Deck your Heart

30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the peoples of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Matthew 24:30-31


We are in the middle of a series at church entitled “Deck your Heart”. The idea is that in the middle of all of the hustle and bustle of this holiday season that we would take time out to reflect and understand and even to live out the real meaning of Christmas. Our time on earth here is so short and we have so little time to make a difference in our sphere of influence. We read here of Jesus’ return which will happen in the blink of an eye before we know it. For me, it is easy to dream big and to let my attention and focus be centered around the big things in life like my career track, or my next book or just dreaming about all of the exciting things that God has planned for Paula and me. In the midst of getting lost in the “big” things of this world, I sometimes miss out on the small things that are happening all around me, the small seemingly insignificant things where God is moving. Part of the deck your heart series discusses this idea that God cares less about the “big” things in this life and more about the small, insignificant people and happenings of your day in which He strives to make His love known. The big things in life will take care of themselves if you indeed make a conscious effort to focus on the day to day activities, encounters, acquaintances and divine appointments where God can use a heart that’s tuned in to Him and ready to reflect His love in order to make the most of our short time here on this earth. Deck your heart this Christmas season by focusing on others and looking for the miracle of Christmas every minute of every day for it’s in the smallest of things that Jesus can be found and He will be back before you know it in the blink of an eye to take you home.

Merry Christmas!

Pure Heart

25 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

Matthew 23:25-26


How is the condition of your heart? Is it like the Pharisees in the time of Jesus. They had wretched hearts that were power hungry, full of greed for money and self-indulgence to the point of even crucifying the very One who could fill and restore their empty hearts that were broken and bruised? It is easy in this world that focuses much more on the externals to get wrapped up in spending your time, attention and energy in an effort to look the part on the outside when at the same time your inside is thirsty, hungry, broken and longing to be restored and renewed by the love of Christ. It is from the heart that we speak words of destruction to others that cause pain and put up walls of anger in relationships. It is from the heart that selfish desires long to be fulfilled by things in this world that could never satisfy but only cause more brokenness and more pain and emptiness. It is from the heart that the love of Jesus is reflected if indeed you have spent the time with Him in an effort to let His incredible touch of healing and restoration begin to happen in such a way that your life will overflow during this Christmas holiday in celebration of the One who has made you whole. Pray now that God would fill your heart today with His restoring love as you draw near to Him and learn to love Him more.

Kiss the Son

12 Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and you and your ways will be destroyed,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Psalms 2:12



To “kiss the Son” is to accept Jesus Christ into your heart of hearts in such a way that you trust Him to be the Lord of everything that you do in this life. What an incredible gift that you and I have as sons and daughters of the Most High! We have the opportunity as God’s children to take refuge in our relationship with His Son Jesus Christ, each and every day, in such a way that all worry, doubt and our insecurities in this life can be lifted as He promises to take away our burdens. Jesus says in Matthew 11:30 “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” All that Jesus is asking of you and me today is to hand over the wheel of the ship to him in order that His love and His power can be reflected through our lives in such a way that His light will shine on this dark and broken world in order that others may see and believe. Whatever it is that you are facing today, take heart and kiss the Son for the Son will carry you through as you live your life for the King!

Enter In

13"I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees! Frauds! Your lives are roadblocks to God's kingdom. You refuse to enter, and won't let anyone else in either.
Matthew 23:13


As Paula and I have visited several churches here in our new home of uptown Charlotte, we have seen some similarities of the rigid man made system of religion that was clearly present and clearly frowned upon by Jesus. Most of the churches that we visited really only catered to the unchurched, to those who have yet to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and upon inquiring as to how the Journey Bread ministry might be of some use within their ministry, we really had very few replies as we, already being believers, did not really fit into their man-made structure of how the church should look and act toward newcomers. To me, life with Christ is much more than just the initial step of trusting in Him as life with Jesus can be an awesome day by day experience of realizing God’s power and direction in your life all while enjoying His peace, love, joy and grace as you live out an abundant life that rests solely in the incredible gift of God’s Spirit who lives inside of all who believe. I guess that my heart is longing for more. My heart is longing for a body of believers that is less concerned about superficial growth and finances and more concerned about the quality of living out this life with Christ in a very real and genuine way, each and every day. Discernment,discipleship,encouragement and direction for filtering every decision that I make through the full proof lens of God’s Spirit is my heart’s desire and what I long to find in a body of believers that Jesus calls His church. God has a plan and a place for both you and I to serve and to receive all that He promises to those who dare to enter in to His loving grace and Lordship. I pray that we would both find that place today because three cords are always better than one.

Rest in God’s Providence and Direction

4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
Proverbs 23:4

This proverb this morning really cut to the core of who I am and what I do every day. I run a region for the company in which I am employed and I have career goals that are much higher than my current position. It is very easy in my current work environment to have work prioritize my time in such a way that I forget the real reason that I am here; and it is all too easy to forget about the One who truly brings all of the joy and fulfillment in this life. It is only in God’s strength that I can do anything good and it is only in following His providence and His direction that my life will make any kind of positive impact in this fallen, enticing world that so easily entangles. Trust in God’s grace and power and direction today as you strive to know and love Him more!

Discipleship

17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17

One thing that I miss deeply as Paula and I search for a new church home in uptown Charlotte is the daily counsel, friendship and encouragement from another brother or sister in Christ. Sure, I have quite a few Christian acquaintances and friends but it is only as you get involved in authentic relationships in your home church and community where you live that God can begin to mold, shape and encourage you, often through the faithfulness and love of close friends with whom you interact several times throughout the week. Please take advantage of the godly people that Jesus has placed in your life to help sharpen you as you help sharpen them, because these people are your greatest blessing in the Lord, and it is through these relationships that your faith and love will grow and deepen in your own personal journey of knowing and loving God more.

Blessing from the Lord

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,
but a prudent wife is from the LORD.
Proverbs 19:14

Well, one thing that I did not inherit from my parents, at least as of yet, are houses and wealth, however; the Lord has blessed me with the most beautiful and loving prudent wife named Paula. Paula and I had one of those days yesterday, you probably know the kind of day, where my driving was getting to her and her complaining about my driving was getting to me. In the end though, it was most likely God who reminded me just how fortunate I am to have such an incredible blessing from Him. As we celebrate 15 years of marriage this coming week we are committed to not let the enemy ruin any part of the miracle that God has created in us. Today, remember the blessing of your wife that God has so graciously given to you so undeservedly, and be sure that she knows how thankful you are for the love and balance that she brings to your life. Paula, this one is for you, happy anniversary week and I vow to give all of my love to you, forever!

Lord

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?"
"The son of David," they replied.
43 He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says,
44 " 'The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet." '
45 If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Matthew 22:41-45


Dictionary. Com defines “Lord” as: “a person who has authority, control or power over others; a master, chief or ruler.” Knowing this then, how would you describe your own personal relationship with God? Is Jesus in control of the events that take place in your life? Do you filter your thoughts and actions through the loving guidance and power of God’s Spirit who lives inside of your heart of hearts? Have you accepted the amazing gift of God’s Spirit into your life in order that Jesus could indeed be Lord of all for you; in control of everything, your thoughts; your actions; your dreams, desires and ambitions, your relationships; what you do for a living; how you spend your money; how you spend your time? Listen, Jesus wants to be the Lord of your life, not to ruin your fun, but indeed to give you an abundant life that is unimaginable! His way is always that best way as He has a much larger perspective than you and I and if you could see the plans that He has for you, you would be blown away by His incredible love. Surrender to His Lordship today and start living out the masterpiece that your Lord is creating in you!

Love

36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matthew 22:23-32


More than obeying all the commandments; more than building a godly empire of disciples; more than achieving great wealth to be given away to those in need; more than being a servant of all or a great man or woman of God – what your Father in heaven wants more than any of these things is your love and devotion to Him. Listen, the reason that God created you with the ability to choose and the reason that He came and suffered a horrible death on the cross in order to restore your relationship with Him is because He longs for your attention, for your devotion, for your heart to fall in love with Him all over again, just as it was when He first created Adam and Eve. God longs for you today to pour out your heart to Him, to trust Him with everything that you own, everything that you are and everything that you ever hope to be. Jesus wants to be your best friend, the reason that you get up in the morning and the last person you talk to, even at the end of the most difficult day. Do you love Him, not just with words but with the way that you live your life? Is He the Lord of everything that you do? Have you asked for His Holy Spirit to fill your heart of hearts in order that through His power you could reflect this beautiful love relationship to the world around you? Fall in love with your Creator and Friend today!

Power of Praise

2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
Psalm 8:2

I will never forget the first time, as a young believer in Christ who was just discovering how to fall in love with Jesus in a very real and tangible way when I praised Him, out loud, not just saying the words but truly worshiping my God and Savior from my heart of hearts. I will never forget that day or the words of the worship song “I love you Lord” as in that moment all of the problems in my life that seemed insurmountable at times just seemed to disappear and become irrelevant in the midst of God’s amazing love and glory and power. There is truly power in praise that lifts your spirit to a different dimension where God’s healing and peace begin to work on the broken areas of your life in a way that you are restored and made new as a result of God’s amazing love and power that is available to all who would seek Him, love Him and accept His amazing gift of redemption in a genuine way. Today as you start your day, tell your Father in heaven how much you love Him, praise the Lord with all of your heart and ask Him for His guidance and direction today as you learn to love Him more.

Hard Work

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!

7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,

8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—

11 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.

Proverbs 6:6-11

One of the reasons for the successes that I have realized outside of God’s amazing blessing and provision can be attributed to plain old fashioned hard work. I have the privilege of working in an industry where complacency abounds among my competitors and so success can be easily achieved, simply by doing my job every day to the best of my ability. One of the things that sets a Christ follower apart from other people in this world is the fact that you and I as His children work everyday not for worldly gain or for recognition by our peers or even for the self satisfaction that comes from achieving something above and beyond our own abilities, no, you and I in our heart of hearts toil and labor every day for the joy that comes from knowing that we are working for the one who loves us dearly and gave His life in order that we could be free. This godly motivation keeps us pressing on, even when the world and other people may have let us down and even when the monetary reward for our efforts is not in line with the results that have been achieved. The reason is simple, for you and I have been called to a much higher purpose than just worldly gain or fleeting recognition. Yes, you and I have been called by God to live a life of love and hard work for His purpose in order that our lives may have an everlasting impact on this world for Jesus Christ. Remember this today as you give your all for His Glory and His purposes as other people are watching and the work that you do today could help make an eternal difference in another person’s life - reflect His love and diligence today as you live your life for the King!

Perfect Union with our Creator

23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 "Teacher," they said, "Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?"
29 Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."
Matthew 22:23-32


Marriage is said to be a reflection and example of our relationship with God. The unity that is so magnificently realized between a man and woman in a healthy God centered marriage gives us just a taste of what eternity will be like when you and I are reunited with our Creator in a perfect, untainted relationship that is whole, pure and beautiful. There will be no need for marriage as we understand it today, through our limited scope and vision, because all God’s people will be perfectly united as one body, serving and loving each other as we enjoy the love and holiness of our Creator and King, forever. What a day that will be, and what a joy to have the privilege to be chosen by God to point His beloved into this beautiful perfected relationship through the way that you live your life today in the strength and power of His amazing love. Draw near to Jesus today as you prepare your heart and point the way for others to live forever in an abundant life with God the Father, our lover and friend and keeper forever.

Silver Tongue

15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?"
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, "Whose image is this? And whose inscription?"
21 "Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
Matthew 22:15-21


The Pharisees were sly and crafty in their words here to Jesus. They had what we would call today in the business world a silver tongue in that they attempted to use flattery and even truth in order to trick Jesus into saying the wrong words that would undoubtedly trap Him into being handed over to the authorities to be killed. Jesus, in all of His wisdom called them out and did not let that happen as His answer was so simple and yet so true. Has anyone ever tried to trap you with the use of such flattering words? Remember, we are a world at war and the enemy at times comes in sheep’s clothing with flattery and enticement that may sound good on the front end but in the end will only lead to death, destruction and separation from God. Stay close to Jesus today in thought and in quiet prayer in order that you would be able to distinguish words that are righteous and full of life from the words that are false and only given for selfish gain or evil intent. God’s words are pure and holy and bring only life in its full abundance – fall in love with your Creator today!

Wedding Clothes

1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4 "Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'
5 "But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.
13 "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen."
Matthew 22:1-14


Everyone is invited to be a follower of Jesus, the price of admission has been paid for all! It is up to you however to prepare your heart for acceptance into God’s Kingdom by clothing yourself with righteousness through the blood of Christ and the only way to do that is to accept Jesus into your heart of hearts and publicly commit your way and your life to Him. Have you taken this step? Are you wearing your wedding clothes? I would encourage you to pray a prayer, right now, today in order that you could start this incredible journey of knowing and loving the one who gave His life for you.

Fruit

43 "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but anyone on whom it falls will be crushed."
Matthew 21:43-44


There is no gray area when it comes to being a Christ follower and making a decision to accept the miracle of Jesus into your life in such a way that His Spirit restores and renews the brokenness of your flesh in order that His fruit could be produced and revealed to the world around you. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control.” Either you make that decision and as a result you live an eternal life full of love, joy and fulfillment beyond your wildest dreams or you reject God’s grace and love and you can read Jesus’ words of what happens as a result of that decision. Where are you in this decision? Is your life producing fruit? When others observe you from a distance, do they see something different about your life that would draw them to the Savior? You are missing out on a life that is unimaginable and a love that is deeper and more fulfilling than anything that you could ever imagine if you have not surrendered your life to the one who died to make this all possible for you. Take that step of faith today and ask Jesus into your heart of hearts – surrender your life to Him and then hang on for dear life as the world as you know it will never be the same.

Marvelous in our Eyes

33 "Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35 "The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said.
38 "But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.' 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 "Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"
41 "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end," they replied, "and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time."
42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:
" 'The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes'?

Matthew 21:33-42


The unconditional, unfailing love of our Creator and God is incomprehensible, all encompassing, never ending, offered to all who are willing to receive – it is marvelous indeed! Today, as you enter into another day that has been given to you as a gift of God’s incredible grace, please remember all that Jesus has done for you as you reflect His love and attempt to serve Him well in order that others who do not yet know Him would see Jesus in you and believe. I pray that your life would overflow with joy today as you live your life for the King!

Will you Go?

28 "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'
29 " 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
30 "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.
31 "Which of the two did what his father wanted?"
"The first," they answered.
Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
Matthew 21:28-32


What about you? Will you go? The Spirit of God has been wooing you into His Kingdom through other believers, how have you responded? Have you pretended to believe like the second son but have not taken any steps of obedience that are evidence of your faith and belief? Or maybe you have made that most important choice of entering into the Kingdom of God and accepting Jesus Christ into your heart of hearts and now God is asking you to go, to make a life change for the sake of winning others to Christ – will you go? The Christian life is a daily decision to take up your cross and follow Jesus, it is a daily decision to be willing to listen to the call and direction of God’s Spirit and then to make the decision to obey, no matter what the cost. Our Heavenly Father is calling you this morning to go and make a difference in this lost world by reflecting His love to everyone that you might meet today, how are you going to respond? I pray that you would go and that you would live your life for the one who gave His life for you – you will be extremely glad that you did. Go now in His love and make a difference for Him!

Authority as God's Son

23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"
24 Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John's baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?"
They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' 26 But if we say, 'Of human origin'—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."
27 So they answered Jesus, "We don't know."
Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
Matthew 21:23-27


What I love about being a Christ follower is the fact that God is less concerned about human authorization to preach his word than He is about receiving us back into authentic relationship with Him, human hearts that are willing to come to Him, just as they are with all of their sin and shame in an effort to be restored and renewed by His Saving Grace in order that through the power of His Holy Spirit working through their lives that they could reflect His love to the lost world which is all around them today and in desperate need of a Savior! See, the chief priests of Jesus’ time were concerned about man-made laws and traditions that allowed them to maintain power and control over the church and they were so self consumed and prideful that they missed the greatest blessing of all time - God, in the flesh, living among us through His Son Jesus Christ in order that we all could be free from the bondage of this sinful world. If they would only have looked outside of their personal circumstances they would have shared in a joy and reward that was incomparable to the short term pleasure that they received from being in control. What personal circumstance do you need to look beyond today in order that you could see God more clearly? What sin or selfish ambition or desire do you need to let go in order that God could use your life today? Bring them all to Jesus today on your knees and ask Him to take all of the junk of your life in order that the power and authority of the Holy Spirit can go to work through you today in an effort to change the eternal destiny of a loved one or friend or colleague that needs more than ever to see the love of Christ through you. Rest in the love of Jesus today as you strive to know and love Him more!

Power of Prayer

18 Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked.
21 Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
Matthew 21:18-22


There is indeed power in prayer! There is power when you believe with all of your heart that God will answer your prayer. There is power in the belief and the act of prayer, even if God does not change your circumstances right away as He will give you a peace that passes all understanding and knowledge that without a doubt He is in control. God longs more than anything today for you to come to Him in prayer like a little child with relentless faith that He hears you and wants only the best for your life. How is your faith this morning? How is your relationship with God? Have you spent time with Him lately just pouring out your heart; telling Him how much you love Him; telling Him your fears and worries; and letting Him know the desires of your heart? He is waiting for you today and yes, He will indeed answer in a way that just may blow you away. Spend some time with your Father in Heaven today!

House of Prayer

12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," he said to them,” 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of robbers.'"
Matthew 21:12-13



Back in the days of Jesus, the act of worship by the Jews through sacrificial giving and sacrifice of their first fruits became a big business for the church. The focus then of the Jews in the temple became less about honoring God and more about what they could selfishly achieve by being in the temple of God whose original purpose was to be a house of prayer. Does this sound at all familiar with some churches today? What about you? Why do you go to church? Is it about going to achieve some sort of self-righteous reward as a result of your actions or involvement or do you go to truly honor and draw near to the one who loves you so dearly and wants only to be close to you in mind and body and Spirit? Do you serve in the church to earn the respect of others or do you serve out of a heart that can’t help but give away what is overflowing from the inside of your heart of hearts? God’s House of Prayer that can be seen in today’s times through His people who believe and not through a building as in the Old Testament, is here for you to draw near; to be encouraged; and to be challenged, inspired, and restored in an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. This should be the only purpose of God’s church today. So, don’t ever forget to honor God, every minute of every day as you live out your part of His beautiful church which He calls the Kingdom of God.

Story

1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away."
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 "Say to Daughter Zion,
'See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.' "
Matthew 21:1-5



Just as Jesus fulfilled the foretelling of the early prophets by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, so too a story is playing out in your life in which you have a big role every day. You are special and dearly loved; God wants to use your life today in a script that has been playing out all around you in order that His love would be reflected to your colleagues, friends and family who are in desperate need of a Savior. Jesus wants to redeem and restore the broken and hurting hearts with whom you have crossed paths and He wants to use your obedience and your surrendered heart to start that process in other people’s lives. Keep the eyes of your heart open today for opportunities to share this awesome gift of love that God has placed in your heart of hearts and God will use you to hugely impact the world around you as the greatest love story of all time plays out in your life. Live your life for Him today!

Call for Help

29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
32 Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
33 "Lord," they answered, "we want our sight."
34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
Matthew 20:29-34



The main point in this recollection of Jesus healing the blind men does not have as much to do with the fact that these men received their sight as it does that they believed in Jesus and leaned hard on Him for help, despite what other people thought and despite the circumstances that they were in. You see, that’s the point of the Gospel isn’t it, that Christ could be here, right where we are, to help us through the most difficult of circumstances if you and I would just have the humility and boldness to call on His name each and every day of our lives. The point is that we surrender and rely on His strength in our lives, in every situation and every circumstance, no matter what the outcome. There are some things about my personality that will most likely never change until that day in Heaven when all who believe will be made new and whole and as a result I personally need to lean hard on Jesus each and every day in order to have the strength that is required to do what He has asked me to do in this life. I hate to think what my life would be like if I felt like I could do it on my own, without the grace, power and love that carries me through the challenges of every day. Lean hard on Jesus today as you learn and grow in His amazing love.

What a Day has in Store

17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"
Matthew 20:17-19



As I sit here gazing at the skyline of the city of Charlotte in the early hours of the morning, I wonder what the day has in store and as I read of what my Savior had to look forward to more than 2,000 years ago, I sit in reverent awe and worship the one who willingly suffered a horrible death for my sin in order that we could be together in a sweet communion. I sit in awe this morning of the incredible love of Jesus as I spend just a few minutes with Him to prepare my heart in order that together we could make the most of this beautiful gift of yet another day to hopefully reflect His love in a beautiful way through our words and actions as we live our lives for Him. I pray that you too would remember Jesus this morning and that you would remember all that He has done for you as you learn and grow in His amazing love and Grace. Make the most of what He has given you today because tomorrow today will be gone, forever.

Blessed Beyond Belief

1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 "About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5 So they went.
"He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'
7 " 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'
8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his supervisor, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'
9 "The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
Matthew 20:1-16




I love this parable by Jesus as it is much too easy in this selfish, competitive world to get into the habit of being envious of the blessings of others instead of just being grateful for all that God has given you and me as His beloved children. Don’t get caught in the trap of comparing yourself to others – be grateful for all the God has done for you and be grateful for how He is faithfully satisfying all of your needs. Keep your eyes on Him today and reflect His image as you have been blessed beyond belief with His love!

Life of a Servant

27 Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
28 Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”
Matthew 19:27-30



This life that we live is just the beginning of a much grander time when all things will be made new and your work here on earth that you do in the name of Jesus will be rewarded in full, beyond your wildest dreams. Today, Jesus wants your everything; your time and talents; your energy and focus; your heart and mind; your best of the best. Today, Jesus is looking for servants that would lay down their lives in such a way that His love could be reflected and His amazing work and glory could be seen by others who do not yet know Him as their Savior. Surrender your all today, even if that means being last in the world’s eyes as one day very soon you will be rewarded a hundred times over by the loving touch of the One who set you free!

God Saves

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God."
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With human beings this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Matthew 19:23-26



I love this! The reality of who you are in Christ has nothing to do with you and everything to do with God. You see, all you did when you became a Christian was choose to accept what God had already enabled you to receive. It is God who orchestrates the drama of your life in such a way that prepares you to make the incredible choice to live your life not for yourself anymore but for the One who loves you and made you and has the best plan for how you will live on this earth as well as in the life to come. This idea really takes the pressure off since we live in a world that seems very far from God at times and it is Jesus who redeems and heals and restores the brokenhearted so your only job is to daily choose to let His power and love flow through your life in such a way that others will see and believe. Live your life for Him today.

God before Money

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" he inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21 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."
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.


Matthew 19:16-22



Who do you worship this morning? Do you worship the almighty dollar or do you worship Almighty God? Have a look in your checkbook and you will get a clear view of where your priorities are. How much of the resources that God has given you to manage do you use to help the poor, to feed the homeless, to support the ministry? How much of your time and attention is spent loving others and how often do you think about your God given purpose on this earth and why you are even here? Are your days so full of living the “American Dream” that you have little time and money left for the only One who can give you an authentic abundant life full of peace and contentment? Calibrate your priorities today as it is much too easy to let the wrong things take priority in your life and if this happens you will miss the most awesome gift imaginable that only comes from the One who loves you.

Child like Faith

13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.
14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
Matthew 19:13-15



Yesterday morning as I drove into the office I had two business issues on my mind that had been eating away at my insides; you know the kind, the issues that keep you up at night and steal away your joy and peace. As I sat in my office chair contemplating on whether or not I had enough time to write a Journey Bread devotion that morning, I noticed a little devotional book that Aunt Nancy had given me a year or so ago. As I read the next devotion the Holy Spirit convicted me to give these two issues over to my Heavenly Father, just as a child places complete trust in his parents. The coolest thing happened yesterday as I prayed about these two issues; it was as if the importance of them had dissolved and in reality, later in the day it was clear that they were not as big a deal as I had originally thought. I am learning, ever so slowly, how God wants us to trust Him with every area of our lives; every problem no matter how insignificant or small; every situation and relationship and stressor; absolutely everything, just as a child, in order that we can attend to the work that He is doing at the moment and not be so concerned about the future that we miss opportunities in the present. Today, give that one thing that has been keeping you up at night over to the Lord in prayer and just enjoy His presence in your life as you look for ways to reflect His love onto others. Live your life today in the present and let your Heavenly Father worry about tomorrow because God has something very special for you today that you will not want to miss!

Eunuchs

10 The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."
11 Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others have been made eunuchs; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."

Matthew 19:10-12



I never knew until this morning as I researched the word eunuchs that a eunuch is : “A castrated man employed as a harem attendant or as a functionary in certain Asian courts.” (Dictionary.com) I can’t imagine renouncing marriage and not having the beautiful gift of love that God has so graciously given me in my wife Paula. However, it is clear here that for some people the gift of being single in order that he or she could focus even more on God’s purpose for his or her life has been given. I for one am glad that I have not been given that gift!  The bigger point here that Jesus is trying to make is that your relationship with Him should be the number one priority in your life, even above your family relationships. Certain things and certain people in this world will try to distract you from the love of God being carried out in and through your life so whatever you do, please guard against this happening by staying ever so close in prayer and thoughts to Jesus Christ who lives inside of your heart of hearts as a result of your belief in Him. Follow the lead of the Holy Spirit today as you reflect the love of our Savior to a world of people who are in desperate need of Him.

One Flesh

1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' [a] 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' [b]? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
7 "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
8 Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
Matthew 19:1-9



Jesus touches on one of my favorite topics since it is applicable to so many people today. I pulled the following information this morning from divorce rate.org: “50% of first marriages, 67% of second and 74% of third marriages end in divorce, according to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri.” Staying married to your spouse is a commitment, it is a matter of the heart and it is no wonder that the percentages increase after the 1st and 2nd divorce as there is one commonality in every consecutive divorce and that is the divorced person who thought that the problem with their marriage couldn’t possibly have anything to do with them. Please listen, God loves you just as much if you have been married for 50 years or if you are on your 6th spouse in 10 years. However, he designed the covenant of marriage to be an incredible gift of love and a union that is representative of the union that you have with Christ both today and in the age to come when it will be even better as Christ returns and the brokenness of this world is destroyed once and for all. Prior to considering a decision that will add to the percentages above, please heed Jesus’ advice and have a look on the inside at your own heart and let the healing and restoration of Jesus Christ living in you soften your heart and give you the power to love your spouse unconditionally as Jesus loves you. You will be surprised how your perspective on marriage will change as you rely on His power and rest in His amazing love.

Forgiveness from the Heart

23 "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold [f] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27 The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. [g] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29 "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30 "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive a brother or sister from your heart."
Matthew 18:23-35


Have you ever heard somebody say, “I forgive that person; I just don’t ever want to have anything to do with them again”? Is that how your Father has forgiven you? The forgiveness that God expects of you today as a son or daughter of the King who has been forgiven, redeemed and loved forever is really “forgiveness from your heart”, the real kind – not the facade of just words but the kind of forgiveness that brings healing and reflects the love of Christ who lives inside. Have you forgiven from your heart that person who has hurt you so badly? Ask your Father for strength today and forgive as He has forgiven you.

Grace Extended

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive someone who sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18:21-22



How many times has our Father in heaven forgiven you? How often have you failed Him and others? How often have you asked for God’s forgiveness, just one more time, possibly even making a deal that you promise not to ever sin in the same way again if He would just forgive you this one last time and how often have you kept your side of the commitment? God is so good to us, His Grace encompasses absolutely anything that we could ever do and His forgiveness is permanent and real and ever so sweet to the soul. How could we not extend this same grace that has been so undeservedly handed down to us to others that have sinned against us? How could we not love others unconditionally just as Christ loves us, regardless of our actions? “How many times”, the apostle Peter asked Jesus should he forgive this same person who has committed the same sin against him over and over and over again, and I love Jesus’ response, it is as if He had said, Peter, how many times have I forgiven you? Extend the grace of Jesus to others today as you live out your faith and reflect the love of our Savior!

Band of Believers

19 "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
Matthew 18:12-14



In my opinion, there is nothing more powerful than a band of believers agreeing and seeking the Lord together in person and openly. To be honest, it has been about 21 years or so since I have been a part of a consistent weekly prayer group that met weekly and prayed from our hearts for whatever the Lord laid on our hearts at the time. We prayed for each other and for struggles and challenges and opportunities. We prayed for friends and family and colleagues who were broken or struggling or just plain lost without a relationship with Jesus Christ. We prayed for opportunities to serve in the coming week, we prayed for our church leadership and for the perseverance of our leaders in the faith. We worshiped our Father together; at times we would break out in song and adoration for the King of Kings who brought us together and made all things possible for us through His death on the cross. I miss those Sunday evenings and I miss that group of friends from Ohio. Find a few other believers this week to band together with and pray to your Father in Heaven and you will see and experience what Jesus is describing here about being there with two or three who come together in His name. I praise you this morning Father for other believers and for your incredible love and Spirit of peace that comes when we come together and seek your face – we love you!

God Loves You

12 "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
Matthew 18:12-14



Could it be that you are the sheep that has wandered off and could it be that you’re creator and friend and lover is chasing after you in the wilderness, calling your name and calling you home? Today, your Father in heaven loves you more than you could ever imagine, His heart breaks when you turn from Him as all that He desires is your love and attention and He will woo you and search for you and chase after you like a lost sheep until you have returned to His loving care. Please know that you are loved and cared for today and you will never be alone – seek God today with all of your heart and you too will soar on the wings of love, forever!

Personal Angels

10"Watch that you don't treat a single one of these childlike believers arrogantly. You realize, don't you, that their personal angels are constantly in touch with my Father in heaven?
Matthew 18:10



This might be the coolest and most comforting reality that I have been reminded of in quite some time – the idea that every believer has personal angels that watch over us and protect us and help keep our lives calibrated with God’s purpose and direction. There is much more happening around you today that you can see with your eyes so be encouraged and take heart as there is a battle taking place in the 3rd realm on your behalf and Jesus has already won the war!

Be Careful then How you Live

6 "If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.”Matthew 18:6-9



Jesus is very clear here and does not mince words when He tells you and me as His children not to mess with the sin of this world. You see, making a compromise to dabble just a bit into the evil things of this world that are apart from the goodness and holiness and new life that we have found in Jesus Christ could no doubt cause you and I or even others to stumble as they look on and watch us live the life. Now, please don’t misunderstand, there is grace that covers you when you sin, however, along with sin comes consequences and the consequences that come are not what your loving creator of this world would want for your life. God wants only the very best for you; He wants you to enjoy this life as you live out your purpose for His glory all the while soaking in the incredible love that He has for you. Sin will undoubtedly deter you, sometimes for years, from living an incredible life in Christ, so please be careful today about how you live. Look to God for His direction and His guidance as you make decisions today for only He knows what’s best and only He can keep you from harm as you live your life for Him!

Humble Place

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 He called a little child, whom he placed among them. 3 And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes a humble place—becoming like this child—is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Matthew 18:1-5



The greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven are those who humble themselves in such a way that their own fleshly and worldly desires become less and less as God’s purposes and direction and love become more and more dominant in their life. You see, living out your faith is nothing more than humbly submitting to the will of God and to the direction of God’s Spirit in your life. As you begin to know the Creator of this world more and more intimately in your life and as your love for Him grows, you will become more and more aware of your own brokenness and as a result you will begin to stop trying to work things out on your own in this life and will truly let your Father in heaven take control of your life, just as a child trusts completely without question or hesitation. Today, if you feel weak and vulnerable and you are feeling like you do not have the strength to carry on, even for one more day, if the future is uncertain and you don’t have all the answers as to how you will move forward – if this is you then you are right where God wants you today! Give it all to Him! Let go and quite possibly for the first time in your life trust the One who created you, the One who can see all things, the One who’s perspective is much greater than yours – put your faith and hope and confidence in Jesus today and start living a life beyond belief!

Grief Precedes Great Joy

22 When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered over to human hands. 23 He will be killed, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.
Matthew 17:22-23



Jesus had to suffer a horrible death and separation from His Father in heaven prior to experiencing the joy of being reunited in Spirit with the sons and daughters He loves so very much. The disciples, as the apostle Matthew points out here, were filled with grief when hearing how their Lord and King would be taken from them and killed in such a horrific way prior to experiencing His resurrected Spirit who would someday become a part of them and fill them with an indescribable joy and power as a result of the price that He paid for them on the cross. You and I, sometimes in this life, need to experience heartache and grief in order that we could truly understand and know the intimacy and love of our creator and friend who holds us in His arms as we encounter difficult circumstances in this life, and fills us with His peace, hope and love. It is sometimes in grief that we become connected to our Father in Heaven by identifying with the death of Jesus while at the same time being comforted by a loving God who we know is in control and wants only the very best for us. Rejoice in your grief today as there is great joy and peace when God Himself holds you in His loving arms that will never let you go!

Nothing is Impossible

14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."
17 "You unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
20 -21 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Matthew 17:14-21



As many times as I have read this most popular verse concerning the mustard seed from the book of Matthew, I am still trying to grasp the depth and meaning of what Jesus was saying to His disciples. It seems so easy to just have faith and to believe and as a result all of our dreams and desires that are in line with the Holy Spirit’s call and direction would come to fruition and we all would realize the utopian life for which we all strive and dream, but why is it so hard to just believe? Why is it so hard to remember the God that we serve? Why is it so hard to see and know that we are connected by our very nature to the creator of this world who is still in control of everything and who wants only the very best for you and me as His children? Maybe it would help today to look at the past and consider all that He has done. Our God is indeed faithful and everything is possible for His children who would just believe. Believe God today for whatever it is that He has placed on your heart and just see what He can do!

Spiritual Battle

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
10 The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"
11 Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.
Matthew 17:6-13



John the Baptist came as a prophet, just as foretold by the writers of the early scriptures, we however did not accept him; he was beheaded for preaching the Word of God. Jesus came to heal the sick and to restore us all back to our original oneness with the creator of this world, just as it had been foretold by the early scriptures and yet we spit on Him and beat Him and eventually nailed Him to a cross to die the most horrific death imaginable. Little did we know at the time that His death was planned in order that we all could be redeemed and restored and free to live out an unbelievable life of joy and love as a result of His grace and power living through us. There is much more to this life than can be seen with our eyes and if we are not careful we will fall into the trap of the enemy who is lurking behind the scenes, just as he was in the day of Jesus, scheming and enticing and tempting you and me to live for ourselves in order that our new found love and power in Christ would be distorted by our brokenness as a result of our flesh. This morning I am more conscious than ever before of the spiritual battle that is happening all around us and I for one will submit today to the only one who has already won the battle and can set me free. I pray that you would do the same today as you reflect the love of our Savior onto the dark world and the lost people who are all around you and crying out for the love of Christ.

Voice of God

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"
Matthew 17:5



In the midst of this series where we are looking at the actual words of Jesus as reported by the 4 apostles, we find here the actual voice of God confirming His relationship to Jesus of Nazareth. The glory and the power of what Peter, James and John had just witnessed and heard with their own ears was so magnificent and so pure and so holy that they could hardly bear it as they fell to their knees trembling with fear. We don’t hear the direct voice of God much in the New Testament instead it comes from Jesus as the conduit of His guidance and direction. However, in this passage we do hear Him and it is very interesting to contemplate the words that God has spoken. Do you know Jesus? Are you listening to Him? Do you even take the time to listen and to communicate with the Son of God who loves you more than you could ever imagine and who wants only the very best for your life? Take some time to listen to what Jesus is saying to you this morning as there is nothing more important today than to hear His call on your life and to obey.

Human Concerns

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."
Matthew 16:21-23



Last evening I spoke some words to my wife Paula that should have never been spoken. My mind was consumed with human concerns; concerns about crabby neighbors and property values; what would appear to be a no win situation as far as the place in which we live and the dream of living in peace with the lost and broken souls who live next door. Then this morning, God, as He usually does, reminds me of the cross that He had to bear; He reminds me of the humiliation, suffering unconscionable pain and separation from God that He endured for all of us who call Him Lord. So, today I am humbled and ever so thankful for Jesus, the price that He paid on the cross and the beautiful blessing of my wife Paula with whom He lets me enjoy life. May I never take for granted all that He has done for me, and I pray that the Master Healer would heal the brokenness of my heart that so easily runs toward my own selfish concerns easily replacing the concerns of God which bring life, love and peace unimaginable. Be careful today, as I will, to be considerate of the things of God as He deserves all of our love and devotion today. Keep your eyes on Jesus as you live your life for the King!

What about You?

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of death will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Matthew 16:13-20



No logical thinking or reasoning or concrete answers to all of the questions that Peter had concerning who Jesus Christ was had anything to do with his response here to the Son of God. No, as you have read, Jesus explains how Peter believed, not as a result of working it out in his own mind, but only as a result of divine intervention from God. Who do you say that Jesus is? If you are waiting for all of your questions to be answered concerning the reality of who God is in a tangible way then you will never believe as belief is a gift from God and comes only from the Father in Heaven to those who truly seek Him and ask Him to reveal Himself to them. You see, Jesus is waiting for you to seek Him, to invite Him into your life and when you approach the Throne of God in this way it is then and only then that you will know for sure that Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords and King of Kings as it is only after you invite Him into your heart of hearts that our Father in Heaven will give you a peace that passes all understanding concerning your newfound relationship with Him. It is only after you have surrendered your heart that will know for sure who God is and how much He loves you. Who do you say that Jesus is? Invite Him into your life today and you will know, without a doubt, that He is your Creator and Friend and Lover of your soul who will never let you go. Take that step of faith today!

Sign of Jonah

1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' 3 and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away.
Matthew 16:1-4


Jonah, not wanting to obey God, ran from Him and ended up separated from God and from the world that he knew, in the belly of a fish for three days. Jesus willingly separated Himself from God to the grip of death for three days in order to redeem you and me and pay the penalty for our sin. God became man, suffered the most horrible, humiliating and painful death imaginable in order that you and I could be reunited with our Creator; that we could live an abundant life, full of His Grace and love; in order that we could act out the very purpose for which He created us in the first place. Are you looking for a sign today? Are you waiting for some big, miraculous thing to happen prior to surrendering your heart of hearts to the King of Kings who died for you and wants so much to be reunited with you in a love relationship that is like nothing else that you have ever experienced in this life? If this is you, then know today that the big, miraculous thing has already happened – Jesus has paid the penalty for your sin and now He is whispering in your ear to accept His gift of life and let Him in. Answer His call today and start living the abundant life of love alongside the One who set you free.

Giving to God's People

32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."
33 His disciples answered, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?"
34 "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked.
"Seven," they replied, "and a few small fish."
35 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. 37 They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 38 The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.
Matthew 15:32-39


I love the response of Jesus’ disciple here when he replied to Jesus, as I sometimes forget just as he did, who Jesus is and just what He can do. The disciples gave what they had to Jesus, which happened to be seven loaves of bread and a few small fish and Jesus took what they gave, fed four thousand plus people and left them with seven basketfuls of leftovers! Sometimes I feel like what I have to give is not nearly enough to make a difference. How much of an impact can the Journey Bread ministry have when it is not on the best seller list or what kind of fruit can my life bear when at times I feel so broken and so weak and so vulnerable? How much can my small contribution of money help the hungry and hurting and lost people who are all around us and in such great need of so much more than just material things? And then, God shares this story with me and I remember who Jesus is and I remember the depth of His love and the limitless power of His Spirit who takes what you and I have to give and always turns our sacrifice into something beautiful that reflects His love and power to the world around us. Be encouraged today as you give away this amazing love that God has blessed you with as He will take your giving heart and use it in ways that are unimaginable. Give your life away for the cause of Christ today.

Praise

29 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. 31 The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
Matthew 15:29-31


There is something deep in side of my heart of hearts that resonates with praise of accomplishments and successes and overcoming unthinkable odds to live out a life of excellence and honor for the Glory of the awesome God that we serve. Last night Paula and I had an opportunity to go to an excellent opera performance in the city of Charlotte where we live and although the show was incredibly done, my favorite part of the whole evening was the standing ovation at the end when the lead performers were applauded and cheered on for a job well done. As I ponder this soft spot in my soul this morning, I am convinced that we as God’s children who were made in His image were created to praise Him and to live out a life of praise by letting the redeeming glorious and amazing Spirit of Jesus who lives inside of all who believe live through us as we strive to live as Jesus lived and to love as Jesus loved. Our God deserves to be praised this morning just like He was praised so long ago by the people of Israel that He touched as His excellence and beauty and healing touch can be seen so much in the world around you. Have a look at the world around you today with the eyes of your heart and you will see the One who deserves all of your praise.

The Test

21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly."
23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."
24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
25 The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
26 He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs."
27 "Yes it is, Lord," she said. "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."
28 Then Jesus said to her, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Matthew 15:21-28


The region of Tyre and Sidon was approximately 30 – 40 miles north of Jerusalem where Jesus had previously been and so, back in those days it was no easy or quick task to travel such a distance. Knowing this, it is evident that Jesus did not just stumble across this area but that He intentionally went to meet this Canaanite woman, even though his first words to her would suggest otherwise. To understand Jesus’ initial response, you will need to dig a bit deeper into the conflict that had been present for some time between the Israelites and the Canaanites. What is clear though in reading the text is that Jesus was testing the Faith of this Canaanite woman and that her faith proved more than genuine. The persistent and humble approach of this woman can teach us a great lesson about how you and I approach God. Even in the worst of circumstances, Jesus longs for us as his children to come to Him, day after day after day in an effort to be restored and comforted by His love and grace. Be persistent today in your pursuit of God as it may be in your relentless and humble approach that you will find a miracle.

External vs. Internal

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11 What goes into your mouth does not defile you, but what comes out of your mouth, that is what defiles you."
12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?"
13 He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."
15 Peter said, "Explain the parable to us."
16 "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. 17 "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these defile you. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile you; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile you."
Matthew 15:10-19


God is not as concerned about the external actions that you may do today as much as He is about the internal workings and meditations of your heart! You see, a relationship with Jesus Christ, at its very core, is all about letting the Holy Spirit restore the brokenness of your heart that has been tainted by original sin. Your utmost priority as a follower of Jesus should not be to “look the part” of a Christian through external acts of righteousness but to “be” in love with Jesus at the very core of who you are. As you fall in love with Jesus in your heart of hearts, the external fruits of His healing touch and His redeeming Spirit will naturally show in the words that you speak as well as in your actions as the world looks on and see’s Jesus in you. Fall in love with Jesus today.

Heart Problem

1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"
3 Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' [and 'Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.'] 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is 'devoted to God,' 6 they are not to 'honor their father or mother' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8 " 'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.'
Matthew 15:1-9


The Pharisees had a heart problem! They manipulated God’s law to be self serving in that they made traditions and rules that helped to feed their greed for money and power, all the while missing out on what could have truly fulfilled them and made them whole – an authentic relationship with God. At the very core of who you are today lies your soul and what your soul is longing for and hungers for and subconsciously thirsts for is to know and love the God of this world who ultimately created you for one reason – to know and love Him with all of your heart. You see, this morning, your Father in heaven doesn’t care what happened yesterday, He doesn’t care about how you might have failed Him 1, 10 or 15 years ago; He couldn't care less about the feeble attempts that you may try to make today within your flesh to earn His love or favor or to somehow try to make up for wrongdoings of your past. No, your Father loves you 100% completely right now, today, with an all encompassing love that is full of grace and mercy, not because of anything that you have done but as a result who He is. You see, all that Jesus asks of you today is to love Him; to spend some time with Him conversation; to tell others how much you love Him by the way that you live your life and the words that you speak. All that He asks of you today is to give Him your heart, entirely and completely in such a way that you can learn to forgive yourself and thus forgive others. God just wants to love you today and to know you in a personal way in order that you can be free to live your life as you were originally created to live. Worship your Father this morning; spend some time with Him and set aside the foolish traditions of religion in order that you can know and love Him more!

Courage

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
28 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29 "Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

Matthew 14:13-21


Having courage is the key to living out a successful life in this fallen world. Having the courage to give unconditionally without expecting anything in return; having the courage to love and forgive no matter what the offense; having the courage to step outside of your comfort zone in an act of faith, knowing that God’s power in your life will carry you through whatever it is that He has directed you to do. You see, the key to unleashing the power of God’s Holy Spirit who lives in the lives of all who have accepted Him into their heart of hearts is to courageously obey and to step out in faith, even when you feel less than adequate and all alone. Jesus will always be there to catch you when you fall and to reassure you with His love when you doubt, but taking the first step is up to you. Be courageous enough today to take that step of faith that God is calling you to take as the journey is ever so sweet to the soul and full of the grace and love and power of the One who gave His life to set you free!

Jesus is All that you Need

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."
16 Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."
17 "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.
18 "Bring them here to me," he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Matthew 14:13-21


Jesus, most likely saddened by the recent events concerning John the Baptist withdraws to a quiet place in order to spend some time with the Father. Today as life carries on; maybe you are saddened just a bit about the circumstances of a relationship or your job or by some type of weakness or struggle that you just can’t seem to overcome on your own. Know today that Jesus is all that you need to fill your empty soul and make you new again! Just as His followers here brought the little food that they had to Him and He turned what they brought into an overabundance of bread and fish, so too will Jesus take what you have to bring Him today in prayer and turn it into an overabundance of joy and love in your life. Jesus is all that you need today – come to Him on bended knee and let His Holy presence in your life restore your heart and make you new!

The Wickedness of this World

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him."
3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her." 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet.
6 On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Matthew 14:1-12


Lust, pride, jealousy, anger, bitterness, envy – all of these and many other evil desires and tendencies are unfortunately present in this fallen world in which we live. It breaks my heart when I participate in or see others partake of the enemy’s lies that these types of behavior will produce any long term joy or satisfaction. In the end, the result is always pain, guilt and shame as any act that is done or word that is spoken or thought that is harbored outside of the life giving righteousness of the One who died to set you free is done in vain and will steal the joy of your salvation. Thanks be to God for His incredible grace and unconditional love and patience as we all learn to love Him more!

Rejected by Close Friends

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. 55 "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" 57 And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, "Only in their own towns and in their own homes are prophets without honor."
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Matthew 13:53-58


Sometimes it is the people who have known you the best, the people with whom you have experienced life prior to your conversion who are skeptics concerning your new life in Christ. Do not be discouraged today as a result of other people’s actions as we live in a fallen and broken world at war where there is hate and jealousy and pride and anger present all around you. The only one you should be concerned about pleasing today is the One who lives inside of your heart of hearts who is waiting anxiously to open your eyes in such a way that you can see Him at work in your very life in order that you can play out your part by loving Jesus and loving others as He loves you. Spend some time with the Father today, focus on Him and He will give you the strength to persevere as His love is all that you will ever need!

Surrender All

44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Matthew 13:44-46


The only way that you will ever truly experience an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ and the only way that you will ever fully realize the abundant life that your Creator and Father so desperately wants for you to have is to be willing to surrender everything that you have over to the direction and control of the One who lives inside of your heart of hearts. You see, it is only when you let go of yourself and when you let go of all of the lies with which your enemy will try to cloud your mind, that you will truly be free to live your life in such a way that your words and actions are a reflection of God’s love to the world around you. As you trust completely in the One who gave His life for you it is then that you will experience a peace and love that is indescribable but very real and ever so sweet to the soul. Surrender all that you have today to the One who sets your heart free!

Wheat among Weeds

24 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. ,,,,,,
27 "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
28 " 'An enemy did this,' he replied.
"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
29 " 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' "
36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."
37 He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
Matthew 13:24-29;27-43


Maybe it is a result of the weeds that are present in this world that can be blamed for my computer problems this week! :) I often hear the question from skeptics as to why God would allow so much evil to be present in the world that we see and experience on a daily basis. Well, maybe the answer is as simple as the reason that Jesus gives here to his disciples in the parable of the weeds. It is important for us to coexist with evil in order that God can continue to work on perfecting, renewing and healing the brokenness that exists in each one of us while at the same time using our very lives to illuminate the darkness that surrounds us all through His light that is present in our hearts in an effort to make more and better disciples of Jesus. Light your world today as you live your life for Him!

Words

33 "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 Good people bring good things out of the good stored up in them, and evil people bring evil things out of the evil stored up in them. 36 But I tell you that people will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
Matthew 12:33-37


The words that you speak today are a direct reflection of what’s going on in your heart of hearts. If your words have not been uplifting, positive, honest and real lately then maybe it is time to let Jesus Christ who came to heal the brokenness of your heart do His thing in your life in order that all the “good” things that He has created in you can finally be seen and reflected to the lost world around you. He is waiting to hear your cry for help in order that He can perform a miracle in your life through the healing touch of His Spirit. Spend some time with your Creator this morning, let Him do the work on the inside in order that His love can be reflected on the outside through the words that you speak to a lost world in need of Him.