thegospelmailman@yahoo.com, Author at The Gospel Mailman

Don’t Worry That You Don’t Understand Everything

Proverbs 20: 24

A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?

Psalm 37: 23-24

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

2 Corinthians 4: 17-18

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Scripture Commentary: We won’t understand everything.

Proverbs 20: 24 tells us not to worry if we do not understand everything as it happens in our lives. It’s easy to be lost and confused when we deal with worldly events. We make plans and maybe they go the way we planned, and maybe not. God’s time table is His, not ours.

Psalm 37: 23 says the person in whom God delights is one who follows God, and puts their trust in Him. If you let Him, God will direct your steps and will not lead you down the wrong path.

The problems that we will have should not diminish our faith.

God is not giving us a bed of roses type of life. If God did, then we will think we don’t need Him. When we see how God pulls us through the mess we create, we realize that only His love, grace and mercy got us through.

Read the Entire Chapters of the Scriptures Referenced:

Proverbs Chapter 20

Psalm Chapter 37

2 Corinthians Chapter 4

Read Other Commentary from the Old Testament:

Serve Only the Lord Your God

Read Other Commentary from the New Testament:

Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?

Have A Wise and Discerning Heart for God

Scripture: Proverbs 3: 5-7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.^[a] ⁷Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

Scripture Commentary:

My way is the right way; it’s the only way! Does this sound familiar? These days everyone feels that s/he is wise. We have been told to do some things but for many, those things don’t fit our plans or the way we do things. So we go off doing what we want, not caring who or what it may affect.

We’re all going through a trial in our lives with coronavirus. We have people telling us what to do to be safe, and people telling us to go into the world as if nothing is different and to do what we want.

God has placed His Holy Spirit in us to guide and direct us. As Jesus said, “My people know my voice.”

What is the difference between sound judgment and discernment?

Discernment is the ability God gives us to think and make correct choices. For sound judgment we need to know the voice of God. If it’s not God’s voice we hear, if it’s focused on “me, myself, and I,” then it’s Satan’s.

So the question is are you listening to God or Satan?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Proverbs Chapter 3

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Proverbs:

Trust in the Lord

Use God’s Gifts to You

Innocent Blood Redeems Us

Scripture: Matthew 27: 3-4

When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. ⁴“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

Scripture Commentary:

“I have betrayed innocent blood.” Judas returned to the priests exclaiming that he had sinned.

What is that to us? Rather than help him find forgiveness, the priests said, “That is your problem. Deal with it.”

Who do you go to when you sin?

No man or women of flesh and skin can truly forgive you. Only God can. Without Judas, Jesus would not be crucified. When Jesus picked His disciples, He knew who Judas was and what Judas had to do.

Psalm 41:9 foretells of Judas’ betrayal. It was preordained for him to do this. In Matthew 27: 3 it says that Judas repented and then hung himself. In Luke 23: 43 after the thief on the cross repented, Jesus forgave him and told him he would be with Him in paradise.

We may not want to think of Judas in paradise with Jesus but he repented of his sin in asking God to forgive him. Even at the last second, God forgives.

God forgave Judas; God will forgive you.

If you are reading this, you have time to go to God and pray for forgiveness.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Matthew Chapter 27

Psalm Chapter 41

Luke Chapter 23

Read Other Commentary from the New Testament:

The Circumcision of Christ Cuts Your Sinful Nature

Husband and Wife: Keep God in Your Marriage

We Know God Is Always With Us

Scripture: Romans 8: 28-29

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[i] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Scripture Commentary: As believers we know that we aren’t left to our own resources.

Even when we’re lost and do not know the right words to pray, we know that God’s Holy Spirit in us will give us what we need. Just call on Him.

Ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for you in accordance with God’s will.

God works in all things – not just in isolated incidents. This doesn’t mean that all that happens is good. Evil is prevalent in our fallen world but God is able to turn every circumstance around for our good as long as it is in His will.

God is not working to make us happy for our own gratification but to fulfill His purpose. This call to serve is not for everyone; it is meant for those who are called according to His purpose. Those who are called are those the Holy Spirit convinces and enables to receive Christ.

Such people have a new perspective, a new mindset on life. They trust in God, not this world’s treasures. Their security is in Jesus and not the things of this earth.

Are you hearing Jesus’s call?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Romans Chapter 8

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Romans:

Jesus Set Us Free with His Sacrifice on the Cross

Who Are You to Pass Judgment on Others?

God Told Us Things To Give Us Peace

Scripture: John 16: 33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Scripture Commentary:

The disciples did not fully understand what Jesus told them, and at the time they had questions. One of the questions was if Jesus went away, what would happen to them?

One answer Jesus had for them, and us today, is not to long for answers to the problems in our life. That’s an unrealistic goal since in this world, we will have trouble. There’s an eternity of problem-free living reserved for us in heaven. Rejoice in that inheritance. No one can take from us.

We can have a personal relationship with God through Christ

Christ’s death on the cross made a personal relationship with God available to each of us. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide us on how to live and follow in the path of righteousness.

This time on earth is temporary. Our home in God’s kingdom is permanent. So, what we are going through now is only for a short time. In spite of these inevitable struggles, we are not alone.

The ultimate victory has already been won. We can claim Christ in the most troublesome times.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

John Chapter 16

Read Other Commentary from the Book of John:

God Didn’t Send Jesus to Condemn the World

God So Loved You That He Gave His Son

Jesus, Tell Me to Come to You on the Water

Scripture: Matthew 14: 28-31

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”²⁹“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”³¹Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Scripture Commentary:

Peter, of all the disciples, questions Jesus the most, denies Jesus three times and now asks Jesus to call him to walk on the water.

How many times have you called Jesus but didn’t wait to hear His answer?

Peter starts to sink because he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the high waves. His faith wavers when he realizes he was not focusing on Jesus. When we stop focusing on Jesus and turn our attention on the world, we become lost.

Our walk through the situations of everyday living can be like walking on water without Jesus at our side. If we focus on the difficulties around us without Jesus, we will sink.

Peter’s faith faltered, but he reached out to Jesus, the only one who could help. He was afraid but he looked to Jesus. As we go through life, we must remember that Christ is with us. He will never leave us to sink in our walk in life.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Matthew Chapter 14

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Matthew:

Do Not Worry – Give It to God

Store Up Your Treasures in Heaven

Lord, I Will Follow You

Scripture: Luke 9: 57-62

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”⁵⁹He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”⁶¹Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”⁶²Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Scripture Commentary:

Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brothers casting a net. Jesus told them, “Follow me.” Straightaway they left their nets and followed Him.

And going from there Jesus saw James and John with their father. He told the two brothers, “Follow me.” Immediately they left their father and followed Jesus.

What does Jesus want from us?

He wants total dedication, not halfhearted commitment. We cannot pick and choose from among Jesus’s ideas and follow Him selectively. We have to accept the cross along with the crown; judgment as well as mercy.

We must count the cost and be willing to abandon everything else that has given us security. Luke does not say in chapter 9, verse 59 if James and John’s father has died or if he is dying. In verse 61, Luke does not say if the someone mentioned wanted to say goodbye to family or friends. We see in Matthew 4 that Jesus called to Simon, Andrew, James and John. And they dropped everything and followed Jesus.

Jesus is calling you. Are you going to follow Him?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Luke Chapter 9

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Luke:

Lord, Remember Me When You Come into Your Kingdom

I Once Was Lost but Now I’m Found

Trust In the Lord Always

Scripture: Proverbs 3: 5-7

Scripture Commentary:

Do you trust in the Lord with all your heart or do you do things your own way?

I was going to do something in my life. I just knew this was what God planned for me. No one could tell me differently. But as time went by it did not happen. I would say that it was in God’s hands.

As time passed, I found that it was God testing my faith in Him. As I questioned this I realized that God saw the problem that lay ahead. Because it was in His hands, I was able to avoid a costly mistake.

God is the only one to go to and to trust.

We must trust Him completely and not lean on ourselves. He is a better judge of what we need than we are! We must not be wise in our own eyes.

Solomon said we must acknowledge God in all our ways and turn everything over to Him. In many ways you may already acknowledge God, but it is in the areas where you attempt to restrict or ignore His influence that will cause you grief.

Trust in the Lord in all things. He will guide you in the path to go because He loves you.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Proverbs Chapter 3

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Proverbs:

Knowledge of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom

Let God Help You Make Decisions

Do Not Fear; God Is With You

Scripture: Isaiah 41: 10

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Scripture Commentary:

God says to followers, “So do not fear, for I am with you.” As our Creator, Father and Maker, He will guide us and protect us at all times. He calls us to a life of thankfulness. Our moments are to be punctuated with thanksgiving.

The basis of our gratitude is His sovereignty. God is Creator and Controller of the universe.

Heaven and earth are filled with His glorious presence.

When we criticize or complain, we are acting as if we think we can run the world better than God does. We need to look at the mess we are in! From our limited human perspective, it may look as if God is mismanaging things. But we don’t know what God knows; we can’t see what He sees.

If God pulled back the curtain to allow us to view heavenly realms, we would understand much more. However, we are designed to live by faith, not by sight.

God shields us from knowing the future or seeing it. Acknowledge His sovereignty. Give thanks in all things. One day He will call us home.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Isaiah Chapter 41

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Isaiah:

Don’t Cut Yourself Off From God

Actively Honor the Lord

We Have Our Minds Set On Jesus

Scripture: Romans 8: 4-6

...in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.⁵Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Scripture Commentary:

I’m sure we can all remember the day we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We had our minds set. We felt good because we weren’t controlled by Satan and his sinful nature.

Paul places people in two categories: those who let themselves be controlled by the flesh and those who let themselves be controlled by the spirit. We would all be in the first category if Jesus hadn’t offered us a way out.

When we said yes to Christ, we became His and began to follow Him in mind, body and spirit.

We are “not guilty”!

We are free from Satan’s clutches. Free at last; thank God we are free! O what a feeling.

God has given us freedom through Jesus Christ. His Holy Spirit has given us power to live as God intends. The Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee of eternal life for those who believe in and follow Him.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Romans Chapter 8

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Romans:

There Is No Death in Jesus Christ

Refrain from the Wickedness of a Godless Life