# 375- Today's Living Word comes from Mr 5:16,17 “And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.“
There was a time when Peter asked Jesus to depart from him. Remember?
Lu 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken;
Peter had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. Jesus told him where to fish and he hit the mother lode. Big financial gain for Peter, but here, the owners of the swine suffered a huge financial loss. Both saw the effects of the supernatural powers of Jesus. Both asked Jesus to leave.
But there was a huge difference in the motivation for asking Him to leave. Peter asked Jesus to leave because he realized what a sinner he was. He realized that he was not worthy of God's goodness and mercy. “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The owners of the swine were only motivated by their earthly kingdom, their bottom line. “Leave Jesus! You are encroaching on our livelihood! We liked it the way it was before You arrived on the scene.”
This is the cry of the backslider. They have witnessed the power, the goodness, the deliverance of Jesus, but they choose to go back to the way things were. Peter chose to run his prideful flesh out of town on a rail, these people chose to ride Jesus out of town on a rail. What will you choose to do?
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Safe and At Peace
# 374 - Today's Living Word comes from Mr 5:14,15 “So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
The hired hands who slopped the hogs beat feet. The death of two thousand swine was not going to sit well with their bosses. They told everyone along the way of what had happened and upon hearing the news, the owners and curious onlookers arrived at the scene. They were greeted with the sight of their financial investment belly up in the sea.
“Who did this?”
“That Guy named Jesus over there! And look who's sitting by Him! It's the crazy strong ever ranting naked guy! And he's hardly recognizable! Why, his hair is combed, he's dressed, and he's in his right mind!”
The Greek word for right mind comes from a root word meaning a safe mind. No longer interested in injuring himself or others, he is safe and at peace. Do you want that kind of serenity in your life? Then come to Jesus and ask Him for it.
This Jesus is one powerful person! This is One Almighty God! He is able! The people sensed it, and observe how they reacted..... they were afraid. But then, this is only fitting for those who sense His holiness.
So come to Jesus, humbly, with a sense of fear and awe. For only He is able to give you that elusive peace you've been searching for.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” (Prov 1:7)
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
The hired hands who slopped the hogs beat feet. The death of two thousand swine was not going to sit well with their bosses. They told everyone along the way of what had happened and upon hearing the news, the owners and curious onlookers arrived at the scene. They were greeted with the sight of their financial investment belly up in the sea.
“Who did this?”
“That Guy named Jesus over there! And look who's sitting by Him! It's the crazy strong ever ranting naked guy! And he's hardly recognizable! Why, his hair is combed, he's dressed, and he's in his right mind!”
The Greek word for right mind comes from a root word meaning a safe mind. No longer interested in injuring himself or others, he is safe and at peace. Do you want that kind of serenity in your life? Then come to Jesus and ask Him for it.
This Jesus is one powerful person! This is One Almighty God! He is able! The people sensed it, and observe how they reacted..... they were afraid. But then, this is only fitting for those who sense His holiness.
So come to Jesus, humbly, with a sense of fear and awe. For only He is able to give you that elusive peace you've been searching for.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” (Prov 1:7)
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
The Tree Of the Knowledge Of Good and Evil
# 373 - Today's Living Word comes from Mr 5:13b. ”and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.”
I want to talk a little bit more today about the devil's calling card of violence. The Greek word used here for “violently,” means, “to injure, to sin, to do evil.” This is what the devil is all about. Jesus called him a “murderer from the beginning.” (Jn 8:44) Whenever Jesus uses the phrase “from the beginning,” we need to go back to the Garden of Eden.
What was the name of the forbidden tree in the garden? It was “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” As long as Adam and Eve didn't eat of the fruit of this tree, they were completely unaffected by injury or death. But they ate of the fruit and sin, death and injury, (violence) entered the world.
Until that time all they knew was the goodness of God. Now they would have a first hand knowledge of the difference between good and evil. Soon this knowledge would become a tragic reality in their own lives as they would experience the violent death of their son Abel!
Know this, without God's restraints on the devil, our world would self-destruct in devil-wrought violence.
As a child of Adam you are born with this knowledge of good and evil. You cannot deny that evil exists and you cannot deny that Someone is restraining it. Perhaps this is why God allows violence in our world. Perhaps He wants you and I to see that he is our only hope for good.
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
I want to talk a little bit more today about the devil's calling card of violence. The Greek word used here for “violently,” means, “to injure, to sin, to do evil.” This is what the devil is all about. Jesus called him a “murderer from the beginning.” (Jn 8:44) Whenever Jesus uses the phrase “from the beginning,” we need to go back to the Garden of Eden.
What was the name of the forbidden tree in the garden? It was “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” As long as Adam and Eve didn't eat of the fruit of this tree, they were completely unaffected by injury or death. But they ate of the fruit and sin, death and injury, (violence) entered the world.
Until that time all they knew was the goodness of God. Now they would have a first hand knowledge of the difference between good and evil. Soon this knowledge would become a tragic reality in their own lives as they would experience the violent death of their son Abel!
Know this, without God's restraints on the devil, our world would self-destruct in devil-wrought violence.
As a child of Adam you are born with this knowledge of good and evil. You cannot deny that evil exists and you cannot deny that Someone is restraining it. Perhaps this is why God allows violence in our world. Perhaps He wants you and I to see that he is our only hope for good.
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
Monday, March 28, 2011
Why Does God Allow Violence
# 372- Today's Living Word comes from Mr 5:13. ”And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.”
Two thousand pigs belly up in the sea. Just moments ago they had been peacefully foraging on a hillside. Just moments ago six thousand demons had occupied one man. The man, now completely at peace, the pigs now completely dead. It all happened so fast!
One thing we can learn from this episode, the devil is into violence. (The word violently, here in the Greek, speaks of a desire to cause injury.) First of all, we had the demoniac, who often injured himself by cutting himself with stones and now the pigs with their irresistible plunge to death.
Jesus had the devil pegged right when He says that the devil was a “murderer from the beginning.” (Jn 8:44) If the devil had his way, he would kill or harm every single God created creature. Let that truth sink in for a while as you contemplate the degree of God's merciful protection. None of us deserve it, but He provides it on a daily moment by moment basis.
So why does God allow any violence and mayhem at all?
I don't know. I just know that everything eventually works out for His glory. (Rom 8:28) I'd rather think of it this way: What if the devil didn't need permission to cause injury? How bad would our world be then? Think about the ramifications for such a world. Then be thankful, that there is a God who is able to restrain and seek to worship Him.
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
Two thousand pigs belly up in the sea. Just moments ago they had been peacefully foraging on a hillside. Just moments ago six thousand demons had occupied one man. The man, now completely at peace, the pigs now completely dead. It all happened so fast!
One thing we can learn from this episode, the devil is into violence. (The word violently, here in the Greek, speaks of a desire to cause injury.) First of all, we had the demoniac, who often injured himself by cutting himself with stones and now the pigs with their irresistible plunge to death.
Jesus had the devil pegged right when He says that the devil was a “murderer from the beginning.” (Jn 8:44) If the devil had his way, he would kill or harm every single God created creature. Let that truth sink in for a while as you contemplate the degree of God's merciful protection. None of us deserve it, but He provides it on a daily moment by moment basis.
So why does God allow any violence and mayhem at all?
I don't know. I just know that everything eventually works out for His glory. (Rom 8:28) I'd rather think of it this way: What if the devil didn't need permission to cause injury? How bad would our world be then? Think about the ramifications for such a world. Then be thankful, that there is a God who is able to restrain and seek to worship Him.
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Beware Of Living On the Fringe
Taking A Few Days Off. Lord willing, I'll be back on Monday
# 371- Today's Living Word comes from Mr 5:11-13a Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them." And at once Jesus gave them permission. (Mr 5:11-13a)
There is no other incident mentioned in Scripture where a cast out demon was granted permission by Jesus to enter another creature. What's going on here? What can we learn from this incident? Let's look at some clues.
A large herd of swine tells us that this was a money making enterprise. Someone in this outlying area of Gadarene was turning a profit selling pork. Pork was regarded as an unclean meat and Jews were not allowed to eat it. But this area was on the fringe of Jewish territory, and pork chops and ham are quite tasty you know. What's a little compromise? What's wrong with a little dabbling with the unholy. Who will really notice?
God notices. And this allowance granted to the demons which resulted in the destruction of the pigs was a judgment against these unholy compromisers. Here's the lesson. When we dabble in the unholy, we invite the judgment of God. Beware of living in the fringe of your faith, beware of compromise, beware of that, “what harm can there be” attitude that so often begins the slippery slope of unholy living.
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
# 371- Today's Living Word comes from Mr 5:11-13a Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them." And at once Jesus gave them permission. (Mr 5:11-13a)
There is no other incident mentioned in Scripture where a cast out demon was granted permission by Jesus to enter another creature. What's going on here? What can we learn from this incident? Let's look at some clues.
A large herd of swine tells us that this was a money making enterprise. Someone in this outlying area of Gadarene was turning a profit selling pork. Pork was regarded as an unclean meat and Jews were not allowed to eat it. But this area was on the fringe of Jewish territory, and pork chops and ham are quite tasty you know. What's a little compromise? What's wrong with a little dabbling with the unholy. Who will really notice?
God notices. And this allowance granted to the demons which resulted in the destruction of the pigs was a judgment against these unholy compromisers. Here's the lesson. When we dabble in the unholy, we invite the judgment of God. Beware of living in the fringe of your faith, beware of compromise, beware of that, “what harm can there be” attitude that so often begins the slippery slope of unholy living.
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Like the Game of Risk
# 370- Today's Living Word comes from Mr 5:10 “Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.
There is so much that we don't understand about the spiritual world and spiritual warfare. The fact that these demons asked Jesus to keep them in the same geographical location should tell us something about the realities of “spiritual turf” wars. It's sort of like the game of Risk.
Risk is a board game where an individual seeks to conquer the world. Armies amass on borders, and armies are reinforced for the battles. We get glimpses of these battles in Scripture, like the time Elisha's servant was allowed to see the spiritual forces of God amass against the Syrian army.
2Ki 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Or the time that the angel was delayed in visiting Daniel because of his battle with the head demon of Persia.
Da 10:13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
Da 10:20 Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come.
In addition, the Bible speaks of our “wrestling with “principalities,” which again speaks of the geographical jurisdictions of demons. Why doesn't our all powerful God just end it?
Well, He will do exactly that, but I suspect it has something to do with the combination of His mercy, our free will, and His desire that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Friend, God has already won this game and the end could come at anytime. Don't “risk” your eternal destiny, come to repentance and salvation through faith in the victorious Christ today!
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
There is so much that we don't understand about the spiritual world and spiritual warfare. The fact that these demons asked Jesus to keep them in the same geographical location should tell us something about the realities of “spiritual turf” wars. It's sort of like the game of Risk.
Risk is a board game where an individual seeks to conquer the world. Armies amass on borders, and armies are reinforced for the battles. We get glimpses of these battles in Scripture, like the time Elisha's servant was allowed to see the spiritual forces of God amass against the Syrian army.
2Ki 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Or the time that the angel was delayed in visiting Daniel because of his battle with the head demon of Persia.
Da 10:13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
Da 10:20 Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come.
In addition, the Bible speaks of our “wrestling with “principalities,” which again speaks of the geographical jurisdictions of demons. Why doesn't our all powerful God just end it?
Well, He will do exactly that, but I suspect it has something to do with the combination of His mercy, our free will, and His desire that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Friend, God has already won this game and the end could come at anytime. Don't “risk” your eternal destiny, come to repentance and salvation through faith in the victorious Christ today!
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
God Is In Charge of Government
# 369 - Today's Living Word comes from Mr 5:10-13 “Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.
Isn't it interesting that a spirit being is concerned about the physical geography of our world? Who cares about border guards and crossings when you are a spirit? Why would a spirit being beg Jesus to allow him to stay in a certain geographical location?
I don't know the answer to that question. Maybe the pickings were easier in the land of the Gadarenes. One thing I do know and that is that geography matters. I also know that every national border line has been established by God.
The Bible tells us that God holds the king's heart in His hands. He turns it any way He chooses. He is the “King of the nations” (Jer 10:7) If new nations come into existence or existing boundaries are changed it is God's doing not ours. He is in charge of government. He is in charge of principalities.
The spirit beings know this fact and so they come to the One who is in charge of boundaries with their request. Should we not do the same? Should we not come to God in prayer for all things related to the governing of our country?
When will we learn that God is in charge of government? When will we learn and yield to the truth of Rom 13:1, “For there is no authority except from God and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
Nehemiah knew this truth. He knew that when he was talking to the king, he was talking to God's appointed representative. Listen to his conversation with King Artaxerxes as he sought favor from the king: “Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king,”
Nehemiah didn't excuse himself and bow his head and have a quiet moment of prayer with God. No! His prayer to God was immediate as he spoke to the king. He knew it was one and the same thing because he was talking to God's chosen representative.
Oh, the trash talking even among Christians, of our God-appointed government leaders. Learn from Nehemiah! It will forever change the way you look at government and restore a sense of civility in our land, as we all learn anew to address our representatives as “The honorable” so and so, instead of just that “so and so.”
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
Isn't it interesting that a spirit being is concerned about the physical geography of our world? Who cares about border guards and crossings when you are a spirit? Why would a spirit being beg Jesus to allow him to stay in a certain geographical location?
I don't know the answer to that question. Maybe the pickings were easier in the land of the Gadarenes. One thing I do know and that is that geography matters. I also know that every national border line has been established by God.
The Bible tells us that God holds the king's heart in His hands. He turns it any way He chooses. He is the “King of the nations” (Jer 10:7) If new nations come into existence or existing boundaries are changed it is God's doing not ours. He is in charge of government. He is in charge of principalities.
The spirit beings know this fact and so they come to the One who is in charge of boundaries with their request. Should we not do the same? Should we not come to God in prayer for all things related to the governing of our country?
When will we learn that God is in charge of government? When will we learn and yield to the truth of Rom 13:1, “For there is no authority except from God and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
Nehemiah knew this truth. He knew that when he was talking to the king, he was talking to God's appointed representative. Listen to his conversation with King Artaxerxes as he sought favor from the king: “Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king,”
Nehemiah didn't excuse himself and bow his head and have a quiet moment of prayer with God. No! His prayer to God was immediate as he spoke to the king. He knew it was one and the same thing because he was talking to God's chosen representative.
Oh, the trash talking even among Christians, of our God-appointed government leaders. Learn from Nehemiah! It will forever change the way you look at government and restore a sense of civility in our land, as we all learn anew to address our representatives as “The honorable” so and so, instead of just that “so and so.”
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
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