Journey Bread: Five Minute Meals for the Soul

Deserted by His Closest Friends

2010-05-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

Deserted by His Closest Friends

55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Matthew 26:55-56(TNIV)

Do you ever feel alone? Have you ever felt deserted by the ones that you love the most; your friends that you would have never thought would ever leave you in times of trouble? Well, Jesus can relate to you today as He was deserted by His closest friends right there in the midst of giving His life away in order that we could have these discussions today, more than 2,000 years later about His incredible love. He was deserted while He was paying the penalty of sin, for you and for me, in order that we could experience the presence of God in our lives and in order that we could be restored and healed so we could begin our journey of knowing and loving our Creator in a very real way today. So don’t give up as your friends move away because they are in a story of their own and their journey is much different from yours, but hold on to the fact that you have a friend above all friends who has been where you are and who will never let you go! Walk in the midst of His incredible love today as you give your life away for the King.

Silent

2010-05-07T05:49:00.000-07:00

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you? But Jesus remained silent.

Matthew 26:59-63(TNIV)

As we study the words of Jesus in the book of Matthew, I think it is interesting to notice the times when Jesus intentionally did not speak in addition to looking at the words that He spoke. Here, before the Sanhedrin, Jesus, while being questioned, remained silent. I think that He remained silent because He knew that these lies and accusations and ridicule needed to take place in order for God’s will to be fulfilled. I think that Jesus remained silent as He really had nothing good to say to these men who had no desire really to know or to love God as they were too consumed with the worldly desires of power, influence and financial gain. I think that Jesus ultimately remained silent as a result of His extraordinary love for you and me since He knew that this ridiculous discussion among His enemies needed to happen in order for Him to restore our very hearts and our relationship with our Creator. If you think about it, Jesus did not have to sit there and take any of this, I mean, after all He is the Son of God, the Creator of the universe, all powerful and almighty God. He did this for you only because of His incredible, amazing and unfailing love for you. Are there times when you should remain silent knowing that nothing good will come out of your mouth? Are there times when other colleagues or friends or family speak the most untrue and horrible lies about you and you just want to lash out with your tongue in anger in hopes that you could somehow undo the words that they have just spoken against you? Maybe you should heed Jesus’ example here and remain silent, knowing full well that God is in control and that nothing can stop His pursuit of wanting the very best for your life. No words or actions that you can say or do will be more fulfilling than the abundance, mystery and completeness of Christ’s love living in and through your life. Prayerfully consider your words and actions today as you live out your love for Jesus!

Better to Trust than to Fight

2010-04-06T05:09:00.000-07:00

52 "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"
Matthew 26:52-54(TNIV)

The disciples, as Jesus was being arrested, prepared to fight with their swords in order to somehow stop the inevitable of Jesus being crucified for our sins. How often do we want to fight to try to somehow change God’s plan for our lives? How often do we stubbornly say no to God while He is secretly wooing us to move in a direction toward Him? No, that narrow road that He asks us to take is not always easy and in fact, the reshaping and restoration of our hearts to be more like His can at times be very painful and can seem like we are jumping off a cliff with no parachute; however, the truth of the matter is that in order for God’s dream to be fulfilled in your life, you must take the next step toward Him. Believe me, God will be there for you when you step out of your comfort zone into unfamiliar territory because what He wants more than anything is for you to have enough faith in Him to make a move. After you make that move, you will see and experience the love and power of God like never before in your life, He will catch you in His arms of love that will hold you tight and never let you go. Trust in Jesus today with your whole heart and take that next step in your Journey to know and love Him more!

Head On

2010-03-31T18:19:00.000-07:00

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!" Matthew 26:45(TNIV)

It’s incredible to me to read Matthew’s account of Jesus here just before being pointed out by Judas in the start of the most amazing act of love and sacrifice that ever happened for you and me. The enthusiasm and determination to suffer and to give His life is so clear and yet very far from my understanding or comprehension. One thing that I do know for sure is that whatever God may be asking you to do today could not possibly be as bad or as hard as what Jesus had to go through more than 2000 years ago. So, with that in mind, face your challenges and opportunities to reflect God’s love today head on and know that you have a Comforter and Helper who lives inside of your heart of hearts who will give you the strength to press on for He has been there and He knows more than ever how to comfort you and carry you through!

Spirit is Willing - Flesh is Weak

2010-03-08T05:17:00.001-08:00

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26:40-41(TNIV)

Sometimes we are only as good as our fleshly bodies will allow us to be. Oh how I can relate to the disciples here as there have been many times that in my spirit I had great intentions but at the end of the day I was way too tired and exhausted to carry them out. I read a book once entitled "Mind, Body and Spirit" that was written by a pastor here in the Charlotte area addressing this very issue. The author illustrated how important it is to engage not only your mind and Spirit but also your physical body, the better your shape the more that you will be able to do for God. Well, I feel pretty good today as I started my day in the gym at 6:00 and am now drinking a protein shake at my desk in hopes of rebuilding my muscles in order that my wife won’t be embarrassed to lay beside me at the pool in our building this spring. Seriously though, more important than that, I believe that God honors His children who look after their whole person, including physical shape and fitness. Start exercising your flesh today in order that your body will be able to keep up with the amazing dreams that play out in your Spirit and in your mind. Draw near today to only One who can give you the strength to endure and to live a loving life that reflects the amazing grace of Jesus.

Celebration of Life

2010-02-16T05:25:00.000-08:00

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."
27 Then he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."
30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Matthew 26:6-26-30(TNIV)

Many refer to the discipline that Jesus discusses here as communion. I like to refer to it as a celebration! A celebration of life and a remembrance of the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made for everyone who makes a conscious decision to embrace Him. One day, as Jesus describes here, all of us who have dared to enter in to this amazing journey of life with Christ will unite in heaven and there will be drinking of wine and singing and a perfect community of believers that are bonded together by the holy and perfect love of our Creator and Friend. Oh what a day that will be. The small glimpses that we experience on earth today; the experiences that bring joyful tears; the ones that give you goose bumps all over will happen all the time since your brokenness that causes a temporary separation from God will be healed and you will be made whole and complete forever in Him! Don’t ever forget the price that Jesus paid for you and be sure to anticipate the grand celebration that we will all experience one day with our Savior when He looks at us with tears in His eyes as a result of His incredible love and says “well done”.

Effects of War

2010-02-15T05:25:00.000-08:00

20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me."
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely not I, Lord?"
23 Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?"
Jesus answered, "You have said so."
Matthew 26:6-20-25(TNIV)

Can you imagine how Jesus must have felt? In the heat of the battle, about to suffer more than you and I could ever imagine for the sake of restoring all of us to Himself and knowing full well that it was one of His closest friends, one of His inner circle of supporters that would betray Him. Don’t ever forget that we live in a world at war! There will be people that betray you because of your faith in Christ. Some of your closest friends will become victims of defeat to the enemy. There will be people who befriend you that will never really be your friend. Please know when this happens to you that you have a friend who sticks closer than a brother, a friend who has experienced this same kind of hurt and came out on the other side to help comfort you when you endure similar blows due to the brokenness of this world and the battle that we face. Stay connected to your power source today, let His love give you strength to press on and let His grace and mercy soothe your pain and comfort you as you journey to know and love Him more.

Appointed Time

2010-02-12T04:38:00.000-08:00

18 He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.' " 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
Matthew 26:6-18-19(TNIV)

Can you picture this? It’s an ordinary day and you set out in the morning with all of your plans, things to get done, goals to be accomplished, work tasks to be completed and at the last minute a group of Jesus’ disciples show up and all of your grand plans for the day take a 180 degree turn as Jesus Christ, The Messiah, the One the whole city is talking about is coming to your house to celebrate Passover. It was this man’s appointed time to help assist in the single most important event in history as it relates to our restoration and relationship with God. I am sure at the time that he had no idea how important this dinner was and how millions of people would continue to read about it more than 2,000 years later. Great artists have created portraits, books and movies have been written and even controversies have arisen about who was present at the Passover dinner that happened just prior to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. You know, today is no different, there is still a plan in place, an epic battle for the control and restoration of human hearts is happening all around you. Today is your appointed time to play your part, to reflect the love of the amazing Savior who lives inside. The result of your choices and intentionality of living out your faith in Christ could reap eternal rewards today for you and even more for a lost soul who desperately needs to see Jesus living in and through your life. This is your time – be conscious of the moving of God’s Spirit, that still small voice in your ear and the prompting on your heart to take action. You do not want to miss the incredible joy that our Father has planned for you today. Prepare your heart for action today as you learn to love Him more!

A Much Higher Calling

2010-02-09T10:20:00.001-08:00

6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. 9 "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor."
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
Matthew 26:6-13(TNIV)

I love this story as it confirms the idea that man’s ways are not always God’s way and that sometimes the most disturbing and ridiculous and illogical things that occur throughout the day can never be understood by us because God’s vision and perspective is so much greater than our limited view of the world. The perfume that this lady poured on Jesus could have paid all the expenses for a family for a year and yet it served a much higher calling and more divine purpose as it was being sacrificed in order that our beautiful Savior could be properly anointed prior to giving His very life over to humiliation and suffering on our behalf. Who at that table could have known what was about to occur? Who could have known that the events that were about to transpire in the coming days would live on in the lives of millions of people more than 2000 years later? Who could have foretold that the anointing of perfume in that alabaster jar would be the beginning of an event that would transform literally millions upon millions of people’s hearts and lives back into authentic relationship with their Creator? You never know what your Heavenly Father may be up to or how the small acts of kindness that you perform today may be used for such a high calling as to transform a person’s life or maybe many people’s lives back to the joy and perfect unity that happen in a relationship with Jesus Christ. So today, continue to respond to the Spirit’s prompting on your heart as there is a purpose for every little thing that you do and you may never know how far your kindness will reach as you faithfully reflect God’s love in the smallest of ways to the world around you. Pour your alabaster jar of God’s love onto another person today as you learn to love Him more!

Not So Bad

2010-02-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 "As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."
Matthew 26:1-2(TNIV)

Just when you think that life has really dealt you a crappy hand to play and right at the same time that you are wallowing in your sorrows and shaking your fist at God with a notion to scream at the top of your lungs the question why – right then, in that moment, try to remember the cross and all that Jesus endured in order that He could help to ease your pain and heal your brokenness and comfort you with His amazing love. Jesus suffered betrayal by His closest friends and He endured the worst case of humiliation that anyone has ever endured on this earth. He was beaten with razor sharp flogs to the point of death, made to carry His cross through the cheering crowd to Calvary Hill, spit on, mocked and treated worse than the scum of the earth. The crazy thing is that He knew ahead of time that all of this was going to happen and yet He, with the help of His Father, pressed on in order that His sacrifice could repair your broken relationship with God in such a way that you could be comforted and restored, even in the midst of whatever crises you find yourself facing today. Jesus loves you more than you could ever imagine. He has suffered much more than you, and today He is patiently waiting for you to reach out and take His gentle hand of love that will guide you through this time in your life, and when viewed through the lens of the cross, this turns out to be not so bad. Fall in love with Jesus today and let Him guide you and comfort you as you learn to love Him more.

Sheep or Goat

2010-02-04T10:10:00.000-08:00

31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'
41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45 "He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Matthew 25:31-46(TNIV)

Are you a sheep or a goat? If you were to die today and before you know it be placed in front of this glorious throne with Jesus Christ in the judgment seat, His body still scarred and bruised from the incredible price that He paid for you, where would He put you, on the right or on the left? Truly if you have genuinely accepted His free gift of salvation into your heart of hearts then you will not be able to help but to act like the sheep in this story and in some small way be looking to give of yourself and to give of your resources to others as the acts of kindness that are evident in your life are not of your own doing but have everything to do with the one who lives inside of your soul. Maybe, you are a goat today but have ambitions to be a sheep at some time in your life when you have more time or when it is more convenient or when you are successful at cleaning up your act in preparation to live a Godly life. Listen, you will never be able to clean up your act without Jesus and no one knows how much longer they have on this earth. The truth of the matter is that you may not be here tomorrow and today may be your only opportunity to be Jesus to the world and to make a difference. Which side will you choose? Choose today and start living a life that abounds in love and adoration for the one who died to make you whole!

New Project: Deck Your Heart: 30 Days with God

2010-01-30T12:59:00.000-08:00

Journey Bread Readers:

I have started a new project that I believe in my heart will be a success. The project is called Deck Your Heart: 30 Days with God. The idea is to try to "live in the moment" each day instead of always dreaming about the future. I have a tendency to dream so much about future success that I miss the small blessings and opportunities to help people each day. With God's help, I am trying to stay connected to Him throughout the day and look for Him to show up and give me opportunities to live for Him, even in the smallest of events. The text as you will find contains victories and failures and struggles and is very raw - I believe that this type of story will appeal to a large group of people in the world who are tired of the fairy tale stories and who long for a story that they can relate to and from which they can learn. Attached are the first 3 days of the script that I have sent to Tate Publishing who has offered to give me a publishing contract for the book. In an effort to gauge the feasibility of meeting the author participation - financial investment for the book, I would be humbled if you could do the following:
1. Pray for me that God would give me the wisdom to continue to stay connected to Him and to be sensitive to His presence and direction, even in the smallest of events and goings on throughout the coming days, weeks and beyond.
2. Please read the first 3 days that are attached and shoot me a quick note if you would be willing to prayerfully consider partnering with me by offering a financial contribution that I will credit toward your pre-sale copy/copies once published.
3. Even if you are not in a position to financially support the project, I would love to hear your feedback on the idea.

Thanks so much for your support and for continuing on the Journey of knowing and loving our Creator!

Deck Your Heart

30 Days with God

Author: Matt Livigni

Day 1

Jumping In

Today started at 3:00 A.M. as I lie awake in bed nervous that I won’t wake up in time to read the first 5 chapters of a new book that we will be discussing in a block of 12 people at this great new church that Paula, my beautiful wife and I had just started attending several months ago. Normally, I would not have been such a procrastinator; however, my life has been very busy lately. Too busy to worry about the small stuff as my career in the tire business had recently been catapulted from being a successful, independent fleet salesman to managing a team of 14 professionals and being responsible for the business results in one of 4 regions in the U.S. smack dab in the middle of the worst economic downturn since the great depression. On top of that, I had just had my first book published in the past year and was hoping to somehow make it a success despite not having the first clue about how that was going to happen, but secretly believing that somehow it would as I just knew that God had big plans for that book, big plans for me and big plans for my future.

As I read the first 5 chapters of A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Don Miller, I was intrigued by his writing style and could relate all too well to the stories that Don was telling. Don has a gift of being very raw and very transparent, he crossed all the boundaries of how a Christian book should look and feel and sound and yet there was something very special about the truthfulness of his writing, it is as if he was letting the reader peer deep into his soul where all of his insecurities, hurts, dreams, fears, successes and failures were held. The interesting thing about the memorable experiences of Don’s life was that the scenes that he described would not appear on the surface as anything that should be very memorable. They were small insignificant events that mattered most to him and that shaped who he was today. I thought about these small events through the lens of my own personal approach to life with the backdrop of all the big plans that God had (or maybe just I had) for my life and was immediately ashamed of how I had been approaching this journey of knowing and loving God. Right away I decided to change my approach and I remembered a series that Matt and Scott (the pastors at Watershed church) had just completed in December entitled Deck Your Heart.

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 conscience effort to focus on the day to day activities, encounters, acquaintances and divine appointments in which 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. I had just written a daily devotional in December about this idea and so I went back and read what I had just written some 30 days or so earlier. Next came one of those ah-ha moments that hit me upside the head so hard that I could hardly sleep as I went back to bed to catch a few more hours of sleep before the 9:00 block meeting would begin. The words that I had written as part of a daily email ministry called Journey Bread about this idea of decking your heart were very well stated and very inspiring to read and yet practicing them in the daily grind had seemed to get lost in the shuffle as I went back to dreaming about the success of my region, the success of my book, the new relationships and all the people that we were going to have an impact on in our new home and new church in uptown Charlotte. Something needed to change and I was immediately inspired to start walking the talk and to begin to tune in to what God is doing right now, in the moment, in the smallest of the small activities and decisions of my day, in the seemingly mundane business meetings and all of the others events that just happen throughout the day, the events where God had shown up but I had not, the insignificant happenings of the day where God was waiting to give me an incredible gift of fulfilling my purpose for being here on this earth that I had missed altogether as a result of worrying and dreaming about tomorrow, the tomorrow that just might never come. In the book of Matthew 6:34(NIV), Jesus tells us: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I was excited to share this new idea about how I was going to approach life for the next 30 days with the new group with which I was meeting on Sunday morning. As I shared, I was received by these new friends with several deer in the headlight looks. It may had been a little too much to share in the very first meeting but to verbalize it meant a lot to me as I was excited to start this new journey of selfless living and tuning in to how God can use me in the most insignificant events of the day. I was excited to see what God would do if I just had the humility to be intentional about seeking Him and then selfishly I was excited to journal the daily events at the end of each day in order to publish this new book that will hopefully give you just a glimpse of what it is like to encounter God on His turf, with His direction on a daily basis.

The meeting was over and my day had begun. This would be the first Sunday that Paula and I haven’t fought about being late to church. The meeting ended at 10:00 and the service did not start until 10:30. The original plan was to have Paula drive herself and meet me at church, that way I could be on time and not have to worry about her not being ready in time. During the block meeting, Paula was texting me, asking for directions. The weather today was rainy and cold and I thought about this beautiful gift of love that God had given me in my wife trudging through the mud and rain alone to attend a new church where she did not yet know anyone and trying to find me in the midst of the crowd. My first encounter with God happened as I changed my plan and drove home to pick Paula up, knowing full well that we most likely would still be late. This was the first Sunday for as long as I can remember that we didn’t argue or fret about the time as Paula, surprised as she was, greeted me with a special kiss upon my arrival back at our uptown condo. My 30 day Journey had begun and it couldn’t have started in a better way.

Tears filled my eyes as I listened at church to Scott’s wife give the sermon, describing the needs and expectations of a woman. Self-sacrifice, strength and respectability were the 3 pillars that she described that hold a marriage together, all executed with the power of God who lives inside each and every one of us who believe and accept Him. I couldn’t help but reflect on the events of the morning as I grasped Paula’s hand during the service with tears of joy for the gift that God has given me in her and the abundant life that lies in wait as I strive to tune-in to Him in the coming days. I wondered how the morning would have gone if it were a normal Sunday that started with the needless stress of worrying about being late. I wondered how the message would have been received and how my actions might have looked through this new lens of stogies and stilettos(the current series on Sunday morning). I got it right today with a little help from above. I can’t wait to tune-in tomorrow and see what God will do.

Day 2

Head in the Clouds

My facebook status today read the following: “Matt is starting a 30 day journey of living in the small, insignificant moments each day – looking for God to show up and teach me to live, breath and love Him in the midst of His presence throughout each day by reflecting His awesome love to all who cross our path.” The day started with an email from Erica Parkerson, a D.J. from Newlife 91.9 responding to an email that I sent her on Saturday morning answering her request to share a love story. I sent her a copy from one of the devotions in my first book entitled Two Becoming One which described in detail the incredible gift of love that God has given me in my beautiful wife Paula. Her response was so awesome that it catapulted me right back up into the clouds, dreaming about bestselling books and who would be listening to the radio broadcast and maybe, just maybe this was the big break that I needed to get the Journey Bread book off the ground, as far as mass retail sales. So much for living in the moment as that email was all I needed to take my thoughts a million miles away from paying attention to how God would want to use me in the coming hours.

At my desk, I was formulating the response to Erica as she had a few more questions prior to reading my love story over the air, just then Carol, a colleague who had just befriended me on facebook appeared in the frame of my office door – “what an awesome status you had this morning” she said with a heartfelt expression on her face, I smiled and then quickly looked back down at my computer as I have become all too accustomed to doing in an effort to not have to make small talk in the office. So much for living in the moment, and for taking advantage of doors opened by God to reflect His love, share my story and be an encouragement in the moment for other people. No, it was back to the old Matt already, selfishly consumed with visions of grandeur about the future and having dreams so big that I completely missed an opportunity to make a difference right then and there in the midst of a miracle that God had performed in connecting Carol and me together in conversation about His love and grace.

The rest of the day at work is a blur as I once again was so consumed in my work and so consumed in seeing the tipping point for Journey Bread come to fruition that I most likely missed several opportunities to make a difference and to be there for someone else in need. That evening as I walked up the block to the Harris Teeter to grab a bottle of wine and some food to cook for dinner that evening, I passed several people along the way and passed them without even a glance or smile. I had developed the cold way of avoiding people that was all too prevalent in uptown. The city will teach you very quickly not to make eye contact as you are walking down the street, all it takes is one or two unsolicited conversations with a scam artist who has some long and drawn out story as to why you should give him whatever cash is in your pocket and feel good about it. I fell for this scam one too many times when we first moved to uptown Charlotte, and those early experiences helped me to develop this same cold avoidance toward other people that I thought was very insensitive and downright rude when we first moved here. I should mention here that I do, however, very much enjoy selective giving to the down and out on the city streets, the ones I deem to be authentic homeless folks – as if I have any idea who is really homeless and who isn’t and maybe it’s the unauthentic ones who need to see Jesus even more than the real street people do. Nevertheless, here I was passing by several other people who may have just needed a comforting smile to help to ease their hurt or calm their fears and I was not even able to do that this evening.

As I lay in bed that evening, I was wondering where God was in all of this today. Why didn’t Erica ever email me back? Why was I so tired, too tired to even journal my experiences for the day? Why do I get so caught up in dreaming so much about the future and about success and about having a bestselling book and being the number one region in the country? Why am I not more concerned about other people? Why am I so selfish? I prayed a prayer that evening that I could no way do any of this on my own and it was definitely going to take a miracle from God to intervene if any good was going to come from the next 29 days. I asked God’s forgiveness for my failures and fell fast asleep without even the thought of a kiss goodnight to my beautiful bride who lay next to me, the one I wrote about, the one who, I fear, may be even lonelier than I when my head gets stuck in the clouds and life goes on without me.

Day 3

Big City – Big Deal

One of Paula and my favorite cities in the U.S. is NYC. Paula would be packing her bags tomorrow if I told her that we were moving to Manhattan. I can’t see us living there since the cost of living is so high but I love to visit whether the trip is on business or pleasure. My standard reply when she brings up her dream of living in the city is that if we did that then we wouldn’t have anywhere to go to on vacation that we enjoy as much as New York. This never flies with her, and she will never let go of the dream until it is fulfilled. So, on Wednesday I had the opportunity to fly to New York to continue the negotiations of most likely the largest business deal that I have had the privilege of putting together in my 22 year career in the tire business. I was excited about furthering the negotiations but even more excited about the great rate that I found at a hotel in Chelsea as we normally stayed in NJ on these business trips to help minimize cost, but on this trip we were right in the middle of New York City, the place where all the action was, the place that would turn out to be the biggest distraction of my day.

On the plane, I had almost two hours of uninterrupted time, (this seems to be a luxury these days) and was excited to write day 2 of this book. Upon completion of the second chapter I was once again filled with awe and joy and incredible love for the God that I serve as the words just flowed onto the laptop screen with almost zero effort. You would have thought that I would be used to this by now since this incredible gift of journaling the lessons that God has been teaching me through His Word and through life experience over the past 4 years has never failed to show up when I, alongside God, have set aside time to reflect and share the thoughts that He has placed on my heart. I sent the completed chapter to the co-pastor of our new uptown church with a copy to my beautiful Paula as in writing the chapter I was reminded of how much I love her and how much better I could be as a husband if I could only figure out this God thing of living in the moment. Much to my surprise, Scott responded almost immediately with encouraging words and Paula responded at work the next day saying that I was much too hard on myself. These kinds of responses are what I live for, they are the fuel that keeps me motivated to continue on in the battle, they give me hope for the future and encouragement to keep writing and to keep trying to invest my short time on this earth in a way that will somehow leave a legacy of love and encouragement that people will remember and that reflects the One inside whose strength is made perfect in my weakness.

The bad thing about the city is that it is easy to get distracted by all of the energy and all of the people and all of the fancy restaurants with superb wine lists and authentic Italian food. It is easy to get lost in self-indulgence and that is what mostly happened the evening of day 3. At dinner with my colleague, the subject of the horrible tragedy in Haiti came up in conversation and from the tone of his voice it was as if he was quietly asking why. Why did this have to happen; why does God allow such terrible tragedy in the world. It would have been a perfect opportunity to explain the brokenness of the world and to tell Bill my story of how I was broken and how everyone and everything in this world is broken but how God has begun to heal and restore my broken heart into an amazing relationship with Him through a relationship with His son Jesus. Easy to write these words now but they were not so easy to speak when the opportunity presented itself because I was one too many glasses into the bottle of wine that we ordered for dinner and my thoughts and focus on what God was doing were long gone and had been replaced by the indulgences of New York City and the fine food and wine that we were feeding ourselves that evening. I muttered something to Bill’s questions like “we live in a broken world” and then quickly moved on to a more pleasant topic of discussion.

A late night to bed with an early start the next day, when one of the most important meetings of my career would take place meant that there would be no time to write my Journey Bread devotion in the morning. The guilt and disappointment that I used to feel when missing a morning had been long gone as I secretly wondered if any of the 400 or so people who are on the Journey Bread list ever read them anymore as it didn’t appear as if my Journey Bread email ministry was going anywhere. The book had only sold 500 or so copies and the investment that it would take to publish the other two devotional books that were almost complete appeared to be too much to make my dream of having a series of Journey Bread devotional books a reality. Part of me continues to hang on to this dream since every time I get discouraged God sends a small, unexpected message of encouragement through an unsolicited comment on the book or a heartfelt response to the morning devotion. God will not let me relinquish this dream and it is in those times of encouragement that I feel more alive than I have ever been and so full of hope and ambition for the future to fulfill my God-given purpose in this life. Maybe, just maybe, my timing is not God’s timing at all and I am convinced more than ever that there is a miracle around the corner just waiting to happen and that God is going to show up in a big way to help me realize my dreams and live to my full potential. Maybe, just maybe, I am in the midst of a miracle and God is just waiting for me to eliminate the distractions in my life in order that I can hear His whisper in my ear during the smallest most insignificant events of the day that will lead me to a life that changes people and makes a difference in this broken world.

Father, please help me to listen more for your direction and help me to always be ready to respond to the prompting of your Spirit on my heart to offer a smile or helping hand or encouraging word, whatever it is that you would want me to do. I pray for clarity and for the cleanness of my mind in order that I could hear your voice and respond. I love you Father – thank you for your Grace and for your love and thank you for the incredible journey that you have planned for all who trust in you and give you their life.

Risk

2010-01-26T05:17:00.001-08:00

14 -18"It's also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master's investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master's money.
19 -21"After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.'
22 -23"The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master's investment. His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.'
24 -25"The servant given one thousand said, 'Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.'
26 -27"The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
28 -30"'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.'
Matthew 25:1-13(The Message)

The journey that you are on with God many times involves risk. In order for you to peel back the onion and really get to know the magnitude of God’s love, you will need to step out on a limb and trust that your Creator and Friend will be there to catch you if you fall. Successful people in this world will tell you that no one has ever achieved anything noteworthy without taking a risk to get there. This principle applies to business, to your relationships, to your finances, to your personal walk with Jesus, to every aspect of life. So, knowing this, I ask you, what is the risk that you need to take in order to continue on this narrow road of abundant life that your heart so longs for? What is God quietly whispering in your heart of hearts for you to do? Maybe it is coming clean on a secret sin that has been destroying you from the inside out, maybe it is forgiving that person that you just know will continue to tear your heart apart if you open the door once again, maybe the risk has to do with your finances as God could be asking you to invest in other people, in His work, in helping to fund the rebuilding of the horrible tragedy in Haiti? Whatever it is I encourage you to take that risk today, don’t wait any longer as God has big plans for your life and He wants to use your story to make a difference in this lost and lonely world that so desperately needs to experience His love.

Hypocrisy

2010-01-13T04:54:00.000-08:00

45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 24:45-51

As I drove to the office this morning, I passed a sign on a local church which read: “If you love Jesus, then come on in”. I was taken back a bit by this message as it seemed a little hypocritical to me when you view it through the lens of who Jesus really is. You see, I believe that Jesus would want all people to walk through the doors of that church whether they loved Him or not. I mean, after all, His desire is for all to come to repentance isn’t it? Does He not love us and does He not show His unconditional love and saving grace, even when our hearts are not yet aligned with His perfect will and direction for our lives? Did He not die a horrible death on a cross in order that you and I could be free of the evil and bondage of this world which does indeed cause separation from God? It was not until Christ first loved us that we were even able to begin to understand what it means to love Him back. As we read here in this chapter, there will be a day when it is too late to accept His love and to begin living your life with abundance and purpose. Jesus will be back one day, and when that happens the bell will sound, the fat lady will sing and your time to accept this most incredible gift of love in your life will be over as Jesus will take His own back to paradise and you can read on as to what will happen to the rest. Don’t wait another day; start living your life for the King today!

Refocus in the New Year

2010-01-04T03:45:00.000-08:00

42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Matthew 24:42-44

As we begin a new year with new dreams and new ideas as to what will happen in 2010, it is good to remember how this life is just a dress rehearsal for eternal life with God. We will be reunited with our Creator in perfect unity and perfect oneness. This will all happen after the appointed time when Jesus returns to finish what He started and to take every man and woman who has trusted in Him back to paradise where you will be rewarded for the effort that you have put forth to advance His kingdom and reflect His love onto a lost world in need. Maybe it is time, this year, to refocus your priorities to things that will matter, not just in this life, but in the life to come. Maybe it is time, as you begin this gift of another incredible year of relationship and restoration with your Savior, to start giving all that you have received from your Father in heaven away to others in order that the people God has placed in your life can also enjoy this incredible gift of abundant and eternal life in Jesus. Maybe it is time to start forgiving others, the way that you have been forgiven; maybe it is time to start loving others, the way that you have been unconditionally loved. Maybe it is time to start expressing to others all that God has done for you and to begin thinking of others as more important than yourself in order that they could see God for who He really is, living in and through your very life. As we read here in the book of Matthew, no one really knows how much time is left or when Jesus will return - let’s not waste any more time my brothers and sisters in Christ, start living your life for Jesus today! Happy New Year!

Deck your Heart

2009-12-21T05:34:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-08T03:10:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-02T03:13:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-01T02:45:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-23T04:44:00.000-08:00

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

2009-10-27T05:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-19T04:33:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-15T04:43:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-13T04:50:00.001-07:00

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

2009-10-08T03:24:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-06T04:06:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-29T04:52:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-28T05:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-23T04:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-22T03:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-21T03:47:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-09-17T05:02:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-16T05:14:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-15T04:26:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-11T05:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-10T05:09:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-08T03:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-26T03:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-25T03:39:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-24T03:36:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-17T03:24:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-14T03:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-13T03:42:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-10T03:36:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-05T05:21:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-04T04:19:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-03T04:12:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-27T05:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-23T05:21:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-21T04:56:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-20T04:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-15T04:52:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-13T03:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-10T05:17:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-06T04:59:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-23T05:11:00.001-07:00

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?

2009-06-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-18T05:15:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-16T04:33:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-11T05:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-10T05:36:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-09T04:40:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-08T05:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-04T05:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-02T04:55:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-01T05:11:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-28T04:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-26T04:58:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-22T04:41:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-06T04:28:00.000-07:00

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.

Life in the Spirit

2009-05-04T04:54:00.001-07:00

29 "Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions without first tying up the strong man? Then his house can be plundered.
30 "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy. But blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Matthew 12:29-32

Don’t you know that the Spirit of God is your life line today? The direction and control of God’s Spirit who lives inside of your heart of hearts is at the very core and purpose of everything that you do today. And for those of you who are being wooed by the Spirit of God, those of you who have not yet accepted this miracle of the risen Jesus into your heart through the redemptive power of His Holy Spirit who is knocking right now at your heart's door asking to come in, for those of you who are teetering on the edge of salvation but have not yet taken that step of faith, don’t you know that today is the day of your salvation, don’t wait any longer, it is time to start living your life as you were created to live. It is time to receive this wonderful gift of love in order that you too can be forgiven and freed to live an abundant life that is full of purpose and meaning and grace. Pray a prayer today, right now, right where you are and join the family of God as God’s Spirit is wooing you today as a result of His incredible love for you. Invite Him in this morning and you will never be the same.

Bruised Reed

2009-04-30T04:58:00.000-07:00

15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. 16 He warned them not to tell others about him. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18 "Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he leads justice to victory.
21 In his name the nations will put their hope."
Matthew 12:15-21

A commentary on the book The Bruised Reed by Puritan author Richard Sibbes says this concerning these words of Jesus: “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth judgment into truth". It speaks of Jesus' ministry being one of gentleness and mercy to sinners. "...by misery he is brought to see sin as the cause of it, so that together these, a bruised reed and a smoking flax, make up the state of a poor, distressed man. This is such an one as our Savior Christ terms 'poor in spirit' (Matthew 5:3), who sees his wants, and also sees himself indebted to divine justice, [with] no means of supply from himself". But this bruising is itself a gift of grace, as it is "required before conversion that so the Spirit may make way for himself into the heart by leveling all proud, high thoughts, and that we may understand ourselves to be what we indeed are by nature". Hopefully this passage gives you as much hope this morning as it does me. Don’t ever forget that you, by your very nature are a “bruised reed”, you are not perfected yet and you will fail at times and this is exactly why you need God’s Spirit to heal your brokenness, to comfort you with His love and to somehow intercept your feeble attempts to live for Him in this fallen, sinful world in order that the truth of His Spirit could be reflected through your life onto others. All of your hope should be put solely in Him today and not in your own abilities. Let the Master Healer comfort you today as you journey to know and love Him more.

Pride - Power - Jealousy

2009-04-27T04:51:00.000-07:00

9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"
11 He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
13 Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

Matthew 12:9-13

Jesus was a fly in the ointment for the Pharisees as He did not let their man made laws stop Him from loving and healing the people of this world. The Pharisees were jealous since Jesus was directly opposing their man made authority and as a result their power and influence was being threatened. Does any of this at all sound familiar, as some of the obstacles that you and I deal with on a daily basis in business or with family or in other relationships that we encounter in our lives? Pride and power and jealousy seem to be rampant these days as talented and gifted men and women begin to crumble as a result of putting their pride and self ahead of others, even if other people’s ideas and work are good and superior to their own. Today, step outside of yourself with a fresh set of eyes that are filtered through your relationship with Jesus Christ as you approach whatever situation or circumstance that you are faced with, look for the good in others and be open to new ideas as you journey to know and love God and others more.

Mercy Replaces Judgement

2009-04-24T06:08:00.000-07:00

1 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."
3 He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven't you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that one [a] greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' [b] you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
Matthew 12:1-8

Jesus had come, not to judge, but to show mercy on the lost world. He had come to heal and to forgive and finally to pay the ultimate price which would take God’s judgment for sin upon Himself in order that all who believed in Him could somehow live in the midst of His grace and be forgiven and free for the rest of eternity! I heard a story the other day of a business executive who boarded a private plane with a potential vendor on a journey to this company’s headquarters where hopefully a business deal would take place. Halfway through the trip, the business executives were taking God’s name in vain and serving drinks on the plane not knowing that the potential customer was a committed Christian. The customer upon hearing and seeing the brokenness of these lost men ordered the plane to be turned around as he was not interested in doing business with them because of their actions. As I heard this story my heart broke because this man did not represent who Jesus was and what He stood for. If Jesus were in that plane, He would have seen through the harsh behavior to the emptiness and broken hearts of these lost men who were in desperate need of a Savior. He would have continued on with the trip so they could see His love and experience His grace and eventually turn to Him for forgiveness and freedom and healing. As you represent Jesus to the world today, be sure to show His mercy and grace in order that the lost world around you would see Jesus in you and believe!

Take His Yoke and Find Rest

2009-04-23T04:32:00.001-07:00

28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30

A “yoke” is defined by dictionary.com as: a device for joining together a pair of draft animals, esp. oxen, usually consisting of a crosspiece with two bow-shaped pieces, each enclosing the head of an animal. God’s yoke combines together the people of God in order that He can direct us by His Spirit into a life that is full of His peace and love and gentleness. Well, I don’t know about you, but I have had one of those weeks where I have tried to resist the yoke by moving in another direction, by running when I should have been walking and moving when I should have been still. What a refreshing word this is from our Lord this morning! His way really is the best way that brings with it harmony and peace, gentleness and rest. How are you doing as a child of God under the yoke of His Spirit who is trying to guide you into a life of love and fulfillment? Are you moving in the direction that God would want you to or are you trying to resist, thus causing unnecessary grief and heartache? Is the harness even on you at all, have you fully surrendered your life to the direction and control of Jesus Christ? Let me encourage you this morning to “come to him” as the peace and rest that He offers is very real and His way is undoubtedly the very best way for you. Rest in the magnificent love and direction of your Creator today as you journey to know and love Him more!

Are you Ready to Listen

2009-04-22T03:53:00.000-07:00

25 Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. 26 Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work." 27 Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. "The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.
Matthew 11:25-27(The Message)

This morning, Jesus wants to share the mysteries of this incredible relationship that you can have with the One who created you all as a result of the sacrifice that He made for you on the cross – are you ready to listen? God takes the ordinary people of this world, the most unexpected and He uses them to touch the lives and hearts of other people in this world in miraculous ways – are you ready? You have a job to do today, there is a plan and purpose for your life, the time is short and God wants to use you today to help reflect His love to the world around you – are you up for the challenge? Are you listening? Have you spent some time with the Father in prayer, preparing your heart and mind for battle? Get ready as the battle is about to take place and you are on the front lines with God’s Spirit leading the way and His angels clearing a path. Let your light shine today as you let His love flow through you today to a world in need.

Unrepentant Heart

2009-04-21T03:54:00.000-07:00

20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. [e] If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."
Matthew 11:20-24

Don’t you know today that Jesus is wooing you, just as He wooed the towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida, Tyre and Sidon so many years ago. Jesus is performing small miracles in your life in order that you would notice Him and repent and turn from living for yourself to living for God. I was traveling with a colleague a few weeks ago who said that he felt like God was allowing him to experience certain things in his life in order to get his attention, small things and chance meetings with God’s people throughout the day seemed to be happening more often than not in his life. God may also be wooing you through the touch of His comforting Spirit or through the sweet sound of a bird song in the morning or through the beauty of a sunset. I remember vividly as a young man struggling with the brokenness of a dysfunctional family and hurting badly on the inside when the Lord spoke to me through the most beautiful sunset that I have ever seen. As I sat on the empty bleachers and watched in amazement, I could feel God’s peace in the innermost parts of my soul and I felt the touch of His comforting Spirit that let me know that everything was going to be okay and that He loved me more than I could ever imagine. Is God wooing you? How are you going to respond? Are you going to respond like the people of Chorazin or Bethsaida, or are you going to accept this most awesome gift of Jesus Christ into your heart and life in order that you would start living your life for His purposes and not your own? I would suggest the latter as you will encounter a life and a love like no other, that will last forever! Respond to Jesus today, surrender your heart and life to Him.

Riches beyond Material Things

2009-04-17T04:56:00.001-07:00

7 When John's disciples left to report, Jesus started talking to the crowd about John. "What did you expect when you went out to see him in the wild? A weekend camper? 8 Hardly. What then? A sheik in silk pajamas? Not in the wilderness, not by a long shot. 9 What then? A prophet? That's right, a prophet! Probably the best prophet you'll ever hear. 10 He is the prophet that Malachi announced when he wrote, 'I'm sending my prophet ahead of you, to make the road smooth for you.' 11 "Let me tell you what's going on here: No one in history surpasses John the Baptizer; but in the kingdom he prepared you for, the lowliest person is ahead of him. 12 For a long time now people have tried to force themselves into God's kingdom. 13 But if you read the books of the Prophets and God's Law closely, you will see them culminate in John, teaming up with him in preparing the way for the Messiah of the kingdom. 14 Looked at in this way, John is the 'Elijah' you've all been expecting to arrive and introduce the Messiah. 15 "Are you listening to me? Really listening?
Matthew 11:7-15(The Message)

Jesus, referring to John the Baptist as “the best prophet you’ll ever hear” encourages me this morning as I contemplate my job and rewards that are realized as a result of my work. John the Baptist played an integral part in paving the way for the redemption of the world; God used his life in a major way and yet John the Baptist lived in the wilderness, ate off of the land and clothed himself with the skins of animals. John the Baptist had a rich, fulfilling life that did not include material things at all. No, John’s worth and fulfillment and joy came from serving the God that he loved and from knowing that his life was making an impact on the world around him. And Jesus says here in verse 11 that if you have accepted Jesus Christ into your heart of hearts and thus have entered into the Kingdom of God, then your life is even more valuable and more important for the advancement of Christ than John the Baptist’s was. God has a plan for all of us today to be used by Him in incredible ways and we have all been masterfully designed with talents and gifts and abilities to play out our part, and joy and fulfillment in this life come only from doing just that and not from any monetary reward that we may or may not receive in this fallen world. So, be encouraged today through the example of John the Baptist, know that you are deeply loved that you have been masterfully created to do the work of the King today as you let His love flow through you onto a fallen world. Be filled today with the joy that comes from knowing God and keep your focus on Him as it is only in acting out your purpose for the kingdom that abundant life can be found. Keep looking up today as you live your life for the King!

Most Blessed

2009-04-16T04:48:00.000-07:00

When Jesus finished placing this charge before his twelve disciples, he went on to teach and preach in their villages. 2 John, meanwhile, had been locked up in prison. When he got wind of what Jesus was doing, he sent his own disciples 3 to ask, "Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?" 4 Jesus told them, "Go back and tell John what's going on: 5 The blind see, The lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side. 6 "Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!"

Matthew 11:1-6(The Message)

At the end of his rope, imprisoned as a result of his ministry which was to prepare the way for Jesus, John asks for confirmation that Jesus was the Messiah, that the One he had been waiting for and had spent his life preparing other people for had finally arrived. John’s life work was completed, his work was finished as Jesus the Messiah, the One for whom he had been paving the way was finally here. I can only imagine the joy that he felt, even in the midst of his circumstances as a result of the faithfulness and trust that he had put in God Almighty. Sometimes I feel like I can relate to how John the Baptist must have felt in that cold dark cell prior to this confirmation as he wondered if his life had even mattered, if the Messiah had indeed finally come. Sometimes I wonder if the work that I do every day even matters in light of eternity as the worldly rewards seem to be few and far between. In addition, at times I wonder if my ministry is making a difference, if the simple words that I write most every morning are directed by God’s Spirit to a heart that needs to be encouraged or challenged to know and love God and people more. This fallen world has a way of beating you down at times and it will try to snuff out your joy and your enthusiasm for the work that you are doing for the Lord. What Jesus would tell you this morning is that you are “most blessed!” He would tell you that He is alive, that He is using your life in ways that you might not ever know until that day when you meet Him face to face. What Jesus would tell you this morning is to hold you head up high and let His love flow through your life onto others in the midst of whatever circumstance that you are facing as He is in control and He is carrying you through to the end of this race called life. Jesus loves you more than you could ever imagine today and His love is all that you need.

Rewarded through Giving

2009-04-14T05:06:00.000-07:00

40 "Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes someone known to be a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever welcomes someone known to be righteous will receive a righteous person's reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is known to be my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly be rewarded."

Matthew 10:40-42

One of the coolest things that Paula and I had the privilege to do a couple of years ago was to give some money that we had set aside over and above our monthly tithe to some dear friends who are in full time ministry and were in a bit of a financial jam. I can’t even describe the joy that resulted from such a simple act of obedience. In fact, some of the best times in our marriage have been realized when we have had the opportunity to give to someone else in need. The apostle Paul reminds us of Jesus’ words in Acts 20:35 when he says: “,,,'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " We have experienced this first hand as a couple and both of us look forward to many more opportunities to give to God’s people in support of advancing the Kingdom of Christ. What about you? Have you experienced the indescribable joy and satisfaction that comes from giving? Give it a try today as I can promise you that your gift will not go unnoticed by God and that you too will be blessed beyond belief!

The Battle Rages On

2009-04-13T05:10:00.000-07:00

34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
" 'a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 your enemies will be the members of your own household.'
37 "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 10:34-39

Jesus has risen! New life can now be found in Him that is fulfilling and full of love and grace but is that the end of the story? Is life now lived happily ever after like some sort of religious utopia where there is only peace and love and joy? Of course not! We still live in a fallen world and the evil one is still fighting for control of your soul and mind; your enemy will continue to try to distract you from living out your purpose for God up until that day when all things will be new and when the brokenness of this world will be healed, once and for all. The battle rages on and that battle most likely will take place with the people who are closest to you in your life. Do not be discouraged when your loved ones do not respond in a positive way to your new found faith in Christ. Don’t be discouraged when there are arguments in your family concerning religious traditions and religious preferences as Jesus has come to break these walls that cause us all at times to take our eyes off of the one thing that really matters – Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him. Take up your cross today; show forgiveness and grace and patience to your loved ones as you draw on the power of the One who lives inside of your heart of hearts. The key to winning the battle is surrender and sacrifice as you journey today to know and love Him more.

Public Acknowledgement of Christ

2009-04-09T04:44:00.000-07:00

32 "Whoever publicly acknowledges me I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever publicly disowns me I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Matthew 10:24-31

A very bold statement here from Jesus should cause you to reflect this morning on how you publicly acknowledge all that Jesus Christ has done for you in your awesome relationship that you have with the Son of God. Do you speak of Him throughout the day with others that you meet through example in acts of kindness and genuine love for others and maybe even sometimes using words? When His Spirit and grace in your life bring success, do you give Him the glory? Do others know without a doubt why you live your life that way that you do? Do they see Jesus in you? Don’t be afraid today to shout with your voice and even more so with your actions the reason for your joy and peace; tell others today about the One who has set you free and you will begin to know God and experience God in a brand new way as you begin to see Him with the eyes of your heart through your relationship with others. You have a job to do and God wants to use you in a big way today as you proclaim His name to the nations.

Sparrow Song

2009-04-08T04:40:00.000-07:00

24 "Students are not above their teacher, nor servants above their master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teacher, and servants like their master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!
26 "So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:24-31

One of my favorite things is to listen to the birds sing in the quietness of a spring morning during sunrise. I find that sound calming and full of peace in the midst of the busy world in which we live. I never really connected the dots until this morning on why hearing the sound of birds brings so much peace and hope as I start a new day on my journey of loving God and loving others. The birds sing as a result of being in God’s care, He protects them and feeds them and loves them, just as He loves you and I, as Jesus describes here to the first 12 disciples. So today, why do you worry about the trivial things of life when God has so much else for you to see and experience with Jesus by your side leading the way. When you hear the sparrows this morning, remember, that God loves you so amazingly much this morning that He knows every hair on your head and He knows everything that you are going to experience today and He will be right where you are to love and care for you even more as you stumble through this life under the providence and direction of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Keep looking up today as you live your life for Him!

Stand Firm

2009-04-07T04:13:00.000-07:00

"Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Matthew 10:18-22

Don’t ever forget that we live in a world at war. There is a spiritual battle raging all around you in the 3rd realm. There are demons trying to sidetrack the work that you are doing for the Lord through quiet whispers of suggestion enticing you to live for yourself and tempting you to make bad choices in this life. There are angels, just the same, fighting them off and celebrating the small victories that you make through the power of Jesus Christ who lives inside of your heart of hearts. Don’t ever forget that you have an enemy who will try to discourage you in your journey of knowing and loving God and others and that is why it is of the utmost importance to stay connected in prayer and submission to your Father in heaven. The enemy is trying to disqualify you from having an impact on this fallen world for Christ but Jesus has overcome the enemy and His love will prevail as long as you continue to walk in His grace and forgiveness and power. Spend some time with your Father this morning and recharge your batteries as you will need His strength today to overcome and stand firm in the midst of this fallen world. He loves you right where you are and His Grace is big enough to cover anything that you have done. Let His Holy Spirit work through you today as you rest in His power and are comforted by His awesome love.

Shrewd and Innocent

2009-04-06T04:20:00.000-07:00

16 "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves

Matthew 10:16

Dictionary.com defines the word “shrewd” as: “Characterized by keen awareness, sharp intelligence, and often a sense of the practical. Disposed to artful and cunning practices; tricky; sharp; penetrating.” There is really only one way to answer this call from Jesus since believers today are just as vulnerable to the wolves of this world, and I would add that the wolves today can be even worse in that more times than not they are camouflaged in sheep’s clothing. The way to be sure that your actions are as “shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves”, is to stay tuned-in and connected to the guidance, direction and all-consuming love and power of God’s Spirit who lives inside of all who have put their faith in Him. So, how does that look in real life? It looks like this, prior to doing anything or going anywhere or saying anything or even dwelling on any thought you filter whatever action or thought that you are about to entertain through the Holy Spirit by saying a quiet prayer and staying connected to the God who loves you. You see, this is what the Christian life is all about, a minute by minute, intimate relationship with your Father in heaven. Our God longs to know you in this way and to love you and protect you as you journey through this life and navigate through the wolves of this fallen world in order that His love can be seen and known. Tap into the power source today and every day; spend your time in prayerful surrender to our Lord and Savior and your life will be protected as you live in a beautiful relationship with the One who gave His life for you!

Peace will Prevail

2009-04-03T05:02:00.000-07:00

12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.Matthew 10:12-15

We can learn much about peace from Jesus’ words here to the first 12 disciples prior to sending them out to minister on His behalf. No matter what happens in this life, good or bad, and no matter what others may think or say or do to you, you as God’s son or daughter have the peace that passes all understanding in your heart of hearts. Listen, if your focus is on God and your focus is on living your life in accordance with His will, if this is true for you then nothing can ever take away the peace of God that is miraculously a part of who you are today. Let the peace of God return to you today in the midst of whatever circumstance or relationship issue or financial problem that you are facing today. Spend some time with your Heavenly Father, pour your heart out to Him and let Him worry about the hurdles in this life that seem way too big from your tiny perspective – give them over to God, shake the dust off your feet and let the peace that passes all understanding overflow from your heart once again in order that others will see and believe.

God will Provide

2009-04-02T05:10:00.000-07:00

9 "Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for workers are worth their keep.
Matthew 10:9-10

I love the instructions of Jesus here to the first 12 disciples as He sends them out on their journey to tell the Good News of Jesus. He tells them not to bring anything for the journey; no money, no extra clothes, no extra shoes, not even a bag to carry any additional items. I think that Jesus gives us this example as a model for how we should live our lives today. He wants us not to be as concerned about the external things of this world as we are about the inner workings of our heart. He wants us to trust in Him to provide all that we need in order that you and I could have the freedom to focus on the things that really matter in this life; things like being there for other people who are broken and lonely and in desperate need of the miracle of Jesus that you and I have been so incredibly blessed with in this life. My first few hours this morning have been consumed with a business issue concerning money that is completely out of my control, the issue began to eat away at my heart and consume the joy that I so long for today. I am going to leave this issue with my Father to handle as there is much more important business to attend to as I get back on the journey of reflecting His love to a world in need – I pray that you would do the same today as you seek Jesus with all of your heart and live your life for Him!

Freely Recieved - Freely Give

2009-04-01T05:48:00.000-07:00

5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, [b] drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Matthew 10:5-8

God has blessed Paula and I with so much in this life! I am so humbled by his goodness and Grace this morning. First and foremost he has blessed us with His presence through a restored relationship which He made possible through His Son Jesus Christ, I am still learning every day what this means and I am still discovering in my own journey how incredible and wonderful this free gift of Jesus in me is! Secondly, he has blessed us with each other, He has given me an amazing, caring, loving and beautiful wife with whom I have the pleasure of spending the rest of eternity as well as with Him. Thirdly, He has given me talents and abilities to do what I love to do, every day, in order that other people could see and know that He is real and living inside of my heart of hearts. Last, but not least, He covers all of my inadequacies and failed attempts to live up to such a high calling as one trying to reflect the love of our Savior with His incredible love, grace and forgiveness all of which I will never understand or fully comprehend but it is for these things that I am most grateful and in awe. I stand in awe of our God today and I freely give whatever He asks of me to give today with a joyful heart as I have freely received the amazing gift of His love, forever.

Plentiful Harvest

2009-03-30T05:00:00.001-07:00

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Matthew 9:35-38

Even more so in today’s times than maybe in the time of Jesus; people are hungry and hurting and in desperate need of a Savior! “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”, will you commit today to join the Lord of the harvest in such a way that you live your life meeting the needs of others, all the while reflecting the love of Jesus Christ who lives inside your heart of hearts? Jesus tells us in another scripture, Matthew 7:13-14 “13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”. The road that leads to life is a life that is focused on other people; the narrow road that brings ultimate fulfillment as well as eternal joy and hope is the road that first and foremost loves God above everything else in this life and then loves others with the same agape love that all who have made the choice to accept Jesus into their heart of hearts have been blessed with forever. “The workers are few”, won’t you be one today as you live your life for the King?

Shamed by Grace

2009-03-27T05:11:00.000-07:00

32 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
34 But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons."
Matthew 9:32-34

The Pharisees were shamed by grace, so to speak, in that Jesus was gaining the confidence and respect of their followers, not by being “religious” or by carrying out empty “religious” practices or traditions, but rather by letting His power and love flow through to the world. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, brought sight to the blind, brought healing to the brokenhearted and eventually took evil and sin and separation from God head on by giving his very life in order that you and I could be free and could live forever in Him. Jesus’ ministry was a fly in the ointment to the power hungry, prideful Pharisees who knew a lot about God but never really knew him in a personal way. Heed Jesus’ example today and don’t ever forget that this Christianity thing is not about being religious or about obeying a list of do’s and don’ts in order to try to earn your way into Heaven. No, Christianity is about experiencing God in such an intimate way that His love will flow out of you onto others in order that they too could know Him and experience His love. Let your light shine today as you love others radically by reflecting the awesome love of our Savior who has redeemed you and set you free forever in Him!

Mercy - Faith - Healing

2009-03-25T05:13:00.000-07:00

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"
28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"
"Yes, Lord," they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith let it be done to you"; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one knows about this." 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
Matthew 9:27-31

Don’t you know today that drawing to near to Christ as we are doing now corporately as a church in this season of lent takes action on all of our parts? These two blind men wanted desperately to be healed and so they did something about it! They first followed Jesus by finding out where he was, not a particularly easy task for a blind man, huh? Next, they cried out to Him for mercy, they asked Him for healing and finally but most importantly they believed that He was who He said that He was and that He could truly heal them in order that they could see. This experience with God; this touch of our Savior was such an incredible experience for them that even after a stern warning not to tell anyone, these two men witnessed about how the Son of God had healed their blindness all over that region! Are you taking action today in your pursuit of drawing near to God in this season of lent? What is your plan for finding Jesus? Have you cried out to him with your whole heart with your worries and fears and praise in an effort to ask him for healing? Most importantly, do you believe, without a doubt that the power of His Spirit that lives inside of your heart of hearts, if you truly have accepted Him, has the power to heal the brokenness of your life and set you free to live out His love in a very real way today? Seek Jesus today with your whole heart – step out of your comfort zone believing that He will meet you right where you are and you too will experience a touch from our Savior who loves you more than you could ever imagine and who will never let you go!

Laughing with Joy

2009-03-24T03:08:00.001-07:00

23 When Jesus entered the synagogue leader's house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, 24 he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26 News of this spread through all that region.
Matthew 9:20-22

Have you ever been laughed at? I have, in fact, I am sure that years ago if I would have tried to predict all if the incredible things that God has been able to do through me, not because of anything that I have done but as a direct result of me making myself available to the workings of His Spirit inside of my life; many would have laughed with unbelief. I love how Jesus takes the least likely of people to accomplish great things in order that the world around them would know without a doubt that any success has to be the work of a risen Jesus working in and through his or her life. Dream big today! Set your sights high on how God will use you and what He will accomplish through your surrendered heart as He is in the business of turning laughing, unbelieving hearts of doubt into believing, transformed miracles of joy that know Him deeply, are consumed by His love and can be used to make a huge impact on this world for His Kingdom. Laugh out loud today as you live out the miracle of Jesus in you and you live your life for Him!

Healing Touch

2009-03-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."
22 Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.
Matthew 9:20-22

In this season of lent as we strive to draw near to Jesus daily in anticipation of the celebration of Easter, don’t you know that just a touch of His Spirit can heal the brokenness of your life in ways that may seem unimaginable to you today. See, with God there are no boundaries to what He is willing to do for those who trust Him enough to look His way and to reach out for His cloak in an act of faith and surrender. The closeness that comes from laying everything at His feet to do with as He pleases is the only thing that our God wants or desires from you today. He longs for an intimate relationship where you trust Him completely with everything that you are, everything that you have and everything that you ever hope to be. Trust Him today with your illness; trust Him today with your hurt and your anger; trust Him today with your money or your lack of money; trust Him today with your career, with your goals and dreams for the future; trust Him today to heal the broken relationships with your loved ones and your friends and colleagues – reach for His cloak today with your whole heart believing a miracle and a miracle is what will happen in your life as you give it away to the King!

Step out and Be Merciful

2009-03-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Matthew 9:9-13

Dictionary.com defines the word “mercy” as: “compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence.” Jesus calls us as his children to a very high calling. He calls us to be merciful to our friends; to our enemies; to non-believers; to everyone that we come in contact with today. He calls us to show forgiveness and grace in such a way that his unconditional love is reflected through our lives so that the world around us would know that he is God and that he is alive in us. How do we do this? This is how – we step out of our comfort zone and spend time with non-believers – we step out of our comfort zone and spend time with our enemies – we step out of our comfort zone and spend time with other people in the world around us who so desperately need to experience the love and joy that you and I have found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Please heed the example from Jesus today and make a move to intentionally interact with the lost people who are all around you and who are crying out for God’s mercy and love that you have within you to give away. Make a difference today for Him.

Have Faith

2009-03-11T05:18:00.001-07:00

1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." 3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!" 4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, take your mat and go home." 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to human beings.
Matthew 9:1-8

Whenever we see Jesus perform a miracle during his ministry on earth it is always foreshadowed by the recipient having faith in the Son of God to heal the brokenness of their life. I have faith every day that God will somehow intercept his Spirit into the empty words that I write each morning in such a way that they could touch the hearts and lives of Journey Bread readers and point them to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. I have faith that God will come alongside my imperfect efforts in business in order that his excellence and his perfection would be seen through the job that I do every day. I have faith that God will take my feeble attempts to love my wife and friends and colleagues in such a way that his unconditional, perfect love could be seen, even in the midst of my selfishness and brokenness in this life. I have faith and God pulls through, every day, not because of anything that I have done but only as a result of his incredible love for you and for me as his children. Do you want to encounter God in a big way in your life? If your answer is yes then step out in faith today with one more step on your own personal journey of knowing and loving Jesus even more – do this and just see what he will do!

Highest Priority

2009-03-06T04:39:00.000-08:00

18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
20 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
Matthew 8:18-22

Yesterday was a very good day for me business wise as I had three very large business deals that I had the opportunity to help orchestrate with a seasoned member of my team in NY. As I laid my head on the pillow in the hotel room late last night I was tired, worn out and exhausted. I felt a bit empty as I lay in bed and played out the activities of the day. It didn’t hit me until reading this verse this morning why I didn’t have such a feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment at the end of the day. You see, as a Christ follower, business deals are not the highest priority and success at your job will never bring you or me the satisfaction and completeness that come from having an eternal impact on this world for Christ and reflecting his love in a way that changes the world around you. I am embarrassed to say that I am not sure what impact my life had on others yesterday as my relationship with Jesus was not my focus because I got wrapped up in the self centered consumerism mindset of making money. It is clear from this passage above that Jesus longs for our relationship with him to be the highest priority in our life, above any successful day on our job and even above our love for our family and friends. I will do better today as I cling to Christ and let His love be my driving force as I remember the real reason why I am here and I start out on another journey to live my life for the One who gave His life for me.

Living in the Moment

2009-03-04T05:01:00.001-08:00

14 When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.
Matthew 8:14-15

What I love about Jesus is that in the midst of saving the world and at anytime during His ministry here on earth He can be seen living in the moment and caring for other people’s needs no matter what is happening at the time. Here He is arriving at the disciple Peter’s house and before attending to His own agenda for being there, He reaches out and heals Peter’s mother-in law. I don’t know about you but that is the way that I want to live. For me, in this unprecedented business climate through which we are all trying to navigate it becomes much too easy to focus on the task at hand in lieu of living in the moment and noticing how God can use us right now, right here, right in the middle of the lesser important activities that you and I do throughout the day. Just think how God could use you today if you would just pay attention to His prompting on your heart and then take the time to act on the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction as you reflect the love or your Father in heaven in the smallest of ways today. Live in the moment today, pay attention to the Father’s will; watch out for small acts of kindness you can do that will not take long but can make all the difference in a person’s life and quite possibly could sow the seed of God’s saving grace to a loved one or friend or colleague who might not know Him yet as you do. Draw near to God today as you live your life for Him!

Great Faith

2009-03-02T05:38:00.000-08:00

5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, asking for help. 6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly." 7 Jesus said to him, "Shall I come and heal him?" 8 The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those following Him, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

Matthew 8:5-13

Today I feel a bit like this Centurion did more than 2,000 years ago as he came to the feet of Jesus and humbly asked for His help. Just like the Centurion felt unworthy of even having Jesus come to his house in order to heal his servant; I feel unworthy and so undeserving of God’s presence and God’s blessing and God’s amazing, unconditional love that He so graciously offers to all who look His way. I feel so unworthy and yet I ask Jesus, once again to perform a miracle in my life today. I humbly come to the feet of Jesus this morning and start the day by asking Him to somehow align His love with the wreck of my life and with all of my imperfections in such a way that the world around me could somehow see Him through me. The overwhelming truth in all of these seemingly empty words is that He does and He will and that Jesus is so unbelievably faithful to all who humbly come on bended knee and as ask for help, knowing, and having great faith that He will answer. Come to Jesus today with the same faith as this centurion did so many years ago and just see how He will respond.

He is Willing

2009-02-24T04:31:00.001-08:00

1 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy
Matthew 8:1-3

Don’t you know today that God is willing to heal your brokenness; to cure your sickness; to help you through your financial difficulty; to repair your broken relationship with your spouse or loved one or friend or colleague; to redeem you from that secret sin or addiction that has been haunting your soul and holding you captive; to meet all of your needs and to provide for you and your family – God is willing to do all of these things and actually our Father is waiting anxiously to step into your life in ways that you could not even imagine. Have you invited Him into your circumstance? Have you considered that He is the creator of all things, that He is the Master Healer and Master Sculptor and the architect of your soul? Have you knelt before Him much like this man with leprosy did so many years ago and asked Him if he was willing to come into your life and to come into your circumstance in such a way that his Almighty Power is revealed to the world around you? I have – time and time again in this life. I have invited Jesus into my circumstances – into my marriage – into my career – into my relationships – into my sin and addictions and He has always shown up in ways that to this day still blow me away. Let our Father in Heaven blow you away with His love today. He is willing – kneel before him today in the midst of your circumstance and just see what He will do!