Friday, January 15, 2010

Matthew 6

Matthew 6:19-34 is a great reminder to all of us during our strange economic reality.

"Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."

Where is your treasure today? In heaven or disappearing from your bank account?

If we put our treasures in heaven, we'll see them again! If we put them only in our bank accounts, they will disappear for all of eternity.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Matthew 1 - Not My Plans

The story of Jesus birth is amazing! There are so many things that looked like they would not happen and yet because of God's plan, they did happen! God always brings His plans to reality. In His time and in His ways.

To be honest, I'm not always a big fan of God's plans. Mary wasn't planning to be pregnant before being married. Joseph wasn't planning to marry a woman who was pregnant from someone else. And yet because they followed God's plan they saw the Savior of the world be born. They had the incredible privilege of caring for the One who would care for the world!

What things does God have planned for me? I like God's plans when they involve success and recognition for a job well done. I don't like God's plans when they involve people judging me, times of difficulty and testing.

Yet, God's purpose is always to make us more like Jesus. That's God's plan for all of us - that we might become more like Jesus. To become like Jesus, we have to go through some rough times and allow God to transform us during those difficult times.

I'm not excited about more difficulty in my life but I do want to be like Jesus.

God, continue to work out Your plan in my life! Today, I want to be more like Jesus.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Jesus

Happy New Year! Hope you are ready to dive into the New Year with passion and purpose! 2010 is going to be an amazing year!

I've decided to spend the next several months studying the life of Jesus. So, I will be reading through the 4 gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and other passages related to Jesus. I'll do my best to blog my way through this for anyone who cares to join the journey!

This morning I was directed to Philippians 2:3-11. I encourage you to grab your bible and read it there for yourself!

Very convicting passage for me! I need to develop the humility that Jesus had. He is God and yet didn't "think of equality with God as something to cling to."

Jesus is selfless! He never tried to impress anyone. He was humble and treated people around Him with great dignity and respect! He wasn't trying to put others down, but instead tried to lift them up!

I really don't like the development process of humility! It's painful! To grow true humility, we have to be around some prideful people. As a prideful person myself, I'm not excited to be around more people like me! But I know that as I choose humility when tempted to choose pride, my pride will lose the strange hold it has on my life.

Jesus, today I choose again to be like you! I need Your strength to choose humility! I cannot do this alone! Strengthen me today with your Spirit as I seek to become like You! Go before me and do more than I can ask or think!