The FEC Daily

Matthew 9:2
 Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”

Good morning! I hope this passage helps you start your day well and reminds you of who our God is.

This verse is an important and powerful moment in Jesus Christ’s ministry, as it demonstrates not only his ability to heal physical ailments but also his authority to forgive sins. The verse begins with the scene of a man who is brought to Jesus by some friends. He is suffering from a condition with extreme symptoms of paralysis and tremors. The man is unable to move for himself and is totally dependent on those carrying him on a mat. This image of the paralyzed man serves as a metaphor for the spiritual condition of sin inherited from birth that all humans must face; we are paralyzed by sin, and we are unable to save ourselves. That is until we encounter the only one who can save and forgive sins: Jesus.

I would like to point out how Jesus received the paralyzed man in his time of need. His words were, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” He didn’t point out how bad his condition was, nor did he turn him away. He accepted him and even used the word “child.” This parental language shows a sense of intimacy and care, as Jesus acknowledges that man is a beloved child of God. Next, we see the compassion of Jesus displayed as he addresses what is most important first, his spiritual condition. Although the man is dying on the outside, the sin inside is what truly is where the sickness is. Without the forgiveness of sins we can never stand rightly before God, but Jesus being the loving God he is heals him spiritually and physically because he cares for the whole person, both body and soul.

Even though Jesus isn’t physically present today performing miraculous healings as in Bible times, he is just as alive now as he was back then. If you have a need, bring it to Jesus. You are a beloved child of God, and he will not turn you away but rather welcome you with open arms, just as he did with the paralytic. Have faith and take whatever it is to Jesus.

• Tyler

Matthew 8:32

Matt 8:32 And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters.

The disciples had just witnessed Jesus calming the storm. The miracle of the winds and waves immediately becoming calm showed the disciples that Jesus was Lord over the natural realm. They were about to learn He is also Lord over the supernatural realm as He will soon calm the tormented souls of two demon possessed men. Aren’t you glad that is still true today? Jesus can and does speak peace into our troubled hearts as easily as He calms a raging sea. 

The account in Matt 8:28-34 lets us know once the storm ceased the disciples and Jesus made their way to the region of the Gadarenes where two demon possessed men resided. These demon possessed men lived in an area of tombs and pig farming. Two things considered unclean by the Jews. Still, Jesus went to this area for these men. Praise the Lord! He is still doing this today. Jesus came and still comes to SEEK and to save those who are lost.

The demons in these two men immediately began to call out to Jesus and referred to Him as the Son of God. They were concerned Jesus had come to torment them before their time of judgment. They begged Jesus to send them into a heard of pigs that were feeding nearby. Our verse for today confirms Christ did send them into the pigs who immediately ran down a steep bank into the sea and drowned. The demons clearly believed three things to be true. They believed in the existence of God, that Christ was the Son of God and in a judgment to come. The demons must have also believed in prayer and as they knew Christ had the power to send them into the pigs. They were correct as when Christ said “Go” the demons immediately went out of the men into the pigs.

As intensely as the demons pleaded to go into the pigs, the townspeople plead for Jesus to go away from their region. What a tragedy. Jesus is at their very shore to cast out demons, to heal the sick, to tell the good news of His kingdom and they beg Him to leave. How many lives went unchanged, how many sick went unhealed, how many captives went unreleased because a herd of pigs was judged more valuable than human souls?

Jesus never stays where He is not welcome. America keeps telling the Lord to leave, leave our courthouses, leave our schools and leave our public squares. Let’s make sure Christ is welcome in our churches, our homes, our lives and our hearts. Repent and invite Him into your heart and life. You will never regret doing so. Not in this life or the life to come.

Tim

Matthew 8:26

“And he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’ Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”

Fear… An emotion we are all too familiar with. The emotion that causes us to the think and respond irrationally, makes our heart race, and even makes us feel paralyzed in certain situations. This is the emotion Jesus’ disciples are experiencing in this moment.

Let’s put ourselves in their shoes for a moment… They find themselves in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. I often visualized a small canoe type boat but the reality of it is that it was a larger boat carrying around 15 people, but it still was no match to the furious storm that was overtaking them. On this boat were several fishermen that were extremely familiar with the common storms that would blow in from the mountains east of the sea. It’s clear this was no ordinary storm…. These guys were scared for their lives!

At the stern of the boat is Jesus, exhausted from a long day and catching up on a little “shut eye.” From an outsider’s perspective, it would seem that He was just another ordinary guy taking a nap; however, what we will see in the next few miracles is that Jesus is far from ordinary, and He has authority like no one has ever seen before… divine authority!

I’ve often wondered what the disciples were expecting Jesus to do in that moment… pray to the Father? Give them nautical advice? No… Instead, He stands up and rebukes the wind and waves, causing the sea to become calm. Again, divine authority!

So, what does His authority have to do with fear? Well maybe you don’t find yourself in the middle of an ocean storm with a group of friends on a boat… but if you’re honest, you have some “storms” that are overtaking you. The fear of the unknown is keeping you up at night, making your thoughts run rampant… you know the drill!

If you find yourself in a place of fear and anxiety, my encouragement is this… put all your trust in the One with the divine authority over your circumstances. Cast your burdens on Him! He cares for you!
As I wrap up today’s devotional, I want to share the lyrics of a chorus our worship team shared with us Sunday. It’s a reminder of who Jesus is and the authority He has. There’s no need to fear, He’s got this!

Who walks on the waters
Who speaks to the sea
Who stands in the fire beside me
He roars like a lion
He bled as the lamb
He carries my healing in His hands
Jesus

God bless!
-Taylor

Matthew 8:20-22

 20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Good morning. I pray today’s passage compels you to examine your walk with Jesus and your dedication to following him more closely. 

So here we see Jesus and his disciples preparing to get into a boat and cross the Sea of Galilee. Before they can leave, two onlookers approach Jesus. The first mentioned in the prior verses was a scribe (a religious teacher of the law). As a group, they were often in conflict with Jesus. This one, however, declared to Jesus that he would follow Him wherever He went. 

Now, Jesus presents a truth about himself and the cost of following him by using an illustration that puts things into perspective. Jesus implies that following him might not make you rich and famous, nor is it going to be easy. Rather, Jesus warned the man about just one of the many difficulties of following him. It would be a permanent road trip, and things might sometimes be difficult. I think those who have been following Jesus for some time can agree it’s not easy at times. 

But as followers of Christ even though it might be challenging at times, we should have one goal that trumps every agenda in our lives: how close and dedicated we can be in our walk with Jesus. See, every other religion in the world is based on their own doings and righteousness, so they must work to be enough for God. On the other hand, Jesus is more than enough, and we can be close to God by going only through Jesus. See, he is our avenue to the Father, and through following and living for Jesus, we find our purpose, calling, and very reason for being. Although at times it may not be easy, as Jesus explains, to follow him, your best life is found the closer you get to Jesus. You were created to follow Jesus, no matter the cost. 

Many Christians today have toyed with the idea of following Jesus, but when the realities of what they might have to give up or endure become a reality, they shy away from the cost, just as this scribe did. The rewards of following Jesus far outweigh the cost, and many people never take the leap to follow to truly discover this. Don’t let that be you; press in and cling tight to Jesus. No one has ever regretted making this decision. 

– Tyler 

Matt 8:13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

Good day everyone. I encourage you to read Matt 8:5-13 to get the whole story as it played out between the centurion and Jesus. It is a really good one for sure.

Humility…first of all this centurion exhibited such humility. He was in charge of a large group of men, but, he did not allow his status to keep him from asking for help. Some good people hate to ask for help and try to fix everything on their own. We are at our best when we humble ourselves and go to our great God who loves when we come believing He is able to be of help in our time of need. This centurion did not even feel worthy that the Lord should come to his house. He was so humble in the presence of the Lord. A good example for all of us to follow.

Care…this centurion cared for his servant so much that he came pleading to Christ on his servant’s behalf. In his position he could have easily found another servant to take care of this situation. But he cared about his people. Something incredible happens in our hearts when we care about other people. I am impressed with people who no matter how high up the ladder they rise they don’t forget where they came from or how fortunate they are. Let’s always care for others who are in a difficult place and, like this centurion, take their need to Jesus where real help comes from.

Faith…the centurion had great faith and belief in Jesus. He did not doubt the power of Jesus to heal. So much so that he knew the Lord did not need to be present with his servant to heal him. He trusted that Jesus could speak the word and the healing would take place. Jesus declared He had not seen such a great faith in all of Israel. Jesus responded to the centurion’s faith and his servant was healed that same hour!

Sometimes I fear our expectations of what God can and will do are too low. May God give us the faith to believe Him for big things. And when things don’t go like we prayed and hoped they would, may God give us the grace to trust Him through it all. The final outcome of all things is up to Him, not us. But our faith is still a big reason why God chooses to move as this passage shows us.

I love you all.

Tim

Matthew 8:7 Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”

Good morning! I hope this message encourages you to start your week focusing on Jesus and remember that He has power over every circumstance we face.

As we’ve progressed through the blog posts on the Gospel of Matthew, we are seeing Jesus’s words and teachings have begun to unveil his true identity. The world is experiencing God almighty in the flesh, and he is full of love and power that draws people from near and far to hear the good news about the kingdom of heaven. Today, I want to look at one aspect of Jesus that is a big part of who he is: Jesus, the man of authority. 

First, have a thought with me I’d like for us to think about what authority means to each of us. People of authority (in our lives) tend to order us around, protect us, instruct us on what to do, and even determine the fate of a situation under the circumstances. With it being an election year, the highest authority in our country is at stake, and whoever holds that seat of authority will have the power to delegate many decisions that will affect our daily lives. Out of all the authorities in the world or has ever been, no one has ever had the power that Jesus is displaying to the world at this time. The sick are healed, and the captives are set free. The old is gone, the new has come, and it’s only through the power that Christ has because he has the highest authority. 

With that understanding, I want us to remember something: what we might see as done or too far gone is not the end for Christ. Whatever sickness or trial we are walking through in this life, even if it might seem as if there is no light at the end of the tunnel, if we call on Jesus, he will walk through it with us. If you place it in the hands of the one who holds all the authority, life will come out of the darkest situations. With Jesus, we have a hope that surpasses all hard times we might walk through. 

The most powerful force to ever exist willingly stepped down to glory and used his authority to show us unconditional love and that he has power over the storms of this life. And just as the people of this day call on Jesus, we can do the same, as our God is alive and on the throne! Give Jesus authority over your situation, and God will make a way! I pray this reminds you of the God we serve and the power that he holds.

– Tyler

Matthew 8:2-4 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Good morning! I hope this passage helps you get a good start to your day and reminds you of the power of our God!

In this section of scripture, Jesus had just done teaching with authority to the multitudes, and now many of them followed him when a man with leprosy came to Jesus with a great sense of need and desperation. In the ancient world, leprosy was a terrible, destructive disease that left the affected with no hope of getting better. It is said that leprosy might begin with losing all sensation in some part of the body; the nerve trunks are affected; the muscles waste away; the tendons contract until the hands are like claws, and it progresses throughout the body, slowly leading to death. It is a terrible progressive death in which a man dies by inches. In the Middle Ages, if a man became a leper, he was brought to the church and read a burial service over him. For all human purposes, the man was dead.

I want us to compare the condition of leprosy to the model of sin and its effects. Sin starts out small, and little by little, it begins numbing our spiritual senses. It has a destructive effect and, over time, will destroy us just as leprosy will. The more time we spend living in sin, the further it drives a wedge between us and God; just how as leprosy progresses, it pushes the affected further and further away from life. For all human purposes, you are as good as dead with leprosy; sin is just the same. You are just a dead man walking in need of divine intervention.

We need to view sin as a disease that it is and turn to our only source of hope to be made clean, and that is Jesus. The sinful condition we have inherited from birth is leading us to death. We have been afflicted with sin since the fall of man in the garden. We must acknowledge our sickness and turn to Jesus for cleansing. There’s nothing we can do about it other than call on the name of Jesus!

 I pray this passage has encouraged you to steer away from sin as much as possible and cling tightly to Jesus. Only through Him are we made clean and can stand righteously before God. What a powerful God we serve!

-Tyler

Matt 7:24-27 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

When Frank Elmore built our FLC in 1990 I remember well how meticulous he was to prepare the foundation. Brother Frank insisted that the foundation be solid before any construction took place. He had the same concern when he built our new sanctuary. The same was true of the contractor who oversaw the construction of our new education building. Jeff made sure the foundation was building ready before any concrete was poured and construction occurred. Why did they both do this? Because the foundation we build structures on matters. It matters even more when it comes to what we are building our lives on.

The rain, flooding and wind represent the troubles, problems and trials that come to all of us in this life. Jesus said both houses faced the same drenching rain, the same powerful floods and the same strong winds. One survived and the other did not. Jesus wants us to know that if we build our life on Him it will hold together in this life and for eternity. If we are already doing so then we can rejoice in the great hymn that says “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.”

Today’s passage focuses on two groups of people. Those who HEAR and DO and those who HEAR but DO NOT DO. Both made choices and their choices mattered. Some built on the solid rock who is Jesus Christ. Others built on the sinking sand of this world. Think of the images we have all seen of graphic videos of homes being destroyed by torrential rain, winds and flooding. That is the picture Christ paints for us of the great fall of a life that is not built on Him.

The validation of our salvation is a life of obedience. Obedience is the essential action and evidence of our salvation. The life built on Jesus is one that hears and does what the Lord Jesus Christ says. Let’s not just be HEARERS of the Word, but, with God’s help, let’s commit to being DOERS of the Word as well.

Tim

Matthew 7: 21-23  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Good morning!

These passages may be some of the most humbling, sobering, and surprising verses in the Bible. What a way to start a Monday morning….
I don’t believe we can understand these verses properly without the broader context of the previous verses. As we saw Friday, Jesus has just finished warning his followers about false prophets. He goes on to say that we will know them by their “fruit!” Which begs the question- what is good fruit? I’d make the argument that in this context, it’s simply doing the will of God. Again, this is the key to understanding this passage…

Growing up playing sports, I’d often hear the phrase, “if you talk the talk, you better walk the walk.” In other words, if you’re going to run your mouth, you better be able to perform. Not to sound like an old grump, but our social media culture has not done us any favors in this area… Anyone and everyone can have a platform. We can hide behind screens and announce to the world our opinions, abilities, and so on without having to perform. If you have enough followers, the reality is you will be seen as an expert on whatever you’re talking about. This is tragic….

This is what Jesus is warning us about! People who claim to speak for God, but don’t do what He teaches is in fact a false teacher. And Jesus says their eternal fate is at hand… Notice how he uses the word “Lord” twice at the beginning of the passage. He is pointing towards their emphatic insistence of knowing God…. However, this doesn’t cut it! Why? Because actions speak louder than words! And the truth Jesus is teaching is that if we don’t follow the implicit teachings revealed in scripture, we’re not true followers of Jesus! We’re false teachers… False prophets… talking the talk while forfeiting our walk…

As a pastor, this passage is indeed sobering because it’s clear that even those who participate in ministry can be blinded from the true mark of a disciple… Notice in the passage the group responding to Jesus in verse 22. “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?” This group of people clearly thought they were a part of the team because of the great deeds they thought they had performed… But the truth is- great deeds, ministry, emphatic insistence, etc. is not the litmus test to truly knowing God.

It’s really knowing Jesus in the most personal way… it’s striving to do God’s will… No, we won’t always get it right, but our hearts should be striving to know God deeper and to be in His will. It’s central to knowing God!
Again, this is a sobering passage where we see the need-to-know Christ. We cannot go through religious routines expecting to have a different outcome on the day of judgment.

If your heart does not resound right now with a yes, I know Jesus, then I encourage you to simply stop where you’re at and do some honest inventory of your life. If this is you, please reach out to one of us! As Tim often says, “we’d come running” to come alongside of you!

-Taylor

 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Good morning! Jesus uses the perfect illustration to explain how we can know if the teachers we listen to and ourselves lead true Godly lives. You can identify a tree by its fruit, and you can identify people by their actions!

I’m going to guess that many of you reading this blog post have some type of gardening experience, and I would also guess that many of you are better at gardening than me. (All of my tomatoes and cucumbers are dead this year already). Life has been busy lately, haha! But it’s no accident that a gardener grows good fruit. It’s through hard work and a refusal to compromise when caring for and growing fruit that produces good results from a garden. My father-in-law is always showing off how huge his tomatoes and other vegetables are, while mine have quite literally died, and I will rip them up soon to be thrown away while he will produce fruit for a good while to come. I think we can all guess why this is! 

Seeing good fruit from a follower of Christ is no accident; just as a garden producing good fruit is not either. Both of these take hard work and dedication to bear fruit. Think of all the things needed to be done to produce a successful crop. From planting to watering to picking weeds to fertilizer to so on and so on. Our spiritual lives need to be tended to in a similar manner in order to bear fruit. When we decide to follow Jesus, it’s time to pick up the plow and begin to work! Our goal should be to live obedient to Christ, nourishing our souls through prayer, reading scripture, and good works in serving others! We should joyfully work to bear the fruits that show we are followers of Jesus, not kicking our relationship with God to the side and leading to a fruitless life.

Sadly, the modern-day Christian looks a lot like my garden his year, not tended to, not fed, and kicked to the side. Is your soul starving for nourishment and needing to bear fruit? Don’t kick being obedient to God’s word, praying, and reading scripture to the side. Make it your highest priority to do the things that will bear the spiritual fruit God calls us to have in this life, and you will be more fulfilled than ever, bearing fruit for the world to see so you can point them toward Jesus! 

– Tyler