Journey To Worship

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Phil. 4:19

Today, day 49 of 50 days of sharing, I’m thankful that God provides!

I received a phone call this evening that a friend wanted my address to come by and visit briefly.  When he came he brought me something I needed.  I didn’t tell him that I needed it.  But he came bringing something that I needed.  I don’t know how but I know that God provides!

I listened to a powerful sermon today by Dr. Milton Brown.  He was a classmate at Oakwood University and is known worldwide for his development of new drugs.  He is a medical doctor and has a PHD in synthetic chemistry.  He pointed out that we are created for God’s purpose.  He told stories of how God took him through experiences he didn’t understand that enabled God to get greater glory and have taken him around the world in the overflow.  He has given over 80 invited lectures in countries like China, Brasil, and in Europe.  While many tell us to focus on being anything we want to Dr. Brown encouraged us to pursue God’s presence and allow him to define our purpose as we fellowship with Him.

If God has a purpose for our lives doesn’t it make sense that He will provide what is necessary for us to fulfill this purpose?  Matt. 6:31-33 invites us to seek first God and His kingdom.

“31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Tonight if you become  surrounded by thoughts of depression and clouds of uncertainty fill your mental skies please remember “God Provides!”  If your daughter seems to have lost her way you can be sure that your prayers have been heard and that God will supply all of your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.  Don’t worry, “God Provides!”  And if your purpose has not become crystal clear yet remember that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.  “God Provides!”

Maybe if we shared our stories of God’s provision with one another we wouldn’t be so afraid or concerned about our problems.  Seek first Him and His kingdom and watch God provide!

⁴³ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

⁴⁴ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

⁴⁵ That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

⁴⁶ For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

⁴⁷ And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

⁴⁸ Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

MATTHEW 5:43-48

When I was in high school I started praying for others.  I would pray for my enemies as well as my friends.  I still do.  But let me be real: I don’t like where that puts me.  Let me share a few examples.

Jonah preached to Ninevah about God’s coming judgement.  They repented so he was upset.  I preached a sermon about this for lenten service at 19th Street Baptist a few years ago and entitled it “Mad About Grace.”  We are O.K. with God being loving and patient and kind and forgiving when it’s for us and not for those who we think don’t deserve it.  Do we deserve it?  Of course not!!! But somehow we start thinking that we do and then when someone who we consider less than us or someone who isn’t friendly to us receives the blessing of God’s forgiveness and mercy, we become MAD ABOUT GRACE!

I like to serve others.  I often like to sacrifice for others.  I believe this is what Jesus is encouraging us to do in Matthew 5 in the scripture above.  But it gets hard sometimes.  When you are kind to others and bend over backwards not to hurt their feelings in the way you speak with them only for them to casually and callously blurt out what seems mean spirited but they justify it because they just like to “say it like it is.”  I don’t like that at all.

I was sharing with someone today that it’s one thing to come to a school as a guest artist and teach your musical arrangements.  You are introduced with a glowing bio.  Your job is to be interesting, funny, clever, and entertaining.  Someone else does behavior management.  But when you are the new teacher you haven’t won respect yet and you are the police as well as the instructor.  As the artist if folks aren’t paying attention or aren’t respectful you don’t have to do this.  But as the teacher it’s not so simple.

But when I think about how good God has been to me.  When I recognize that I needed grace…and still do.  I didn’t deserve forgiveness or salvation.  That’s when I’m empowered to try to love like Jesus loved and pray for those who haven’t yet decided to respect me or call me friend.  In verse 46 of Matthew 5 Jesus said that it’s no great feet to be loving to those who love you.  Good point!  To be at the center of the universe–being perfect and the focus of worship and give that up to come serve those who haven’t yet decided to respect you or call you friend is beyond my comprehension….Yet that’s what I’m inspired to imitate.

So on Day 47 of my 50 Days I want to re-affirm my commitment to love even when I’m not loved.  This doesn’t mean I don’t set boundaries.  This doesn’t mean I don’t also heed the advice Jesus gave the disciples that he sent out two by two and told them if a town doesn’t receive them on their gospel journey to dust their feet of and continue on to the next location.

But it does mean I daily reflect on God’s goodness to me and show my gratitude by reflecting it onto someone else-even if they don’t love me.  Won’t you join me in this humble act of grace?

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13:34-35

Today I sat down with someone and shared with them about a challenging situation I was facing.  I shared all the obstacles that were making me feel sabotaged.  While I told them I was committed to conquering the challenge it still was overwhelming.  I was surprised that she was able to see solutions I hadn’t thought about.

I knew I would feel better by sharing but I had no idea the new light that would shine on my challenges would be so bright.  My problems didn’t go away, but my burden was so much lighter.

In John 13 Jesus encourages us to love one another like He loves us.  Then the text really gets my attention with this statement: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  Not if you are an expert at explaining bible prophecy. Not if you have eaten so many veggies and fruits that your burps don’t smell(lol). Not if you are rich, or intelligent, or famous, our powerful.  If you love one another.  When we give each other what Jesus gives us we demonstrate that we are His followers.  I received “Jesus love” today from someone who was willing to listen to me and give caring advice.

What would it be like if you spent a lot of time with a group of people that love each other the way that Jesus loves?  Wouldn’t that be an amazing experience?  Wouldn’t that environment be a place that everyone would want to join?

I believe that’s where our focus should be.  Then evangelism won’t be an issue.  Can you pass the disciple test?

1 Samuel 30:6 King James Version (KJV)

⁶ And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

Have you ever had a day that left you feeling deflated?  Today I had one.  It wasn’t that God let me fail or that everything didn’t work out.  But knowing there’s so much more I want to do and yet feeling the convergence of what feels like a perfect storm against me.  I’m recovering from a bug and so I’m not 100% yet.  Also, I’m learning a new job so it’s different than how the last 8 years have been performing a routine I had about mastered.  On top of that allergy season is starting–how annoying!  And than several incidents of the day reminded me that I haven’t mastered what I’m doing yet.

I hate feeling like I haven’t come through for others.

So now I’m going to share with you what I believe is necessary to prepare me for what lies ahead.  I’m going to encourage myself in the Lord!

When David found himself in a pretty rough spot that’s what he did.  The men he was hanging out with were upset with him because someone had come while they were away from home and taken all there stuff–including their families!  The fellas didn’t take that to well.  They wanted to take it out on their leader, David.  The text we read above says they spake of stoning him.

When you are a leader you are often not understood.  God usually gives you a vision that others don’t see yet.  It’s your call to pursue the vision and express it with conviction to others.  If your fortunate you and your crew develop a shared vision that is compelling and you all work together towards it’s fulfillment.  So that’s my request for my Heavenly Father.  I pray that he brings together a compelling vision and empowers me to place the plan and pieces together.  And while I’m still seeing this by faith I claim that all things will work together for good.  I believe that God loves me and is eager to assist me in giving Him glory through the completion of this vision.  I trust Him that when I am weak (right now) that He is INCREDIBLY STRONG!  I therefore thank him now!  I am grateful for what you have already done for my future!  Thank you!!!  Thank You!!! Thank You!!! (Faith is the substance of things hoped for) .

So many times before God has worked things out and answered prayers and brought visions to pass that I would be foolish not to bring my hurts and heart’s desires to Him and trust Him with them both.

I invite you to do the same.  Let’s feel gratitude together now as we say thanks for what He’s about to do even before we see it!  Thanks again, Lord!

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.  Matt 24:44

From the time I was a little child I’ve heard that Jesus was coming.  I think that hearing something like that for a long time can lead to taking it for granted.  I thought will I get to have children?  Do I know enough to be saved?  Is this real?

Now today I’m puzzled.  So much of what I was taught…so much of what I studied in the bible is happening.  It seems that everyday we learn more about the evils of our society and icebergs that loom in our future.  Will genetically modified foods eventually cause us all to get sick?  Will our economic system collapse and leave us desperate to find food?  Are we all so busy numbed by all the distractions available to us that we will be caught unaware when everything goes south?

My message today is simple.  Be ready!  Study what you need to study!  Pray.  Don’t keep putting off figuring out what you need to do to be ready for any future crisis.  And certainly don’t put off pursuing a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Because ready or not, HERE HE COMES!

dcg

I want you to take a thought walk with me for a minute and consider some of the major causes of our current societal suffering.  It’s time to RISE UP!

Fast food or processed food has the addition of salt, sugar, oils, and preservatives.  When we eat these foods we are excited BUT NOT NOURISHED!  In addition these foods are calorie dense.  Where as salad has 100 calories per pound, chocolate has 2500 calories per pound.  So not only do you crave more and more of what stimulates you but does not nourish you, but you gain lots of weight and develop various diseases.  Your ability to think clearly is compromised.

We receive dopamine hits from lying in our bed clicking on our phones and tablets.  Sometimes it’s the games with their endless levels.  Sometimes it’s the seemingly endless content available to us on social media.  But in order to keep our attention in this highly competitive environment we are bombarded with drama-nudity, sex, violence, the extreme, the shocking and the emotional, in order to hook us.  The content with the most stimulation usually gets our focus.

A few years back I was writing a musical and got professional counsel on how to make it better.  My two takeaways were: your message is to complicated and it needs to be more entertaining.  All of the movies and programming you are getting are competing for your attention just like the food is.  The more vivid the colors, the more stunning the special effects, the more exciting the plot, the more emotional the engagement, the more graphic the violence, the more seductive the sex; the more all of the above the more likely it will win your choice.

Over 70% of people in the United States are overweight or obese.  74% of the food in the grocery stores is laced with sugar.  When the 700 million obese people of the world look at themselves (me included) we see the result of all of the above physically.  But what about the result of all of the above spiritually and socially? Is it any wonder our kids can’t concentrate in school?  Is it any wonder it’s so hard to have a successful marriage?  Is it any wonder we see more mentally unstable people killing masses of people?

If there were ever a time to pray and fast it’s NOW!  We are seeing the perfect storm of human demise.  By making pleasure our god we are destroying our ability to hear from God.  And the road to recovery ISN’T EASY!  So that’s why we need to pray.  We need to study.  We need to inspire one another to take action!  We need to make regular calls for action.  We need to daily invite people to start a new way of living, to make a change!  We have to create safe environments not only for our children and for the weak among us but also for ourselves.
It is only when I immerse myself in the presence of my Creator.  When I read about his character in the bible, when I meditate on the insights I find as I study and as I pray, it is only then I find hope and strength and peace. It’s time to RISE UP!  It’s time to leave Babylonian entertainment and eating!  

So you might be curious what has gone on so far in this 50 day journey.  Today is day 40.

• I’ve lost more than 20 lbs
• I’ve inspired others to spread their spiritual insight.  Many in turn have told me they have challenged others to do the same.  So the 50 day challenge is going viral.
• The people sharing are telling me stories of how gratified they are to hear from others what a blessing they have been
• Many have thanked me for sharing exactly what they needed at that moment.

So, would you like to take the 50 day challenge?  You commit to sharing a person insight that God has blessed you with in your journey through life every day for 50 days in the format you choose.  I dare you to start tomorrow and see what changes your own life will be blessed with.

Why not start….today?

Different people learn in different ways.  Some people are kinesthetic learners.  They learn by action.  They remember what they physically do.  So when teaching them something incorporating actions is key.  Others learn visually.  These people need to see the picture to grasp the concept.  Still others learn by hearing.  They benefit from listening to a lecture.

Perhaps everyone is a little bit of each mode but certain people thrive with one predominant mode.  As a teacher I am constantly trying not only to teach using different styles or modes of learning but also to use different modes when I am learning something.  I find this accelerates my learning.

But did you know that different people love in different ways?  Gary Chapman wrote a book that talks about the 5 primary love languages he discovered.  You can learn about them here.  But my brief focus is this:  What if you’ve been trying to love people with the wrong language.  What if you’ve been giving your wife hugs but her love language is gifts.  You can give her all the hugs in the world but when someone else gives her a gift and that’s her love language she may think they care more about her than you do.  Or maybe you are trying to be loving to a neighbor, co-worker, relative or friend who doesn’t get it because you aren’t speaking their love language.

So my challenge for today is for you to discover your love language and look for clues to discover the love language of those you wish to impact.  By the way, I hope you try to improve your learning process by using multiple modes as well.  And if no one else told you today, I LOVE YOU, and GOD LOVES YOU MORE!!!  See you on Day 39!

DCG