Our words Matthew 15

Our words reflect our heart is the premise behind Matthew 15:16-20. Too often I chose to say what's on my heart and all too often what I say isn't a nice thing at all. I've always felt that not saying these hurtful things would help, but that wouldn't be solving the problem. My heart would still be in a poor place. It comes as no surprise that I've never been able to control my tongue, since the root of the problem is never solved. If I died today I would be known as a sarcastic person and often my sarcasm comes at the benefit of others, but being at a funeral this weekend has led me to realize that I want to be known as an encourager or a builder of people when I die. The man who passed away was both an encourager and an investor in people around him.

Lord, help me to grow out of my sarcasm and cynicism. Help me to see past the negative to the positive in people around me, especially my family. Change my heart, so my words are yours. Guide me to be an encourager of those around me and help me to believe the best about all I come in contact with.

NO Nexus on 10/25

I just wanted to let everyone know that we're going to have to move the Nexus schedule back a week. We had a loss in my wife's family this week, so we'll be out of town this weekend. So no Nexus this weekend 10/25. We'll pick back up on 11/1 and the remaining dates will be, 11/1, 11/15, 11/29 & 12/13.

Please email me if you have any questions

Proclaiming

In Matthew 10 Jesus sends the disciples out to proclaim the kingdom of heaven is near to the lost sheep of Israel. What does that mean? I'm no theologian, but for me it means that Jesus has come, he's saved, and lives in us through his holy spirit. Now, the message is the kingdom of heaven is here. God is our king and we are his people. So our mission is to proclaim that.

Nexus, Connection Church's student ministry, begins this week and as the leader this bring comfort to me. In the end there is one mission as the leader, to proclaim the kingdom. To share who the king is. Why he's king. What our role is in the kingdom. All the other details of Nexus are important, but we can't lose sight of the fact that the kingdom of heaven is here. That Jesus loves us and desires a relationship with us.

Miracles

Do you believe in miracles? I mean, Bible times "I was blind, but now I see" miracles. Matthew 9 is full of instances where Jesus is healing people from all kinds of different ailments. It seems like performing miracles was as common as eating a meal or going to work. Yesterday I was being told a story about a pastor who started a shelter, but before he started the shelter he was in prison. As a child he never learned how to read, but while in prison Jesus came to him and softened his heart and a Bible showed up one day with his food and after a few days with the Bible he opened it up and he could read. God proceeded to lead him to start the shelter. I want to believe this story. I want to believe in miracles, but I have a hard time doing so. It's much easier to believe that there was some confusion when my friend was being told the story or when he told the story to me. Or that the entire miracle was made up. Here's the ironic thing, I believe that Jesus healed all those people in Matthew 9 because he was there, but honestly isn't he here too, now in our everyday situations. Is he really any less present?

My cynicism gets in the way of my faith on a daily basis. It's one of the areas I struggle with most.

Lord forgive me for my doubt. Help me to appreciate your miralces. Big and small. Because a bigger picture of you brings me closer to you.

Matthew 6: Treasure

The sermon on the mount continues in Matthew 6 and I think one of the most important points of the sermon are contained in this chapter. In verses 19-24 the Bible says that our hearts should be focused on heaven and not on the things of this earth. So where our heart focuses so will our actions. This verse is specifically speaking about possessions and this is simple to understand, but hard to practice. I remember when I was a kid and I was waiting for something to come in the mail. I was so intent on checking the mailbox everyday. I would lay in bed and think about my new special toy all the time. I was consumed by it. When our minds are focused on a possession it consumes us. Would the same be true if our minds were focused on heaven? Maybe my focus should be on the things that have a more eternal purpose. Things that won't fade away.

Lord, help me to see where the eternal focuses are in my life. Help me to be consumed by your heaven...

Waveline

I've been meaning to post on a new product, the waveline, that we're offering at Displayit for a while. It is a really great product for churchs and other small organizations because of it's ease to setup and it's affordable price. My mom has her own ministry and she was thinking of biting the bullet to get one. So if you have a trade show or just need a little more impact check out the Waveline.

Matthew 5: Love your enemies

Matthew 5 starts Jesus' sermon on the mount and of all the content here in this chapter the section on loving your enemies struck me this morning. It seems in almost everything we come across these days there is a good side and a bad side. In sports we're told that there are good teams and there are bad teams. In politics we are told that one side is better than the other. We see it in movies where the good guys always win. Of course, we see it in our every day lives when that person cuts us off or when someone hurts us. How do we respond when we feel wronged? Jesus calls us to pray for our enemies; love them (ver: 43-48). I think when we pray for our enemies the Holy Spirit begins to work in us. Our hearts begin to soften and we begin to have a passion for that person's soul. We begin to see the person and not just the ways that they've wronged us.

Lord, give me the strength and courage to pray for my enemies. Soften my heart for their soul and help me to see them as you do...