Matthew 19:23 10/29/2019*

“Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

This passage confuses people because our churches have quit preaching God’s requirement of complete commitment.  Many churches today preach a Jesus that would have run after this young man to negotiate…. They often proclaim Christ as Savior but rarely refer to Him as Lord.

We have forgotten that sometimes the bible says hard things, but they are never suggestions. So instead of obedience we have created a biblical buffet where we pick and choose what we like out of the bible and ignore the things that bother us. If we don’t agree with what the bible says about marriage, our role in the church, how we are to respond when mistreated, or any other issue…We explain the verse away and assume God would not require obedience if it doesn’t make us happy.

But that is not the Jesus we see in this passage. What Jesus demanded was hard – And with one look into the eyes of Christ the young man knew there was no need to make a counteroffer… The price of discipleship is everything….  You either follow God - or you don’t… and obeying only what you are comfortable with is not following God - it is following yourself.

Like a loving parent, God has given guidelines for your protection. He has pointed out sin so it will not overtake you. He has written truths that are nonnegotiable. God does not give recommendations He gives commandments. And they are to be obeyed not debated.

Our fatal flaw is believing that what we want, and what we need are always the same thing… so we change His word to fit our lives, instead of changing our lives to fit His word …which insures there is never a need for submission or obedience.

God loves you deeply…. but He did not die on the cross to make you happy…He died to make you Holy. It is what you were created for, and only holiness will fill the void in your life and bring lasting joy and true freedom.

 

“More than once Jesus deliberately addressed certain issues that quickly diminished the number of onlookers. It was commitment that thinned the ranks.”
- Chuck Swindoll

Proverbs 12:16 10/22/2019*

“Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult.”

By this definition we are becoming a nation of fools.

It seems we have not only forgotten how to overlook an insult …we are now making up reasons to be offended.  And once upset, we don’t change the channel, or keep scrolling, or vote for someone else ...that would be rational…instead we “shout our annoyance at once” …. we act like fools.

We employ a scorched earth policy offering two choices - complete acceptance of our opinion - or annihilation...there is no middle ground. 

It has become part of who we are, and it is foolish and dangerous.

What about you?  Are you prudent… or are you running with the herd?

If you spend your day having imaginary arguments with people in your head …..you need to let it go.  If you must sarcastically respond to every post that upsets you then you are letting your annoyance rule you.  Carrying frustration around all day because someone is misinformed is a waste of energy.

I am not saying don’t get involved…I am not saying don’t voice your opinion…in fact we are commanded to speak the truth in love.  I am just saying overlook insults and don’t be triggered if someone doesn’t like you.

You were wrong once…You were offensive, and bullheaded, self-centered and arrogant…God’s response to you was to open His arms and die in your place.

There have been times when you have had the audacity to argue with God about what He allows on the earth that He created…His response has been to love you anyway … How can you justify being angered or offended by others?

Take a deep breath and realize that hurt people, hurt people. See through it - and love as you have been loved.

Determine to go the entire day today without being offended.  Stay off the throne of self-importance and instead focus on the value of others and love them even if they hurt your feelings. When you feel annoyed intentionally re-focus your energy on loving that person.

If you can accomplish this I guarantee you when your head hits the pillow tonight you will not miss the anger you chose to overlook today.

"If you are on a continuous search to be offended, you will always find what you are looking for, even when it isn't there." ~ Bill Kellogg

Romans 8:38-39 10/15/2019*

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

This world is full of temporary affection. We are great at weddings but weak on marriages. We are big on promises and small on commitment. So, we search in vain for a permanent love that cannot be found in a fickle world of “what have you done for me lately?”

This is our heartbreak. We were created with the knowledge that “love never fails” …. Yet we continue to call things “love” that we know fall short of that definition, so we end up disappointed.  But God is love….so we keep looking because we are made in His image and nothing less will satisfy.

There is an eternal love…there is an anchor that holds…God offers an everlasting love. And to make sure you understand He provides an exhaustive list of all the things that cannot separate you from it. It is unbreakable.

God loves you. He has stated it. He proved it on the cross. And when you put on the righteousness of Christ, nothing can separate you from your Father.

You are cherished…. No longer only as valuable as your last performance, you can now walk in confidence. You can now rest peacefully. This removes the fear from your life, and finally allows you to look outward.

Have you accepted this gift?  Examine where you find your confidence.  Are you still trying to earn what Jesus purchased for you on the cross?

Trade in your sinfulness for His righteousness and it’s yours…it is a pre-paid gift that once accepted can never be lost. …Receive His love…be filled with it…and then give as much of it away as you can.

This love is what identifies us as His… It cannot be found anywhere else, and it changes you in ways that are irreversible.  It makes you more than a conqueror, giving you a solid foundation which, in His shadow, makes you invincible. 

Knowing you have your Father’s heart will allow you to stop searching for love and do what you were created to do…Freely worship your God - and give love spontaneously to others.

“Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.” – C.S. Lewis

Matthew 6:33 10/8/2019*

^“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

This verse is a response to our worry regarding what we will wear, eat, and drink each day.

If a race car drivers primary focus is on pursuing tires, gas, and oil, they will be ineffective.  A race car driver is supposed to focus on the race…these other inputs are needed, but he trusts his pit crew to attend to those needs. In the same way, if I wake up each day and pursue clothes, food and drink - I have missed my purpose.

In this passage Jesus says you are focused on the wrong thing. You are a race car driver pre-occupied with outfitting your vehicle rather than driving it …and that is affecting your ability to succeed. We need to focus on our mission which is to seek His Kingdom and to pursue His righteousness.

Jesus furthers this point by pointing out that the flowers are more beautifully dressed by God than the wealthiest of Kings, and that the birds who do not stress are also provided for…all details are taken care of by God.

Then Jesus says something profound that should be the key to your confidence… Flowers and birds are here today and gone tomorrow. But you were created to fellowship with God for eternity … you are His child, and He takes care of His children.

So, what are you seeking today?... You should live differently because you pursue a heavenly plan and trust God to handle the details. Seek God with reckless abandon, knowing there is nothing reckless about abandoning worry and trusting an omnipotent God. Stop chasing the worthless trinkets of the world and instead “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20)

Live differently today…. Trust God to provide for you and use your energy to seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. You will experience a freedom and joy in life that you cannot attain when you are fixated on pit row.

 Gentlemen start your engines… and drive to win.

“Focus your full attention on the goodness and greatness of your Father rather than on the size of your need. Your need is tiny compared to His ability to meet it.  - Bill Patterson

Matthew 5:30 10/1/2019*

“And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”

Jesus is not promoting amputation each time we sin; He is endorsing a perspective.

He is moving us away from frivolously viewing sin as a mistake, or an error, or “not God’s best”. These passive descriptions of sin allow us to view it as a casual error. When in fact it is a dangerous evil that carries catastrophic consequences.

Jesus is trying to shock His audience with the truth that it would be better to be physically disabled than spiritually crippled.  The ramifications of losing a limb are inconsequential when compared to separation from God.

How do you view sin?.... are you repulsed by it?...Does it break your heart? Are you driven to your knees in remorse and repentance when you sin?  If not, then Jesus is speaking directly to you. He is saying do not allow your arrogance to make you tolerant toward the one thing that can destroy you…act…be intentional….cut out spiritual cancer when you see it.

If you find a lump on your body you get it looked at immediately because malignancies grow…sin does too. The enemy will attempt to hide it and give it time to progress, but Jesus says you must see it for what it is and eliminate it…..Sin is not a slipup. It is a dangerous growing disease.  Either you are killing it, or it is killing you.

So, what needs to be cut out of your life today?  …. A habit?... a group you hang out with?.... a job?... a hobby? …your phone?  Everything is on the table…Unless it is more valuable than your right-hand Jesus says it is expendable.  

Get out your scalpel and conduct a spiritual exam. Be an aggressive surgeon and if there is something in your life causing you to sin - remove it. The operation may be painful, but the long-term benefits are extraordinary.

Have an eternal perspective. Stop tolerating that one sin you keep making excuses for and do something about it. With Christ nothing is inoperable, but you must choose to have the surgery.

Christian, beware of thinking lightly of sin. Take heed in case you fall little by little. - Charles Spurgeon