"What Kind Of Man Is HE? Even The Winds And The Sea Obey HIM."

"JESUS got into the boat and HIS disciples followed HIM.  Without warning, a fierce storm burst upon the lake, with waves sweeping the boat.  But JESUS was asleep.

 The disciples woke HIM up and cried, 'LORD save us!  We are lost!'  But JESUS answered, 'Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?'  Then HE stood up and rebuked the wind and sea; and it became completely calm.

The disciples were astonished.  They said, 'What kind of man is HE?  Even the winds and the sea obey HIM.'" - Matthew 8:23-27 

(In Jewish mentality the sea is a daily reminder of primitive chaos, it is there the marine monsters move around, monsters which only GOD, for HE is the all-powerful, can challenge: Leviathan and Rehab.  In commanding the sea: Quiet now!  Be still!.  Just as HE does with the demons [Mark 1:25] JESUS affirms HIS divine power over the forces of evil.

Confronted with all the forms of evil that attack them, in the midst of tempests that arise, people at times, wonder if GOD "does not sleep."  JESUS is there. HE is not surprised by the disciples' fear of the tempest, but of their lack of faith; only trust in the victory of JESUS, Son of GOD, over the forces of evil, will allow them to overcome this fear.)

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Preach The Word

"In the presence of GOD and CHRIST JESUS, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by the hope I have of HIS coming, and HIS kingdom, I urge you to preach the Word, in season and out of season, reproving, rebuking, or advising, always with patience, and providing instruction.  For the time is coming, when people will no longer endure sound doctrine, but, following their passions, they will surround themselves with teachers to please their itching ears.  And they will abandon the truth to hear fables.  So be prudent, do not mind your labor, give yourself to your work as an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." - 2 Timothy 4:1-5 

(Preach the Word: this is Paul's last advice.  It must be the first concern of the Church and of any church leader.)

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Whoever Does Not Take Up His Cross And Follow ME, Is Not Worthy Of ME

"Whoever loves father or mother more than ME, is not worthy of ME.  And whoever loves son or daughter more than ME, is not worthy of ME.  And whoever does not take up his cross and follow ME, is not worthy of ME.  Whoever finds his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life, for MY sake, will find it.

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes ME; and whoever welcomes ME, welcomes HIM who sent ME.  The one who welcomes a prophet, as a prophet, will receive the reward of a prophet; the one who welcomes a just man, because he is a just man, will receive the reward of a just man.  And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, because he is MY disciple, I assure you, he will not go unrewarded." - Matthew 10:37-42 

(JESUS addresses this to others besides missionaries or persons with an exceptional mission.  Each one must break away from forms of dependency within the family, which do not nurture the human and spiritual growth of the members.  One who loves CHRIST finds a thousand and one opportunities to free himself from activities, entertainments and worries about his own family, which keep both him and the family at a mediocre level.)

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"I Am Not Worthy To Have YOU Under My Roof..."

"When JESUS entered Capernaum, an army captain approached HIM, to ask HIS help, 'Sir, my servant lies sick at home.  He is paralyzed and suffers terribly.'  JESUS said to him, 'I will come and heal him.'

The captain answered, 'I am not worthy to have YOU under my roof.  Just give an order and my boy will be healed.  For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers.  And if I say to one, 'Go!' he goes; and if I say to another, 'Come!' he comes; and if I say to my servant, 'Do this!' he does it.'

When JESUS heard this, HE was astonished; and said to those who were following HIM, 'I tell you, I have not found such faith in Israel.  I say to you, many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven; but the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown out into extreme darkness; there, they will wail and grind their teeth.'

Then JESUS said to the captain, 'Go home now.  As you believed, so let it be.'  And that moment, his servant was healed.

JESUS went to Peter's house and found Peter's mother-in-law in bed with fever.  HE took her by the hand and the fever left her; she got up and began to wait on HIM.

Toward evening, they brought to JESUS many people possessed by evil spirits; and with a word, HE drove out the spirits.  HE also healed all who were sick.  In this way, what was said by the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled: HE bore our infirmities and took on HIMSELF our diseases." - Matthew 8:5-17 

(This captain of a foreign army earned the esteem of the Jews.  The man is really troubled: will JESUS consent to go to a pagan's house and "become impure"? [John 18:28].  The captain goes one step further: JESUS does not have to come to his house.  While other sick people seek to be touched by the Master thinking that JESUS possesses some healing power, this man, has instead grasped that JESUS has the very power of GOD and does not need to go to the sick servant: it would not be any more difficult to give a command from a distance to a life that was slipping away.)

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An Act Of Courage

"When JESUS came down from the mountain, large crowds followed HIM.

Then a leper came forward.  He knelt down before HIM and said, 'Sir, if YOU want to, YOU can make me clean.'  JESUS stretched out HIS hand, touched him and said, 'I want to, be clean again.'  At that very moment, the man was cleansed from his leprosy.  Then JESUS said to him, 'See that you do not tell anyone; but go to the priest, have yourself  declared clean, and offer the gift that Moses commanded as evidence for them.'" - Matthew 8:1-4 

(In this new section of his Gospel [8:1-9:35] Matthew has placed a collection of miracles.  For him, these miracles are not only extraordinary events: they contain lessons on what a disciple of JESUS is.  To begin with: the cure of a leper; on the part of JESUS this is an act of courage, and an act that openly violates the law of purity [see Mark 1:40].)

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Wise And Foolish Builders

"Therefore, anyone who hears these words of MINE, and acts according to them, is like a wise man, who built his house on rock.  The rain poured down, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house.  But it did not collapse, because it was built on rock.  But anyone who hears these words of MINE, and does not act accordingly, is like a fool who built his house on sand.  The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed, and what a terrible collapse that was!" - Matthew 7:24-27

(Anyone who hears these words of MINE.  JESUS means those who listen to HIS words and are converted: they believe themselves already saved.  If they do not use their initial enthusiasm to build their lives on solid foundations, such as scriptural meditation, generosity, resistance to evil inclinations, sharing in the Christian community--then everything will tumble down later.)

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The Ways Of GOD Are Unsearchable, HIS Wisdom Is An Abyss

"O YAHWEH, YOU know me:

YOU have scrutinized me.

YOU know when I sit and when I rise;

beforehand, YOU discern my thoughts.

YOU observe my activities and times of rest;

YOU are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is formed in my mouth,

YOU know what it is all about, O YAHWEH.

From front to back YOU hedge me around,

shielding me with YOUR protecting hand.

YOUR knowledge leaves me astounded,

it is too high for me to reach.

Where else could I go from YOUR Spirit?

Where could I flee from YOUR presence?

YOU are there, if I ascend the heavens;

YOU are there, if I descend to the depths.

If I ride on the wings of the dawn,

and settle on the far side of the sea,

even there, YOUR hand shall guide me,

and YOUR right hand shall hold me safely.

Shall I say, 'Let darkness hide me,

I prefer the night as my light?'

But darkness, for YOU, is not dark;

and night, for YOU, shines as the day.

It was YOU who formed my inmost part

and knit me together in my mother's womb.

I thank YOU  for these wonders YOU have done,

and my heart praises YOU, for YOUR marvelous deeds.

Even my bones were known to YOU

when I was being formed in secret,

fashioned in the depths of the earth."

- Psalm 139:1-15

(Our thoughts may sweep and soar over the world, over the bewildering profusion of the galaxies, and know that GOD is there, wherever our mind's eye looks--and that HE is also in the depths of our own soul.

The human architecture is so divine that it carries the imprint of GOD.  The adventures of this wonderful work of GOD which is the human being are affectionately cared for, by the divine care.  Isn't it irrational for anyone to hate the LORD, since, all good things come from HIM?  The ways of GOD are unsearchable, HIS wisdom is an abyss [cf. Romans 11:33], GOD gets close to us and embraces us, not to condemn us, but to guide our feet toward HIS love.  If we want to taste divine love and appreciate the dignity of man, it will do us good, to pray with this magnificent psalm.)

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Do Not Give What Is Holy To The Dogs, Or Throw Your Pearls Before Pigs

"Do not give what is holy to the dogs, or throw your pearls before pigs.  They might trample on them, and then turn on you and tear you to pieces." - Matthew 7:6 

(JESUS addressed this warning to HIS followers living in a hostile world.  They should not tell everything to everyone.  GOD has given each of us wonderful gifts: we must not share them with everyone at once, believing that it will bring them to faith.)

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Do Not Judge; And You Will Not Be Judged

"Do not judge; and you will not be judged.  In the same way you judge others, you will be judged; and the measure you use for others will be used for you.  Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, and not see the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, 'Come, let me take the speck from your eye,' as long as that plank is in your own?  Hypocrite, remove the plank out of your own eye; then, you will see clearly, to remove the speck out of your brother's eye." - Matthew 7:1-5 

(No doubt when JESUS spoke these words it was with the same meaning as in 5:43.  Usually those who consider themselves as good, or belonging to the group of the converted, judge and criticize those of a different standing.  It is a form of pride that spiritual authors call the "fault of beginners."  So strongly inscribed is it in human nature that many among the "just" of the Scriptures have expressed their disapproval of the "sinner" who did not observe the Law of GOD.  Contrariwise the new law tells us not to consider ourselves superior or be judges of those who take a different road, or who are led by GOD to do so.  Do not judge.  We must exercise good judgment in order to distinguish between the good and evil around us.  Though it is a factor of success never to displease anyone, we must have the courage to tell others the wrong that they do.  Here "to judge" means to condemn.

When we look at our own lives, we realize that those who helped us grow were those who supported and understood us, not those who judged and condemned us.

Do not judge.  See Romans 2:1; 14:4; 1 Corinthians 5:12; James 4:11.)

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There is Nothing Hidden That Will Not Be Made Known

"There is nothing covered that will not be uncovered.  There is nothing hidden that will not be made known.  What I AM telling you in the dark, you must speak in the light.  What you hear in private, proclaim from the housetops.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but have no power to kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of HIM who can destroy both body and soul in hell.  For a few cents you can buy two sparrows.  Yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your FATHER knowing.  As for you, every hair of your head has been counted.  Do not be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows!

Whoever acknowledges ME before others, I will acknowledge before MY FATHER in heaven.  Whoever rejects ME before others, I will reject before MY FATHER in heaven." - Matthew 10:26-33 

(We are cowards and JESUS is aware of this.  HE has already said, "Do not fear'" when HE invited us not to look for security in money.  Now, dealing with the fear of repression, HE adds, "If you cannot free yourselves from cowardice, consider where the greater threat comes from, from GOD or people?"

This is the only time JESUS refers to "fear of GOD."  When the Old Testament mentioned fear of GOD, it generally meant giving due respect to GOD.  Respect is far from fear.  Respect is an attitude proper to a free person.  GOD does not threaten to throw us into hell; rather HE reminds us that to lose HIM is to lose ourselves also, and this is hell.

Whoever acknowledges ME.  After stressing the sovereign power of HIS FATHER, JESUS puts HIMSELF on the same level: HE will decide our eternal fate.  JESUS refers not only to recognizing HIM in the ultimate sense, that is, by not denying our Christian faith before others; HIS words also convey a day-by-day demand.  We must not be ashamed to act or talk as people of faith, to go public about our Christian convictions when necessary.)

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