Messy!

 1 Samuel 16: 7

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

This is what this Easter week is all about, as the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob peered at the inside of the heart of man.

He immediately recognized the need for His people to have a Savior—and so He sent one.

Sometimes we can make a real mess of our lives, can’t we?

I’m so glad that Jesus doesn’t necessarily look past the mess, as much as He looks for what causes it in the first place.

Are you hiding something from Jesus?

When my bedroom as a kid, looked a tornado went through it, my Mom would often just close the door—but the mess was still there.

What mess are you willing to let Jesus in on, today?

This week is a celebration, in the fact that Jesus is so wonderful at cleaning up messes.

I am so thankful that He came to tidy up Dan’s heart, when I had made a real mess of it.

I’m glad He didn’t just throw up His arms in exasperation, when He first saw the condition of my heart.

God does His beautifying work from the inside out.

Maybe instead of an extreme external makeover—maybe we all need one on the inside, first…

Ask yourself:

·         What mess am I trying to clean up on my own, that Jesus could clean up in a wink of time?

A Good Fight!

2 Timothy 4: 7

⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

To be a good soldier, one must not expect an easy way, or an easy fight.

To be a true follower of Jesus, one must resolve themselves to a true warrior.

I meet so many people these days, who are wasting energy on battles that are not worth fighting.

Can you relate this morning?

We are to fight every day, for the pursuit of righteousness and holiness.

Is that what you were fighting for last week? What non-spiritual battles will you attempt to fight again this coming week?

We should be fighting for the very movement of God.

Is that what’s preoccupied your spiritual battles?

Those fighting for the church of Christ, seem to be fewer and fewer.

Maybe we need to assess our battle plan, and fight for the things really worth fighting for.

What has you battle weary these days?

If it’s not of God, stop right now, and change your battle strategy…

Ask yourself:

·         What spiritual battle have I been unable to see, because I’m not in close enough communion with God?

Get over you!

Romans 7: 21 – 23

²¹ So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.

²² For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,

²³ but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Most followers of Christ are distracted these days, although most wouldn’t admit it.

When the empire of Japan, planned the attack on Pearl Harbor, it caught the American Pacific fleet, flat footed.

Warnings were totally ignored, which was followed up with carnage and death.

Is it possible, that the one single thing keeping you from engaging in the war, is you?

Life is full of internal, physical distractions, and yet we seem to pay more attention to them, than the battle at hand.

St. Paul was saying here, that his new nature wanted to do God’s will, but something from his past, kept him from always doing that.

Could it be possible, that St. Paul was his own worst enemy?

I wonder how many people really enjoy just sitting in the bleachers, while the rest of the church battles in the gridiron?

Maybe instead of being distracted, we should actually get in the game—especially since we could be in the 4^th quarter.

Maybe we just need to get over ourselves…

Warfare!

2 Corinthians 10: 3

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.

Spiritual warfare is a reality.

For those who don’t think so, you should probably look deeper into the subject.

Just because they didn’t teach it in catechism, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

Even St. Paul waged war against the enemy of darkness on a regular basis.

Most followers of Christ, entrenched in truly letting their light shine, should’ve experienced warfare by now.

Following Jesus is not without warfare.

That’s why St. Paul said it was so important to put on the full armor of God. (Ephesians 6)

Check out the account when Moses, and the nation of God’s people, were at war. (Exodus 17)

We can war against the enemy with intelligence, as long as we depend on the power of Christ within us.

Victory can only come, in Jesus’ name.

Maybe the reason we’re taking it on the chin so much, could be because we haven’t engaged the enemy.

The only way to do that, is by the precious blood of the Lamb

Restrain!

Proverbs 20: 19 ESV

19 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.              

Gossip in the church today, is the norm, rather than the exception.

Some people even in the church, slur other people’s names, without ever sharing the good news from the Bible.

So if God says that we should love our neighbor as our self—is that happening when we gossip?

Maybe if we can’t love our neighbor as our self—then maybe we should stick a sock in our mouth!

If you need help with some other left over socks—I can help because our dryer from time to time, steals some of mine.

God wants us to exercise restraint—is gossip, restraint?

By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can prevail.

Gossip is deadly, and people have even left churches because they’ve been the target of it.

The Bible says that he or she who does not love his/her brother, is the next in order for judgment.

You don’t want God to come and judge anyone for that sin.

Maybe it’s time we stop this selfish sin, and get on with loving God and our fellow church friends…

Engraved!

Isaiah 49: 16

16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…

Today in church we sang the old hymn of the faith, “Jesus love me this I know…”

I realize that this might be kind of old hat for some churches, but for our church, this song fits us just fine.

When’s the last time you’ve truly considered the love of God?

I hope you’ve experienced His love in a personal way.

I think it’s maybe only in recent years, that I’ve truly embraced the great love of God.

I’m so amazed that He loves us all the ways He does. He’s even inscribed us on the palm of His hand.

I don’t want to just know about His love for me in my head—but I want to know it every day in my heart.

I’m not a little kid anymore, but I’m sure glad that I can still sing that old Sunday school song.

I never want to get too big for my britches, not to remember the love of God.

God loves each and every one of us, with an everlasting love.

Maybe you should start your new work week, pondering that thought…

Wrestle!

Ephesians 6: 12

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,

against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

If you haven’t noticed, we are in a spiritual battle for our very lives.

Are you susceptible to warfare? How about your church?

If you haven’t noticed that the battle has intensified, then you might not be engaging the enemy.

The enemy is precise, tactical, and efficient.

His main weapons are one or all of the following; Deception—Temptation & Accusation.

What should you do when you’re in the middle of warfare? Should we run to the basement and hide? Not hardly!

Is it possible that you and I could create a spirit of warfare in our homes, or even in our church?

Let’s be sure of this—none of us are without living within the realm of that possibility.

We need to know how to deal with warfare, and tearing down strongholds.

What stronghold has a hold on you? Your church? Your home life?

It’s time to take off the gloves….