Matthew 12

Give God your best gift; not sacrifice, but mercy! We are often tempted to focus on the gift that is costly, but not greatest, when often the greatest gift that is needed is mercy.

"As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers...."

"Dear Disciple, My words in yesterday's Scripture (Luke 11:14-26) were hard. The folks I spoke them to didn't like them. So, they challenged Me to do...."

"Dear Child of God, There is so much talk in your world about community. I understand that you want to find a place where you can be close to other..."

"Jesus said to [the Pharisees who accused him of allowing his disciples to break the law by working on the Sabbath], "Haven't you read in the..."

Jesus talked about a haunted house? Don't simply get rid of evil, but fill your life with goodness!

"But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, "No wonder [Jesus] can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of..."

"[Jesus continued his reply to the Pharisees who said his power came from Satan:] "And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They...."

"[Jesus healed many and then warned those he healed not to reveal who he was.] This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him: "Look at my..."

"[Jesus continued his reply to the Pharisees:] "A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its..."

"One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, "Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your..."

"[Jesus continued his response to the Jewish leaders who asked for a sign:] "When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest..."

"[Continuing Isaiah's prophecy about Jesus:] "He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put..."

"[Jesus:] "So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven — except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. Anyone who..."

"But Jesus knew [that the Pharisees were plotting to kill him]. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them,...."

"Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, "Does the law permit a person to work..."

"Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn't speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. The crowd....."

"[Jesus continued:] "And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit...."

"[When the Pharisees asked Jesus if a person could work by healing on the Sabbath,] he answered, "If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the..."

"[Jesus continued his response to the Jewish leaders who asked for a sign:] "The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment..."

"But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then indeed the kingdom of God is come upon you. Or how can anyone enter into the house of the strong...."

"[Jesus continued:] "So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven — except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven......"

"Then [Jesus] said to the man [with the deformed hand], "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other..."

"At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of..."

What can empty our faith of its value? Tammy Marcelain shares insight on who we welcome and how we welcome them into our midst, and also reflects on what we do to push them away and hurt them with our words and actions.

What are you putting in the empty places of their lives? We've got to fill our kids with good things and not just tell them what not to do, because if we don't fill them with God's stuff, someone is going to fill them with satan's stuff.

"[Talking to the Pharisees after they condemned his disciples for gathering and eating grain on the Sabbath, Jesus continued:] "For the Son of Man is....."

""Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.""

"[Jesus:] "But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.""

""Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.""

"I tell you that one greater than the temple is here."

"[Talking to the Pharisees, Jesus continued:] "But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: 'I..."

"[Jesus continued:] "Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.""

"What a mass of hideous sickness must have thrust itself under the eye of Jesus! Yet we read not that he was disgusted, but patiently waited on every....."

"What is weaker than the bruised reed or the smoking flax? A reed that groweth in the fen or marsh, let but the wild duck light upon it, and it snaps;...."

Inspirational illustration of Matthew 12:6 -- I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.

Inspirational illustration of Matthew 12:29 -- Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.

How could He see so much more in them than they had ever demonstrated? Phil Ware shares insight in his LifeWORDS series on the resurrection sayings of Jesus and how Jesus forgave and empowered his failures, his disciples, by this forgiveness.

How could He Jesus so much more in his disciples than they had ever demonstrated? Phil Ware shares insight on how the resurrected Jesus forgave and empowered his his 11 disciples through his radical forgiveness.

Jesus won't let us classify him as just another good teacher: He challenges us to decide if he is Lord, liar, or lunatic! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in virtual worship through words and music using YouTube videos to honor Jesus as greater than anything or anyone.

Why do we run after other things to add to Jesus? Phil Ware continues his messages out of Colossians; this one focuses on Jesus being enough and anything added to Him is less.

How can the younger brother of Jesus help us find our way to hope? Phil Ware lets us journey with James, the half brother of Jesus, through the cross and resurrection to find our way to hope and confidence about our future.

The earth is sick. Our world is sicker. We are to bridge the gap until Jesus' return! Phil Ware along with Doug Peters help us hear the Lord's Prayer for the kingdom to dawn on earth so that the will of God can be seen on earth as it is in heaven.

How long will what you have written actually live? Our language and speech lives on long after we do, and the Internet is a reminder of just how far and wide such things can go.

What's going to come out of our mouths next? Tom Norvell reminds us to guard our words by praying for speech coming out of Psalm 143

Can we grow the gift of faith? Tammy Marcelain writes about believing, trust, and God using our struggles, weaknesses, and trials to make us people of faith.

Can you keep it in check? We must watch our language for others and for God.

What does it take to find hope in this life? There is real hope for our present lives. God offers us this hope through Jesus, and only through him.

Is your storehouse of anger doing you any good? Are you happier? Better? More fun to be with? Max Lucado helps us deal with the hurts of the heart that lead to bitterness, anger, and depression, as we are provoked and frustrated into sullen and negative states of spirit and emotion and mind.

So is it really important that we are nice and courteous? Being nice is important if we are going to influence others.

Have you learned this important spiritual skill? We need to learn that there is a time to be silent.