16 Then he (Jesus) told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ 21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” Luke 12:16-21
If this story doesn’t sober a materialist up, nothing will. Why did God call this man a fool? Let’s look at 4 reasons in this text:
1. HE WAS A FOOL FOR THINKING HE WAS IN CONTROL OF HIS OWN FUTURE!
When we look at God’s Word, we don’t find that God called this rich man a fool for planning or projecting his future. God praises the lowly ant that gathers in the summer for winter stores and works all day long (Proverbs 6:6-11). God blesses hard work and there is nothing wrong with having money in your hand. Having it in your heart can be deadly! This rich farmer was a fool for believing that he was master of his own destiny.
The book of James also addresses this issue. “13 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.” James 4:13-16
a) THE ARROGANCE OF THIS BELIEF. Vs 13, 16.
The scenario before us is that of businessmen planning ahead and bragging on a future they know nothing about. Their attitude was: "I can make it on my own and I can control the events in my life. I can stand against the winds of circumstance and make it on my own, no problem!" To boast on the future, however is to play God and the Bible calls it evil arrogant pride!
b) THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE. Vs 14a
The only thing we know for sure is that things change. A thousand things can come along to change our well-laid plans. Proverbs 27:1 reminds us: "Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.”The rich man in our story was soon to find out just how uncertain life can be!
c) THE BREVITY OF LIFE. Vs 14b
Life is short and the older WE get, the shorter it is! Look at Psalm 39:5: "You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath." d) GOD’S WILL. Vs 15
Everything our hopes and dreams and plans must come under the Lordship of Christ. We can’t see the future nor control it. Only God can. Doesn’t it make a lot of sense to commit your future to Him?
2. HE WAS A FOOL FOR THINKING THAT ACQUISITIONS OF MATERIAL GOODS ARE LIFE’S HIGHEST AIM! “Then he (Jesus) said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” Luke 12:15
We can sense that the rich man was a worshipper of the god of materialism. The KJV tells us that he said to his "soul" (And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years) that he had plenty of things stored up and that he could relax and enjoy life for many years to come. "SOUL"? The soul has no interest in the things of this world, but hungers for God to fill our lives, but this man filled that "God-shaped vacuum" with things. He believed that his wealth would bring him ease and for this God calls him a fool! A multitude of things could easily rob him of this ease: loss of his wealth, run-away inflation, loss of his health, family troubles and the list could go on and on.
Someone was asked the question what he would be leaving when he dies. "Everything" was the wise and swift answer. Have you ever seen a U-Haul truck following a hearse out to the cemetery?
It is only half true, however that you can’t take it with you. You can send it on ahead by investing it in the Lord’s work (19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:19-21).
3. HE WAS A FOOL FOR NOT GIVING GOD THE GLORY FOR HIS BLESSINGS!
In all of his considerations, he did not include God in his plans. We see no mention of God coming from his lips even though he enjoyed all of his wealth at the hand of the Lord. There is no offering, no alms giving, no care for those who have nothing, no glory for our Heavenly Father what so ever. Consider this verse from Deuteronomy 8:10, "When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.” We see none of this from him and for this, God calls him a fool!
4. HE WAS A FOOL FOR HAVING NO THOUGHT OF ETERNITY!
Everything was just here and now. Isn’t it interesting that the rich man of this story is not named? It is similar to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Again, the lost soul was not named, as was Lazarus, but only referred to as a rich man. He was nameless, like a non-entity. His name was not found in the Lambs Book of Life. Such is the plight of the lost that ignores God’s invitation to receive His amazing grace. It appears that the man died as he lived, with no regard for his standing with God.
There is a neat little story which is only fiction and yet can be real and it goes like this: The devil called in his four highest ranking lieutenants to confer with them on the best strategy for keeping souls out of heaven. The first lieutenant suggested the lie that there is no God. This idea was quickly shot down, however because they all agreed that such a lie would never stand up. People only need to look around and see how nature itself is like an outstretched finger pointing to the God of creation. God has left too many clues of His existence for such a lie to really hold water.
Lieutenant number two came forward with his suggestion. "Let’s tell the world that there is no heaven!" "Nope. That lie wouldn’t work either. Most people know that there is something beyond their lives on earth. Almost every religion in the world teaches about a heaven of some kind."
Number three had a great idea of his own: "Let’s tell people that there is no hell!" "Wrong again! God put a conscience in people that tells them that sin must be judged. People just wouldn’t truly believe that one enough."
The fourth lieutenant came forward with his suggestion. "Lets tell them that there’s no hurry!" "That’s it! The ultimate lie! Why think about eternity now? After all, the road to hell is paved with good intentions!"
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Having Joy
Paul in Galatians chapter 5, was telling the people that if they live a sinful life and abandon the Spirit of God, that you will be in conflict with God and that one day you would be judged for it;
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22
God desires each one of us to live under the direction of the Holy Spirit in our lives. By doing so, we will bear fruit in our lives.
Today we looking at joy! Do you have joy in your life? You may think that a silly question, but based on the actions of many believers, sometimes it is difficult to know the answer. A lot of Christians have a reputation of being grumps, gripers, complainers, narrow minded and negative about everything that happens in their lives. There is no way this would of us, but come on, sometimes Christians are even accused of being boring!
A waitress at a local restaurant stumbles and spills a tray of tea all over this guy. Well, he went ballistic! He started shouting and cursing at her. You’re so stupid! I can’t believe you could do such a stupid thing! This is a brand new suit and it cost me $300. I want to see the manager! Thoroughly shaken, she went to get the manager, and the manager came out and asks, is there a problem? The guy replies, is there a problem? She ruined my $300 suit. It’s brand new, and I want a new suit. The manager says, we will be glad to get your suit cleaned. Accidents do happen, and were sorry about this. No, no, he said, I don’t want my suit cleaned. I want a brand new one, and I demand a check be made for $300 now. Well, to avoid a bigger scene, the manager goes back to his office, writes out a check for $300 and brings it to him. Still fuming, the customer leaves.
This happened at noon on a Sunday morning! Why would someone be wearing a suit on Sunday morning? Do you suppose he was just at church? Do you think maybe he heard a story about “love your neighbor”?
A little girl once asked her mother, “If God is bigger than us, and He lives in us, wouldn’t he show through? “
When we are Christians, Jesus ought to show through. The Bible tells us to be Christ-like.
The first thing we need to realize is that there is a difference between joy and happiness.
The Bible mentions joy over 330 times and happiness only 26 times.
Happiness depends upon what happens to us. If the circumstances are right, then we will be happy.
Joy comes from inside. We can possess joy even when we are going through a rough circumstance.
Joy is spiritual practice growing out of faith, grace, gratitude, hope and love. We invite joy into our life when we invite Jesus to dwell in our life. It is not only about emotions, it is about a relationship.
We may not always feel happy, but we can still have joy in our heart because Jesus Christ dwells within us.
Now after saying that- we are given two options this morning.
Maintain or receive that kind of joy or not maintain it or receive it and allow all the “joy suckers” to steal it or keep it from us. We have a choice this morning!
Chief justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “I might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen I knew had not looked and acted so much like undertakers.”
Yes, clergy, even other Christians can steal your joy if you let them. Circumstances can rob us.
“Joy sucker” is defined as anyone or anything that robs us of what God intended us to have. That deep abiding inner peace and joy that Jesus Christ promises when we obey His commandments.
This joy does not depend on circumstances because it rests in God’s sovereign control of our lives.
We have to be careful that we don’t let joy suckers steal our joy
Here are some things to think about:
We don’t have to lose our joy because of trials in our life.
Romans 8:28 says: And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
You are probably tired of hearing this scripture in so many lessons but it is very significant in our Christian “walk”.
God is working things out for those who are called according to His purpose. The people that are living obedient and love the Lord. He is working things out!
- You may have lost a job
- You may be in a tough relationship
- You may have pressure at work
- Missed a promotion
- Maybe, even someone at church said a wrong thing…. Don’t let them steal your joy!
Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5
Nehemiah 8:10c tells us – “Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”
A gloomy Christian is a contradiction in terms. It is an oxy-moron. Two things that should not go together.
Sometimes the devil steals our joy by unsatisfied expectations.
Most people can never be content where the Lord has us at the moment. Paul says- “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.” (Philippians 4:12) Contentment doesn’t come when we have everything we want. It comes when we want something and we are willing to wait on God for it.
Lost joy can be restored. David writes- “Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” (Psalm 51:12) David at this point was a bummed out, depressed believer, where joy was a memory. He cried out to God, and God restored him. He will restore us too, if we let him.
Billy Sunday said: “The trouble with many is that they have just enough religion to make them miserable.”
How do you get joy back if you have lost it?
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:2
Some of us need to realize that we have a broken spirit and only God can fix it.
Here are some keys to joy that God gives:
Gratitude- Thank Him for what He has already given us, instead of complaining about what we don’t have.
Compassion- some of us are so wrapped up in our own lives that we miss opportunities God gives us to make an impact in other people’s lives.
Giving to others- Real joy comes from God as we give back to others.
We cannot be stingy with God’s love. It has to be given away so we can receive more.
Contentment- some of us God can’t bless, because we have not learned to be content where He has us right now.
Selfish, condemning people cannot experience God’s real joy because God’s joy is based upon overflowing love that is poured out and refilled by the Holy Spirit active in our lives.
God is asking us this morning, what is your problem?
I sent my son to die for you.
I have given you a resurrected life,
I have sent the Holy Spirit to be with you and guide you.. What is your problem?
Why don’t you have joy overflowing?
Why don’t more people have the joy of the Lord in their life?
The last one is forgiveness
We cannot forgive and they have stolen our joy. We can’t do that on our own. That is a God thing!.
Cry out like David did “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10. Joy suckers do not like to be around Jesus, so stay close to Jesus! “remain in me, and I will remain in you” (John 15:4) that is His promise!
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22
God desires each one of us to live under the direction of the Holy Spirit in our lives. By doing so, we will bear fruit in our lives.
Today we looking at joy! Do you have joy in your life? You may think that a silly question, but based on the actions of many believers, sometimes it is difficult to know the answer. A lot of Christians have a reputation of being grumps, gripers, complainers, narrow minded and negative about everything that happens in their lives. There is no way this would of us, but come on, sometimes Christians are even accused of being boring!
A waitress at a local restaurant stumbles and spills a tray of tea all over this guy. Well, he went ballistic! He started shouting and cursing at her. You’re so stupid! I can’t believe you could do such a stupid thing! This is a brand new suit and it cost me $300. I want to see the manager! Thoroughly shaken, she went to get the manager, and the manager came out and asks, is there a problem? The guy replies, is there a problem? She ruined my $300 suit. It’s brand new, and I want a new suit. The manager says, we will be glad to get your suit cleaned. Accidents do happen, and were sorry about this. No, no, he said, I don’t want my suit cleaned. I want a brand new one, and I demand a check be made for $300 now. Well, to avoid a bigger scene, the manager goes back to his office, writes out a check for $300 and brings it to him. Still fuming, the customer leaves.
This happened at noon on a Sunday morning! Why would someone be wearing a suit on Sunday morning? Do you suppose he was just at church? Do you think maybe he heard a story about “love your neighbor”?
A little girl once asked her mother, “If God is bigger than us, and He lives in us, wouldn’t he show through? “
When we are Christians, Jesus ought to show through. The Bible tells us to be Christ-like.
The first thing we need to realize is that there is a difference between joy and happiness.
The Bible mentions joy over 330 times and happiness only 26 times.
Happiness depends upon what happens to us. If the circumstances are right, then we will be happy.
Joy comes from inside. We can possess joy even when we are going through a rough circumstance.
Joy is spiritual practice growing out of faith, grace, gratitude, hope and love. We invite joy into our life when we invite Jesus to dwell in our life. It is not only about emotions, it is about a relationship.
We may not always feel happy, but we can still have joy in our heart because Jesus Christ dwells within us.
Now after saying that- we are given two options this morning.
Maintain or receive that kind of joy or not maintain it or receive it and allow all the “joy suckers” to steal it or keep it from us. We have a choice this morning!
Chief justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “I might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen I knew had not looked and acted so much like undertakers.”
Yes, clergy, even other Christians can steal your joy if you let them. Circumstances can rob us.
“Joy sucker” is defined as anyone or anything that robs us of what God intended us to have. That deep abiding inner peace and joy that Jesus Christ promises when we obey His commandments.
This joy does not depend on circumstances because it rests in God’s sovereign control of our lives.
We have to be careful that we don’t let joy suckers steal our joy
Here are some things to think about:
We don’t have to lose our joy because of trials in our life.
Romans 8:28 says: And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
You are probably tired of hearing this scripture in so many lessons but it is very significant in our Christian “walk”.
God is working things out for those who are called according to His purpose. The people that are living obedient and love the Lord. He is working things out!
- You may have lost a job
- You may be in a tough relationship
- You may have pressure at work
- Missed a promotion
- Maybe, even someone at church said a wrong thing…. Don’t let them steal your joy!
Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5
Nehemiah 8:10c tells us – “Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”
A gloomy Christian is a contradiction in terms. It is an oxy-moron. Two things that should not go together.
Sometimes the devil steals our joy by unsatisfied expectations.
Most people can never be content where the Lord has us at the moment. Paul says- “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.” (Philippians 4:12) Contentment doesn’t come when we have everything we want. It comes when we want something and we are willing to wait on God for it.
Lost joy can be restored. David writes- “Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” (Psalm 51:12) David at this point was a bummed out, depressed believer, where joy was a memory. He cried out to God, and God restored him. He will restore us too, if we let him.
Billy Sunday said: “The trouble with many is that they have just enough religion to make them miserable.”
How do you get joy back if you have lost it?
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:2
Some of us need to realize that we have a broken spirit and only God can fix it.
Here are some keys to joy that God gives:
Gratitude- Thank Him for what He has already given us, instead of complaining about what we don’t have.
Compassion- some of us are so wrapped up in our own lives that we miss opportunities God gives us to make an impact in other people’s lives.
Giving to others- Real joy comes from God as we give back to others.
We cannot be stingy with God’s love. It has to be given away so we can receive more.
Contentment- some of us God can’t bless, because we have not learned to be content where He has us right now.
Selfish, condemning people cannot experience God’s real joy because God’s joy is based upon overflowing love that is poured out and refilled by the Holy Spirit active in our lives.
God is asking us this morning, what is your problem?
I sent my son to die for you.
I have given you a resurrected life,
I have sent the Holy Spirit to be with you and guide you.. What is your problem?
Why don’t you have joy overflowing?
Why don’t more people have the joy of the Lord in their life?
The last one is forgiveness
We cannot forgive and they have stolen our joy. We can’t do that on our own. That is a God thing!.
Cry out like David did “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10. Joy suckers do not like to be around Jesus, so stay close to Jesus! “remain in me, and I will remain in you” (John 15:4) that is His promise!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
O’ Lord It’s Hard to Be Humble
A Texas rancher met up with a Vermont dairy farmer. The two men began talking about their land and the dairy farmer told the cattleman that he operated his business on 125 acres. The Texan laughed at such a small parcel of land. He said, "Yankee, that ain’t nothin’. On my ranch I can get in my truck at sunrise and I won’t reach the end of my property until sunset." The dairy farmer replied, "Yeah, I used to have a truck that was slow like that."
Bragging rights, Bragging rights everybody wants them.
Whether it is the biggest house, the fanciest car, the most impressive wardrobe, the most well behaved children, everyone wants to be top dog in some aspect of their life.
This desire to be first is also called pride, and God has something to say to those who have too much of it.
Now, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, wanted to be looked at and treated as though they were a step closer to God than anyone else. Just like many people today, the Pharisees wanted others to see them as special and treat them as though they were closer to God than anyone else.
They wanted others to be impressed with their piety and impressed with their holiness. They wanted others to think they had some special bragging rights that the common man lacked.
They were chest thumpers you could almost hear them say:, “Hey, look at me! Look at how important I am!”
Jesus said about these Jewish religious leaders:"Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.” Matthew 25:5
Moses, in Numbers 15, had instructed the children of Israel to put fringes on their garments to remember, not only the law in general, but also the smaller parts of the rites and ceremonies belonging to it.
So the Pharisees made their “scripture boxes” extra large. They put more writing on them or made the letters larger and thus more visible, to appear more holy. And they made their fringes longer to show the world how they followed the finer points of the law.
You can be sure they did not like it when Jesus pointed out how "these men" dressed to draw attention to themselves. To put themselves on a higher level than others.
They wanted to appear religious without actually being religious. “…for they do not practice what they teach.” (Matthew 3b NIV) Their philosophy in essence was, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
These men thought they were important to God, they thought they were important to men, but they were just hypocrites. They wore a mask of Holiness. They thought they were going to be first in the Kingdom.
Yet, Jesus shares this truth: “….those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12) And He also said in Matthew 20:16: “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
God is not impressed with pride. God is not interested in how great we are. He is interested in how great others are as a result of our “lives”.
Miss Thompson taught Teddy Stallard in the fourth grade. He was a slow, unkempt student, a loner shunned by his classmates. The previous year his mother died, and what little motivation for school he may have once had was now gone.
Miss Thompson didn’t particularly care for Teddy either, but at Christmas time he brought her a small present. Miss Thompson’s desk was covered with well-wrapped presents from the other children, but Teddy’s came in a brown sack.
When she opened it there was a gaudy rhinestone bracelet with half the stones missing and a bottle of cheap perfume. The children began to snicker but Miss Thompson saw the importance of the moment.
She quickly splashed on some perfume and put on the bracelet, pretending Teddy had given her something special.
At the end of the day Teddy worked up enough courage to softly say, "Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother . . . and her bracelet looks real pretty on you too. I’m glad you like my presents."
After Teddy left, Miss Thompson got down on her knees and prayed for God’s forgiveness.
She prayed for God to use her as she sought to not only teach these children but to love them as well. She became a new teacher. She lovingly helped students like Teddy and by the end of the year he had caught up with most of the students.
Miss Thompson didn’t hear from Teddy for a long time. Then she received this note: "Dear Miss Thompson, I wanted you to be the first to know. I will be graduating second in my high school class. Love, Teddy Stallard."
Four years later she got another note: "Dear Miss Thompson, They just told me I will be graduating first in my class. I wanted you to be the first to know. The university has not been easy, but I liked it. Love, Teddy Stallard."
Four years later: "Dear Miss Thompson, As of today, I am Theodore Stallard, M.D. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know. I am getting married next month. I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive. You are the only family I have now; Dad died last year. Love, Teddy Stallard." Miss Thompson went to the wedding and sat where Teddy’s mother would have sat.
She made a difference. She let God use her as an instrument of his love an instrument of encouragement.
Some of the greatest blessings in life come when we humbly realize someone else is more important than we are. If we want to be somebody, put others before ourselves. It is as simple as that.
Now we, as Christians are always under a microscope.
Are we living a life worthy of being called a “child of God”? Or are we just “a hypocrite wearing a mask”? Who are we trying to impress?
If we want to be great in God’s Kingdom be the Servant of all. Become great by becoming a servant. Become the greatest by being the servant of all.
A pompous-looking deacon was trying to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. "Why do people call me a Christian?" the man asked. After a moment’s pause, one youngster said, "Maybe it’s because they don’t know you."
Christ Himself said that He “came not to be served but to serve others.” (Matthew 20:28)
What influences do we have or could we have with others? Our influence is measured by our willingness to serve others. True greatness lies inside of each and every one of us, and it is crying to get out. We just need to release it in service to others.
We cannot fool God. 1 Samuel 16:7 states, “The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”God sees through our pretending and posturing. Our broad scripture “boxes” and long fringes do not impress God.
Being humble is hard.
Why? Because as soon as we believe that we are becoming more humble, we in essence are not humble anymore!
There is an older country song that begins like this:
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way.
I can’t wait to look in the mirror cause I get better looking each day
And ends with this verse:
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble but I’m doing the best that I can.
--Mother Teresa
"Let no one come to you without feeling better and happier when they leave."
--D. L. Moody
"The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many he serves."
Greatness comes from service, and service comes from humility.
Remember our Lord’s words to us that were mentioned earlier:
“….those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Bragging rights, Bragging rights everybody wants them.
Whether it is the biggest house, the fanciest car, the most impressive wardrobe, the most well behaved children, everyone wants to be top dog in some aspect of their life.
This desire to be first is also called pride, and God has something to say to those who have too much of it.
Now, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, wanted to be looked at and treated as though they were a step closer to God than anyone else. Just like many people today, the Pharisees wanted others to see them as special and treat them as though they were closer to God than anyone else.
They wanted others to be impressed with their piety and impressed with their holiness. They wanted others to think they had some special bragging rights that the common man lacked.
They were chest thumpers you could almost hear them say:, “Hey, look at me! Look at how important I am!”
Jesus said about these Jewish religious leaders:"Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.” Matthew 25:5
Moses, in Numbers 15, had instructed the children of Israel to put fringes on their garments to remember, not only the law in general, but also the smaller parts of the rites and ceremonies belonging to it.
So the Pharisees made their “scripture boxes” extra large. They put more writing on them or made the letters larger and thus more visible, to appear more holy. And they made their fringes longer to show the world how they followed the finer points of the law.
You can be sure they did not like it when Jesus pointed out how "these men" dressed to draw attention to themselves. To put themselves on a higher level than others.
They wanted to appear religious without actually being religious. “…for they do not practice what they teach.” (Matthew 3b NIV) Their philosophy in essence was, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
These men thought they were important to God, they thought they were important to men, but they were just hypocrites. They wore a mask of Holiness. They thought they were going to be first in the Kingdom.
Yet, Jesus shares this truth: “….those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12) And He also said in Matthew 20:16: “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
God is not impressed with pride. God is not interested in how great we are. He is interested in how great others are as a result of our “lives”.
Miss Thompson taught Teddy Stallard in the fourth grade. He was a slow, unkempt student, a loner shunned by his classmates. The previous year his mother died, and what little motivation for school he may have once had was now gone.
Miss Thompson didn’t particularly care for Teddy either, but at Christmas time he brought her a small present. Miss Thompson’s desk was covered with well-wrapped presents from the other children, but Teddy’s came in a brown sack.
When she opened it there was a gaudy rhinestone bracelet with half the stones missing and a bottle of cheap perfume. The children began to snicker but Miss Thompson saw the importance of the moment.
She quickly splashed on some perfume and put on the bracelet, pretending Teddy had given her something special.
At the end of the day Teddy worked up enough courage to softly say, "Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother . . . and her bracelet looks real pretty on you too. I’m glad you like my presents."
After Teddy left, Miss Thompson got down on her knees and prayed for God’s forgiveness.
She prayed for God to use her as she sought to not only teach these children but to love them as well. She became a new teacher. She lovingly helped students like Teddy and by the end of the year he had caught up with most of the students.
Miss Thompson didn’t hear from Teddy for a long time. Then she received this note: "Dear Miss Thompson, I wanted you to be the first to know. I will be graduating second in my high school class. Love, Teddy Stallard."
Four years later she got another note: "Dear Miss Thompson, They just told me I will be graduating first in my class. I wanted you to be the first to know. The university has not been easy, but I liked it. Love, Teddy Stallard."
Four years later: "Dear Miss Thompson, As of today, I am Theodore Stallard, M.D. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know. I am getting married next month. I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive. You are the only family I have now; Dad died last year. Love, Teddy Stallard." Miss Thompson went to the wedding and sat where Teddy’s mother would have sat.
She made a difference. She let God use her as an instrument of his love an instrument of encouragement.
Some of the greatest blessings in life come when we humbly realize someone else is more important than we are. If we want to be somebody, put others before ourselves. It is as simple as that.
Now we, as Christians are always under a microscope.
Are we living a life worthy of being called a “child of God”? Or are we just “a hypocrite wearing a mask”? Who are we trying to impress?
If we want to be great in God’s Kingdom be the Servant of all. Become great by becoming a servant. Become the greatest by being the servant of all.
A pompous-looking deacon was trying to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. "Why do people call me a Christian?" the man asked. After a moment’s pause, one youngster said, "Maybe it’s because they don’t know you."
Christ Himself said that He “came not to be served but to serve others.” (Matthew 20:28)
What influences do we have or could we have with others? Our influence is measured by our willingness to serve others. True greatness lies inside of each and every one of us, and it is crying to get out. We just need to release it in service to others.
We cannot fool God. 1 Samuel 16:7 states, “The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”God sees through our pretending and posturing. Our broad scripture “boxes” and long fringes do not impress God.
Being humble is hard.
Why? Because as soon as we believe that we are becoming more humble, we in essence are not humble anymore!
There is an older country song that begins like this:
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way.
I can’t wait to look in the mirror cause I get better looking each day
And ends with this verse:
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble but I’m doing the best that I can.
--Mother Teresa
"Let no one come to you without feeling better and happier when they leave."
--D. L. Moody
"The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many he serves."
Greatness comes from service, and service comes from humility.
Remember our Lord’s words to us that were mentioned earlier:
“….those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Sunday, October 30, 2011
DisArmed, Not ready to Arm!
We all know what it means to have your feet kicked out from under us, to have the wind knocked out of our sail, to be out of our own resources and be down to nothing, to be running on empty.
How many of you have ever experienced a God moment, and He met your need at just the right time in just the right way?
But there are a lot of people who never have, they are running on empty, discouraged and in depression over issues the devil has thrown at them
They are disarmed and disengaged from Gods presence, and they are in a state to where they are not ready to be rearmed.
Christians and non believers alike who, over certain circumstances, have been beat down by the devil and the world, to the point of exhaustion.
They are so discouraged in their personal life, spiritually they have been disarmed, and they are not ready to arm. They have been discouraged almost to the point of no return.
After 1,000’s of years of modern medical discoveries, doctors still dispense medicine that can help but often it only treats the symptom and masks what’s going on, the treatment and real cure can only be found in the presence and strength of the Lord God Almighty…
Discouraged means: to tend to prevent something from happening by making it more difficult or unpleasant make somebody less optimistic: to make somebody feel less motivated, confident, or optimistic.
You see, the devil never cares how or what it takes to get to you, just as long as it does.
Discouragement and depression are some of the best tools, the devil has in his bag of tricks.
Here are a few facts found online;
Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults or about 9.5% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. Everyone, will at some time in their life be affected by depression -- their own or someone else’s
Pre-schoolers are the fastest-growing market for antidepressants. At least four percent of preschoolers -- over a million -- are clinically depressed. The rate of increase of depression among children is an astounding 23%.
15% of the population of most developed countries suffers severe depression.
80% of depressed people are not currently having any treatment.
Depression will be the second largest killer after heart disease by 2020 -- and studies show depression is a contributory factor to fatal coronary disease.
Depression results in more absenteeism than almost any other physical disorder and costs employers more than US$51 billion per year in absenteeism and lost productivity, not including high medical and pharmaceutical bills.
There is a story about a man who tried to sell a product to a certain customer. He started going to the customer in the morning and continued until the customer got wearied and said, “You are the tenth salesman that has come here selling he same thing. Okay how much is it? I will buy one so that they stop bothering me.” And he bought one. The man then said, proudly “Point of correction sir, I am the only one that has been coming. In the morning, I wore a suit and you turned me away. I went and changed each time and came back. I have been here ten times. Thank you for buying.”
The devil doesn’t care how many times it takes to get you were he wants you or how many times he has to change “appearances”. If there is one thing he’s consistent at and very good at is knocking on our door.
But the fact is, now and for future reference, we don’t have to answer the door!
Discouraged people snatch defeat from certain victory. They see victory coming down the road and somehow by the time it has gotten to them, it’s been turned it into defeat several times over.
They are worried about tomorrow even though they do not know what will even happen tomorrow.
They are and have been disarmed, and are not ready to arm.
People in that state of mind have faith alright, but their faith is in failure.
You know the ones that claim “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”
Discouragement and the depression that goes with it, makes it hard and almost impossible to hear God, it consumes you!
At some point, you have to make a stand, you’ve got to shake off the dust from yourself and stand up and say: I don’t care what happens, I’m not living here anymore!
Paul writes to the church at Ephesus to “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12
In this day and age you have to be ready for anything and everything the devil throws your way. Because he will throw everything at you that he can, even the kitchen sink!
And Paul goes on to say, “Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up, so that no one falls behind or drops out.” Eph. 6:13-18 from the Message Translation
We need to realize the following important truth: discouragement is and always has been a personal decision...Only you can keep you there, only you get to decide if you go there in the first place,only you get to decide how long you allow yourself to stay there. Only You! No one else, only you. Now this is often easier to say than to really do this but with the help of God you can get rid of it.
You have to make a conscious decision not to be discouraged any longer. Always encourage yourself in the Lord, so you can hear Him clearly. Do not wait for somebody to come around and encourage you. Because it’s probably not going to happen, there’s not many people who encourage others.
Oh, you might think that they are listening to your plight, but soon as you take a breathe, they’ll be telling you all about their own problems, not having the slightest problem one up’ing you in the least!
Whatever your need is, pray about it and lay it at the Saviors feet, and leave it there. Let Jesus do the worrying. But, wait, He‘s not worried about it. And if He’s not worried about it, why should you be, if He’s not!
And one other thing, closing your prayer in Jesus name is not just a popular ending of a prayer, like a lot of people think. It’s a proclamation that you believe by His finished work on Calvary, that He makes all things possible that you pray about to come about! Praise The Lord!!
God is not a respecter of persons, He will do the same for each one of us, Why? Because He loves His Children.
No matter how it may ever look to us as Christians, God is always, repeat always, working on the behalf of His Children. Romans 8:28:. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.Aren’t we glad, that we are children of God this morning!
God has already supplied the solution for any and every situation we will ever face! He always comes through for us. Whether it’s the 1st time or 100th time,
He will be at the right place, at the right time, each and every time, when you need Him.
.
If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31b
Disarmed, not ready to arm and all the things that go with it, child of God. If you ever find yourself headed there, remember it’s just a trick of the enemy. It’s the same old song and dance routine he‘s been doing for 1,000“s of years,
But praise the Lord God Almighty, Jesus has already disarmed him and every one of those things associated with him on the cross and won the victory for you.
You don’t have fight for victory, its already been done, you as one of His very own, get the privilege to claim victory.
His Word says: God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
Its completely up to you, as to whether you want to possess all of the blessings that you are entitled to, or not.
You don’t have to go through life disarmed, not ready to arm. You, through Jesus finished work on the cross, can stand Armed, ready to disarm!!
Jesus, Thank You for the Cross!
How many of you have ever experienced a God moment, and He met your need at just the right time in just the right way?
But there are a lot of people who never have, they are running on empty, discouraged and in depression over issues the devil has thrown at them
They are disarmed and disengaged from Gods presence, and they are in a state to where they are not ready to be rearmed.
Christians and non believers alike who, over certain circumstances, have been beat down by the devil and the world, to the point of exhaustion.
They are so discouraged in their personal life, spiritually they have been disarmed, and they are not ready to arm. They have been discouraged almost to the point of no return.
After 1,000’s of years of modern medical discoveries, doctors still dispense medicine that can help but often it only treats the symptom and masks what’s going on, the treatment and real cure can only be found in the presence and strength of the Lord God Almighty…
Discouraged means: to tend to prevent something from happening by making it more difficult or unpleasant make somebody less optimistic: to make somebody feel less motivated, confident, or optimistic.
You see, the devil never cares how or what it takes to get to you, just as long as it does.
Discouragement and depression are some of the best tools, the devil has in his bag of tricks.
Here are a few facts found online;
Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults or about 9.5% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. Everyone, will at some time in their life be affected by depression -- their own or someone else’s
Pre-schoolers are the fastest-growing market for antidepressants. At least four percent of preschoolers -- over a million -- are clinically depressed. The rate of increase of depression among children is an astounding 23%.
15% of the population of most developed countries suffers severe depression.
80% of depressed people are not currently having any treatment.
Depression will be the second largest killer after heart disease by 2020 -- and studies show depression is a contributory factor to fatal coronary disease.
Depression results in more absenteeism than almost any other physical disorder and costs employers more than US$51 billion per year in absenteeism and lost productivity, not including high medical and pharmaceutical bills.
There is a story about a man who tried to sell a product to a certain customer. He started going to the customer in the morning and continued until the customer got wearied and said, “You are the tenth salesman that has come here selling he same thing. Okay how much is it? I will buy one so that they stop bothering me.” And he bought one. The man then said, proudly “Point of correction sir, I am the only one that has been coming. In the morning, I wore a suit and you turned me away. I went and changed each time and came back. I have been here ten times. Thank you for buying.”
The devil doesn’t care how many times it takes to get you were he wants you or how many times he has to change “appearances”. If there is one thing he’s consistent at and very good at is knocking on our door.
But the fact is, now and for future reference, we don’t have to answer the door!
Discouraged people snatch defeat from certain victory. They see victory coming down the road and somehow by the time it has gotten to them, it’s been turned it into defeat several times over.
They are worried about tomorrow even though they do not know what will even happen tomorrow.
They are and have been disarmed, and are not ready to arm.
People in that state of mind have faith alright, but their faith is in failure.
You know the ones that claim “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”
Discouragement and the depression that goes with it, makes it hard and almost impossible to hear God, it consumes you!
At some point, you have to make a stand, you’ve got to shake off the dust from yourself and stand up and say: I don’t care what happens, I’m not living here anymore!
Paul writes to the church at Ephesus to “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12
In this day and age you have to be ready for anything and everything the devil throws your way. Because he will throw everything at you that he can, even the kitchen sink!
And Paul goes on to say, “Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up, so that no one falls behind or drops out.” Eph. 6:13-18 from the Message Translation
We need to realize the following important truth: discouragement is and always has been a personal decision...Only you can keep you there, only you get to decide if you go there in the first place,only you get to decide how long you allow yourself to stay there. Only You! No one else, only you. Now this is often easier to say than to really do this but with the help of God you can get rid of it.
You have to make a conscious decision not to be discouraged any longer. Always encourage yourself in the Lord, so you can hear Him clearly. Do not wait for somebody to come around and encourage you. Because it’s probably not going to happen, there’s not many people who encourage others.
Oh, you might think that they are listening to your plight, but soon as you take a breathe, they’ll be telling you all about their own problems, not having the slightest problem one up’ing you in the least!
Whatever your need is, pray about it and lay it at the Saviors feet, and leave it there. Let Jesus do the worrying. But, wait, He‘s not worried about it. And if He’s not worried about it, why should you be, if He’s not!
And one other thing, closing your prayer in Jesus name is not just a popular ending of a prayer, like a lot of people think. It’s a proclamation that you believe by His finished work on Calvary, that He makes all things possible that you pray about to come about! Praise The Lord!!
God is not a respecter of persons, He will do the same for each one of us, Why? Because He loves His Children.
No matter how it may ever look to us as Christians, God is always, repeat always, working on the behalf of His Children. Romans 8:28:. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.Aren’t we glad, that we are children of God this morning!
God has already supplied the solution for any and every situation we will ever face! He always comes through for us. Whether it’s the 1st time or 100th time,
He will be at the right place, at the right time, each and every time, when you need Him.
.
If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31b
Disarmed, not ready to arm and all the things that go with it, child of God. If you ever find yourself headed there, remember it’s just a trick of the enemy. It’s the same old song and dance routine he‘s been doing for 1,000“s of years,
But praise the Lord God Almighty, Jesus has already disarmed him and every one of those things associated with him on the cross and won the victory for you.
You don’t have fight for victory, its already been done, you as one of His very own, get the privilege to claim victory.
His Word says: God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
Its completely up to you, as to whether you want to possess all of the blessings that you are entitled to, or not.
You don’t have to go through life disarmed, not ready to arm. You, through Jesus finished work on the cross, can stand Armed, ready to disarm!!
Jesus, Thank You for the Cross!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Bitterness ... We've Got to Own It.
Are you struggling with bitterness? Are you hurt and afraid of becoming bitter? Are you challenged by these thoughts on bitterness?
Has someone ever said or done something to you for which you found it difficult to forgive them? Do you remember when you felt the sting of betrayal from a friend? The next few weeks after the incident something began to stir inside of you, it wasn’t pretty. You find yourself quickly snapping at kids, spouse, friends or coworkers. Before you know it, you have disconnected yourself from other friends, and you feel that you can’t even talk to God about the situation.
Every time their very name is brought up, this could even be years later, it still brings butterflies to your stomach. When you think of them, your heart rate increases. And you can feel your blood pressure rising when you think of what they said or did. It’s as though you were reliving it again, just thinking about it!
If so, it may be that you are a prisoner of bitterness. Which is a shame…because bitterness often doesn’t even touch the person you are bitter toward, but it sure will harm you, no exceptions. Like Frankenstein, bitterness is a monster which turns on its creator, and causes internal damage beyond compare.
The other person continues their life, and may be happy and content, and never even think about you, but because you hold bitterness for them, they continue to control your life.
You are hurt and angry. And from this anger, bitter roots are planted deep in your soul.
Now it would be an amazing story to tell about how you confronted this friend, your relationship was restored and you never had to deal with this bitterness again.
But often this isn’t the story, bitterness often wins out!
Over the next few months, you began to discover that bitterness becomes the ultimate corruptor of your faith. Even though you had been treated unfairly, bitterness can cause a new separation between you and God.
Sometimes those closest to us are the ones we are so easily hurt or offended by. Extending grace to the cashier at the Wal-Mart who miscounted our change seems easier than to a close friend who has wounded you.
Now you have to do something or that one moment of hurt is going to keep controlling you.
You may be convinced that God was not super concerned with your hurt or feelings. But He is interested, and gently, He, if we allow Him, will show you how through His Word, how dangerous bitterness can be in our lives.
We can’t disconnect our heart and our thoughts. The two run side-by-side. Being honest with God and ourselves isn’t a sign of weakness. In fact, it’s harder to see the truth than it is to see lies. Living in denial has never worked out to great for anyone.
Psalm 139:1 encourages us to ask God to examine our thoughts. “O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.”So we need to ask God a hard question, “Has this hurtful situation become an extension of bitterness in my life?”
The answer is in His Word. “……. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. …….” Here is the key answer: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:29-32
So now the answer to the “hard question” is Yes.
You may gossiped about this situation, wasn’t able to sleep at night because you were so angry, grieved the Holy Spirit in you, and you have no compassion because you have been hurt.
Now if you put together the ugliness of bitterness with what the Bible says, we see how this sin separates us from God and from others.
God continued to show us that being hurt isn’t our sin to own, people are responsible for what they do. But what we do with that hurt, anger, frustration is how the cycle of sin has the potential to continue. Satan knows that bitterness is very effective with followers of Christ, and he will do what he can to keep that cycle going in our lives.
We will always have the choice: stop the cycle or continue the cycle.
I want to stop the cycle in my life and I’m sure you do too. Here are some practical ways to help stop bitterness at its roots:
1. Don’t replay the event over and over in your mind. It’s funny how we will quickly forget someone’s kindness, generosity or gentleness in our lives. But it is a good chance that we could remember exactly where we were, what was said, and maybe even what we were wearing the last time we were offended by someone. Replay God’s goodness not Satan’s deceit.
2. Stay connected to people who can help you. Sometimes the perspective of another friend can help you sort through the emotions you are experiencing. Avoiding gossip will be challenging as you share your heart, but make it about you and how you are feeling … not so much about the situation. When we are hurt it is tempting to want to just disconnect from everyone but this is really when we need people the most. And we need friends that will tell us the truth. ”Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” Proverbs 27:6
3. We need to own the bitterness in our lives. We can’t continue to blame others for our own continued cycle of sin. People will hurt us but we will always have the freedom to forgive. Forgiveness can be tough, but we can do it and we are commanded to do it. Remember that Jesus said: “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15
Soooo, who is that person that comes to mind? For whom do you hold bitterness, if you’re honest with God today? Don’t explain it away…they came to mind for a reason. The Holy Spirit of God brings them to your mind because He loves you and wants to rid you of a cancer that is eating you from inside out!
It may have been last week or last year…it doesn’t make a difference if it was decades ago when you were a child…but you know in your heart that you’ve never truly forgiven them for it.
And whatever you do, don’t say: “I don’t hardly ever think about them at all.” That wasn’t the question. The question is when you DO think about them, or someone else brings it up even, what are your thoughts about them. Let’s all be honest, no denial!
“Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Hebrews 12:15
Has someone ever said or done something to you for which you found it difficult to forgive them? Do you remember when you felt the sting of betrayal from a friend? The next few weeks after the incident something began to stir inside of you, it wasn’t pretty. You find yourself quickly snapping at kids, spouse, friends or coworkers. Before you know it, you have disconnected yourself from other friends, and you feel that you can’t even talk to God about the situation.
Every time their very name is brought up, this could even be years later, it still brings butterflies to your stomach. When you think of them, your heart rate increases. And you can feel your blood pressure rising when you think of what they said or did. It’s as though you were reliving it again, just thinking about it!
If so, it may be that you are a prisoner of bitterness. Which is a shame…because bitterness often doesn’t even touch the person you are bitter toward, but it sure will harm you, no exceptions. Like Frankenstein, bitterness is a monster which turns on its creator, and causes internal damage beyond compare.
The other person continues their life, and may be happy and content, and never even think about you, but because you hold bitterness for them, they continue to control your life.
You are hurt and angry. And from this anger, bitter roots are planted deep in your soul.
Now it would be an amazing story to tell about how you confronted this friend, your relationship was restored and you never had to deal with this bitterness again.
But often this isn’t the story, bitterness often wins out!
Over the next few months, you began to discover that bitterness becomes the ultimate corruptor of your faith. Even though you had been treated unfairly, bitterness can cause a new separation between you and God.
Sometimes those closest to us are the ones we are so easily hurt or offended by. Extending grace to the cashier at the Wal-Mart who miscounted our change seems easier than to a close friend who has wounded you.
Now you have to do something or that one moment of hurt is going to keep controlling you.
You may be convinced that God was not super concerned with your hurt or feelings. But He is interested, and gently, He, if we allow Him, will show you how through His Word, how dangerous bitterness can be in our lives.
We can’t disconnect our heart and our thoughts. The two run side-by-side. Being honest with God and ourselves isn’t a sign of weakness. In fact, it’s harder to see the truth than it is to see lies. Living in denial has never worked out to great for anyone.
Psalm 139:1 encourages us to ask God to examine our thoughts. “O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.”So we need to ask God a hard question, “Has this hurtful situation become an extension of bitterness in my life?”
The answer is in His Word. “……. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. …….” Here is the key answer: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:29-32
So now the answer to the “hard question” is Yes.
You may gossiped about this situation, wasn’t able to sleep at night because you were so angry, grieved the Holy Spirit in you, and you have no compassion because you have been hurt.
Now if you put together the ugliness of bitterness with what the Bible says, we see how this sin separates us from God and from others.
God continued to show us that being hurt isn’t our sin to own, people are responsible for what they do. But what we do with that hurt, anger, frustration is how the cycle of sin has the potential to continue. Satan knows that bitterness is very effective with followers of Christ, and he will do what he can to keep that cycle going in our lives.
We will always have the choice: stop the cycle or continue the cycle.
I want to stop the cycle in my life and I’m sure you do too. Here are some practical ways to help stop bitterness at its roots:
1. Don’t replay the event over and over in your mind. It’s funny how we will quickly forget someone’s kindness, generosity or gentleness in our lives. But it is a good chance that we could remember exactly where we were, what was said, and maybe even what we were wearing the last time we were offended by someone. Replay God’s goodness not Satan’s deceit.
2. Stay connected to people who can help you. Sometimes the perspective of another friend can help you sort through the emotions you are experiencing. Avoiding gossip will be challenging as you share your heart, but make it about you and how you are feeling … not so much about the situation. When we are hurt it is tempting to want to just disconnect from everyone but this is really when we need people the most. And we need friends that will tell us the truth. ”Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” Proverbs 27:6
3. We need to own the bitterness in our lives. We can’t continue to blame others for our own continued cycle of sin. People will hurt us but we will always have the freedom to forgive. Forgiveness can be tough, but we can do it and we are commanded to do it. Remember that Jesus said: “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15
Soooo, who is that person that comes to mind? For whom do you hold bitterness, if you’re honest with God today? Don’t explain it away…they came to mind for a reason. The Holy Spirit of God brings them to your mind because He loves you and wants to rid you of a cancer that is eating you from inside out!
It may have been last week or last year…it doesn’t make a difference if it was decades ago when you were a child…but you know in your heart that you’ve never truly forgiven them for it.
And whatever you do, don’t say: “I don’t hardly ever think about them at all.” That wasn’t the question. The question is when you DO think about them, or someone else brings it up even, what are your thoughts about them. Let’s all be honest, no denial!
“Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Hebrews 12:15
Sunday, October 16, 2011
When the Power Moves In
“Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem!” (Acts 2:14) And then he preaches His great sermon on the day of Pentecost where they “believed what Peter said, were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all." Acts 2:41
What got into Peter?
Seven weeks ago he was hiding because of Jesus; today he is proclaiming the Good News of Jesus – His death and Resurrection. Before the crucifixion, he denied Christ, not just once but three times; now he announces Christ
From scared wimp to brave warrior in fifty days. What happened?
What got into Peter?
God’s Spirit did. Once after His resurrection but before His ascension, Jesus said to his apostles “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.” (Acts 1:4) So they did as He said and “They (The apostles) all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. (Acts 1:14)
Then Ten days after Jesus’ ascension into heaven “On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place." (Acts 2:1), “…..all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4). The followers experienced a gushing forth, a tremendous profusion. They were drenched in power. They all were: “sons and daughters…young men…old men…servants, men and women alike” (Acts 2:17–18). The Holy Spirit, in His own time and according to His own way, filled the followers with supernatural strength.
The Holy Spirit is not enthusiasm, compassion, or bravado. He might stimulate such emotions, but He Himself is a person. He determines itineraries (the Holy Spirit had prevented them (Paul and Silas) from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Acts 16:6), distributes spiritual gifts (It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.1 Cor. 7:11), and selects church leaders (“the Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2). He teaches (the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:26), guides (“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13), and helps us. (“It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7 KJV).
Jesus told His followers “he lives with you now and later will be in you.” (John 14:17). Occasional guest? No sir. The Holy Spirit is a year-round resident in the hearts of his children. As God’s story becomes our story, his power becomes our power.
When God’s Spirit directs us, we actually “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” (Gal. 5:25). He is the drum major; we are the marching band. He is the sergeant; we are the platoon. He directs and leads; we obey and follow. Not always that easy, is it? We tend to go our own way. Surely not! :)
To walk in the Spirit, respond to the promptings God gives you.
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, “Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. (Isa. 30:21)
If Peter and the apostles needed his help, don’t we? They walked with Jesus for three years, heard his preaching, and saw his miracles. They saw the body of Christ buried in the grave and raised from the dead. They witnessed his upper room appearance and heard his instruction. Had they not received the best possible training? Weren’t they ready?
Yet Jesus told them to wait on the Spirit. “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised” (Acts 1:4–5).
Learn to wait, to be silent, to listen for his voice. Cherish stillness; sensitize yourself to his touch. “Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene” (1 Cor. 1:7–8 MSG). You needn’t hurry or scurry. The Spirit-led life does not panic; it trusts.
The same hand that pushed the rock from the tomb can shove away your doubt. The same power that stirred the still heart of Christ can stir your flagging faith. The same strength that put Satan on his heels can, and will, defeat Satan in your life. Just keep the power supply open. Who knows, you may soon hear people asking, “What’s gotten into you?”
What got into Peter?
Seven weeks ago he was hiding because of Jesus; today he is proclaiming the Good News of Jesus – His death and Resurrection. Before the crucifixion, he denied Christ, not just once but three times; now he announces Christ
From scared wimp to brave warrior in fifty days. What happened?
What got into Peter?
God’s Spirit did. Once after His resurrection but before His ascension, Jesus said to his apostles “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.” (Acts 1:4) So they did as He said and “They (The apostles) all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. (Acts 1:14)
Then Ten days after Jesus’ ascension into heaven “On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place." (Acts 2:1), “…..all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4). The followers experienced a gushing forth, a tremendous profusion. They were drenched in power. They all were: “sons and daughters…young men…old men…servants, men and women alike” (Acts 2:17–18). The Holy Spirit, in His own time and according to His own way, filled the followers with supernatural strength.
The Holy Spirit is not enthusiasm, compassion, or bravado. He might stimulate such emotions, but He Himself is a person. He determines itineraries (the Holy Spirit had prevented them (Paul and Silas) from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Acts 16:6), distributes spiritual gifts (It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.1 Cor. 7:11), and selects church leaders (“the Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2). He teaches (the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:26), guides (“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13), and helps us. (“It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7 KJV).
Jesus told His followers “he lives with you now and later will be in you.” (John 14:17). Occasional guest? No sir. The Holy Spirit is a year-round resident in the hearts of his children. As God’s story becomes our story, his power becomes our power.
When God’s Spirit directs us, we actually “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” (Gal. 5:25). He is the drum major; we are the marching band. He is the sergeant; we are the platoon. He directs and leads; we obey and follow. Not always that easy, is it? We tend to go our own way. Surely not! :)
To walk in the Spirit, respond to the promptings God gives you.
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, “Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. (Isa. 30:21)
If Peter and the apostles needed his help, don’t we? They walked with Jesus for three years, heard his preaching, and saw his miracles. They saw the body of Christ buried in the grave and raised from the dead. They witnessed his upper room appearance and heard his instruction. Had they not received the best possible training? Weren’t they ready?
Yet Jesus told them to wait on the Spirit. “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised” (Acts 1:4–5).
Learn to wait, to be silent, to listen for his voice. Cherish stillness; sensitize yourself to his touch. “Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene” (1 Cor. 1:7–8 MSG). You needn’t hurry or scurry. The Spirit-led life does not panic; it trusts.
The same hand that pushed the rock from the tomb can shove away your doubt. The same power that stirred the still heart of Christ can stir your flagging faith. The same strength that put Satan on his heels can, and will, defeat Satan in your life. Just keep the power supply open. Who knows, you may soon hear people asking, “What’s gotten into you?”
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Why Did We Come Today and How Will We Go Home?
He (Jesus) told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'
"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'"
Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself." Luke 18:9-14 MSG
In Jesus’ time, the Pharisee would have been considered the good guy–he wore the white hat. He was a synagogue leader in his town. All Pharisees were super-religious men who were extremely careful about obeying the Torah, which is basically the first five books of the Old Testament. In other words – very churchy!
However, a tax collector was considered the scum of the earth, the very bottom of the religious food chain in Israel. Hired by the pagan Romans, he could charge exorbitant taxes and keep the excess as his profit. He was considered the villain–he wore the black hat. Not a popular person!
In the parable, both the Pharisee and the Tax Collector went to the temple in Jerusalem to pray. But when you examine their actions and attitudes, you discover they went for different reasons. Why did we come today?
To be seen?
Obviously, the Pharisee was at the temple for others to see how good he was. To him it was a public performance and his behavior at the temple was just part of the script. He had given much thought about what he would wear, and where he would stand, and what he would say, because there was an audience. When he arrived, he walked up to the front and stood before the people in his flowing robe with the ornate prayer shawl the Pharisees wore. It just all part of the religious show for him. The words he prayed were not really directed toward God. He prayed to himself. He was there to be seen and to be heard by the other worshipers. Jesus warned about this kind of behavior in Matthew 6:5, “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. “
When you are preparing to come to church, are you thinking more about who will be there to see you than you are about connecting with God? Do you choose what you’re going to wear based on what other people will think about you? Answer honestly: Why do you attend church?
We all struggle with the temptation of trying to please other people rather than pleasing God.
The tax collector represents another reason you might be here today. Did you come:
To seek God?
The tax collector showed up because he was in trouble and he believed God could help him. His body language revealed his sense of unworthiness; he couldn’t walk to the front of the crowd, instead he kept his distance. He didn’t focus on the other people there, he focused on God.
Worship does involve an audience. But it’s an audience of one. When we come to church, we should be primarily concerned about seeking God’s face. You may receive the applause of man, but you should be deaf to it. You should be listening only for the applause of the nail-scarred hands.
Why are we here today? Is it just our habit, a part of our weekend routine? Perhaps you came because someone pressured you to come. Or maybe you feel guilty if you don’t come. Maybe you came because you are “supposed” to. Or did you come seeking to connect with the Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe? God says in Jeremiah 29:13, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Some people may come seeking God, but our half-hearted worship becomes a hindrance to them.
The next question to answer is:
WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE IN CHURCH?
In the parable Jesus showed two totally different attitudes people can display in worship. The Pharisee presented an attitude that said:
I’m proud of my goodness
In some instances, pride can be good. It is okay to say you are proud to be an American, or that you take pride in your neighborhood. But the Bible warns against the dangerous kind of pride characterized by self-love, egotism, and arrogance. This kind of pride is revealed in the prayer of the Pharisee. He wanted others to know about his goodness, so he bragged that he fasted, tithed, and kept all the commandments. Here’s how you can recognize if you have pride in your heart:
Pride loves to talk about “I”
In verse 11 the Pharisee used “I” and “me” several times. He said some good things that are good to do. But if you are doing it because you think it will get you into heaven, or make you appear to be a good person before others, those good things become dangerous.
The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). According to Isaiah 14, once the devil was a beautiful angel named Lucifer. Pride filled his heart and he developed an “I” problem. He said, “I will ascend and make my throne with God, I will be like the most high, I’m going up!” But God said, “No, Lucifer, you’re going down!’ That’s really what pride is, reflecting the ego of the devil. Some people are the happiest when they can talk about themselves. That’s often a marker that they have a problem with pride. Someone has said Pride is the only sickness everyone can recognize except the person who has it!
All of us should have an occasional “I” exam. If you recorded your conversation and your prayers for 24 hours, how much of your talk would be centered on the big “I”?
Pride seldom admits a need
Pride gives a person a false sense of self-sufficiency. Have you ever heard the expression, “I’m too proud to ask for help?” When you are too proud to ask for help or admit you have a problem, you are too proud–period! When you ask a proud person how you can pray for them, they will often say, “Oh, I’m alright. There’s really nothing you need to pray for me about.” They say that because they are too proud to admit they have a need. They fear if they tell you where they’re hurting they’ll lose their facade of perfection and goodness.
Pride sees the faults of others
Did you notice the Pharisee was quick to criticize and condemn the tax collector? Pride blinds a person to their own faults and magnifies the failures and faults of others. When you compare yourself to someone else, you’re using the wrong standard. God’s measuring stick is not the goodness or badness of another person; His standard is Jesus–how do you measure up to Him? Some people justify their goodness by saying they have never robbed a bank or murdered someone. Sure, when you compare yourself to some serial murderer, you look like a moral hero. God doesn’t grade on the curve. It doesn’t matter if you are a little better than average, what matters is if you have personal relationship with Jesus.
There was another attitude expressed in church. The tax collector displayed an attitude that said:
I desperately need God’s mercy!
He couldn’t even lift up his head, he was so burdened. He pounded his fist on his chest, a spontaneous gesture of his agony over his sin. He uttered simple words with a voice broken with emotion: “God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner." You don’t have to pray a long, eloquent prayer full of religious words. If you pray a simple prayer that comes from your heart, God hears you and He will answer you.
When the tax collector caught a glimpse of the greatness and holiness of God, he realized how dirty and filthy he was. The Bible says, “All our righteousness is as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6) Even the good things we do are dirty compared to the stark, brilliant holiness of God. When you see God for Who He is–holy, then you will be able to see yourself for who you really are–a fallen creature in desperate need of God’s mercy and forgiveness. That will humble you in a hurry.
Is that your attitude? Have you come to a place in your life where you know you can’t make it another moment without God’s mercy, peace, and forgiveness in your life?
HOW WILL YOU GO HOME?
You may go home:
Unchanged–Religious and proud of it!
The Pharisee was so committed to his religious observance that he could be proud by his performance. So he went home unchanged. Thousands of people attend church Sunday after Sunday, but they leave exactly the way they come in. To them, religious observance is something they DO, so they can be proud about their conduct. God addressed the problem of superficial religion in Isaiah 29:13. The Lord says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.”
But we can go home today the same way the tax collector did:
Unburdened–Right with God and thankful for it!
Jesus said the bad guy, the guy in the “black hat”, not the respectable, religious Pharisee went home justified–right with God. He entered church so burdened down by his sin he couldn’t even lift up his head. But when he cried out for the mercy of God, he experienced the liberation of forgiveness. He hadn’t done anything to deserve it, so he couldn’t brag about it. All he could do was to thank God for it!
Which way will you go home today?
"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'"
Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself." Luke 18:9-14 MSG
In Jesus’ time, the Pharisee would have been considered the good guy–he wore the white hat. He was a synagogue leader in his town. All Pharisees were super-religious men who were extremely careful about obeying the Torah, which is basically the first five books of the Old Testament. In other words – very churchy!
However, a tax collector was considered the scum of the earth, the very bottom of the religious food chain in Israel. Hired by the pagan Romans, he could charge exorbitant taxes and keep the excess as his profit. He was considered the villain–he wore the black hat. Not a popular person!
In the parable, both the Pharisee and the Tax Collector went to the temple in Jerusalem to pray. But when you examine their actions and attitudes, you discover they went for different reasons. Why did we come today?
To be seen?
Obviously, the Pharisee was at the temple for others to see how good he was. To him it was a public performance and his behavior at the temple was just part of the script. He had given much thought about what he would wear, and where he would stand, and what he would say, because there was an audience. When he arrived, he walked up to the front and stood before the people in his flowing robe with the ornate prayer shawl the Pharisees wore. It just all part of the religious show for him. The words he prayed were not really directed toward God. He prayed to himself. He was there to be seen and to be heard by the other worshipers. Jesus warned about this kind of behavior in Matthew 6:5, “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. “
When you are preparing to come to church, are you thinking more about who will be there to see you than you are about connecting with God? Do you choose what you’re going to wear based on what other people will think about you? Answer honestly: Why do you attend church?
We all struggle with the temptation of trying to please other people rather than pleasing God.
The tax collector represents another reason you might be here today. Did you come:
To seek God?
The tax collector showed up because he was in trouble and he believed God could help him. His body language revealed his sense of unworthiness; he couldn’t walk to the front of the crowd, instead he kept his distance. He didn’t focus on the other people there, he focused on God.
Worship does involve an audience. But it’s an audience of one. When we come to church, we should be primarily concerned about seeking God’s face. You may receive the applause of man, but you should be deaf to it. You should be listening only for the applause of the nail-scarred hands.
Why are we here today? Is it just our habit, a part of our weekend routine? Perhaps you came because someone pressured you to come. Or maybe you feel guilty if you don’t come. Maybe you came because you are “supposed” to. Or did you come seeking to connect with the Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe? God says in Jeremiah 29:13, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Some people may come seeking God, but our half-hearted worship becomes a hindrance to them.
The next question to answer is:
WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE IN CHURCH?
In the parable Jesus showed two totally different attitudes people can display in worship. The Pharisee presented an attitude that said:
I’m proud of my goodness
In some instances, pride can be good. It is okay to say you are proud to be an American, or that you take pride in your neighborhood. But the Bible warns against the dangerous kind of pride characterized by self-love, egotism, and arrogance. This kind of pride is revealed in the prayer of the Pharisee. He wanted others to know about his goodness, so he bragged that he fasted, tithed, and kept all the commandments. Here’s how you can recognize if you have pride in your heart:
Pride loves to talk about “I”
In verse 11 the Pharisee used “I” and “me” several times. He said some good things that are good to do. But if you are doing it because you think it will get you into heaven, or make you appear to be a good person before others, those good things become dangerous.
The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). According to Isaiah 14, once the devil was a beautiful angel named Lucifer. Pride filled his heart and he developed an “I” problem. He said, “I will ascend and make my throne with God, I will be like the most high, I’m going up!” But God said, “No, Lucifer, you’re going down!’ That’s really what pride is, reflecting the ego of the devil. Some people are the happiest when they can talk about themselves. That’s often a marker that they have a problem with pride. Someone has said Pride is the only sickness everyone can recognize except the person who has it!
All of us should have an occasional “I” exam. If you recorded your conversation and your prayers for 24 hours, how much of your talk would be centered on the big “I”?
Pride seldom admits a need
Pride gives a person a false sense of self-sufficiency. Have you ever heard the expression, “I’m too proud to ask for help?” When you are too proud to ask for help or admit you have a problem, you are too proud–period! When you ask a proud person how you can pray for them, they will often say, “Oh, I’m alright. There’s really nothing you need to pray for me about.” They say that because they are too proud to admit they have a need. They fear if they tell you where they’re hurting they’ll lose their facade of perfection and goodness.
Pride sees the faults of others
Did you notice the Pharisee was quick to criticize and condemn the tax collector? Pride blinds a person to their own faults and magnifies the failures and faults of others. When you compare yourself to someone else, you’re using the wrong standard. God’s measuring stick is not the goodness or badness of another person; His standard is Jesus–how do you measure up to Him? Some people justify their goodness by saying they have never robbed a bank or murdered someone. Sure, when you compare yourself to some serial murderer, you look like a moral hero. God doesn’t grade on the curve. It doesn’t matter if you are a little better than average, what matters is if you have personal relationship with Jesus.
There was another attitude expressed in church. The tax collector displayed an attitude that said:
I desperately need God’s mercy!
He couldn’t even lift up his head, he was so burdened. He pounded his fist on his chest, a spontaneous gesture of his agony over his sin. He uttered simple words with a voice broken with emotion: “God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner." You don’t have to pray a long, eloquent prayer full of religious words. If you pray a simple prayer that comes from your heart, God hears you and He will answer you.
When the tax collector caught a glimpse of the greatness and holiness of God, he realized how dirty and filthy he was. The Bible says, “All our righteousness is as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6) Even the good things we do are dirty compared to the stark, brilliant holiness of God. When you see God for Who He is–holy, then you will be able to see yourself for who you really are–a fallen creature in desperate need of God’s mercy and forgiveness. That will humble you in a hurry.
Is that your attitude? Have you come to a place in your life where you know you can’t make it another moment without God’s mercy, peace, and forgiveness in your life?
HOW WILL YOU GO HOME?
You may go home:
Unchanged–Religious and proud of it!
The Pharisee was so committed to his religious observance that he could be proud by his performance. So he went home unchanged. Thousands of people attend church Sunday after Sunday, but they leave exactly the way they come in. To them, religious observance is something they DO, so they can be proud about their conduct. God addressed the problem of superficial religion in Isaiah 29:13. The Lord says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.”
But we can go home today the same way the tax collector did:
Unburdened–Right with God and thankful for it!
Jesus said the bad guy, the guy in the “black hat”, not the respectable, religious Pharisee went home justified–right with God. He entered church so burdened down by his sin he couldn’t even lift up his head. But when he cried out for the mercy of God, he experienced the liberation of forgiveness. He hadn’t done anything to deserve it, so he couldn’t brag about it. All he could do was to thank God for it!
Which way will you go home today?
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