Robbed or protected?

My home was broken into and robbed. Everything of value was taken and the aftermath left me with fear and a sense of defilement. Doors are now locked at all times, everyone must knock before entering. The so-called “Welcome” mat is no longer as welcoming. Everyone that comes to the door is viewed with suspicion. Every little noise is no longer heard as charming character noises in my old home but rather unnerving as nails going down a chalkboard. “Is he
back?” and “Am I safe?” are questions that frequent my minds speech.

I am not talking about a physical burglary but rather an emotional and spiritual burglary. The culprit has been caught and sentenced but not without leaving his mark in my life. I’m talking about Mr. Worry.

He has broken into many homes. He is a scavenger looking for the unsuspected victim and taking advantage of anyone whose guard is down leaving fear and anxiety trailing behind him in the aftermath of his invasion. Has he ever broken into your home?

Jesus gave us some steps to combat and guard against having this invasion happen in our lives today in Matthew 6:
1. Don’t have a pack-rat mentality. (v19)
2. Invest in commodities that have a failsafe future and can't be stolen today. (v20-21)
3. Know who your Investor is. (v24)
4. Don’t be impulsive and fall for the latest “must-have” advertisements. (vs25-30)
5. Base every decision on Truth and the “returns” of your decisions will sustain you. (vs 31-34)

Worry and faith are like oil and water. They cannot exist in the same house together.
Paul said, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” (Hebrews 11:1)
The “cannot see” is the part that trips us up today thereby letting our guards down for the invasion of worry.

Jesus asked the crowds a very powerful question that day which begs repeating today, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”

Is what you and and I spend our time thinking and worrying about today going to add a single moment of peace and resolution to our life or does it just rob us of life?

Who has access to the door of your heart today?

Solid foundation

“Honey you just got the rug pulled out from underneath you.” As a little girl I used to think this was a rather strange saying. How could someone pull a rug out from underneath me while I was standing on it?

As I grew up and lived life I realized the meaning of this saying: the unexpected will come into our lives and unless our footing is secure the very foundation we stand upon will be pulled out from underneath us and usually without warning.

When Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” could Jesus have been saying the same thing? Peter’s answer, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:13-20) Peter was declaring the very foundation he would be standing on from that day forward. At times, he didn’t understand it, maybe didn’t always live it, but the foundation was being built with every word, every experience, everything he witnessed walking alongside Jesus.

Verse 21 says, “From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and suffer many terrible things...” Jesus couldn’t tell them the horrendous things he was about to experience until they had discovered for themselves the foundation they would not only stand upon but lay their very lives down for. That foundation was and is today solid and unwavering; nothing can destroy or change it.

The same question begs an answer from us today. Who do we say the Son of Man is? Our answer becomes the foundation upon which we stand during good times and what supports and keeps us from falling during rough times. Any foundation that is not solid, not built upon the truth of who Jesus is, will collapse at the first tremor. There is no storm the truth of God cannot weather yet remain solid through.

Paul gave witness to this foundation. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
(2Cor 4:7-9) Isaiah said, “In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD will be your treasure.” (Isaiah 33:6)
These are truths we can stand upon.

So, who do you say the Son of Man is? Who or what is the foundation you stand upon and is it safe?

Celebrating uniqueness

I was in a meeting recently where there was a clear distinction between different personalities and even God given gifts. From the discussion it would seem some were either trying to become like others in the room (and becoming frustrated or disappointed in their “lack of___”) or trying to get others to come into their
particular gifting (“you just need to allow the Spirit to……………”). While I believe we need to allow the Spirit to move in and through us, this too can be frustrating at times. But what happens when we don’t sense the Holy Spirit moving in a particular situation; revealing the answer for either yourself or the person asking you for help; or when we don’t hear the Holy Spirit concerning the next move we should make? All the while He seems to be doing all these in others.

While I truly believe everyone’s motives were not to duplicate themselves in that meeting but rather be an encouragement for each other to think-out-of-the-box for new possibilities, let’s face it--it can be frustrating to not see ourselves or others in a spiritual gift we want to be in.

It was very clear at this meeting that hearts were touched by the message; they believed the message, stood in awe at the results of the message yet at the same time to fulfill the message would be a complete 180 in not only thinking but ‘doing’. It would take a complete overhaul of preconceived ideas so ingrained it would
shatter their world as they knew it. It was also very clear the Holy Spirit had been working in their hearts and lives moving toward this change. This too was frustrating.

Paul said in Corinthians we are all part of the body. An arm can’t pretend or act like an eye, or an ear like a foot, yet all are important for the healthy function of the body.
“It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person” should have (1Cor 12:11)
Paul then describes the functions of the body and makes this statement, “So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other…one suffers…all suffer…one is honored…all are glad.” (I Cor 12:24-25)

I started thinking how I treat others that are different than me. Do I honor those that wouldn’t ‘do as I would do’ or who aren’t as ‘spiritually mature’ as I am (said with tongue-in-cheek)? Whichever part I am, am I working in harmony with the others?
Encouraging them in their uniqueness and different thinking? For those who are acting less honorable do I try to clothe them with love, grace and mercy or expose them for who they are?
“In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care.”

God not only gives to each of us gifts and the ability to work in those gifts, he uses our personality through which those gifts take shape. Each of us is going to be different. It is the vehicle through which the world around us sees God in action.

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Prov 27:16-18)
When we stop trying to mold fit but rather encourage one another in the uniqueness and richness God has created each of us for His glory to be seen, the body of Christ will once again become healthy.
There is friction in sharpening one iron with another…let us be careful not to stab one another in the process.