I am just going to preface this whole post by saying that some of you may not agree with some of what I am saying. All I can say is it was given to me, and I am compelled to write it down. So here goes. It was said best by a person this week as she was speaking to kids at the River. Some say that if we don’t do what God is calling us to do He will choose someone else. If this were true the world wouldn’t be broken. What I do here isn’t a big part of what God wants for all of us in our lives, but it helps you to think a little than I have done what I feel God put me here to do. Mindy, thanks for helping God stir my heart this week.
I am hearing a lot of talk about the condition of our families, and our country, and our world. I hear lately some squalling about the Tea Party demonstrations and water on the moon. I am guilty of worrying about whether or not my Fantasy Football team is going to win, or if any of my favorite teams are going to win championships. When you think about these things, in the grand scheme of life they are all going to go poof when it all goes down. Cockroaches and Twinkies may be the only thing left when the world comes to an end, but Fantasy Football, The Chicago Cubs, the Moon’s water, and Tea Party demonstrations will not save us. I am pointing at myself when I say this, if you are not showing someone who Jesus Christ is in what you are doing when you are rallying the masses with your fifteen minutes of fame then you have missed the boat.
Philippians 4:1-9 (NIV)
1Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!
2I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
What fires you up? Do you get bent out of shape with the way the President is directing the Country? This is alright because God can save the world with or without a United States that moves in the direction you think it should. You do know that there is nowhere in the Bible that mentions the United States finishes as a sovereign place of God’s people. I love America; I am saying there is a point where Satan can use that whole argument to take my eyes off of who is in control of my life. Is the economy messing with your life? I can assure you, if your focus is on God at some point He will deliver you from that storm. Water on the moon will not quench the thirst of one who is parched spiritually. As much as I hate to say it, if my fantasy football team does come from behind to win this year if the folks playing with me don’t know who Jesus is I have dropped the ball entirely.
Ephesians 6:11-13
11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Do you ever wonder if arguments over government, race, special interests, and even religion are tools that Satan uses to keep us off the real matter at hand? If he has us focused on the things that eat us up in ordinary life we can’t be totally focused on seeing how we might be able to reach someone who needs God. Sometimes we get so set on finding out what is broken we neglect seeing the neighbor across the street who may need to know they’re life can be better if they know the freedom Jesus Christ can give.
What are you fighting about? What are you living for? In our lives we can’t always count on someone else to do the right thing; we need to pick our battles and focus on the things that really matter. In our church, several months ago, we were challenged to take inventory of what we spent our money on to see where it goes. This way we could see whet things we focused on and whether or not that was healthy spending. I want to challenge you to look at your daily practices and see what you focus on. Are you putting your energy and time into things that really matter?
This hit me hard this week; I am sorry if it offends anyone.
Thanks for reading.
the lunatic
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