At least twice in Matthew 16 I see Jesus’ disciples not “getting it.”

First, there was the matter of His warning about the doctrines of the hypocrites. When they drew the wrong conclusion, He chided them:

“Do ye not yet understand, neither remember?” (9).

I also definitely need God to sharpen both my understanding and my memory.

Then, there was the matter of an offensive value system:

“Thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (23).

I stand guilty of the same charge. Daily I need a redirected, refined focus upward.

By the way, offence savourest is the same word translated do mind in Romans 8:5, understood in 1 Corinthians 13:11, and affection in Colossians 3:2.

So check out those verses to better understand what was offensive to Jesus.

And still is?!

Posted: November 23

Can I image the pain and anger that coursed through Jesus when He lamented:

“For God commanded . . . . But ye say . . .” (Matthew 15:4,5).

I want my spiritual senses sharpened to detect when this is happening around me.

And when it is happening within me.

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8).

I don’t want to be one those who sounds close to God from his speech and his writing, but whose heart is far, far away.

Not posted til November 21 from Tucson International Airport.