Zero Sum

In reading from God's word in Matthew 6:1ff, you will see all the familiar teachings such as "The Lord's Prayer," "Treasures In Heaven," "Do Not Worry," etc.  But there was only one message with several supporting sub-points: 

Do not be double-minded thinking I can 1) "ask God to forgive while refusing to forgive others" or 2) "I can fast while feeding on pride" or 3) "I can focus on temporal treasure and gain eternal ones" or 4) "I can be critical and become positive."  

Take the time to read Matthew 6 looking at it through this lens.  I believe you will see this universal truth, you first heard about in grammar school: A positive added to its negative counterpart equals a zero sum.  

The point being - we have to choose either God's positive light or Satan's negative darkness. To attempt holding on to both is a zero gain, leaving you with nothing.  

This zero sum warning is found in Revelation 3:15-16, "...you are neither cold nor hot....So, because you are lukewarm...I am about to spit you out of my mouth."  

You can choose the Savior's path or Satan's, good or evil, hot or cold - not both.  What's your choice?  Jus' Ask'n.

The Work

Imagine that Noah had decided he was going to dig water wells for the less fortunate in God's name?  Suppose Abraham had determined to take his nephew, Lot, on a door-to-door out reach effort in Sodom?  What if the apostle Paul led a building campaign for a new Synagogue in Jerusalem?  

"What is my point?" you may be wondering.  My point is that God was not waiting for them to come up with a plan of action He could bless, God had plans for which He intended their participation.  

As Jesus said, "my Father is always at work" (John 5:17) - not He is looking for work or looking for things for us to do. Instead, He has preplanned, ongoing work that we are invited to join: "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared I advance for us to do" (Eph 2:10).

So, what is God doing in your neck of the woods?  What work has The Lord set before you?  Are you waiting for a personal invitation or are you ready to begin The Work?   Jus' Ask'n.

Show Me The Money

Reading in Luke 16, it becomes abundantly clear that money, while the antithesis of faith in God ("you cannot serve both God and money" vs 13b), it is also a prime tell of your faith ("if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?").

I'm reminded of an axiom in investigations: "Follow the money," which is also true when investigating one's faith or that in which one trusts. Think about it. Where does most of your money go?  

Does your offering at church and/or charities compare with your entertainment expenditures?  Do you find it easy to shell out hundreds or thousands at a jewelry or sporting goods store but would not even consider sending close to that amount to a missionary or "Feed The Hungry" program?  

Would you be comfortable having an audit of how much you spend on sports or movies or eating out compared with what you spend on Kingdom building?  

Do you recall the tag line from the 1996 movie, Jerry Maquire, "Show me the money?"  What would your money have to say about your faith?  What do you "seek first" (Matt 6:33)?  Just asking.

No Good Deed...

The Apostle Paul wrote, "Always give yourselves fully to the work of The Lord, because you know that your labor in The Lord is not in vain" (1 Cor 1:58b).  

But, you might be thinking, I've tried to minister to some people in the past and it backfired on me or they didn't appreciate it or it didn't ultimately change anything. In fact, there is an old cliche, which says, "No good deed will go unpunished."  

Aren't Christians even persecuted in some places for acting on their faith?  Absolutely!  And, often times there is no visible benefit to our service. Sometimes, we are indeed rebuffed or rejected.

However, no time is God not glorified by our heart-felt service. No time is someone not enriched by faithful service - whether the one served or the one serving or one witnessing the service - someone is being graced. 

Whatever the challenges, the promise is clear, "Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Gal 6:9). Jus' Say'n.

Changing Crops

I've done a bit of study and work in family system counseling, so I appreciate the need to review our history in order to understand what we've become or where we have arrived in life. 

However, while our past explains our present, it does not determine our future. If you planted corn in the spring you will reap corn in the fall (note Gal 6:7), but you don't have to keep planting corn. 

What determines our steps is not where we've been, it is where we are going. We can chart new courses, plant new crops, choose to "forget the past and strain toward what is ahead" (Phil 3:13).  

Right now, with God's help, you can begin to develop new patterns of relationships, worship, devotion, spending, saving, exercising, eating, serving...  Jus' Say'n.

Healing

By a pool near the city gate, where cripple beggars lay hoping for healing or a handout, a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years encounters the Christ.  

Jesus asks him a question that might seem an odd, "Do you want to be healed?" (Jn 5:6).  You would think it would be obvious and one would be tempted today to reply, "Duh" or "Ya think?"  But the answer was not self-evident.  

Many people become dependent on their limitations and cling to them like an old friend. Some are more comfortable with "the devil they know than the devil they don't know."  For instance, "If I wasn't so heavy, others would expect me to do more or better."  Or, "If I completed a degree, I'd have to compete at a higher level."  

Why do you think so many are living on welfare?  Because they think it provides the best life possible or because they know it provides a living they understand and have grown comfortable with?  

Is there a limitation you cling to?  How would you answer Jesus' question?  God can "do more than you can ask or imagine, according to His power at work within you" (Eph 3:20) but are you willing?   Think about it, do you want to be healed?  Jus' Askn.

Trust

Bombings, shootings, driving trucks into a crowd - you name a way to bring harm to people and an Islamic terrorist or a Jihadi Wannabe will be using it against innocent civilians.  And, despite our world-power status, we have seen just how vulnerable we are to such attacks. 

The government's response has been to assure us that the guilty will be brought to justice and to reassure us by increasing security at major events and sensitive targets.

But, government intervention notwithstanding, we can't really stop criminals and crazies from inflicting harm because, no matter how big government becomes, it cannot be everywhere at every opportunity to do harm before it happens. Not even the mighty USA.  

So, what's the answer?   Can we ever rest easy with this ubiquitous threat of danger?  Yes: "Some men trust in chariots, some trust in horses, but we will trust in the name of The Lord our God" (Ps 20:7).  

Unlike our government, which despite it size and might is limited by time and space, God can be everywhere at every opportunity evil has to do harm - before, during and after.  Jus' Sayn.

Kingdom Work

I believe, Just as Jesus affirmed in Jn 5:17, that the "Father is always at work" around us. And when He is ready to use us in that work, He calls us "for it is God who works in you to will and act in order to fulfill his good purpose" (Phil 2:13).

His calls are always interruptions and often push us from our comfort zones.  It may not be the work we had in mind and may well be unsettling.  We may question His timing, His direction or ultimately, His choice in us. However, since He is Lord, He has the right to call us any time and send us anywhere.  Our job, as disciples, is to say yes, work through our crisis of faith and then adjust to our calling.

And when we do answer his call, God can accomplish wonders through us - "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to his power at work within us" (Eph 3:20).   Jus' sayn.

Listen

Have you ever thought, "I wish God would speak to me and tell me what I should do about x, y or z?  Likely so.  Likely also God, on the other hand, is saying, "If only you would listen to me."  

The truth of the matter is that God is always speaking through the Bible, the church, your life experiences and the Holy Spirit. And, His people (sheep) "hear His voice and listen to Him" (Jn 10:27). 

The problem with hearing God is not found in His failure to speak, it is in our inability to hear because we have not cultivated a close relationship with Him - we aren't intimate like sheep are with their Shepherd.

In order to hear what God is saying to us, we must move from head knowledge to heart knowledge. That requires spending both quality and quantity of time with Him, just as it does when establishing any close relationship. 

How much time did you spend courting your wife?  How much time do you spend with your best friend?  How much time do you spend pursuing a love relationship with God?  Jus' Ask'n.

The Storm

As they were crossing the lake in their tiny boat, a powerful storm overcame them. They came to a frightful perception of the truth, "we're going to drown!" (Luke 8:24a).  However, their fear was not the truth for them. 

The Truth (cf. Jn 14:6) was lying, asleep in the hull of the boat.   The presence of Jesus in their boat and his power changed the reality of the raging storm to calm waters (cf. Luke 8:24b). 

 Jesus said, "I am the truth, the way and the life" (John 14:6, cited above) and that is so regardless of your perception of truth. Whatever your "storm," your faith in The Lord can change the final word on it to Victory!  

Cliches notwithstanding, perception is not necessarily reality - the power of Christ in our lives through faith is.  When we allow Jesus to trim our sails, our boats will ride out the storm, not be ruined by it.  Jus' Say'n.

The Victory of Good Friday

As they were crossing the lake in their tiny boat, a powerful storm overcame them. They came to a frightful conclusion, "we're going to drown!" (Luke 8:24).  

However, that was not the truth.  The Truth was lying, asleep in the hull of the boat - Jesus was the truth and his power changed the reality of the raging storm to calm waters.  

Jesus said, "I am the truth, the way and the life" (John 14:6) and that is so regardless of your perception of truth. Whatever your "storm," your faith in The Lord, changes the final word on it to Victory!  

Perception is not reality - the power of Christ released on the cross is reality: "...you will have trouble but take heart!  I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33).  That is what makes "Good Friday" so good!  Victory was gained over sin and death, and the final word for Jesus Followers is LIFE!  Jus' Say'n.

Tough Times

When a Christian says, "Times are tough, I don't know how I'm going to make it," that indicates they have a misplaced trust in self or their employment status or the government's ability to help or some other man-driven notion. 

As the Psalmist wrote, "Some trust in horses, some trust in chariots, but we trust in the name of The Lord our God," (Ps 20:7).  

The truth is that we do not have to worry about what the future holds as long as we know Who holds our future.  Consider what Paul said in Philippians 4:19, "My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

Rather than fret over what you can do to assure your needs are met and your future is secure, the child of God needs only "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matt 6:33).  Jus' Say'n.

Kingdom Gardening

The Apostle Paul wrote, "Always give yourselves fully to the work of The Lord, because you know that your labor in The Lord is not in vain" (1 Cor 1:58b).  But, you might be thinking, I've tried to minister to some people in the past and it backfired on me or they didn't appreciate it or it didn't ultimately change anything. It was like the old cliche, "No good deed will go unpunished."

In some places on the globe, Christians are actually persecuted for acting on their faith.  Often times there is no visible benefit to our service. Sometimes, we are rebuffed.  However, at no time is God not glorified by our heart-felt service. In no place is someone not enriched by faithful service, whether the one served or the one serving or one witnessing the service - someone is being graced.

The promise is clear, "Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Gal 6:9).  You may have a difficult row to hoe, you may have a lot of weeds to remove and the ground may be resistant, but God will be glorified by your faithful service and He will grant the increase in due season (cr. 1 Cor 3:6).  Jus' Say'n.

Goods vs. Grace

Reading in Luke 16, it becomes abundantly clear that one's attitude toward money, while it can reflect the antithesis of faith in God: "you cannot serve both God and money" (vs 13b), it is also a prime tell of your faith: "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much..." (v. 10a).

The old axiom in investigations: "Follow the money," can be used when investigating one's faith or that in which one trusts. Think about it. Where does most of your money go?  Does your offering at church and/or charities compare with your entertainment expenditures?  Do you find it easy to shell out hundreds or thousands at a jewelry store but would not even consider sending a like amount to a missionary or "Feed The Hungry" program?

Would you be comfortable having an audit of how much you spend on sports or movies or eating out compared with what you spend on Kingdom building?  I'm not trying to suggest that having possessions or enjoying recreation time is necessarily a bad thing.  I am asking you to consider, what you "seek first" (Matt 6:33).

Is serving God, being about Kingdom business, your prime mover?  Or, is gathering stuff and enjoying the fruits of your labor number one on your "to do list?"  Or, to put it another way, where is your heart pointed, where do you "store up for yourselves treasure?  On earth...[or]...in heaven...?" (Matt 6:19-20).

What we primarily do with our money, whether we cling to it for ourselves or use it for God's glory, tells where our faith lies - in gathering goods or in God's grace.  "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (v. 21).  Jus' Say'n.

Come Follow Me

Jesus came to where Peter and Andrew were casting their nets and called to them, "Come, follow me" (Matt 4:19).  Simple words with profound implications. 

1. That they needed to be called signified they were not where they needed to be. 

2. That they were asked to come meant making an adjustment in their path was necessary. 

3. That He called them to follow Him reveals they needed to follow a new standard for life.

The same call comes to us today with the same implications: 1. We cannot stay where we are and go with God, 2. we cannot keep doing what we are doing and do His will and 3. we cannot stay in charge of our lives and yield to His Lordship. Jus' Say'n.

In John 5:19, Jesus said that he could do nothing on his own but only what he saw his Father doing. In other words, he was not here to "take care of business," rather, he was here to "take care of the Father's business."

And, if we are truly to be his disciples, that is precisely what we will about, "the Father's business."  I'm not really talking about seeking a singular plan God has for your life; but rather observing and participating in what God is doing around you: "...open your eyes and look at the fields!  They are ripe for harvest" (Jn 4:35).

So much time is wasted while we sit about wondering what God has in store for us and looking for something to signal what it is we are to do, when kingdom work goes unattended all around us.

Maybe God does have a specific ministry or mission in mind for you in the future.  But that does not negate your call to be involved in the kingdom work at hand.  Until we're called to something other or bigger or further away, let's open our eyes to the harvest fields in which we stand.

Until and if you hear that "still small voice" telling you what special work God has for you, why not listen to His written Word: "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers" (Gal 6:10).  Jus' Say'n.

Failure?

His ears vibrated by the piercing sound of the rooster's crowing, then his eyes were locked by the Savior's knowing look. Peter had failed - he had indeed denied The Lord (cf Lk 22:60, 61).  

Peter was shocked and sickened by his own weakness, "he ran outside and wept" (vs 62).  However, Jesus was not surprised at all, he knew Peter would fail - yet, he chose the fisherman anyway and would return to affirm him after his resurrection (cf Jn 21:15-19).  

When you fail - again, you may be surprised and sickened by your failure. But The Lord will be neither. Christ will be waiting to lift you up and affirm your place and your worth in his kingdom. 

You can't earn your place in the kingdom and you don't keep it that way either, it is "a gift of God" (cf Eph 2:8-9).  Instead, your work in the kingdom is a product of your place in it.

Each time you fail, each time you fall, instead of losing heart, take heart and thank The Lord for his gift of salvation as well as your place in the kingdom; and glorify Him by trying again. It's grace, after all, not grit.  Jus' Say'n.

Like Seeds

Jesus said, "Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (Jn 12:24).  

So, we know he is saying that we must die in order to truly live and, therefore live up to our potential. But, just how is it that we die?  What does that look like?  

The notion is explained in the following two verses of the passage above (Jn 12:25,26), where Jesus invites the "fallen wheat" to follow him. 

The point being is that to die is to be freed from the tyranny of self-will, choosing instead the life of Christ to be the animating force of our existence, giving the directing of our steps over to Christ. 

The choice set before us is either to accept Jesus and die to self so that we may enjoy abundant life in Christ; or listen to Satan who entices us to live for self and lose any hope of that life: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (Jn 10:10).  Jus' Say'n. 

Bible Math

Moses warns us to "not add or subtract from God's commands" (Deut 4:2).  God's intent was not to have us become mindless robots, but quite the opposite, He desires to "show your wisdom and understanding to the nations" (vs 6).  His intent is that we understand His ways, which bring peace, health and life. 

When we follow His commands, we benefit, even when it seems unlikely at first. Commands to love our enemies, pray for those who mistreat us, forgive those who are unforgivable, give instead of trying to get, etc. - all seem so counter intuitive, but when we obey, we are blessed.

And, moreover, when people in the world around us take note of a life dedicated to God, they are drawn to it and to the love of God from which his decrees flow.  As Paul writes in Philippians 2:15-16, "...you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life." 

Following God without question, not adding or subtracting from His Word, far from mindless, is mindful of the Source of wisdom and therefore wise beyond peer.  It just adds up.  Jus' Say'n.

Beeves?

I was just reading from the King James Version of the Old Testament book Numbers, where Moses was talking about offerings made from the various tribes in which, along with sheep and other livestock, he mentions "beeves."  

I was tempted to make an assumption, that it was an archaic reference to goats as the list was "sheep, beeves and asses (donkeys), based on the fact that goats were very common among the Israelites and often used as offerings to the Lord.

However, it just didn't sound right and I didn't want to let an assumption determine my understanding of a passage of Scripture.  Not willing to let my assumption stand, I took the only reasonable next step - I GOOGLED it!

It turns out that "beeves" means beef or cattle.  Reading that "really got my goat."  Sorry for the pun, it is a sickness of mine.  As you groan over my pun, you may be wondering, "So what?"  What difference does it make whether it was goats or cattle?  The difference it makes is Biblical accuracy.  When we start allowing assumptions to determine our understanding of words or passages, how will we know when we misunderstand something of greater importance?

The biblical mandate is rather: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15).  And, doing our best includes taking the time to understand the minor things as well as the major ones as it sets a standard.  Consider what Jesus said in Luke 16:10 (NIV), “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

One more thought on small assumptions in biblical study or life in general: Even small steps in the wrong direction can set one on a long journey to the wrong destination.  Jus' Say'n.