but has the same premise. What Would Jesus Do.
If you are looking for something to help you reflect on your life and how to be more like Jesus, I suggest any of the WWJD movies!

Is there any people group that you are repulsed by? Or maybe just uncomfortable with? I confessed to my small group that I have trouble with Rick people. I always have. I can sit in the gutter, but I have trouble relating to those that have – a lot! I heard a quote, from Tommy Nelson, about Billy Graham’s first talk at Cambridge as a young preacher. CS Lewis came up to him and said “Don’t look at us as Cambrdge men. Look at us as sinners. We all need Christ.”

Do you have an idea of what Jesus would do in any circumstance? Do you know you have access to HIM, to ask for the wisdom, if you do not! James 1:5 Whether I know or not in the moment, I am without excuse, because God has promised to give me whatever wisdom I need at any moment!

How can we welcome others to Christ? I envision us doing it just like the children – if they do not have a reason, they welcome anyone with open arms! No judgement.

How should we come to Jesus? As a child, with all of our preconceived notions set aside, just fully engaged with HIM! And HE will inturn, welcome us with open arms!

Let’s pray! and Worship!

Jesus Loves me – great worship version by the Barrett Sisters
An Adult version of Jesus Loves me -by Chris Tomlin

How to become a Child of God:
Got Questions provides a detailed explanation of The Roman’s Road.
Billy Graham’s version of the Plan of salvation
 

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.