Matthew 5

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Tasting God’s Goodness

April 21, 2025April 17, 2025 krisshetter

"Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.  Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." 1 Peter 2:1-3

When out walking the other day, I was contemplating the good gifts of God. Gifts in which I yearn to be wrapped daily. Peace, love and joy are a few that spring to mind. Weirdly enough this pondering made me think of southern buttermilk biscuits. Yes, biscuits.

For the past, I don’t know, 20 years or so I’ve been on this quiet pilgrimage to make and eat the perfect buttermilk biscuit. A good spicy, pork gravy on top isn’t so bad either. But that elusive biscuit keeps calling my name. I’ve tasted many a biscuit from California to South Carolina and Texas to Missouri. A few biscuits found their way onto my plate in Louisiana and Georgia. None have met my dreams and expectations.

I’ve made a number of attempts to make such a mythical biscuit. I’ve even come pretty close with a famous lifestyle influencer’s recipe. The process, which took a few days, included chilling various ingredients, grating butter, and what seems to be the most important part, carefully yet not over handling the rolling and cutting of the dough. My neighbors were gifted much of my last batch which met with mouthwatering approval.

Yearning for Goodness

So here we are, wondering what biscuits have to do with God’s gifts? Well, let’s back up a bit. In our sanctification journey we’ve looked at the importance of knowing who God is, who we are in God, and knowing God’s character and promises. Then we took on the challenge of how trials take us down bumpy roads. Yet, they lead us to greater trust in how all that knowledge comes together for our good. This week we’re cooking up ways to live the life we yearn for each day.

So, let’s start this week with a question: What do you most want out of your short life here on earth? What do you yearn for each day you wake?

In the July 24, 2023 edition of CNBC’s “Make It,” therapist Charlotte Weber wrote of the nine things people want most in life.

To be loved
To be understood
To have power
To have and give attention
To have freedom
To create
To belong
To win
To connect

If you answered my questions with yearnings such as a desire for marriage, children, money, or even the perfect biscuit, you could probably attribute any of those with something on Ms. Weber’s list. But here’s the thing, her ingredients to attaining those nine desires are all temporary. A spouse who loves you, a friend who understands, a situation where you have power and win. Getting attention and belonging may last for a day, a month or a season. And freedom? From what? There are rules everywhere we go! None of these ingredients are bad or even frowned upon by God. But they are temporary fixes.

My biscuit journey made me realize we make commitments large and small to the things of this world for which we yearn. I had to submit to the rules of biscuit making. And if I plan to fulfill my goal, I need to be obedient to that cause.

Recipe For Tasting God’s Goodness

I want to give you a recipe for the big life goals Ms. Weber revealed which, when followed, last throughout eternity. You’re probably not going to like it. But it’s a recipe that been tested for literally thousands of years and those who have tasted it all agree it is good. You might have guessed it — submission and obedience to God.

"As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16

Let’s be honest, when anyone talks about obedience and submission a little red flag goes up in our mind. Unfortunately, so many Christian teachers and pastors these days seem to blame our lack of obedience to the Lord on our western culture. Here’s a Bible pro-tip: humans have struggled with obedience since the third chapter of Genesis. We need to stop blaming modern culture and realize it’s a human problem that spans all time and location. The Israelites didn’t live in western culture yet I recall a few times where they had kings that “did evil in the sight of the LORD” and were found very wanting.

We do, however, love to compound our basic disobedience to God by being fearful of disobedience to man. Nowadays that means we’re to be a planet saving, animal loving, anti-capitalists it seems. We are asked are you using recycled containers? If not, you’re killing the planet. Have you given enough money to the homeless? They are destitute because of you! Have you ethically sourced your jacket? If not, you’ve probably destroyed an entire rainforest. The food you eat, the leisure activities you enjoy, the car you drive – you’re being called every day to submit to new worldly rules. And if you don’t comply, then you can’t possibly be a good person and be happy! How could you, you planet destroyer and animal hater? Submit to the modern rules and feel good about yourself!

You may throw up your hands and call the recipe for eternal happiness and joy impossible. But as Christian author Kevin DeYoung writes in his great little book, Impossible Christianity, “When genuine discipleship becomes impossible, hell often becomes impossible as well.” In other words, when we believe failure is the norm, we forget the reality of hell.

Lasting Goodness

And I don’t know about you but hell is not what I’m yearning for when I’m done here. I also know I want lasting, deep peace and joy. It’s true that what we all yearn for in the now will only be a shadow of what is to come in eternity. Jesus reminds us that He knows we can’t do everything perfect and need to lean on Him all the time. We seek holiness as a life goal and know it’ll take the Holy Spirit to do the work in us. Urging us, teaching us, and even admonishing us.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

The world wants to tell Christians God’s only ingredient for the world is love. They conveniently leave out that God is also to be feared and revered. And separation from God, which is what Jesus was experiencing on the cross when He said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” is what we call “hell.”

Our disobedience tells God we don’t revere Him and instead revere ourselves. We want to be the author of our own recipe. So, while we have declared our faith in Jesus Christ, we continue to turn away from the holiness He so desires for our life. To the unbeliever it must be confusing to see us acting this way!

This holiness is not impossible. And while perfection may be our eternal goal, in all honesty we won’t achieve it here on earth. But like my biscuit making we need to keep thirsting and hungering for it.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."  Matthew 5:6

Next week we continue our look into obedience and submission, seeking the perfect recipe of holiness.

This week’s question: When you hear obedience and submission, what is your reaction?

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30 Days of Worship

June 3, 2024May 31, 2024 krisshetter

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5

Hello Friends! What is your heart set upon right now? What does your mind have on a continuous loop? You are yearning and hoping for something right now, what is it? For most of us we’d probably answer something related to finances, our health, our family, a job, a relationship, or even a material item like a house or new car. But if I had to summarize the words of Jesus throughout His time here on Earth, I’d have to take one line out of His Sermon on The Mount.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Matthew 5:6

When we hunger and thirst to know God, know His promises, His ways, and His infinitesimal love for us sinners I truly believe it brings the members of the Holy Trinity great joy! The most beautiful part about God, so different than other religions, is that He doesn’t need us one single bit but He wants a relationship with us built on a two-way love. He wants to provide for us and protect us. He wants to bring our hearts and souls into eternity with Him.

He wants our hearts to reside in Him – a point clearly emphasized by Jesus throughout the Sermon on the Mount. My BSGs have been steeped in this message for the last few months and it has inspired me for my next blog series–“30 Days of Worship.” Worshipping this amazing, all powerful, all knowing, all sufficient God and seeking Him in all things.

Each morning when I walk my dog Tucker, I typically enjoy listening to my Spotify Christian playlist. Our faith is so blessed to have an incredibly long tradition of utilizing music to express our praise, thankfulness, and even cries of help to God. So, I decided to use my playlist to inspire each day’s Worship post and wouldn’t you know… there were 30 songs on it! God is so good!

So, over the next few weeks I’ll be listening and re-listening to some of my current favorite songs getting the right words to worship the Lord, Our God, with all my heart, mind, body and soul. Each day starting July 1, I’ll post a scripture from the Old and New Testaments, a few thoughts, and the song that inspired me. I hope you will join me in on this 30 day journey! I’m sure you have favorite Christian worship songs from various genres that I will have missed so be sure to share yours as the days go by!

If you missed any of the other 30 Days series be sure to check out my website at emboldened.net. And please share the website with a friend so they can follow along too!

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Gentleness & Zeal

June 16, 2023June 19, 2023 krisshetter

I believe I’ve mentioned in studies past about an incident I once had that gave me a completely different view of the power of meekness. As a softball coach I sat in on all the board meetings where coaches were presented to be approved for the following season. During a previous season I had a difficult time with an overbearing and aggressive parent. With the board’s backing I expelled him from all practices and he wasn’t to be near the dugout during games. He was abusive not only to me but to his own daughter. At the next coaches’ approval meeting he showed up and ranted in front of about 20 coaches (all men and then me) about how if the board were to approve me, he would work to have the league’s field use permit negated. As he stood pointing and gesturing at me, calling me names, and disparaging my character I could do nothing but sit in stunned silence. I didn’t speak up and defend myself. I didn’t argue. And when he verbally attacked the president of the league he was told to sit down and stop talking.

What happened after the meeting shocked me even more. Coach after coach approached me and expressed how impressed they were with my stalwartness. They all thought I was fabulously and coolly dismissive of the angry man. I walked to my car that night with pats on my back. When I got into my car I started sobbing and trembling. I was silent in the meeting because I was terrified.

And this was just over a children’s sport! Imagine the torment, abuse, vitriol, that Jesus withstood. Many might say, “Of course He could, He was God.” Ok, fair point. Now imagine the disciples, once Jesus ascended, facing that same abuse, violence, and hatred. Continue on to all the new members of Christ’s church. Today there are still Christians in that same situation. The faithful in China, Iran, UAE, Cuba, Sri Lanka and more face persecution. According to an article in Christianity Today, 13 Christians are killed everyday because of their faith. Every day 12 churches or Christian buildings are attacked. (CT Jan. 13, 201). And we are still asked by the Lord to be gentle.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”  Matthew 5:5

Warren Wiersbe, on his commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, says Jesus’ message is one of the most misunderstood that He ever gave. And it’s no wonder. Just a focus on Jesus’ definition of gentleness and meekness and the world’s shows diverse paths. When studying this sermon, given to disciples, Jesus was concerned about our conduct as believers. We are expected to live in full submission to the Father. And that full submission leads us to humility, mourning over our sins, a gentle heart, and an obvious separation from the world.

When we look over Jesus’ life here in the flesh, we see a man who was God – a man who was powerful yet gentle. And then the clearing of the temple happened.

“In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” John 2:14-16

This was the angry Jesus. He saw how the poor were being manipulated and abused when they came to the temple to worship. He saw the wrong-hearted attitude of those who twisted God’s plan. This didn’t sound like the meek and gentle Jesus!

I told my husband the other day how this passage in scripture is the one place people point to and say “See, Jesus got angry too! So, I can have the same zeal about unbelievers!” I would counter, in His three years what defined Jesus was how loving and gentle He was. In the few moments of anger toward either the Pharisees or those on the temple grounds He was able to make a solid point. His meekness and gentleness made these moments all the more powerful.

Pastor Jonathan Edwards once remarked on the necessity and danger of zeal, “Lukewarmness in religion is abominable and zeal an excellent grace; yet above all other Christian values, it needs to be strictly watched and searched.” You see, we can let our zeal for any topic take over our lives and it becomes a breeding ground for pride. Prideful ways lend themselves to anger and bitterness. A passionate Christian, when not allowing the Holy Spirit to weed out pride, will sound more like a clanging gong. Had I, in that moment at the softball meeting, engaged in a back and forth argument with the angry parent, I wouldn’t have been viewed so positively. I had every right to defend myself but silence made a more powerful point. Had I been a faithful believer at the time I wouldn’t have been so frightened but I realized later that God was teaching me an amazing lesson.

I’ve long searched for ways to be more gentle in my dealings with, well, just about everyone. I’m a doer, a hard-charger, a take no-prisoners type. And too frequently I have stepped on a lot of feelings. When I’ve tried to be the “kinder, gentler” me I realized I came across as a phony. Even to strangers. It wasn’t until I allowed God to work on a heart change that I saw the fruits begin to bloom.

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." James 1:19-21

Not only does human anger (and being oblivious to anyone else’s needs or point of view) not produce righteousness but it also doesn’t produce gentleness. Quietness, listening and responding appropriately based on God’s will, which is implanted in us, brings us the ripe, juicy fruit of the Spirit. However, zeal and passion are never eliminated from our Christian way of life. God wants a passionate believer. One who seeks truth and to live it. A person who defends the weak and loves the unlovable. A believer who gives everything over to the Lord.

Friend, yes, the Father wants submission to His Way. To the Truth. That submission can look to the world like weakness. But as we stand while people berate us or even spit at us, we know the strength inside us. We can grieve for their sins, for our sins. We can love those who hate us because of the one who loves us. We can be kind and gentle knowing our all-powerful God has done the same with us throughout all time.

And in those times the Lord calls us into greater action, like Jesus in the temple, our passion instead of it being lost in the din, will be noticed.

Gentleness Misunderstood

June 14, 2023June 15, 2023 krisshetter

When I announced to my non-religious parents many years ago that I was going to start attending church, my mother asked why I needed religion and my father called it a crutch. To my father I responded, “Great, I’ll take two please!” It’s so frequently the case when speaking to non-religious folks that they will say similar things. “Who needs faith? Your religion is just a ‘sky dad,’ I don’t need some fake person to tell me what is right and wrong.” I’ve also heard people say, “Christians just turn their minds off and give themselves over to a made up god. They don’t think for themselves.”

As for the last comment I would say they are half correct. A true and faithful Christian seeks to turn their sinful self “off” and submit their heart, mind, body and soul to the one true God. The world calls that a weakness. In fact, some twist the idea of “meekness” or “gentleness” to mean that very thing: a weakness. When the world says we need self-praise and self-assertion we say we look to God for His will, His love, and our direction.

Meekness is not weakness, for both Moses and Jesus were meek men. The word translated “meek” was used by the Greeks to describe a horse that had been broken. It refers to power under control.”
Warren Wiersbe, commentary on Matthew 5:5

The word “meek” and “gentle” come from a similar word in Greek – praus (prah-ooce) and prautes (prah-oo-tace). One is an adjective and one is a noun. It’s interesting, however, when you look up the word “meek” in the English language you get these definitions: quiet, gentle, easily imposed on. Isn’t that what we tend more to think when we read in the Bible that the meek are to be blessed and inherit the earth? And when we read in Galatians of the fruit of the Spirit, one being “gentleness,” don’t we think of some sweet old person quietly living out their days in obscurity? Someone who probably doesn’t have much of an opinion about anything? And if they did, they certainly wouldn’t voice it!

But wouldn’t that be in conflict with the full picture of Jesus? In the one place where Jesus describes the state of His own heart, He gives us a picture of what we too should mirror – a gentle and humble heart. And yet He was a man with an opinion. A man who clearly spoke of sin, judgment, mercy, righteousness, and eternal life. He stood strong and faithful in front of those who mocked Him. He was meekness under control. More importantly, gentle under God’s control.

"The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So, what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground." John 8:3-8

As a person of action, frequently lacking in gentleness, I had always found this passage so frustrating! I wanted Jesus to look these hypocrites in the eye and tell them off. Put the full strength of God into His words and watch them melt into a puddle of shame. But He squatted down (a look of weakness it would seem) and started doodling. Doodling!! And the world shakes their head at His apparent lack of authority and power. “Here is the God YOU submit to,” they say. “If He had any god-like qualities He would have given them the ‘you’re fired!’ response.”

And yet…

"But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:9-11.

Jesus brushed off His hands and shrugged. No anger needed. No smoting. Just a gentle ripping open of the accusers’ souls. And still the world misunderstands because they are so attached to the sins of pride and self-importance and fleshly pursuits of power.

Friend, the world will call you weak. The world will say you have turned your mind over to a god. You are submissive. Your response? Tell them thank you for noticing because it means they can see your fruit. It may not be to their liking but it’s not the world we seek to please.

Coming up: Gentleness in action