We are on day 7 of blogging through the Bible using the Murray M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Matthew7

The sermon on the Mount moves to relationships and then testing our faith is genuine!
v1-5 Don’t be a hypocrite pointing out others faults, when you have the same ones!
v6 Don’t waste time on the hardened. Michael Green “Disciples of Jesus are not to be stormtroopers for the Kingdom of God. They should be equipped with the most sensitive radar to see where the Spirit of God is preparing the way and only then move in.”
v7-12 Be prayerfull because God loves to give good things to his children. Ask… Seek… Knock… – pray continually!

Now Jesus asks three questions

Have you entered v13-14

The entrance is narrow – there is no room for baggage, pride or irresolution. Make sure you have entered!

Are you bearingfruit v15-23

You can tell a disciple by the fruit intheir life. Questions is not just have you entered, but are you changing? Fruit shows a gardener is at work. There willbe fruit that satisfies passers-by!

How are you building? v24-29

Make sure you are building your life on a foundation that will last.

Acts 7

Stephen’s defence takes us through a history of religious people resisting God through history. He tells the leaders you have always resisting the Holy Spirit – persecuting prophets and even killing them. That creates a reaction! He was stoned – the first Christian martyr.

Gen 7

Noah exeriences God’s intimate protecting grace. God never lets go, whether things are going well or hard.
God’s grace, Noah’s obedience!
Once the ark is built, God shuts him in – protecting him. He goes into the grave to experience new life. The New Testament picks up on the imagery of life through death, bapstism into new life. Killing off the old nature at conversion. All gets linked back to Noah’s story.