"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
Well, here we are again. The Monroe Family output is more than its input this month. I didn't think we'd be this tight again for a really long time. I can remember the last time we felt like this: it was about 18 months ago. Josh had just changed jobs, and I was waiting for a permanent spot at the school where I was teaching, which was supposed to be coming up at the end of March. We were living off of my little daily wage. Then, I was told that they weren't going to fill my spot -- at the end of the month I would be unemployed...again. I needed gas for my car, so I went to fill up but my card was declined. I went to the bank to put in the small check I had received from tutoring, but apparently we were already in the black, because even after putting the check in, we only had positive 53 cents. Fifty-three cents! That was all we had between the two of us! I immediately pulled into the parking lot and bawled for about three hours. Life was piling up, and I could not get out from underneath it. Why couldn't I trust that God would take care of me?
The next day, we received our tax refund check in the mail. It was later than we'd expected; yet, God knew His timing. Three days later, I was also hired full-time with the school system...at last! That's not to say I didn't have to do a little fighting on my own behalf, but I was hired nonetheless. I remember feeling foolish because I hadn't trusted God even when the fire was getting hot. Isn't that the goal? To stay faithful to God even when our circumstances fit into some form of the word suffering? I am sad to say that faithfulness was not my immediate response. So, I learned my lesson, and I keep that little bank receipt that says fifty-three cents in my journal, and Josh and I will say to each other "fifty-three cents" when things are getting tight from our perspective because we know God will provide. He always does! Yet how quickly I forget.
I had forgotten. It's been 18 months, and I think it's safe to say that Josh and I were beginning to feel pretty self-sufficient. Until three weeks ago. Three weeks ago, we had some major expenses...some expected and some unexpected. Regardless, I find myself in the same spot as I was 18 months ago, but thankfully, not once have either of us doubted God's provision this time. We are choosing to remember what He taught us last time. It sure is humbling though, and that's okay, because I really could use a good dose of humbling most days. God has provided again, but this time around it's without all of our anxiety and worry before His provisions come. My sister Haley is living with us and pays us for the food she eats here, and if it weren't for her, I also would have run out of gas on the way home last night. So, let us not think that God is always going to provide in the way of some big fireworks show...last night, God provided when I asked Haley to borrow $10 and she very willingly said 'sure!'. She also paid for my dinner.
Finally, Pay Day is today. We made it through a really tight month, and once these bills get paid, it looks like next month is going to be equally as tight until we can get all caught up. But what my former sufferings have taught me about God is that He is faithful, good, and loving, and He WILL provide for our needs (and sometimes even our wants...like my Jimmy Johns dinner last night). We have nothing to fear, my friends. Nothing! Not even death. Our pride may be hurt, but that's not a bad thing. Our comfort may be stretched, but that's not a bad thing. In the meantime, our faith in God and our capacity for compassion will increase.
The passage above starts with "Therefore." If we look in the verses previous, we see the passage from yesterday on Our Treasure. Putting these two passages together, we get the bigger picture: when we get our perspective on our treasures right, we will have reason to not be anxious. We will have peace.
I can't urge you enough, dear people. Trust Him! He will not fail you. In the midst of your turmoil, He will change you if you draw closer to Him. What you are going through right now is for your benefit because of His great love for you. That's the truth. So whatever it is, you need not be anxious. Your God can do a lot with just fifty-three cents.
Coffee with Jesus
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Matthew 6:19-24 (Treasures in Heaven)
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
I've been challenged this week to read Scripture not the way our culture tends to read it, but how a God-glorifying life should read it. Many in our current culture read scripture this way:
1) Read the Bible that looks good to me.
2) Decide what I think about what it says.
3) Figure out how to apply it to my life.
But don't we see how these three steps are not focused on God or the Bible and what it says, but rather on "me, I, and my".
Instead, I want to challenge myself and all of you to read scripture this way:
1) Read the Bible.
2) Obey it.
We don't need to read into it, figure out what we think about what it says, and then figure out if we want to apply it to our lives. We just need to OBEY it. And we can obey it in confidence because we know that God's plans are for our GOOD. His boundaries are for our benefit!
So let's take a look at what today's passage says:
We are not to store or 'lay up' treasures here. That's hard to do in a very materialistic and self-centered society. And it doesn't have to be material treasure always -- it can be the praise of man or the approval of a certain person that we're after. It could be a job, a relationship, or...a material possession that we treasure. But we are not to store those up here! They will be gone in the blink of an eye. Just ask the man I met today who lost his ability to walk 30 years ago in a car accident. I was asked to go visit him, and I was told beforehand that he was a paraplegic. Not knowing him, I braced myself for someone who was maybe pretty down because here he was in a hospital with really bad bed sores and infections BECAUSE of his inability to walk.
But instead, I opened the door to a voice that sounded upbeat! I saw him lying in his bed, and he smiled at me from across the room as I walked in. He was such a joy to talk to -- and until 5 minutes ago, we were complete strangers! After about 30 minutes of visiting with him, I asked him what it was like for him to learn that he'd never walk again. He said that within two weeks of receiving that news he learned two things: 1) He was still the same person -- same personality, same intellect, same sense of humor -- but he just couldn't walk anymore. Then he added with a smile, "Walking is over-rated anyway." And 2) He said his friends didn't leave him. People weren't going to abandon him just because he couldn't walk anymore. He said the nurse working with him 30 years ago would get angry because his friends stayed well past "lights out" and she would have to kick them out because they were all just having to much fun and it was time for them to go!
I was flabbergasted. I cannot imagine losing my ability to walk...and do you know why? I've been treasuring my ability to walk a little too much. I was believing the lie that if I couldn't walk, life would probably be miserable. But ask my new friend from today, and he'll tell you that walking is over-rated! Why can he say that? Because he's stored up treasures that are worth more and will last longer than these feeble legs of ours. He has invested in his relationship with Jesus, so he KNOWS who he is...even without his legs. And he has invested in his relationships with people, so he KNOWS how to love people and life...even without his legs.
It was a joy to be with him today. An absolute joy. As always, I went to serve him, but he really served me and taught me where my treasure should be. Honestly, God could take away my ability to walk tomorrow, He really could, and from my new friends example, I know I would be okay because I have let go of the "treasure" label when I think about walking. Instead, I want to TREASURE my time with the Lord every morning, and I want to TREASURE the people in my life whom I love and desire to do life with as well as the strangers I encounter in a day!
The last line of this passage is "You can't serve God and money," and I would say that maybe money is not your treasure...maybe it's your ability to walk. But whatever it is, we must give it up. What do you really want to TREASURE? Let me challenge us to start taking the steps toward that treasure instead...because really, whatever your "treasure" is, it's over-rated anyway. :)
I've been challenged this week to read Scripture not the way our culture tends to read it, but how a God-glorifying life should read it. Many in our current culture read scripture this way:
1) Read the Bible that looks good to me.
2) Decide what I think about what it says.
3) Figure out how to apply it to my life.
But don't we see how these three steps are not focused on God or the Bible and what it says, but rather on "me, I, and my".
Instead, I want to challenge myself and all of you to read scripture this way:
1) Read the Bible.
2) Obey it.
We don't need to read into it, figure out what we think about what it says, and then figure out if we want to apply it to our lives. We just need to OBEY it. And we can obey it in confidence because we know that God's plans are for our GOOD. His boundaries are for our benefit!
So let's take a look at what today's passage says:
We are not to store or 'lay up' treasures here. That's hard to do in a very materialistic and self-centered society. And it doesn't have to be material treasure always -- it can be the praise of man or the approval of a certain person that we're after. It could be a job, a relationship, or...a material possession that we treasure. But we are not to store those up here! They will be gone in the blink of an eye. Just ask the man I met today who lost his ability to walk 30 years ago in a car accident. I was asked to go visit him, and I was told beforehand that he was a paraplegic. Not knowing him, I braced myself for someone who was maybe pretty down because here he was in a hospital with really bad bed sores and infections BECAUSE of his inability to walk.
But instead, I opened the door to a voice that sounded upbeat! I saw him lying in his bed, and he smiled at me from across the room as I walked in. He was such a joy to talk to -- and until 5 minutes ago, we were complete strangers! After about 30 minutes of visiting with him, I asked him what it was like for him to learn that he'd never walk again. He said that within two weeks of receiving that news he learned two things: 1) He was still the same person -- same personality, same intellect, same sense of humor -- but he just couldn't walk anymore. Then he added with a smile, "Walking is over-rated anyway." And 2) He said his friends didn't leave him. People weren't going to abandon him just because he couldn't walk anymore. He said the nurse working with him 30 years ago would get angry because his friends stayed well past "lights out" and she would have to kick them out because they were all just having to much fun and it was time for them to go!
I was flabbergasted. I cannot imagine losing my ability to walk...and do you know why? I've been treasuring my ability to walk a little too much. I was believing the lie that if I couldn't walk, life would probably be miserable. But ask my new friend from today, and he'll tell you that walking is over-rated! Why can he say that? Because he's stored up treasures that are worth more and will last longer than these feeble legs of ours. He has invested in his relationship with Jesus, so he KNOWS who he is...even without his legs. And he has invested in his relationships with people, so he KNOWS how to love people and life...even without his legs.
It was a joy to be with him today. An absolute joy. As always, I went to serve him, but he really served me and taught me where my treasure should be. Honestly, God could take away my ability to walk tomorrow, He really could, and from my new friends example, I know I would be okay because I have let go of the "treasure" label when I think about walking. Instead, I want to TREASURE my time with the Lord every morning, and I want to TREASURE the people in my life whom I love and desire to do life with as well as the strangers I encounter in a day!
The last line of this passage is "You can't serve God and money," and I would say that maybe money is not your treasure...maybe it's your ability to walk. But whatever it is, we must give it up. What do you really want to TREASURE? Let me challenge us to start taking the steps toward that treasure instead...because really, whatever your "treasure" is, it's over-rated anyway. :)
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Matthew 6:16-18 (When You Fast...)
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Fasting. Now here's the topic on everyone's mind...NOT! Wow, when I saw that word this morning I thought to myself, I'm not sure I have ever heard a single sermon preached on this topic. It's as if our society thinks that fasting is not necessary anymore. Yet, we'll fast from desserts in order to lose those last five pounds, or we'll fast from greasy foods in order to lower our cholesterol. We know how to deny ourselves certain things...but we do it for ourselves, our health, our appearance.
Fasting in the Bible according to the Message is, "when you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God."
I remember when I was a teenager, my dad did a 40 day fast. Remember, Jesus did that once (at least), too, so my dad wasn't being completely nuts...or so I thought. All I can remember about it was that he juiced vegetables all day long, and he would sit with us as a family at the table while we ate roasted meats and just watch. We knew what he was doing, but we weren't supposed to really tell people because he didn't want that attention. Then, toward the end of the 40 days, people started asking my mom and me if he was feeling well...he was wasting away! That's all that comes to mind. But when I think about my dad and his faithfulness in getting up to meet with God at 4:30am most mornings, being an example and a leader in our family all those years, I can't help but think of that season of life when he denied himself all pleasure that comes from food and drink, with the intention to be filled with the Lord instead. What an example.
And it is a season. I know that about fasting. It's not meant as a life-style, but whether or not we will do it is not necessarily a question in Jesus' mind. He says, "When you fast..." Okay, well, when should I fast?
In 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat orders the people to observe a fast when an enemy army was upon them. He told the people to seek the Lord for guidance. My Bible note below says, "by separating themselves from the daily routine of food preparation and eating, they could devote more time to prayer and considering their own sin." And isn't that what hunger pangs do to us? They remind us that we are in need. We need food, and we need God! Do you have any enemies upon you today? Do you need to be still before the Lord, like we talked about yesterday, and devote extra time to prayer, humbling yourself before your God who loves you?
In Ezra 8, Ezra leads the people on a 900 mile journey on foot. Before the journey, Ezra told the people to fast and humble themselves before their God. "We prayed that He would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled...so we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and He heard our prayer" (vs. 21, 23). We may not be walking 900 miles, but I know my life has been full of many journeys and adventures. Ezra and the people knew that they were going to begin a journey, but before they did, they fasted and prayed. I can't imagine they just fasted and prayed only for an afternoon. How wise of them to slow down (for maybe a few days) and be still before this crazy new season in their lives. I can imagine that they gained some fresh perspective from the Lord! Are you about to begin a new season in life? A new job, new relationship, new priorities? Perhaps it would be wise to slow down for a couple days and deny yourself some of life's physical pleasures in order to be even more full of Him before you begin?
With the crazy fall schedule I told you I have yesterday, I'm wondering if it might be time for me to not speed up to try to get everything done, but to slow down and focus on Jesus so that I can really soak in what He wants to teach me and to know the priorities He has for me in this season. I invite you to join me in this. There are no rules -- it's just you and Him. Do you hear Him calling you away to focus on Him right now? Don't be too busy that you let this stirring in your soul go unnoticed.
Fasting is a discipline. It may not feel good at first, but stick with it because "your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Fasting. Now here's the topic on everyone's mind...NOT! Wow, when I saw that word this morning I thought to myself, I'm not sure I have ever heard a single sermon preached on this topic. It's as if our society thinks that fasting is not necessary anymore. Yet, we'll fast from desserts in order to lose those last five pounds, or we'll fast from greasy foods in order to lower our cholesterol. We know how to deny ourselves certain things...but we do it for ourselves, our health, our appearance.
Fasting in the Bible according to the Message is, "when you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God."
I remember when I was a teenager, my dad did a 40 day fast. Remember, Jesus did that once (at least), too, so my dad wasn't being completely nuts...or so I thought. All I can remember about it was that he juiced vegetables all day long, and he would sit with us as a family at the table while we ate roasted meats and just watch. We knew what he was doing, but we weren't supposed to really tell people because he didn't want that attention. Then, toward the end of the 40 days, people started asking my mom and me if he was feeling well...he was wasting away! That's all that comes to mind. But when I think about my dad and his faithfulness in getting up to meet with God at 4:30am most mornings, being an example and a leader in our family all those years, I can't help but think of that season of life when he denied himself all pleasure that comes from food and drink, with the intention to be filled with the Lord instead. What an example.
And it is a season. I know that about fasting. It's not meant as a life-style, but whether or not we will do it is not necessarily a question in Jesus' mind. He says, "When you fast..." Okay, well, when should I fast?
In 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat orders the people to observe a fast when an enemy army was upon them. He told the people to seek the Lord for guidance. My Bible note below says, "by separating themselves from the daily routine of food preparation and eating, they could devote more time to prayer and considering their own sin." And isn't that what hunger pangs do to us? They remind us that we are in need. We need food, and we need God! Do you have any enemies upon you today? Do you need to be still before the Lord, like we talked about yesterday, and devote extra time to prayer, humbling yourself before your God who loves you?
In Ezra 8, Ezra leads the people on a 900 mile journey on foot. Before the journey, Ezra told the people to fast and humble themselves before their God. "We prayed that He would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled...so we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and He heard our prayer" (vs. 21, 23). We may not be walking 900 miles, but I know my life has been full of many journeys and adventures. Ezra and the people knew that they were going to begin a journey, but before they did, they fasted and prayed. I can't imagine they just fasted and prayed only for an afternoon. How wise of them to slow down (for maybe a few days) and be still before this crazy new season in their lives. I can imagine that they gained some fresh perspective from the Lord! Are you about to begin a new season in life? A new job, new relationship, new priorities? Perhaps it would be wise to slow down for a couple days and deny yourself some of life's physical pleasures in order to be even more full of Him before you begin?
With the crazy fall schedule I told you I have yesterday, I'm wondering if it might be time for me to not speed up to try to get everything done, but to slow down and focus on Jesus so that I can really soak in what He wants to teach me and to know the priorities He has for me in this season. I invite you to join me in this. There are no rules -- it's just you and Him. Do you hear Him calling you away to focus on Him right now? Don't be too busy that you let this stirring in your soul go unnoticed.
Fasting is a discipline. It may not feel good at first, but stick with it because "your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Matthew 6:5-8 (When You Pray)
“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!"
Prayer has always been a tough one for me. I'm not easily devoted to the discipline of quieting myself long enough to bend my knees and say everything I can possibly think of to God. Then, I feel guilty about this. I know I'm not the only one who feels that way, because a woman with whom I work approached me a couple weeks ago and worried because she could never seem to find time to pray long prayers either, and she felt that that was what she was supposed to be doing.
I really feel that again this is an area where satan really has a tight grip on us. We are believing the lie that long prayers equal spiritual maturity, and therefore, short prayers can be equated with the opposite. But long prayers for the sake of long prayers are quite far from what God really wants from us! The above verses say, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!" Our words and Christian-y phrases mean nothing to God. You know when someone is trying to butter you up, don't you? In the same way, there is no reason to try to butter God up because this says He already knows what we need even before we ask Him!
Similarly, to our giving that we talked about yesterday, our prayers should not be done for all to see, but rather "when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." Again, He rewards what is done in secret, where no one can see but Him. Here's the part that's hard for me...going away by myself (but, I'm an extravert and I don't like being alone)..., shutting the door behind me (Oh no, I might miss something and be left out)..., and praying (but I have laundry to do, dishes to wash, and a coffee date with a friend in an hour). Oh, I am a mess.
Somehow, I have already packed my fall schedule so full that my weeknights (Monday through Thursday) are pretty much booked. I already have a weekly Tuesday night commitment, a weekly Wednesday night commitment, and an every-other Monday night commitment. That leaves Thursdays, which Josh and I have designated as our "date night" for this semester. Now is when you can ask me, "Molly, when are you going to have time to be with the Lord in quiet?" Hence the tears I cried with Josh last night....why do I do this to myself? Our conversation was "it's all GOOD, but is it all beneficial RIGHT NOW?" I am falling into the trap of being "too busy." I can see now that all the commitments I made for this semester were probably not my best choice. When will I have time to just sit in the quiet and let the Lord's presence sink into my soul?
In the seventh century, Issac the Syrian wrote about "stillness" which he summarized as, "a deliberate denial of the gift of words for the sake of achieving inner silence, in the midst of which a person can hear the presence of God. It is standing, unceasingly silent and prayerfully before God." The prayers Jesus recorded in the New Testament are surprisingly short; yet, in places like the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed all night long. I wonder how much of that night was Jesus practicing "stillness" before the Lord. I love the phrase from Issac that says "unceasingly silent." For a busy-body like me, silence is difficult. It really is. I feel the need to fill the space with something. But "unceasingly silent" gives me the picture that no matter what, I will remain silent. God is patient, so as I'm babbling to Him, He doesn't need to interrupt me. But, when will I expect Him to speak to me if I'm never quiet?
This is a challenge to me. Wow. I need to find some time weekly to just remain unceasingly silent before the Lord. Maybe that's what our culture, myself, and my co-worker need to hear. Maybe we are trying too hard to say long prayers, when really we need to learn to just be silent before the Lord.
Let me close with our verses today in the Message translation:
"And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace."
That's what should be remembered when you pray...
“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!"
Prayer has always been a tough one for me. I'm not easily devoted to the discipline of quieting myself long enough to bend my knees and say everything I can possibly think of to God. Then, I feel guilty about this. I know I'm not the only one who feels that way, because a woman with whom I work approached me a couple weeks ago and worried because she could never seem to find time to pray long prayers either, and she felt that that was what she was supposed to be doing.
I really feel that again this is an area where satan really has a tight grip on us. We are believing the lie that long prayers equal spiritual maturity, and therefore, short prayers can be equated with the opposite. But long prayers for the sake of long prayers are quite far from what God really wants from us! The above verses say, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!" Our words and Christian-y phrases mean nothing to God. You know when someone is trying to butter you up, don't you? In the same way, there is no reason to try to butter God up because this says He already knows what we need even before we ask Him!
Similarly, to our giving that we talked about yesterday, our prayers should not be done for all to see, but rather "when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." Again, He rewards what is done in secret, where no one can see but Him. Here's the part that's hard for me...going away by myself (but, I'm an extravert and I don't like being alone)..., shutting the door behind me (Oh no, I might miss something and be left out)..., and praying (but I have laundry to do, dishes to wash, and a coffee date with a friend in an hour). Oh, I am a mess.
Somehow, I have already packed my fall schedule so full that my weeknights (Monday through Thursday) are pretty much booked. I already have a weekly Tuesday night commitment, a weekly Wednesday night commitment, and an every-other Monday night commitment. That leaves Thursdays, which Josh and I have designated as our "date night" for this semester. Now is when you can ask me, "Molly, when are you going to have time to be with the Lord in quiet?" Hence the tears I cried with Josh last night....why do I do this to myself? Our conversation was "it's all GOOD, but is it all beneficial RIGHT NOW?" I am falling into the trap of being "too busy." I can see now that all the commitments I made for this semester were probably not my best choice. When will I have time to just sit in the quiet and let the Lord's presence sink into my soul?
In the seventh century, Issac the Syrian wrote about "stillness" which he summarized as, "a deliberate denial of the gift of words for the sake of achieving inner silence, in the midst of which a person can hear the presence of God. It is standing, unceasingly silent and prayerfully before God." The prayers Jesus recorded in the New Testament are surprisingly short; yet, in places like the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed all night long. I wonder how much of that night was Jesus practicing "stillness" before the Lord. I love the phrase from Issac that says "unceasingly silent." For a busy-body like me, silence is difficult. It really is. I feel the need to fill the space with something. But "unceasingly silent" gives me the picture that no matter what, I will remain silent. God is patient, so as I'm babbling to Him, He doesn't need to interrupt me. But, when will I expect Him to speak to me if I'm never quiet?
This is a challenge to me. Wow. I need to find some time weekly to just remain unceasingly silent before the Lord. Maybe that's what our culture, myself, and my co-worker need to hear. Maybe we are trying too hard to say long prayers, when really we need to learn to just be silent before the Lord.
Let me close with our verses today in the Message translation:
"And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace."
That's what should be remembered when you pray...
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Matthew 6: 1-4 (When You Give)
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
When I walk up to someone's house and see the word BEWARE on their door or fence, it causes me to pause. From my experience, that word is usually followed by the words "of dog" and can only mean that there is a vicious animal close by who could cause harm. In this passage, I hope the use of the word 'beware' causes us to pause as well. It is used as a warning.
Jesus calls us to "beware of practicing [our] righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them." See, I am a self-proclaimed people-pleaser. This is not something I am pleased to admit, but it is true. I long to please others for the sake of getting on their good side and having them like me. It's a slippery slope, people-pleasing, because it's easy for me to hold other people in the same esteem that I should only place God. Yet, only God should be the audience of who I am trying to please. He should be the ONLY one. The slippery slope of it all is that people-pleasing can easily turn to "hypocrite" which is the term used in the following sentence in this passage. "When you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others." A hypocrite is someone who does good acts for appearances only -- not out of compassion or other loving motives. I used to think that term could only describe the Pharisees, but yet, I find how quickly my motives can turn, too.
Do you notice how no where in this passage, does Jesus command us WHAT to give to the needy, WHEN to give to the needy, or to WHICH of the needy we should give? What I find most interesting about these four verses on the topic of "giving to the needy" is that it has very little to do about the needy and completely to do about my heart.
We think we are being sneaky when we look good on the outside to others, but inside we are feeling all puffed up because our minds are reeling with how great someone must think we are because of what we did. And yes, "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:8). The men who will like you one day and ignore you the next, judge you by what they see on the outside because that is all they are capable of seeing. But, your Lord, who loves you and made you, sees the deepest parts of our hearts and motives. He is the One I want to try to please.
And this does not return to us void. If I practice my righteous acts for the sake of other people seeing, the "beware" will happen: "then you will have no reward from your father in heaven." When we do our good deeds for the praise of others, Jesus says, "Truly, they have received their reward." That's it! That's all we'll get for doing that good deed -- a few nice words from an acquaintance. Rather, we are to give our gifts and do our kind acts in private. "And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." We don't know exactly what that reward will be, but I can tell you that it will surely be better than the fleeting praise of fickle friends!
Our gift-giving, generosity, and acts of kindness should not be done so that we look good, my friends, but so that God looks good. He is pleased more by our pure hearts and our devotion to Him than by the amount of our gift-giving.
May this be our prayer today from Psalm 139 as we continue seeking a heart like His:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!"
When I walk up to someone's house and see the word BEWARE on their door or fence, it causes me to pause. From my experience, that word is usually followed by the words "of dog" and can only mean that there is a vicious animal close by who could cause harm. In this passage, I hope the use of the word 'beware' causes us to pause as well. It is used as a warning.
Jesus calls us to "beware of practicing [our] righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them." See, I am a self-proclaimed people-pleaser. This is not something I am pleased to admit, but it is true. I long to please others for the sake of getting on their good side and having them like me. It's a slippery slope, people-pleasing, because it's easy for me to hold other people in the same esteem that I should only place God. Yet, only God should be the audience of who I am trying to please. He should be the ONLY one. The slippery slope of it all is that people-pleasing can easily turn to "hypocrite" which is the term used in the following sentence in this passage. "When you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others." A hypocrite is someone who does good acts for appearances only -- not out of compassion or other loving motives. I used to think that term could only describe the Pharisees, but yet, I find how quickly my motives can turn, too.
Do you notice how no where in this passage, does Jesus command us WHAT to give to the needy, WHEN to give to the needy, or to WHICH of the needy we should give? What I find most interesting about these four verses on the topic of "giving to the needy" is that it has very little to do about the needy and completely to do about my heart.
We think we are being sneaky when we look good on the outside to others, but inside we are feeling all puffed up because our minds are reeling with how great someone must think we are because of what we did. And yes, "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:8). The men who will like you one day and ignore you the next, judge you by what they see on the outside because that is all they are capable of seeing. But, your Lord, who loves you and made you, sees the deepest parts of our hearts and motives. He is the One I want to try to please.
And this does not return to us void. If I practice my righteous acts for the sake of other people seeing, the "beware" will happen: "then you will have no reward from your father in heaven." When we do our good deeds for the praise of others, Jesus says, "Truly, they have received their reward." That's it! That's all we'll get for doing that good deed -- a few nice words from an acquaintance. Rather, we are to give our gifts and do our kind acts in private. "And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." We don't know exactly what that reward will be, but I can tell you that it will surely be better than the fleeting praise of fickle friends!
Our gift-giving, generosity, and acts of kindness should not be done so that we look good, my friends, but so that God looks good. He is pleased more by our pure hearts and our devotion to Him than by the amount of our gift-giving.
May this be our prayer today from Psalm 139 as we continue seeking a heart like His:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!"
Friday, September 2, 2011
Matthew 5:17-48 (You Have Heard...But I Tell You...)
Jesus was certainly Light to a dark world. Just like we mentioned yesterday, He lived many areas of His life in opposition to what the world says to do. And we are to do likewise. Mediocre is not enough in the Kingdom of Heaven! Why do we let ourselves be okay with a "C" when we should be striving for an "A+"? My friends, we need to daily "press on toward the goal", as Paul says! How often do we measure our "success" by another sinner? This is what Jesus is trying to tell us here: don't compare yourselves to the other people around you, but compare yourself with My standard.
There are six specific areas that Jesus addresses as we wrap up Chapter 5, and each of them has a contrasting statement, "You have heard...but I tell you..." These are examples of what it means to live not solely in opposition to the world, but to go above and beyond -- to live exceptionally for the sake of Christ. This is the call for ALL of us -- not just people who've been Christians a long time, but for all who want to follow and serve Him. I think these are the perfect examples of when God says in Isaiah, "My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are my ways your ways," He really means it.
I highly recommend that you pull this section of scripture up on your phone or computer right now so you can read all the details for yourselves and soak in Jesus' words. Here is what you will find Him saying:
On the subject of murder: It's not enough to just avoid killing people, we must also avoid anger and hatred -- because that is the same as killing them in your heart. Reconcile with one another.
On the subject of adultery: It's not enough to avoid having sex with someone who's not your spouse, we must also keep our hearts from lusting and daily work to remain faithful -- whatever it takes!
On the subject of divorce: It's not enough to stay legally married, we must also live out our marriage commitments by working to solve conflicts with our spouse. God is in the business of restoring that which is broken.
On the subject of oaths: It's not enough to keep an oath, we must also avoid casual and dishonest promises to God and people. If you say you're going to pray for someone, do it!
On the subject of revenge: It's not enough to seek justice for ourselves, because God is just and will fight for us. We must show mercy and love for others, including those who have wronged us. (Whew, that's hard to hear.)
On the subject of loving others: It's not enough to love the people who are easy to love, we must also love and pray for our enemies. By praying that they might come to know and love Christ, we can "cast our cares on Him knowing that He cares for us," and remove the focus from ourselves and our problems!
These are six ways to think like Christ, as told by Jesus Himself. In fact, He means these and all the other commandments so much, that just before He began this list, He said in 5:19, "Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
We cannot be blase about what we are commanded to do. We cannot see the ways the world lives and be okay with living that way for ourselves. We must "be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). This is our life-long calling.
Lord, I know I'm not perfect, but help me to just keep stepping one step closer toward You every day.
There are six specific areas that Jesus addresses as we wrap up Chapter 5, and each of them has a contrasting statement, "You have heard...but I tell you..." These are examples of what it means to live not solely in opposition to the world, but to go above and beyond -- to live exceptionally for the sake of Christ. This is the call for ALL of us -- not just people who've been Christians a long time, but for all who want to follow and serve Him. I think these are the perfect examples of when God says in Isaiah, "My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are my ways your ways," He really means it.
I highly recommend that you pull this section of scripture up on your phone or computer right now so you can read all the details for yourselves and soak in Jesus' words. Here is what you will find Him saying:
On the subject of murder: It's not enough to just avoid killing people, we must also avoid anger and hatred -- because that is the same as killing them in your heart. Reconcile with one another.
On the subject of adultery: It's not enough to avoid having sex with someone who's not your spouse, we must also keep our hearts from lusting and daily work to remain faithful -- whatever it takes!
On the subject of divorce: It's not enough to stay legally married, we must also live out our marriage commitments by working to solve conflicts with our spouse. God is in the business of restoring that which is broken.
On the subject of oaths: It's not enough to keep an oath, we must also avoid casual and dishonest promises to God and people. If you say you're going to pray for someone, do it!
On the subject of revenge: It's not enough to seek justice for ourselves, because God is just and will fight for us. We must show mercy and love for others, including those who have wronged us. (Whew, that's hard to hear.)
On the subject of loving others: It's not enough to love the people who are easy to love, we must also love and pray for our enemies. By praying that they might come to know and love Christ, we can "cast our cares on Him knowing that He cares for us," and remove the focus from ourselves and our problems!
These are six ways to think like Christ, as told by Jesus Himself. In fact, He means these and all the other commandments so much, that just before He began this list, He said in 5:19, "Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
We cannot be blase about what we are commanded to do. We cannot see the ways the world lives and be okay with living that way for ourselves. We must "be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). This is our life-long calling.
Lord, I know I'm not perfect, but help me to just keep stepping one step closer toward You every day.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Matthew 5:14-16 (Being Light to a Dark World)
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
This world is so dark. I didn't really come to realize this until my sophomore year of high school when some high school boys gunned down their fellow students and teachers during a school day -- it was to be the first of many school shootings to follow (that's dark). And the reason they did it was because they were bullied at school and felt completely alone in the world (that's dark). Then, in the library, after they had slain so many others, they ended it all by slaying themselves (that's dark.) Our nation was dumb-founded by this tragedy, and yet, in the midst of it all, I also learned what a light we, as followers of Jesus Christ, can be. Yet, in the midst of this darkness, a story came out which shone light: Rachel Scott, a known Christian, had been shot in the leg. One gunman came over and asked her if she still believed in God. "You know I do," she answered, after which she was fatally shot in the head. It had been a while since America had heard of such a martyr, and her story spread like wildfire.
We are the light of the world. We are to shine light, Christ, into the darkness of this planet. When we become followers of Jesus, we are committing to be this light, and there is placed on us, according to scripture, an expectation that we will shine.
In John 9:5, Jesus said, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." But He no longer walks on this earth, and the job is now left to us. Just as light is the opposite of darkness, we are called to behave, think, speak, and hope in the opposite ways of the world. We are to give light (Christ) to everyone this passage says! Our families, co-workers, neighbors, and strangers are to notice a difference in us because of the transformation Christ has done in our hearts and the hope we now have in Jesus. And it does say 'everyone'. I know you're thinking of that one person who just drives you nuts, but the Lord can give you what you need to be light in their world, too.
It is so easy for us to become passive, just living out each day with the intention to get home and get in front of the T.V., like much of our society. But when we flip on the auto-pilot attitude, satan has won. He has deceived us into thinking that who we are in Christ and what we know about Christ doesn't really matter all that much. Trust me, I'm not saying this is an easy calling! But what I'm learning is that being a light makes a difference to the people I am around, and it makes a difference in my life as I see God using me to work out His purposes in the lives of the people around me. It is so exciting!
What does this look like for us? May we not hide our lights by being quiet when we should speak, going along with the crowd, denying The Light (Christ), letting sin dim our light, not explaining our light to those around us, or ignoring the needs of others. We are the ones who shine the spotlight on Jesus -- its all about Him. We do the work, give the care, pray the prayers, take the food, smile the smiles, visit the broken, and share the gospel, and then we leave the results to Him.
The people in your life need you to do this for them. They are looking for some light in a dark world and finding a false light in all the wrong places. But Jesus is saying to you today, "You are the light of world. Show them who I am."
Why could Rachel Scott answer, "You know I do" to the gunman? Because even before her death, she was a light to people around her. Everyone knew who she served because of her words and actions. Wherever you go today, with whomever you encounter, let them see a light in you. And may you point them to The Light, Himself.
This world is so dark. I didn't really come to realize this until my sophomore year of high school when some high school boys gunned down their fellow students and teachers during a school day -- it was to be the first of many school shootings to follow (that's dark). And the reason they did it was because they were bullied at school and felt completely alone in the world (that's dark). Then, in the library, after they had slain so many others, they ended it all by slaying themselves (that's dark.) Our nation was dumb-founded by this tragedy, and yet, in the midst of it all, I also learned what a light we, as followers of Jesus Christ, can be. Yet, in the midst of this darkness, a story came out which shone light: Rachel Scott, a known Christian, had been shot in the leg. One gunman came over and asked her if she still believed in God. "You know I do," she answered, after which she was fatally shot in the head. It had been a while since America had heard of such a martyr, and her story spread like wildfire.
We are the light of the world. We are to shine light, Christ, into the darkness of this planet. When we become followers of Jesus, we are committing to be this light, and there is placed on us, according to scripture, an expectation that we will shine.
In John 9:5, Jesus said, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." But He no longer walks on this earth, and the job is now left to us. Just as light is the opposite of darkness, we are called to behave, think, speak, and hope in the opposite ways of the world. We are to give light (Christ) to everyone this passage says! Our families, co-workers, neighbors, and strangers are to notice a difference in us because of the transformation Christ has done in our hearts and the hope we now have in Jesus. And it does say 'everyone'. I know you're thinking of that one person who just drives you nuts, but the Lord can give you what you need to be light in their world, too.
It is so easy for us to become passive, just living out each day with the intention to get home and get in front of the T.V., like much of our society. But when we flip on the auto-pilot attitude, satan has won. He has deceived us into thinking that who we are in Christ and what we know about Christ doesn't really matter all that much. Trust me, I'm not saying this is an easy calling! But what I'm learning is that being a light makes a difference to the people I am around, and it makes a difference in my life as I see God using me to work out His purposes in the lives of the people around me. It is so exciting!
What does this look like for us? May we not hide our lights by being quiet when we should speak, going along with the crowd, denying The Light (Christ), letting sin dim our light, not explaining our light to those around us, or ignoring the needs of others. We are the ones who shine the spotlight on Jesus -- its all about Him. We do the work, give the care, pray the prayers, take the food, smile the smiles, visit the broken, and share the gospel, and then we leave the results to Him.
The people in your life need you to do this for them. They are looking for some light in a dark world and finding a false light in all the wrong places. But Jesus is saying to you today, "You are the light of world. Show them who I am."
Why could Rachel Scott answer, "You know I do" to the gunman? Because even before her death, she was a light to people around her. Everyone knew who she served because of her words and actions. Wherever you go today, with whomever you encounter, let them see a light in you. And may you point them to The Light, Himself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)