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 15, 2010
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.
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!
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!
Friday, November 20, 2009
God heals broken washing machines
Yesterday I was reminded that everything I go through is used by God to make me more like Jesus - if I let it!
Yesterday our washing machine was leaking from underneath. So, I took it apart to prayerfully find the problem and fix it cheaply! I couldn't find the problem but managed to get water all over the floor multiple times. That was fun.
After debating about whether I should call in a professional or not, I decided to put the washer back together and test it again to see if I could see where the leak was coming from.
Hours later I was still trying to put the cabinet back together. I almost lost my faith fighting with a stupid machine. While grumbling around our laundry room and making lots of "don't come in here and bother me" noises, I was reminded that God was using this to develop patience in me.
After complaining to Him about His timing, I refocused my mind on that truth and finally asked God to help me put the washing machine back together. In the process of putting the machine back together I lost one of the clips I needed to snap the back onto the cabinet. After looking everywhere for that clip, I figured I just didn't need it.
Got the washer put back together and ran a load of laundry. Guess what! No leak! Not sure how God fixed the machine but He must have done something when I wasn't looking.
Guess what else! I found the clip I was missing. It is inside the cabinet. When our washer gets to the spin cycle, we can hear the metal clip making some wonderful noises against the metal frame it's caught on inside the cabinet.
I keep telling Tammy, "Just close the laundry room door and you won't hear the noise!"
Today I'm thanking God for healing my broken washing machine and for pouring out His grace for me!
Yesterday our washing machine was leaking from underneath. So, I took it apart to prayerfully find the problem and fix it cheaply! I couldn't find the problem but managed to get water all over the floor multiple times. That was fun.
After debating about whether I should call in a professional or not, I decided to put the washer back together and test it again to see if I could see where the leak was coming from.
Hours later I was still trying to put the cabinet back together. I almost lost my faith fighting with a stupid machine. While grumbling around our laundry room and making lots of "don't come in here and bother me" noises, I was reminded that God was using this to develop patience in me.
After complaining to Him about His timing, I refocused my mind on that truth and finally asked God to help me put the washing machine back together. In the process of putting the machine back together I lost one of the clips I needed to snap the back onto the cabinet. After looking everywhere for that clip, I figured I just didn't need it.
Got the washer put back together and ran a load of laundry. Guess what! No leak! Not sure how God fixed the machine but He must have done something when I wasn't looking.
Guess what else! I found the clip I was missing. It is inside the cabinet. When our washer gets to the spin cycle, we can hear the metal clip making some wonderful noises against the metal frame it's caught on inside the cabinet.
I keep telling Tammy, "Just close the laundry room door and you won't hear the noise!"
Today I'm thanking God for healing my broken washing machine and for pouring out His grace for me!
Romans
Reading Romans this morning.
Romans 1:1 "This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach His Good News."
Powerful words from Paul. Paul proudly calls himself "a slave of Christ Jesus." Strange words in a culture where slavery was a very real position. A position that was not sought out. A position no one wanted.
Yet, Paul in essence says, "I've chained myself to Jesus. I've chosen to be a slave of His! I've found the best way to live and that is in total submission to Jesus our King!"
Most days I don't find myself living as a slave for Jesus. Most days I fight for what I think are my rights, my privileges! I'm slowly learning that a position of slavery in God's family is better than a position of nobility outside of God's family.
The amazing thing is that Jesus elevates our status and says "I call you friends." Jesus, the Creator of the Universe, calls me His friend. The One who can pick up the earth by His fingers wants to know me; wants to be known by me!
I'm humbled! I'm working on making Paul's statement true for myself.
"Trent, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to preach His Good News!"
Romans 1:1 "This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach His Good News."
Powerful words from Paul. Paul proudly calls himself "a slave of Christ Jesus." Strange words in a culture where slavery was a very real position. A position that was not sought out. A position no one wanted.
Yet, Paul in essence says, "I've chained myself to Jesus. I've chosen to be a slave of His! I've found the best way to live and that is in total submission to Jesus our King!"
Most days I don't find myself living as a slave for Jesus. Most days I fight for what I think are my rights, my privileges! I'm slowly learning that a position of slavery in God's family is better than a position of nobility outside of God's family.
The amazing thing is that Jesus elevates our status and says "I call you friends." Jesus, the Creator of the Universe, calls me His friend. The One who can pick up the earth by His fingers wants to know me; wants to be known by me!
I'm humbled! I'm working on making Paul's statement true for myself.
"Trent, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to preach His Good News!"
Thursday, November 19, 2009
speaking with God
Do you ever wish God would speak to you? I do!
Listen to Hebrews 1:1 "Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son."
God still speaks to us - everyday - through the life of Jesus!
The bible also teaches that God speaks through His Holy Spirit. I've heard it taught that God speaks through the Holy Spirit in 4 ways:
1) the Bible
2) prayer
3) other people
4) circumstances
The message that God is speaking to us every moment of every day is: become like Jesus. Take on His thoughts, actions, attitudes, suffering, patience, love, mercy, ...
Today, God wants us to use every thing we go through to become more like Jesus.
God, may I be reminded of this today. As I'm hit with things that make we want to react in my ways, let me choose Your ways! Let me choose life! Thanks for speaking loudly to humanity through Jesus!
Listen to Hebrews 1:1 "Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son."
God still speaks to us - everyday - through the life of Jesus!
The bible also teaches that God speaks through His Holy Spirit. I've heard it taught that God speaks through the Holy Spirit in 4 ways:
1) the Bible
2) prayer
3) other people
4) circumstances
The message that God is speaking to us every moment of every day is: become like Jesus. Take on His thoughts, actions, attitudes, suffering, patience, love, mercy, ...
Today, God wants us to use every thing we go through to become more like Jesus.
God, may I be reminded of this today. As I'm hit with things that make we want to react in my ways, let me choose Your ways! Let me choose life! Thanks for speaking loudly to humanity through Jesus!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Psalm 119:143
Encouraged by Psalm 119:143 today. "As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in Your commands."
As the stress of life press against you, may you find joy and peace in the loving words of our Creator!
He tells us He'll never leave us, that He's made us more than conquerors, that we can do all things through Him, to bring our heavy burdens to Him and that He will give us rest!
May you rest in God's love for you today!
As the stress of life press against you, may you find joy and peace in the loving words of our Creator!
He tells us He'll never leave us, that He's made us more than conquerors, that we can do all things through Him, to bring our heavy burdens to Him and that He will give us rest!
May you rest in God's love for you today!
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