01/09/17 - Matt 6

Jan 9, 2017 – Matt 6

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt 6:34

Worrying about tomorrow wastes the time we could get things done today.

It is said that the only creature who thinks about tomorrow is the human being.  While planning and preparing can work to our advantage, worry & anxiety about tomorrow doesn’t.  Some doctors claim that the root of many of our illnesses is associated with worry.  Yet humans treat worry like it is their God-given right and responsibility.  We hold on to our worries like they are our friends, and think that holding them will make them never happen.

Worry is a deadly sin.  It’s associated with pride, at the top of the list of God’s most hated behaviors, and is a form of idolatry of the mind.  By worrying, we place more trust in our own abilities than in God’s.  Jesus did not give us a formula for managing worry, He told us to get rid of it… to stop doing it.  But in His prescription about worry, Jesus gave us a clear instruction on how to push worry out of our lives --- stop focusing on tomorrow and start doing what you are supposed to do today.

Worry is a thief that steals time.  It bankrupts my day and robs me of energy for today’s tasks, pushing more tasks onto tomorrow.  So by worrying, I am actually creating the circumstances that worry me.  Here are some examples:

-          The dad who is spends time worrying about finances and works too much, creating health issues that send him to the hospital where the medical bills damage his finances.

-          The mom who worries about her kids so much that she overprotects them from lessons today, which leads them to experiment and rebel later in life, creating the consequences she worried about.

-          The boss who worries about employees leaving, creating unrest in the environment that makes their employees want to leave.

-          The student who worries about their grades so much that it affects their thinking, and they tense up on a test instead of simply answering what they already knew.

-          The person who is so worried about their retirement plan, that they miss the direction of God and bypass God’s way of taking care of them in their later years (let alone missing out on a saving relationship with Jesus).

There’s no diet or exercise plan to manage your worries, and you can’t straddle the fence on them.   To end worry in your life means trusting God with your tomorrows and focusing your energy on what needs done today.  STOP WORRYING.  Kick that thief out of your house.  It’s killing you.  Just make the best of what you have today.  And celebrate the joy of what you accomplished today.

01/06/17 - Matt 5

Jan 6, 2017 - Matt 5

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

The Answer for a full life is not in activity, but in righteousness.

Imagine you walked into your favorite coffee shop, and ordered a vente coffee of your favorite variety.  Paying the charge, you wait expectantly for your go-go juice, and in a few minutes the barista calls you up to receive your cup.  You start to take a sip and notice something wrong – the cup feels light, and nothing is coming out.  Instead of coffee, it’s just a vente cup.  Pretty cup, with a heat shield, and quality lid… but no coffee.  You ask the barista to fill the cup, and they apologize immediately, then fill the cup and bring it back to you.  This time you open it and discover it wasn’t filled with hot coffee, but lukewarm tap water!   What is up with that!?!  This would not be a place you visited ever again.

Emptiness is defeat.  When something was created to be filled, it loses purpose when it’s empty.  Ask any coffee drinker when the pot is empty, or the race car driver when the tank is running on fumes, or the soul when it feels lonely.  And filling the emptiness with substitutes does not help.  Substitutes may take up space, but they don’t generate the purpose.

Jesus started his greatest sermon with a list called the Beatitudes, a list of blessings that fill properly our empty moments in life.  And Jesus doesn’t prescribe substitutes, He fills the voids with Exactly what must be given in order to regain fullness.  In the middle of the list is a prescription that speaks to the cup of our soul.  Jesus teaches us that those who hunger for righteousness will receive a full cup of it. Hungering for the truth instead of substitutes is like a permanent lifetime refill machine.  Jesus promises that those who do will not be disappointed.

Unfortunately, hungering for righteousness is too uncommon.  More often than not, people are satisfied filling their cups with substitutes like selfishness, materialism, worldliness and more.  But in the end, the substitutes leave us empty and sick, needing even more a filling that only comes with Truth.

The beginning of a year is a good time to check out your cup.  If your soul is feeling empty, start seeking the Truth & righteousness that only comes from God.   If you have been filling your soul with worldly substitutes, change your thinking and start thirsting for pure refills from the Lord.  Don’t live another day with emptiness, let Jesus fill your cup.  He is a barista that never lets you down.

01/05/17 - Matt 4

Jan 5, 2017 – Matt 4

At once they left their nets and followed him. Matt 4:20

When Jesus asks, act immediately ... hesitation leads to failure.

Someone once said: “He who hesitates is lost.”  I don’t know how lost they might be, but certainly the one who hesitates loses an opportunity.

Lost opportunity is not uncommon.  We are given new opportunities every day --- when to get up, what to eat, what to wear, where to work, and much more.  Opportunities may be large or small, but one thing is consistently true: every opportunity has a short lifespan.  The key to opportunity is discerning quickly and taking action.  Hesitating either closes the door of the opportunity, or permits someone else to take advantage of it.  Many times, the hesitation itself creates negative inertia that is much harder to overcome.  Failure comes because we didn’t act, or because we didn’t give it our all.  Action doesn’t guarantee success, but hesitation guarantees failure.

While life offers opportunities, Jesus doesn’t.  He offers callings.  Periodically in life, He makes a request and gives us the option to act on His prompting.  Normally it’s not multiple choice, Jesus is clear in His request.  Often, Jesus warns of the costs, and shares a simple vision of where it leads.  Seldom does Jesus tell us all the details, and He prefers it that way.  After all, callings are not about knowing the cost, but pursuing no matter what the cost is.  So in the moment Jesus makes the request, our answer will either immediate: take action or hesitate. 

That’s where Peter & Andrew found themselves when Jesus called them to become His disciples.  After a teaching session in their boat, Jesus invited them to a new mission in life – catching men’s souls instead of fish soles.  Given the situation, many good intentioned people would be slow to respond, hesitating to consider the cost.  But these two brave men didn’t hesitate.  They just got out of the boat, left everything behind, and started following.  Not only did they take action, they took it immediately.

Faith is learning NOT TO HESITATE.  When we believe fully in Jesus, it doesn’t always  mean we have to leave our careers or dreams behind, but it does mean we start taking action immediately whenever Jesus asks us to do something.  That could be feeding a homeless person, forgiving an enemy, sharing your testimony, giving to the work of the Church, or a hundred other instructions.  Faith doesn’t hesitate, it takes immediate action.

You may feel like you missed out on a calling.  Many people do.  Don’t waste time rehearsing the past.  Choose today to take action whenever Jesus asks.  Decide to trust in His calling, and act immediately.  No more hesitation, no more regrets.  Get out of your boat and leave the nets behind.  They will be there if Jesus has you return.  Make hesitation a thing of the past and discover the calling as you obey.  You’ll be glad you did.

01/04/17 - Matt 3

Jan 4, 2017 - Matt 3

Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Matt 3:10

Salvation is by belief and lordship is by action --- Show our faith by our actions today

Ever cared for a fruit tree?  They are difficult trees to manage.  Fruit trees require consistent water and good soil, the area around the tree should be tended, and the branches trimmed for maximum fruit production.   They are best used for creating fruit, not for climbing or shade.  And unless you like piling up their leaves in the fall … they are a messy option for your yard.  But, if you like their fruit, they can be a great joy during harvest season.

God made men similar to fruit trees.  He designed us to grow best using his resources, for the purpose of producing tasty fruit for the owner.  Yet some people want the water & nutrition of God in their lives, but don’t want to be bothered with fruit production.  Some want God to bless them with grace & mercy, but not be responsible for obedience & service to His Kingdom.  They want to be saved for eternity, but not make Him Lord of the present. 

John the Baptist called people to repentance – which wasn’t just feeling sorry for their sins.  He called them back to the life God designed them to live, by turning away from sin and embracing righteousness.  God isn’t impressed with good intentions, He wants people to match His holy image.  So John called men to turn back to that life before the Messiah arrived – or face the burning guilt and judgment of God. 

Jesus died to be our Savior, but He lives to be our Lord.  Salvation comes with Surrender.  We must be His tree and produce fruit in our lives – the fruit of obedience that fulfills His purpose.  Men don’t demonstrate their faith simply through words, they demonstrate faith through their actions & behaviors.

Question:  What are your behaviors revealing about your faith today?  Are they the fruit God expects you to be producing?  What one change (repentance) do you need to make to start producing that fruit again? 

Don’t let your life become kindling, produce the fruit your tree was designed for.

01/03/17 - Matt 2

Jan 3, 2017 – Matthew 2

The wise men saw the child, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures…   Matt 2:11

Worshipping Jesus means supporting His Kingdom instead of our own.

Jesus impacted many people and performed many miracles, but one of the greatest stories of His impact came when He did nothing.  According to the story of the birth of Christ, a star was created, and some astronomers from the East recognized it as a sign of great significance.  Purely out of faith, they started a long journey to meet the new king, lasting almost two years.  After a short stop in Jerusalem, they traveled to Bethlehem and finally found Jesus.   If that wasn’t extraordinary enough, these ‘wise’ men did two things to demonstrate their belief in this child:

1.       They bowed down and worshipped a 2-year old Jesus. 

2.       They offered sacrificial gifts as a demonstration of honor to Jesus.

Both of these actions are hugely significant! 

When the wise men bowed to worship Jesus, they weren’t worshipping a miracle-worker, or a great teacher, or a powerful leader.  They were worshipping a 2-year old without a track record, solely based on the prophecies and signs around them.  Most people today expect God to prove Himself (usually many times), before they would even consider submitting to Him a little, but these men had the wisdom to recognize Jesus as Lord, and bow to Him BEFORE He did anything to prove Himself.  That’s amazing faith and true belief --- the kind of faith & belief Jesus DESERVES from all of us after the cross and resurrection.

Secondly, they pulled out treasures to sacrifice to Jesus a significant gift.  Offering gifts is common in the presence of a king or prince, but Jesus was the child of two poor parents, and had nothing to indicate His future position would be a king.  Nor would the wise men be expected to give gifts, yet they gave sacrificially to a 2-year old they would never see again.  That’s amazing devotion – the kind of devotion we should all be giving to Jesus but often avoid.

All this happened prior to Jesus teaching, performing miracles, or raising from the dead.  They believed and acted on it.  They were very wise – putting aside their own kingdom to pursue the King, worship Him, and support His Kingdom.   What a contrast to today’s ‘advanced’ Christian, who doesn’t have time for God’s Word, is too busy to worship even weekly, and tries to limit their level of sacrifice and giving to God’s Kingdom.

If you have made Jesus your Lord, then show it by pursuing Him every day, worshipping Him regularly, and giving sacrificially to His work.  Open your heart & your treasures to the King.  (And if you haven’t found Jesus yet, keep searching until you find the One worthy of worshipping & sacrificing to.)

Because the truely wise man knows that worshipping Jesus leads to supporting His Kingdom instead of our own.

01/02/17 - Matt 1

Jan 2, 2017 – Matthew 1

"...and they will call him Immanuel"-which means, "God with us."    Matt 1:23

Jesus is not a distant deity but a personal present God---if we invite Him into our lives.

Jesus is not a distant deity but a personal present God.  How different from every other god studied and worshipped around the world.  Jesus is the essence of God that came in human form.  Out of love, Jesus chose to vacate His throne in heaven and subject Himself to the world He created.  Instead of being in charge, He came to demonstrate the power of God and the plan of God by walking with us.  Jesus is amazing because of the choice to be Immanuel.

If you grew up in a family (or have a family) with multiple children, you know the sound of kids claiming authority and privilege in every car ride when one child would yell “Shotgun!”.  Moving to the front was considered a step up from the back seat.  But imagine if you were the driver.  Moving to shotgun would not only be a downgrade, but would leave the driving up to people who are less capable, or possibly quite dangerous.

When Jesus came in the form of a baby, he vacated the driver’s seat and moved to shotgun, CHOOSING to come help us learn how to drive our lives properly.  It was a complete downgrade in His position, yet one of the greatest demonstrations of love we will ever see.  He chose to be With us, not just driving our lives, but coaching us to drive the way He intended.  Amazing!

But there is a catch.  Jesus is ready to be with us, but won’t intrude.  He only comes near those who invite Him into our lives.  Jesus is ready to walk daily with us, but won’t ride shotgun.  He comes along when permitted to drive.

As you begin your navigation through the New Testament this year, stop driving alone, and stop telling God how to drive.  Listen to the instructions of Jesus.  Watch how He taught the disciples and people around Him how to drive their life.  Learn and embrace His words as if they were lifesaving protection.  Don’t just read, trust & obey everything He says.  You might just discover that Jesus knows what He is doing, and is right there with you ready to instruct you from the Shotgun seat.

Invite Jesus into your life this year, and you will discover Immanuel is right there with you.

Making Sense or Making Right?

Hosea 14:9 - Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of The Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. 

God gave us a great gift when he creates the brain.  He provided the ability to think, to decide, to develop, to change. The fact we can choose may be the most spiritual thing we do. 

However, as great a gift the brain is, it can also be our worst enemy.  We can justify ourselves right into sin.  We can turn what is right into what us wrong.  We can reprogram ourselves from living with purpose to living in slavery.  All from how we use our brain. 

God's words through Hosea challenged the people to return to His way of thinking.  God wanted the people to understand His ways, not to justify their own. He called them to stop stumbling around in rebellion and start walking in righteousness. 

Just because we can think up exceptions or excuses doesn't change what is right. Your religious legalism doesn't change the command to love God and love your brother.  My justification for breaking a commandment doesn't change the commandment.  God told us what is right, and it is up to our brains to learn and understand that so we can choose the right way. 

Stop ignoring what is right in order to satisfy your cravings for selfish happiness or indulgence.  Challenge your brain to think and to grow a little --- and learn what is right. It will be a choice you will be glad you made for all eternity.