1 Peter 5:6-7 Mark 10:5 9/27/2016

1 Peter 5:6-7 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

We lost something in the garden, and need to get it back.

Living in a constant state of anxiety is not what we were created to do, and it has negative consequences physically and spiritually.

We are electronically connected 24/7 to our "busyness", and have completely lost the concept of "downtime". Having achieved a perpetual state of work and worry, going to bed connected and waking up unrested, just to reconnect.

We have become so busy and sophisticated that the act of faithfully being "still" seems childish...and that is what it is...in fact Jesus was very clear on the subject. "I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." (Mark 10:5) 

When is the last time you approached God like a child?  With no instructions for Him, only the realization that you need Him?   Without demands or negotiations...just trusting that your Heavenly Father can deliver you?

What would it take to "cast all your anxiety on Him?  This verse says it takes humility, trusting in His timing, and knowing that He cares about you. 

This week stop.  Change your life, by intentionally unplugging and being "still" - before you start your day.  Humbly realize that you are loved.  Rely on God's protection, trust His heart and His timing ... and relax.

Anxiety can be deadly... cast it on Him, and walk free of fear...like a child holding their father's hand.

That is how we walked in the Garden, and He paid a great price so we can walk like that today. 

"Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith."
- Henry Ward Beecher

Exodus 3:14 9/13/2016*30*

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites:
'I AM has sent me to you.'"

Last week we established that we are important to God. Today, let's discuss why that matters.

If I grab a pencil and a napkin and sketch a picture, it would not be worth the value of the paper it was drawn on...but if I find a sketch on a napkin with the name Picasso on the bottom, it would be worth a fortune....Why? ...  Because the value of the art is derived from the value of the artist.

I am not valuable because of who I am...I am valuable because of whose I am. 

So whose are we? ... How do we describe God to the world?  God answered the question of who He is, the only way He could.  "I AM".  Nothing describes God but God.  Nothing compares to God but God.  "I AM" is the only possible answer.  Anything else diminishes His Glory.

That is your pedigree...He is the artist that created you, and He is the reason you are valuable. Like a planet that reflects the light of the sun, our value is a reflection of his brilliance.  

Moses wanted to explain who God is...but you cannot explain the in-explainable. There are no words to describe His glory. 

When the world questions "who sent you" and attempts to devalue your message...show them.
Don't just speak of love - love. Don't just talk about forgiveness - forgive.   If you can be at least a dim mirror of the Great "I AM" it will impact people and change the world.

... your job is not to explain Him...but to reflect Him. 

“There is no knowing that does not begin with knowing God.”
- John Calvin

Psalms 8:4 9/20/2016

Psalms 8:4 -
"What is man that you are mindful of him...?"

This is a fair question. Obviously the rest of the passage speaks to the awesomeness of God, but what about this question? Why would a Being so magnificent even be aware of something so insignificant?

The answer is our lineage.

I am a child of God, and that fact alone, means I am cherished.

When my children were born I loved them instantly.  From birth, they were immeasurably valuable to me. Before they did anything good or bad. Before they succeeded or failed, prospered or struggled ... they were loved.  Instantly, this small helpless being, became a permanent part of my heart, that has never, nor will ever have to do anything to gain my love.

If I, as an imperfect earthly father, can so easily feel that kind of Love, just imagine what
God, who IS Love, feels for you.  Stop for a moment and contemplate the depth of importance God has placed on you. Consider the incomprehensible cost He paid to deliver you from sin, and allow you to be "born again" as His.

The ramifications of being a child of God are staggering. You are never absent from God's thoughts....
it is not only that He is aware of you ... you are constantly on His mind.  He created you in His image, is aware of your every activity,  and loves you more deeply than any earthly father could.

If you have accepted God's offer of Grace and Redemption, you need not struggle for importance any longer. On the Cross He said "it is finished" - you are His child, you have a glorious inheritance, and you are cherished.

Live in the freedom of being valuable to God, and use that freedom to love others, and lead them to the same reconciliation you have experienced.

No other opinion matters...you are important to God.

“The mystery of seeking God is that HE is the One who finds you.”
― Kingsley Manuel

Matthew 7:22-23 9/6/2016

Matthew 7:22-23  "Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness."

These are some of the scariest verses in the bible.

Once you get over the shock of their content, there is an observation to consider.  When confronted with the fact that they were not qualified for salvation, this group immediately recited a list of their accomplishments.  They had apparently pinned their hopes on their "religious busyness" to earn eternal life.

What about us?  If our Christianity was questioned would we recite all we have done for God?  Would we tell Him how busy we have been for Him.  Would we argue that we hosted bible studies, or taught Sunday school, or that we were deacons at the church?  Would we assume our qualification is based on our religious effort?

The heart breaking response to their argument was simple...."I never knew you." Not that they hadn't done enough, but that they had missed the point completely. It is not about what you have done, it is about all He has done for you.  And once you realize that - the natural response is to "be still and know".  To fellowship with God. To worship the God that loves you.

The great gift of God is that we now have a true best friend.  We can enter the throne room. The veil has been torn, the sin has been removed and we can now have a relationship with our Creator. Not based on what we have done - base on what He did.

This week, make sure your service to God comes from a heart full of gratitude for your Savior. Spend time alone getting to know God.  Meditate on His word, spend time in prayer.
....Not so you will be saved, but because He already saved you.

"A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend. His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He Himself we have."
- D.L. Moody