What do I really need?

Matthew 10:7-10

As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.

The call to me is still the same. As I go I am to be proclaiming the Kingdom of God through the work of Jesus. Jesus is clear that we are not to get caught up with having stuff, or in trusting in what we have to provide for ourselves. Those who follow Jesus are to trust God to be the one to meet their needs, however it applies in their own life context.

I often try to help out God. I’m not the first though. Back in Genesis Abraham thought that God needed some help in providing him a child. This caused Abraham nothing but trouble. In the same way when I try to give God a hand with my needs more often than not I screw things up. God allows me to partner with Him, but I have to trust Him and let Him do things His way

God help me to trust you! I don’t want to make my own plans because your are better. Guide my path. Amen.

TXT.

I am freakin excited about the start of our new series at illuminate tomorrow - TXT.

Many of us don't really understand why the Bible is unique. Even more don't really understand its capacity to change our lives.

The Bible is the most powerful book ever written. It will rock you. Don't miss out on TXT.

This Thursday night at illuminate.

illuminate.mylfc.com or text "illuminate" to 41411 for our service times and address.

One of the Sick.

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:11-12)

Jesus came for the the sick, the broken, and the sinner. When He was telling this to the Pharisees He also told them to think on the phrase “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” The heart of God is not in those who give things up for God, but for those who have mercy on other people. Jesus came to have mercy on a broken humanity.

It is easy for me to look at a verse like this one and think: “Yes I need to have mercy on those poor sinful people.” The truth is, when I really look at myself, that I am one of the sick. Jesus came to be my doctor because I could not heal myself.

Today I’m just glad for that.

God thank you that You loved me enough to send your Son because I was sick and broken. Although I don’t deserve Your mercy, You gave anyway. Help me to have the same attitude.

Making a Statement.

Scripture: Matthew 3:1-5

1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’ “^[a]

4John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

Observation:

I love John the Baptist. The guy knew what he was doing, he was no fool. John came from a family that was the priests of Israel, they were the ones who performed the sacrifices in the temple that provided the people with forgiveness from their sins.

When John, who was from a priestly family, when into the wilderness and began to baptize people for forgiveness he was intentionally providing an alternative to the temple. He was making a statement to the corrupt people running the temple that God was providing a new means of forgiveness. He came to lay the groundwork for the coming of Jesus.

Application:

We have to be ready when God wants to do a new thing in our lives. In Johns day many could not accept the idea that God would get rid of His temple and the system of animal sacrifice for forgiving sin. Today often we set up our own holy traditions that have little to do with the Word of God. It could be a style of clothing we expect to see at church, a certain type of music, or the color of the paint on the walls but it all is Biblically irrelevant. It could be a habit that we don’t want to give up, even one that is not forbidden in the Bible, that distracts us from following God. If we put anything before God, it is an idol, and eventually God will want us to deal with it and get rid of it. When God wants us to change, we need to be ready to change.

Prayer:

God help me to be a part of what you are doing in my life today. Help me to see what you are doing and to accept it and move with your Spirit. Amen.

How to be Rich.

Not to toot my own horn, but the next series at illuminate is one not to miss. How to be Rich - Finances from God's point of view.

Check out the teaser:

Walking in the Spirit.

Scripture:

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Galatians 5:16 TNIV)

Obsveration:

This scripture is pretty clear. We are called to walk (an action!) by the Spirit of God that was put in us when we said Yes to Jesus. If we walk in that Spirit then we will not give in to our old nature that wants to sin.

Application:

I can choose with every decision if I will walk in my old man or walk in the Spirit. My ability to make that choice seems to be influenced by other choices I have made that day. Did I read my Bible? Pray? Journal? When I am making the first choice to develop my relationship with God through spiritual disciplines (and it’s no coincidence that discipline looks like disciple) then I am more likely to choose to walk in the spirit when an opportunity to sin occurs.

Prayer:

Lord, today help me to walk in your Spirit. Help me to make right choices so that I will honor Your name in all I do. Amen.

Bind Them on Your Foreheads.

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ^[a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6)

Today is the day to love God with everything that I have. Every day after this is that day as well.

I love that right in with God telling us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is that His commandments are to be “on our hearts.” Although God loves us and we are forgiven by Christ without any work on our own, if we really love Him it will show up in how we act. Just as God commanded the Israelites to put God’s commends on their hands and foreheads I am also to have the way other people see me reflect God’s character.

This passage of scripture begins with us loving God inside ourselves and ends with loving God in ways that show up to the outside world.

How can we live heart first today?