SUNDAY, JANUARY 6
Scripture: Matthew 10:5,6

I have often wondered in reading Scripture, what Bible did Jesus preach from? His interpretation and the actions He took seem to be very, very different from our interpretation in our culture today. Matthew 10:5,6 says, “These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” When Jesus sent out the Twelve, He told them not to go to where most of the people were. He instructed them to not go to the Gentiles or to the city of the Samaritans. The Jewish people have always been a minority. Do we even ask the Lord about boundaries? Yet Jesus drew strict boundaries and limitations for the Twelve. That makes me wonder if there are any boundaries or limitations that God has for us that we have not heeded? Our New Testament culture is to go to everyone, but what is God’s focus for each of us personally? God’s personal boundaries keep us fruitful. One primary issue in a transitional season is to ask again about boundaries, “Lord, do You have any specific boundaries for me in the next season?” We have not even asked because we have assumed we know. For example, are there boundaries on when and to whom we should turn the other cheek? If there are, it means we must transition into different layers of God’s love and that means there are a variety of responses to evil when we confront it! “Turn-the-other-cheek” is, by far, the least controversial but it is also the most passive. Jesus already has a passive church – He needs a powerful, active one!