Philippians 2:4 4/28/2020*

“not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. “

It is tempting to skip over this phrase as “church language” but before we do, we should consider that Paul wrote it in a Roman prison facing the death penalty.

He is modeling what he is writing by ignoring his own needs and meeting the needs of those he loved in Philippi.

While incarcerated, he writes to thank, instruct, and encourage his friends. He does not argue for his release, he doesn’t beg them to help him… in fact he does the opposite -  He says, “…what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel” (Philippians 1:12).

How frustrating it must be for the enemy that Paul has such faith that he is unshaken by attacks and sees God’s response in every situation.

What about you?...What are you doing during your confinement? Are you meeting the needs of others - or are you focused on your own suffering?

Your response will be the difference between being a victim - or being victorious.

In 1675 the famous puritan preacher John Bunyan was arrested for preaching without a license. He spent six months in prison during which time he wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress, one of the most famous books ever written. It has positively impacted the walk of Christians all over the world. If you have not read it you should. When imprisoned, Bunyan did not waste time in self-pity he went to work for God.

My point is – we are all suffering – but what are we producing?  Are we taking the battle to the enemy like the Apostle Paul, and John Bunyan did?...or are we grumbling about our misfortune.

Let’s frustrate the enemies plans, by flooding the world with love and good deeds…fulfilling the needs of others and glorifying God with an attitude that circumstances cannot affect.

Let me challenge you this morning to saddle up…Put on the armor of God and find someone to help today…spend your energy serving others – Trust God, and I assure you He will make you more than a conqueror during this challenging trial.  

"I have been away from my writing too long. Maybe this is not so much a prison as an office from which I can reach the world with Christ’s message."  - John Bunyan

Matthew 6:11 4/21/2020*

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

Most of us recognize these words as part of “The Lord’s Prayer” and have recited them numerous times prior to athletic events.

But what exactly do they mean?...

Jesus is teaching His disciples how to pray…and this verse makes up about 10% of the instructions…so it is important.

Jesus is not teaching words for us to mimic – He is teaching us an attitude to live by. A few verses later, He says, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”

So, by instructing us to only ask for today’s provisions - and only concentrate on today’s problems - He is doubling down on a lifestyle that concentrates on right now.

You are not called to dwell in the past - or worry about the future…just deal with what is in front of you.

Great athletes know you must approach competitions one play, one shot, or one step at a time…. Worrying about the clock, or Constantly checking the score board will just distract you.

The same is true in life. When you feel like your falling behind - and running out of time it is easy to succumb to anxiety. Your imagination takes off and you find yourself dealing with future problems that do not exist yet. The mountains begin to look bigger and bigger – and you begin to question how you will endure.

God says don’t do that…He knows it is hard to hang on for a year…or a month …or even a week. But you can make it one day. So, He says - do that – Get through today – then rest - and in the morning and I will give you what you need again.

Meet with him often during the day. A no-huddle offense can be effective in football, but it is a disaster in life. You need time each morning with God. You need instruction and assurance. You need to huddle up with the Lord. Trust Him – Wait on Him – use the strength he provides in the moment. 

Prayer is the most powerful force on the planet. So, hit your knees, receive your provisions for today… stop worrying about tomorrow and fight the battle at hand.

“Forever is composed of nows.”
― Emily Dickinson

Proverbs 17:22 4/14/2020*

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

This is not superstition - it is a biblical and medical fact.

Research confirms that optimism influences healthiness. Studies show that cheerful people appear to have better cardiovascular health - and optimism (as measured by the Optimism-Pessimism scale of the MMPI) can improve recovery rates in medical patients by nearly 20%.

Science validates what God said nearly 3,000 years ago in Proverbs... That our attitude impacts our well-being.

Our culture likes to reverse that… we use circumstances as an excuse for our bad attitudes - but this verse indicates that our attitude may be contributing to our difficult circumstances.

Each of us have struggles in our lives. Some more than others - but we all have problems. Conversely, we all have a list of things for which we can be thankful… Choose today to focus on that list.

On good Friday I decided to spend some time only thanking God for all He has done for me. I am embarrassed to say that it was difficult to pray without falling back into the usual routine of listing my requests. But I restricted myself to giving thanks only - and I cannot tell you how powerful it was.

I was amazed at the things that flooded my mind – the answered prayers I had missed – remembering the storms God has carried me through - the amazing people God has placed in my life.

I was shocked by how much of my prayer life has been spent telling God what I want Him to do next …and what little time I have spent asking for guidance and thanking Him for His blessings.

Scripture says the “Joy of the Lord is our strength’ - and instructs us to “rejoice in the Lord always” …That doesn’t mean we are ignorant of problems - it just means we won’t allow them to rule us.

Let me challenge you today to spend some time in prayer dedicated only to giving thanks.  Spend the day cheerfully acknowledging God’s gracious love for you.

Choose to have a cheerful heart based on the faith you have in your Heavenly Father.  It is great medicine - with no harmful side effects.

“The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves.” —Helen Keller

Matthew 7:24-27 4/7/2020*

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”

The storm has landed. How’s your house doing?

Gale-force winds are testing the stability of your construction, and according to Christ, the strength of your house is based on the foundation.

Whether or not you have heard the words of Jesus is not the question …. what you say you believe isn’t the issue….it apparently boils down to “Obedience”. Jesus said that is the bedrock of our faith - yet most of us don’t like to talk about it.

Jesus is not teaching “works” salvation - He is talking about faith. What you “do” is dictated by what you “believe”.  …. So, if this storm is producing cracks, examine your obedience, because it is the thermometer of your faith.

Maybe your obedience has been misdirected to idols… Perhaps during this storm, you are realizing that money lied about its power…. or you are recognizing that self-centeredness is not an effective strategy.

The false gods that make promises in the sunshine - fail in the dark storm - so check their validity.  Because no matter how impressive the structure is – if the foundation crumbles it’s worthless.

The good news is you can rebuild.  Don’t waste this pain.  This can make you stronger… grow from it. If your life is unstable tear it down, abandon the old foundation and build on one that will withstand the assault.

You need to have iceberg faith. 90% of an iceberg is underwater…but it is that unseen foundation that allows it to destroy anything that comes against it. Your “house” needs to be built the same way.

Have a faith that impacts what you do, and who you are…According to Jesus, that is the game changer when you face a storm.  When (not if) the rain comes - that alone will determine whether or not you stand.

 “Obedience is the fruit of faith.” - Christina Rossetti

Matthew 10:29-31 3/31/2020*

”Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So, don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows..”

As you watch the world battle a powerful virus do you feel afraid, isolated, and unnoticed?... In this scripture, Jesus dispels the lie that “God doesn’t care”.

There are approximately 400 billion birds in the world – sparrows are basically worthless…. Yet God is aware of each one of them.  

You, however, are made in God’s image and are infinitely more important to Him than sparrows… He is aware of every detail in your life… provides each breath you take - and knows the number of hairs on your head. God knows your fear and anxiety …and they matter to Him. Your pain impacts God’s heart.

Why did Jesus weep at Lazarus’ funeral? He knew he was going to call Lazarus out of the grave…so why did He cry? The reason was because Lazarus friends and family were weeping… and because Jesus loved those people - He hurt…so Jesus wept.  Even when our grief is from a lack of information…He grieves with us. He weeps with the those who are wounded.

But His tears are never from fear or desperation - and ours shouldn’t be either. God is not pacing the floor. He has a plan. As Easter approaches and we celebrate the greatest rescue mission in history…let us rely on the proven love that prompted God to send His Son.  

The message of Easter is that you matter to God…Not as a group - but as an individual. God made salvation personal, because he loves you personally.  Isaiah 43:1 says, “…I have called you by name….” He died for you - by name. He doesn’t distantly love you - He lives in your heart. He is your ever-present help in times of trouble. (Psalms 46)

Trust Him.  Understand that when your sin threatened to separate you from Him … He gave His Son to stop it.  He paid the ultimate price to rescue you - and He will never leave you.  

Hold on tight… you are not alone…and nothing is out of His control.

“The shape of true love isn’t a diamond. It’s a cross.”
 – Alicia Bruxvoort

Romans 12:12 3/24/2020*

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

The three “Be’s” of survival… Be joyful, Be patient, and Be prayerful.

Hearing that we should be joyful in difficult times is perplexing because we have confused Joy, with happiness. Happiness results from circumstances…Joy exist in spite of them.  Our joy comes from our hope which has also been mis-defined… Hope is not wishing …it is being certain.  Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is being certain of what we do not see.”

That kind of hope allows us to endure tests joyfully because we trust in Christ. We have hope - not like the world does- but a hope built on confidence in God’s power.

Secondly “be patient” – This is alien to us. Our culture has literally killed patience. We irritably drum our fingers as the microwave takes 10 seconds to heat our food.  We want instant answers to any problem we face.

Can you remember the last time you were patient in a time of affliction?  How have you been handling the long lines at the grocery store? Or waiting for an answer to your current problem?….  When is the last time you were patient because you had hope (certainty) in God and that assuredness impacted your countenance with others in your life?

Finally, “be prayerful”.  Anxiously complaining improves absolutely nothing.  It worsens the problem by producing fear. But If you believe the bible, you must believe that prayer changes things. 

James says, “You do not have because you do not ask God”. Colossians says, “devote yourselves to prayer”. Thessalonians says, “Pray continually”

As a planet we have been given a “time out” … We are being told to be still. Psalms 46 says, to be still and know that He is God. …so, are you doing that?…. All the urgent stuff you thought had to be done can apparently wait. Break the 24-hour news cycle and dedicate some time to prayer… it will completely change your heart.

Be joyful in affliction because you are certain of God’s love. Be patient because you are certain of His power, and be prayerful because there is no safer place to be in times of trouble then in your Father’s arms.

“The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue.”  - Napoleon Bonaparte

Proverbs 24:10 3/17/2020*21*

“If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!”

I will not attempt to tell you how much of this crisis is hype, and how much is serious…because it doesn’t matter - our orders are the same:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

The discussion seems to be centered on severity… and who is to blame…but that is the wrong focus.

By any definition, this is a time of trouble…. The only thing you control is how you respond.

We talk about faith and courage but then go buy toilet paper since everyone else is… thereby causing a shortage.  Like sheep, we run in herds jumping imaginary fences because the one in front of us jumped…. That is fear.

But we have been commanded to be strong and courageous …..not fearful. You can’t control circumstances, but you can control how you respond.

Courage is only courage when it is challenged. You cannot be fearless when there is no danger. So now is our chance to show those around us what the peace of God looks like.

While the public is desperate, the church should be different. We should exude faith and calmness… helping those in need, and shining light into darkness …We should stand in stark contrast to the anxiety all around us.

Talk of faith is cheap, until trouble comes –
So do you have faith now? ...is it real? - Then walk in it.

Be wise as serpents (Matt. 10:16) and act intelligently, but have no fear because fear is not from God (2 Tim. 1:7). And when the enemy lies about what you should be scared of, he speaks his native language (John 8:44) so don’t listen.

If we falter in time of trouble our strength is small….
Now is a time of trouble - so step up Christian…are you just going to talk about your faith, or are you going to live it out?

Show the world what confidence in God looks like – bring wisdom and calmness to your surroundings - so others will be attracted to God’s power and seek the love and peace they see in you.

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” - Corrie Ten Boom

Psalm 149:4 3/10/2020*22*

“…He crowns the humble with victory.”

When did we start believing being humble was a burden? Why is such a liberating quality seen as a sacrifice?

We have wrongly defined humility as inhibition, lack of confidence, or thinking badly of ourselves. None of which have anything to do with humility…those are in fact the opposite –self-centeredness.

Humility is not thinking badly of yourself; it is not thinking of yourself at all… It is trusting God with you - and focusing on others….And humbleness is the antithesis of a burden, in fact it is the most freeing thing you will ever experience.

This verse says God “crowns the humble with victory” … so let’s stop acting like humility is a penance we pay for being a Christian, and realize it is our ticket to complete and total freedom.

John 3:30 says “He must increase, and I must decrease” … that’s not a negative…it is a rescue…a redemption. I can disappear into the loving arms of Christ, and He can appear through me.

Can you imagine the freedom you would experience if you didn’t have to worry about you?  If all your self-centered anxieties and fears suddenly disappeared?

Think about it…How much time do you waste wondering what others think of you?  What if you truly didn’t care who got credit for the good things you’ve done?  …Imagine the time you would save if you stopped second guessing God on His plans regarding all your circumstances.

God’s solution is called humility…and if you will lay hold of it – He will crown you with victory…Solid, definable, victory.

So, what are you waiting for? … Allow yourself to disappear in the arms of God…relax in His shadow today and let your only concern be serving Him.

Do what is right… and don’t worry who gets the credit.  Give cheerfully with reckless abandon knowing God has you covered.  Claim the promise that “The joy of the Lord is your strength” and live strong in that joy.

This morning leave “self” at home and instead focus on God and others.

Drop the burden of self-centeredness, take God at His Word and give humility a try…If you do, God will crown you with victory, His Joy will be your strength, and you will experience peace and freedom like you’ve never known.

“Humility, is that low, sweet root, from which all heavenly virtues shoot.” -Thomas Moore

1 John 4:16 3/3/2020*23*

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

Where does your stability come from?…What is your anchor in the storm? This passage contains three truths to help you find out:

First – Do you rely on God’s love for you?  Most of us rely on our good works as our credentials… But this says to rely, not on what you have done, but on the fact that God loves you.

Second – God is love… What does that mean?  There are accounts in scripture of Jesus’ words hurting people’s feelings…so it is not about just being kind or non-offensive. It is something much bigger than that.

Third – If I talked to your friends and family would they say you “live in love, and that they catch glimpses of God living in you”?

This passage has three powerful sentences…27 life changing words. If we want to understand them – we must live them.

Start by relying on God’s love to establish who you are... Nothing will give you more stability. Nothing is more solid than the love God has for you, and if you rely on that for your foundation you will be unshakable.

Then decide to Love others the way God loves… Not what is easiest for you, or most comfortable… but what is best for them. Truth over comfort… Godly love is a verb, and it acts for the betterment of others, regardless of the cost.

At the end of the verse it says, “Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them” …think about that statement. It is either true or it is absurd. You must deny it, or it must impact every moment of your day.

You can’t compartmentalize that truth. It must influence how your treat your friends, and how you treat your enemies. It must affect how you talk to your family, and to your adversaries. You must lean on this truth in good times, and in bad times.

There is no middle ground….Choose your anchor….Start now and find your strength in how much God loves you…trust His faithfulness and it will impact yours….it will change all you are, and all you do.

“All God's giants have been weak men and women who have gotten hold of God's faithfulness.”  - Hudson Taylor

Proverbs 15:28 2/25/2020*

“The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.”

What is the difference between weighing an answer and letting it gush out of your mouth?....

The difference is control…in one instance you are controlling your mouth, in the other your mouth is controlling you….

Our hearts and our mouths are connected…We have all experienced times when we have talked ourselves into a rage. We get on a roll and the more we talk the angrier we become.

That is an example of our mouth gushing wickedness and sweeping our emotions along in the flow.

This verse says that’s evil…

Instead we should think before we speak… weigh our answers…consider well our responses.

That is a difficult instruction - that for most people will require great change.

First you must listen to understand… not to respond. In order to weigh your answer, you need facts…listening is how you find them.

Second it requires humility…If you are already sure you are right, there is no need to listen… you are simply waiting for your opponent to take a breath so you can correct them.

Finally, it takes a desire to find the truth, and the patience to search for it.  Today we want sound bites and instant responses. But a righteous heart pursues truth and has the patience to seek it out.

As a young adult, I would sometimes ask my father complex questions … He would often respond, “let me think about that and get back to you”

He would weigh his answer …. there was a quality required of a response before he would allow it to pass through his lips…and hence his advice was always solid. As those of you who knew him know, you could always count on wisdom and truthfulness in his answers.

What if we did that…. What if we decided that today we would require a higher standard of our responses? What would change if we insisted on weighing our answers before allowing them to gush out of our mouths?

Try it for 24 hours…. It may seem simple – but scripture indicates it will be a life changing adjustment that brings wisdom and righteousness to your walk.

“We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.”
 – James 3:2