Happy Thursday Readers! (If you happen to be reading this on the day that I am posting this). Welcome to my first bible study I am writing during the Lenten season. For those of you who do not know what Lent is, it’s a common practice in the Catholic church of disciplining yourself for 40 days and going into a period of repentence between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. There’s a lot of details about it that I won’t get into, but I wanted to acknowledge that I am using the time to study the New Testament in depth. Of course, since this is the first one I’m publishing, I’m going to start with my findings I’ve discovered in the Book of Matthew. As of today (the first Thursday after Ash Wednesday of 2025), I ended at the end of Matthew 20.
This is a scene from early on in the book of Matthew I wanted to draw. It takes place shortly after the baptism of Jesus.
Now that I shared some wholesome artwork, I wanted to share some thoughts I had based on the story of Jesus that I think a lot of people need to hear.
“Every thought you think, every word you say, and every deed you do is a prayer.”
This is a quote that my god-fearing Grandma used to say to me that she got from her own parents. And this is a universal rule tying back to the “law of attraction” that many theologies and even science has studied. And there’s several bible verses that acknowledge this truth.
“And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” -Matthew 3:9-10
This is about living one with the lessons of Jesus. You don’t automatically “go to heaven” or to the kingdom of God by simply believing in God and going through the motions. You have to genuinely believe in your actions and be a good person. If you don’t practice what you preach, you’re as good as a sinner.
“Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.” -Matthew 12:37
This passage was particularly black and white about what this is about. Everything you put out into the world is what comes back to you. This is why positive affirmations are so helpful when overcoming periods of insecurity and self-doubt. This is also why talking badly about yourself and others tends to put you in bad situations. Being mindful of what you say is important as it empowers you to navigate the world around you, and choosing the right words can bring one closer to the kingdom of God on Earth. Or bring you further from it.
Some Churches don’t actually follow a lot of the biblical teachings of Jesus.
Another thing I’ve noticed is an irony between the lessons of Jesus and a lot of modern organized religion. I mostly think of any church or organized faith that uses their power to control others, turn away minorities, or otherwise use their dogma to either herd a group of people, or to disallow those trying to be saved.
“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.” -Matthew 12:33
This is a concept I think about a lot when it comes to some organized religions. Even within the same sector of faith I’ve had different experiences. For a long time, I struggled with Christian faith because of how Catholics treated me when I was having testimony with my faith. I was essentially told I wouldn’t get into heaven because I wasn’t baptized in whatever church I was going into that Sunday morning. To me, church was always about gathering with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ than it ever was about the differences in opinions on faith. I simply walked away from Jesus and the church for that reason. The fruit coming from Church at that stage in my life had a rotting smell to it, so to speak.
“I’m after Mercy, not religion. I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” -Matthew 9:13
This is something I think more people need to hear. To live like Jesus, we need to be better as Christians about reaching out to the world. We need more healers, more storytellers, and more volunteers practicing the things that Jesus did and preached. We need this far more than we need bodies lining our church pews. We need those that practice love and mercy on Earth to do their parts.
“ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” – Matthew 15:8-9
This goes out to any so-called “Christian” who has used their faith as an excuse to not include others in your heart for being who they are. Jesus taught forgiveness, love, and tolerance above anything. Churches who are out for control and money are not spreading the word the way Jesus wanted them to.
In Conclusion…
Matthew’s Gospel emphasizes that true spirituality manifests in actions rather than words alone. Jesus valued mercy over rigid religious observance, teaching that our thoughts and words shape our spiritual reality. These passages are necessary to look on in today’s day and age when it comes to Christians spreading The Message. I really want to challenge any particular church leaders or others in positions of power and ask yourselves “am I producing good fruit? Am I loving thy neighbor and giving back to the world from the goodness of my heart?”
I’d like to end this bible study with a quote from the book of Matthew that deeply inspired me;
“Blessed are the meek; for they will inherit the Earth.” -Matthew 5:5
Remember to be humble, because at the end of the day we are all just made from dust, and from dust we shall return.
Syd Weldon 
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