Category: Matthew

A man approaches Jesus, asking him to heal his son who is demon-possessed. The man explains that the disciples are unable to heal the boy. Jesus then tells the disciples this:

Matthew 17:17–20

The bottom line…FAITH. We have to have faith in Jesus in order to be able to do what He has allowed us to be able to do. What causes issues in our lives are the distractions of this world. Jesus is so right on when He says we are unbelieving and perverse. We are.

But here is the kicker. He builds us right back up. He reminds us of the gifts that He has given us. The ability to move a mountain if we have the faith to. No, this is not a figure of speech. Jesus means exactly what He says. You can move mountains with your faith.

No more victim words, people. We are victors. We are winners. We are saved. Let the world have what it wants. Give it away and watch what comes flooding right back to you. Try it. Have FAITH! Jesus WILL provide.

Amen.

Shalom.

DK

I read the following verse and I just praised Jesus. There is not much else to do. Standing in the presence of Jesus as he changes and transfigures and shows us who He is…The Son of Man, what an awesome sight.

In my visions I see Jesus giving His life for us on the cross, while at the same time being risen and glowing white. The holes in His hands and feet are clearly visible, but He is so bright and so in awe of His creations. You and I.

Back and forth the visions go, and I must honor Him for what He did. To have such power and grace, yet be so humble is beyond my understanding.

Matthew 17:1–3 — The Transfiguration

Lord, help us all to see you. Help everyone to know that what you did for us removed our chains and freed us from sin. Father, we ask that you continue to bring blessings to our lives. We thank you. We love you. In your precious and Holy name we pray. Amen.

Shalom.
DK

“This world possesses a series of distractions, designed to pull us away from growing closer to God and to serving and glorifying Him,” was a statement I made to my dad the other day.

So many events that occur in our lives can attribute to us being pulled away from growing closer to God, unless we cry out to God on a daily basis.

Let’s take the loss of a loved one, be it by passing on or just by the ones we care about simply leaving us. Either way, it can be counted in the loss column. Then come the questions: Why does this happen? Why me? What did I do wrong? Why have You forsaken me, God?

Ever been there before?

Matthew 16:24–27

Jesus is not just referring to death; He is referring to all things that we cling to in this world. Loss of life can also mean that you will give up the longing for something of this world that made you feel a certain way. Good or bad.

Forgiveness seems to be at the core of many of us and our inability to let go of the past.

For years I was angry at God.

I did not know why He took my mother. Why she suffered for so many years, only to die. The questions came. I felt the pain of loss.

Then reality hit like a ton of bricks.

God is with us. God is with me. He always was.

This verse found me:

Proverbs 3:5–6

There is the answer. The question has been answered.

TRUST. HAVE FAITH. LOVE.

Thank You, Jesus.

You are the Messiah, the Deliverer, the Redeemer, the Living God.

Amen.

Shalom.
DK

Jesus asks Peter the question, “Who do you think I am?”

Can you imagine that? Jesus, face to face with you and asking you that question. To prepare yourself, you must believe and have amazing faith. Peter was a strong man and follower of Jesus, and for this he was rewarded.

Matthew 16:16–20

As Jesus speaks to Peter, I get the overwhelming feeling that we are just like Peter. We are all rocks that a church can be built on, a place for God’s kingdom to grow.

I pray for you all tonight that you would ask for and hear God’s calling on your lives. He has a plan for you. You were born for a reason. Lord, help us to learn to be strong in faith and belief in You.

Do me a favor. A young boy named Peter that I met in Africa is having surgery on his leg. He is a beautiful soul. Pray for his healing right now.

I will pray for all of you, whether you want me to or not.

Amen.

Shalom.
DK

Wouldn’t it be awesome if we had enough true faith in God that we could not only heal ourselves, but we could even heal those that are unable to come close to God? Guess what? We can. We have the ability to move mountains with our faith. This is done through our belief and faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Just how humble was Jesus? What kind of a teacher was He? In so many instances throughout Matthew, it is obvious that Jesus was always listening and always prepared with an answer. This particular verse is an awesome read. There is an interesting twist to this one…

Matthew 15:21–28 — The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

Jesus is moved by us as His children. He loves us. He wants us to move not only on our behalf and request what we want and need, but He is shown in many instances to truly appreciate those of us that recognize that we have been created in the likeness of God. That we possess extraordinary power if we believe with strong faith.

This Canaanite woman responded to Jesus with love and FAITH. What she basically said was that the power of Jesus is so strong that even if a little bit of it (a crumb) was to fall to her daughter, that it would be powerful enough to heal her of this possession. This immediately reminded me of the woman that reached and grabbed Jesus’ robe and was immediately healed.

I can imagine the feeling that Jesus had at this moment. Here was the manifestation of true and blind faith from a woman who loved her daughter and loved Jesus. It is because of that faith that Jesus immediately healed her daughter. Jesus truly “sees” us. All of the time.

Lord, I pray that powerful faith, such as this, finds my heart ready. It is not an accident that we learn of how Jesus responds to our questions and comments with mercy and love, provided they come from the source of faith and purity and love. Lord, we know that You have promised us all of the treasures that we want and need if we place our faith in You and ask. Tonight, we do that, Lord. We place our hearts, our souls, our minds, our thoughts, and our lives in Your hands. Do with them as You please. We pray that You would use our lives to benefit Your kingdom. We ask that You pour Your blessings into our lives and bless all who are around us. We love You. You are Holy. You are Good. Your love will last forever.

Amen.

Shalom.
DK

Don’t worry if you don’t think you have “it” all together. Pressing into God creates some fear in many people at first. That’s not you; it’s the devil. Don’t listen, just have Faith. It’s much like exercise, in that the more you do, the easier it gets.

If you find yourself doing things because you’re stuck on tradition, rethink what Jesus says about what truly affects a man…

Matthew 15:16–20

I pray that God brings clarity of His law to you. Jesus does that for us in the Bible. Read and meditate on His Word by yourself. You must guard your heart through a connection with God and by His Word. So much can be taken out of context and manipulated by man or the devil, much the way the Pharisees did.

Jesus does not want sacrifice. He asks us for mercy, love, and humility.

Lord, we need Your help. We need You to step into our lives and show us how to carry the yoke of life with ease. We love You. Thank You for the many, many blessings that You have given us this day. Heavenly Father, we ask You now what You want us to do tomorrow for You. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray.

Amen.

Shalom.
DK

Today my dad and I went to a pawn shop in McAllen. My dad had been hanging on to some things that he needed to let go of that were hindering him from moving on. Or so I said. A fair deal was made, and the transaction of memories for cash took place. He wound up with enough money to buy a new refrigerator, which he badly needs back in Tennessee at the house. We looked at each other and we both agreed, “It’s only dust.”

While there, I was able to talk with three men about the Gospel. Earlier that day I had meandered over to the firearms, because I love guns, and was interested in looking at a bolt-action, high-powered rifle. Then the Lord stepped in, and we were off. Imagine this: I am holding a 30-06 Remington 700 bolt-action rifle, and I am witnessing to a 60-year-old man who is helping me. I had my FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) shirt on, so the conversation as to what I do for a living came up. We chit-chatted a bit, and then he said it. “I don’t believe a whole lot of that stuff that is written in there,” he said. He was talking about the Bible. I smiled and looked at him. Lord help me if I didn’t just hear myself 10 years ago in his words. That happens a lot, you know. Boy, was I wrong back then.

I said, “You know, I had trouble with the idea that a man could live in the belly of a large fish for three days for quite some time myself.” Then I read in the book of Matthew where Jesus said it happened, just the way that He said He would spend 3 days in the Earth and rise again. That happened too. I believe every single word in that book now. The Bible is the greatest book ever lived.

There was so much that we talked about. He had questions. I tried to answer them, and I hope I did well. The words that came out of my mouth were the words of the Holy Spirit in me. I felt so good. So filled with the Holy Spirit. So much so that if you asked me what I said exactly, I couldn’t repeat the words. I can recall at one point the man’s mouth moving as he was talking, but I was too busy praying in my head for him that I could not hear what he was talking about. It was time to speak, and the Lord gave me the words. Read what Jesus says about what comes out of our mouths in the form of “words”…

Matthew 15:7–11

What a statement. Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees and how they were upset that the disciples were eating without washing their hands. That was His answer to them. This upset the Pharisees, and someone came back and told Jesus that they were upset. Jesus then said something that seems to tie it all together.

Matthew 15:13–14

We can all apply this to our lives and to what we say to others on a daily basis. When I spoke to those men, particularly the one that said, “I know ‘The Big Guy’ is up there, I just don’t believe all of the stuff that is in the Bible happened.” Whoa. Thank you, Lord, for the words and the smile on my face. I felt His mighty presence with me as I said, “Well, whether you believe it or not, it happened, and God loves you.” I said, “He loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die for all of our sins on the cross, so that you can say what you just said about His Word, ask for His forgiveness, and He will love you just the same.” He looked at me a bit puzzled. Then he smiled. This happened two more times that day, with my dad sitting out in the truck waiting on me.

Please do not think that I tell you of these opportunities that the Lord has provided for me to bring glory to myself. I am Christian in the sense that I know only what God shows me. I am strong in His Spirit only because God has made me that way. I am His because I have gotten down on my knees and I have begged my Heavenly Father to have His way in me, and to send me wherever He wants me to go. It is the Holy Spirit in me that allows me to be present in the moment to help people every day. I am humble. I am honored. I am the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. Not through David Keith. Jesus! All honor and glory to God.

I am going back to that pawn shop. Those are good men, ready for the Living Word.

Lord, thank You so much for Your Grace. We can only dream to even come close to Your love and patience and understanding for us. Jesus, You came down to Earth, knowing that You would have to die a horrible death in order for us to be forgiven. Lord, please help all of those wonderful people that are lost in the world right now. Those that feel that You are not with them. Those that feel like they have fallen away from You, or that You have abandoned them. Lord, let them know tonight that You are with them. Right next to them, ready and waiting for them to call on You. Let them know that it is time to accept You into their lives, Father God. Let them hear our prayers. Heavenly Father, help us to use the gift of words that are filled with love and forgiveness and understanding to help those that are around us that are in need. We love You. Thank You. You are so amazing. In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ we pray!

Amen!

Shalom.
DK