Daily Reading

Matthew 8:1-22; Psalm 22:19-31; Proverbs 5:15-21 So the disciples are concerned with greatness. They are in the presence of the Messiah & they can't seen to help but wonder which one of them is the greatest disciple. As we continue to read through Matthew, we will see them ask all sorts of questions regarding personal greatness & status. It's such a human thing to do isn't it? We all want to be important and powerful, especially in this society were celebrities are idolized & everyone dreams of making it big. Jesus; however, could care less about greatness. When asked this question, He refers to children. What's so great about children, especially during that time in history. Children were valued as property. They were to be seen & not heard. Yet, Jesus tells the disciples that they must be like children in order to gain the kingdom of heaven. Hmmm . . . what does that mean? Well,

• children are honest - they say what they feel & they are who they are.


• children are not intimidating or threatening - honestly, who's afraid of a small child?


• children are humble - they have no power, position, or authority.


• children are dependent - they are unable to take care of themselves & must rely on adults to provide their food, shelter, and clothing.

So to gain the kingdom of heaven, one must become humble, honest, non-threatening, and dependent on God.

Then Jesus talks about relationships - the disciples are interested in greatness, but Jesus is interested in how we treat each other. He says that giving into temptation is sin & one must make sacrifices to stay away from sin, but to lead or encourage another to sin is far worse! God cares about each one of His children. As a parent myself, I am sadden when my children disobey. But if they bring their friends into it, then I am outraged. It's one thing to make a mistake. It's another to hurt someone else.

If someone has hurt you, you are to go to them and discuss the situation. If they refuse to ask for forgiveness, then others are brought into the discussion. If the person still refuses to ask for forgiveness, you no longer fellowship with him/her. That doesn't mean you treat them badly, talk behind their back, or make things difficult for them. It simply means you no longer allow that person the opportunity to hurt you.

Finally, Jesus talks about forgiveness. We are to forgive someone as many times as they need to be forgiven. Basically, we are called to forgive like God forgives. How often does God forgive us? Every time & that's how we are suppose to forgive others.

Notice the upswing in our psalm today. Yesterday, the writer was depressed and alone, but he called out to the Lord & "he heard and came." When we call out to the Lord, even in our darkest moments, He comes & brings us joy and peace.

Daily Reading

Matthew 17:10-27; Psalm 22:1-18; Proverbs 5:7-14 Today we have a few different things going on: First - As Jesus & the three disciples are returning from the transfiguration, they ask Jesus about a prophecy found in Malachi 4:5. The Jews know this prophecy & have been watching for Elijah to return. Jesus tells the disciples that Elijah did return. They recognize Elijah's spirit and power in the person of John the Baptist. Interesting that the Jews knew the prophecies, yet they failed to recognize them as they happened. It is a good reminder to us to study the prophecies and to be diligently watching for them. At the same time, we must be open-minded regarding these prophecies by not placing them in restrained definitions like the pharisees did. Second - The disciples have been given Jesus' authority to cast out demons. While Jesus was gone, the disciples encountered a demon they were unable to cast out. Jesus easily casts out the demon and He lays the disciples" inability to cast this demon out on their lack of faith. Great things can happen when a small amount of faith is placed in the right direction - on the power and authority of our mighty God. When the disciples failed at casting out the demon, they were dumbfounded & gave up. Jesus tells them that they need to continue to seek the Lord through prayer and fasting regarding the issue. This shows a reliance & dependence on God's power instead of their own. Third - Jesus tells the disciples once again of His coming death & resurrection and He gives specific details. He will be betrayed, killed, and on the third day rise again. This is prophecy - stating what will happen in the future. Notice the disciples are only focused on the betrayal & death. They are completely missing the fact that He will come back to life. This inability to see the prophecy for what it truly is will lead to many troubles for the disciples during the passion week. Stay tuned! Finally - Jesus is saying that He is not obligated to pay tax, because the Father does not require His Son to pay taxes for what is His. However, so as not to offend, He sends Peter out to pay the tax & He accomplishes this through another miracle. Notice that Peter did not argue concerning this odd way of getting money - he does what he is told because he has faith in Jesus. So what can we learn from all of this?

• Learn prophecy & be open to its interpretation. Don't focus on what makes sense to you - focus on the intent & purpose of the prophecy.


• Prayer and fasting are necessary for a Christian's life because it keeps us in touch with our Heavenly Father. When those lines of communication are open, we are able to defeat the enemy.


• As Christians, we are part of God's family and subject to His authority. However, so as not to offend so we might be able to bring light and salt into this world, we are to obey the laws of the government. We will have more teaching on this when we read Romans.

Ever feel like the writer of our psalm? Depressed, abandoned, persecuted? At times we all feel like this - so call out to the Lord! Tell Him how you feel. Your prayers should be honest and sincere, not wooden and hollow. Cry out to the Lord & let Him respond.

Proverbs - a little racy today? No, just practical. Solomon was the writer of proverbs. He asked the Lord for wisdom & it was granted to him. Unfortunately, he stopped listening to his own advice and let his lust for women destroy him. It would do you good to read these words & put them in practice. Stay away from sexual sin, it destroys.

Daily Reading

Matthew 16:13-17:9; Psalm 21:1-13; Proverbs 5:1-6

Today it's all about WHO Jesus is:

Jesus is the Messiah: The disciples now understand this as Peter boldly answers Jesus' question. Because of their faith, Jesus tells them that they will be the leaders in His church. Jesus will establish the church founded on His sacrifical work of salvation and redemption. The disciples will open the doors of this church to all people everywhere. As His followers, we also have been given leadership of the church. As leaders, we are to open the doors to everyone we meet.

Jesus will sacrifice His life: As He tells them of His upcoming death, He reminds them that by aligning themselves to Him, they will suffer the same persecution Jesus suffers. To be a follower of Christ is to live like Christ. This lifestyle will offend many & they will react with violence toward it. However, to live like Jesus, means you will LIVE LIKE JESUS - gaining eternal life. So we need to ask ourselves - are we God centered or self centered? To be self centered is to only live in the moment, seeking only what will benefit you. To be God centered is to live eternally, looking at what will glorify God and benefit others in the big picture.

Jesus is the Son of God: Jesus then takes three disciples up the mountain for a very special meeting. At this meeting, Jesus talks with Moses & Elijah. What they spoke about, we won't know until we get to heaven. But what we do know is this was a fulfillment of Jesus' words in verse 28, "And some of you standing right here now will certainly live to see me coming in my kingdom." At the transfiguration (which means transformation), Jesus was physically revealed as the Son of God. He was also verbally revealed as the Son of God, by His Father in Heaven. You may wonder, why Moses and Elijah? A couple of reasons: they represent the kingdom of heaven - Moses represents those who die and go to heaven & Elijah represents those who are caught up to heaven without death (as in the rapture). They also represent Jesus' authority over the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah), (the Old Testament) which He came to fulfill. Our psalm for today speaks of the blessings of a king who puts God first in his life. Notice the writer praises God for the king's position, prosperity, fame, honor, long life, and joy. This is how we are to live our life - wholly dependent on the love of God for everything. This goes back to being God centered or self centered. I love verse 7, "And because the king trusts in the Lord, he will never stumble, never fall; for he depends upon the steadfast love of God who is above all gods."

Daily Reading

Matthew 15:29-1:12; Psalm 20:1-9; Proverbs 4:20-27 Are you noticing a pattern here? Jesus goes from town to town teaching and healing the people. The disciples follow along - usually pretty clueless. Occasionally they get a spark of understanding, but they quickly fall back into old patterns. Then there are the pharisees, who are watching every move He makes, trying to discredit Him. Over & over this has been happening & today is no different. Jesus has been preaching & healing for three days now & the people are running out of food. Jesus tells the disciples to feed them. The disciples are dumb-founded. How will they feed all these people? It doesn't occur to them that Jesus can just multiply what they have like He did a few days ago. So they question Jesus & He once again performs a miracle. Later He tells them to watch out for the "yeast" of the Pharisees. "Yeast?" "What yeast?" "Is Jesus angry that we forgot to bring food with us?" They still don't get it. Jesus doesn't need food - He can draw it out of the air. We read this & think silly, thick-headed disciples. Why can't they see what's right in front of their face? The pharisees are also acting pretty foolish. They've been following Jesus around watching all that He does & says. They attempt to confuse Him, trick Him, and catch Him breaking the law. But everytime, Jesus answers them straight up & He teaches them truth. Yet, they are still asking Him to prove Himself. We read this & think silly, thick-headed Pharisees. Why can't they see what's right in front of their face? I think we need to be asking ourselves this question. What are we missing? What truths has the Holy Spirit been whispering in our hearts? How are we being thick-headed & silly? What changes do we need to make? Spend time today focusing on the areas that you need to improve. Ask God to reveal to you the areas in which you can strenghten your relationship with Him. And then do it.

Weekend Reading

Matthew 14:14-15:28; Psalm 8:35-30; Proverbs 4:11-19

We learn quite a bit about Jesus in this reading.

First - Jesus cares about people. He feels the same emotions we do. He spends time by himself to grieve after learning that his cousin, John the Baptist, has been killed. He feels pity and compassion for those in need. He delights in those who respond in faith.

Second - He has total control over nature. He heals the sick, he supernaturally increases food, & He walks on water. Not only does he walk on water, he can allow others to do the same. This last miracle convinces the disciples He is the Son of God.

Third - He is committed to fulfilling God's plan. In all that He does, He is furthering the message of God. Jesus' mission is to restore individual relationships with God. His message is summed up in chapter 14, verses 8 & 9. "These people say they honor me, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is worthless, for they teach their man-made laws instead of those from God."

So turn your hearts toward God, follow His law instead of man-made law, & find real living.

Those

Matthew 13:47-14:3; Psalm 18:16-34; Proverbs 4:7-10.

Jesus finishes up His teaching about the kingdom of heaven saying everyone will be separated during the end of the world. Those belonging to Jesus will be taken to Him, those aligned with Satan will be cast out with him.

Then He says something I find truly interesting, "Those experts in Jewish law who are now my disciples have double treasures - from the Old Testament - from the New." What Jesus is saying is that those who have a good understanding of the Old Testament and the work of the Lord through His law, will now see that law fulfilled through the New Testament. Jesus didn't come to abolish the law, He came to turn peoples focus back on the relationship that the law is suppose to foster. Never forget that. Man has a nasty way of turning a relationship with God into a shallow, rule-abiding existence. We cut out common sense & good judgment (what the proverbs have been preaching) and replace it with strict obedience and vanity. It becomes all about looking better than everyone else. That's what the pharisees did, that's what a lot of people do today.

Even in Jesus' own village, the people were so used to their old way of doing things that they rejected and resented Jesus for attempting to teach them the RIGHT way. So often we over look the significant because we refuse to believe it could happen in such a way. Jesus was a poor carpenter. His family was well known in the community. The people were amazed at His knowledge. Then they discarded it as insolence since a man of Jesus' standing simply couldn't know what He was talking about. Don't blind yourself to the possibilities of God's work. He never chooses the man that others would - He's not looking for outward beauty, popularity, or wealth. God is looking for a humble heart that is willing to sacrifice and do the awkward, uncool thing in order to bring about healing and faith.

So, are you ready to be awkward? Are you ready to get rid of the superficial relationship, the rash judgments, and the ambitious pride? Remember - awkward is awesome.

Daily Reading

Matthew 13:24-46; Psalm 18:1-15; Proverbs 4:1-6

Our reading today is full of parables about the kingdom of heaven. So what is Jesus telling us?

1 - At the end of the world, those that belong to Jesus will be brought to Him. Those that belong to the enemy, Satan, will be sent to him. Until then, both groups will live together on this earth.

2 - The kingdom of heaven starts small - with a Man & His followers. But this kingdom grew into a huge movement. If you look at history, the Christian Church spread rapidly from it's humble start in Israel. Christianity is now the world's largest religion.

3 - The kingdom is so desirable, people are willing to give up all they have to gain it.

So, looking back on yesterday's reading, you have two choices to make:

1. Are you a part of the kingdom of God?
2. If so, are you ready to invite others to join you? It's not too late to share the message with non-believers.

Our psalm reveals the awesome love God has for us. I love the imagery of this psalm. Can you see it? God is quick to come to our defense because He loves us so very much. Call on Him today & let Him rescue you.

Daily Reading

Matthew 12:46-13:23; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 3:33-35

Today Jesus is talking about the family of God. He's not denying His mother and brother, He is simply teaching the disciples that the family of God is just as important as your biological family. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are adopted into the family of God. These people are your spiritual mothers, brothers, and sisters. They are people who will help you on your spiritual journey, who will be a shoulder to cry on. They are your accountability partners - the ones who love you enough to tell you when you're going the wrong way. They are your cheerleaders - they will encourage you & fight for your success.

Later that day, Jesus taught the people using parables. The disciples wanted to know why He used this particular method of teaching. Well, Jesus wasn't providing an outline of salvation. He wasn't imparting knowledge. Jesus was in the business of transforming lives. Parables were a way of accomplishing that transformation. Their meaning wasn't obvious, so the hearer was left to ponder that they might understand. See, I can learn the alphabet, but that doesn't mean I can read. I can learn to count from 1 to 1,000,000, but that doesn't mean I can add & subtract. I can memorize the Scriptures, but that doesn't mean I will apply them to my life. Parables force the hearer to really seek an understanding of their meaning, which helps promote application.

This parable means there are four types of people who hear the Word of God.
1 - The person that hears the Good News and ignores it. He's offered $100,000,000 and turns it down.
2 - The person that hears the Good News and likes what it says, but never truly gives his life to Jesus. When hard times come, he walks away. This guy accepts the $100,000,000 and then gives it back.
3 - The person that hears the Good News and accepts Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior, but never changes His life. He's still too wrapped up in the world. He believes, but He has very little relationship with Jesus, so he's missing out on the blessings of the Lord. He accepts the $100,000,000 and then buries it in the back yard.
4 - The person that hears the Good News, accepts Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior, and allows Jesus to transform His life. This person considers Jesus a close friend, is engaged with his church family, and is actively participating in spreading THE Cause of Christ. This man accepts the $100,000,000 and then puts it to good use.

So which one are you? Is your money buried in the yard or are you putting it to good use?

Daily Reading

Matthew 12:22-45; Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 16:1-11.

Jesus is getting fired up! He's spent time and energy preaching to the pharisees & they just dig in deeper in their refusal to listen to him. He has some harsh words for them today: "broad of snakes" "evil men like you" "an evil, faithless nation." Are you listening to His Words? "Anyone who isn't helping me is harming me." (vs. 30)

So are you looking for ways to continue in your own way? Are you denying the life-giving words of Jesus Christ? Are you asking Jesus to prove Himself over & over again to you? OR are you truly listening? Are you truly learning? Are you ready to come under ALL the teachings of Jesus? Jesus says those who seek Him out will find Him - are you seeking?

I had a morning where everything went wrong - got out of the house late, had to turn around & go back, missed my turn not once but twice, was charged more for an item than I was told, and to top it all off I'm having a bad hair day. Normally any one of these things would be enough to set me off. As they continue to pile on, my attitude would go from bad to enraged. Not today. By the time I got to work, the smile on my face was huge! You want to know why? It's all because of Jesus Christ and His Words. I'm not just reading them. I'm not just memorizing them - I'm letting them change my life. Like these words in our reading from Psalms:
"The Lord Himself is my inheritance, MY PRIZE. He is my food and drink, MY HIGHEST JOY! He guards all that is mine. He sees that I am given pleasant brooks and meadows as my share! What a wonderful inheritance! I will bless the Lord who counsels me; He gives me wisdom in the night. He tells me what to do. I AM ALWAYS THINKING OF THE LORD; AND BECAUSE HE IS SO NEAR, I NEVER NEED TO STUMBLE OR FALL. Heart, body, and soul are filled with JOY." (vs. 5-9)

I've come to realize that none of these little annoyances matter - so why let them ruin my day? Instead I took them in stride & spent the time praising Jesus Christ. I turned up the worship music & sang out to God. The more I did, the better my attitude. When you're locked on to Jesus, when you have a Friend in Jesus - you have someone to shoulder your burdens with.

So stop being a pharisee. Stop trusting in your own ability. Stop digging in to a life full of shallow relationships built on judgment and pride. Let go & trust in the One who Made you. Get to know Him & watch what He does.

Daily Reading

So, this weekends reading didn't post - not sure what I did wrong, but we'll try again.

Read: Matthew 12:1-21; Psalm 15:1-15; Proverbs 3:21-26

We know that God commanded His people to "keep the Sabbath holy." This meant no work on the Sabbath day because it was to be a day to rest and spend time with God. However, the Pharisees - the religious leaders of the time - had added many rules to this commandment. They never wanted to break a commandment, so they made up a bunch of lesser rules to protect the main commandment. On the Sabbath, these rules included exact definitions of "work." Therefore, the focus of the Sabbath shifted from a beneficial day of rest to a day filled with hardship & challenges. The Pharisees had once again cut out the heart and relationship that this commandment was created to protect.

Jesus wasted no time in correcting, rebuking, and teaching the pharisees, which ruffled their feathers mightily. In fact, Jesus' rebukes inflamed their pride causing them to seek His death. Instead of learning from Jesus, they sought to destroy the man that offered them new life.

So what about you? Are you allowing Jesus' words to transform your life or are you allowing your pride to blind you to the truth?

Psalms 15:1-5 and Proverbs 3:21-26 sum up Jesus' teachings here as they provide us with a model to live up.

Daily Reading

Matthew 11:2-30; Psalm 14:1-7; Proverbs 3:19-20

So what's happening here? John the Baptist - whose ministry pointed toward the coming Messiah - wants to confirm that Jesus is the Messiah. He does this either for his own sake or for the sake of his disciples so they will now follow Jesus.

Jesus confirms that He is the Messiah. Then He tells His disciples that all the prophets, including John, have pointed toward Him. There are over 300 Messianic prophecies. The scholars and religious leaders of Jesus' time would have most of these prophecies memorized. The Jewish people would have been taught many of these prophecies. Yet the religious refused to connect the prophecies with Jesus. They were so set in their own ways, so convinced of their own righteousness that they missed the signs. Even Jesus' miracles failed to convince most people that He was the Messiah.

Why? The Jewish leaders expected the Messiah to come and save them from Roman occupation. They were looking for a man who would restore their control over the Promised Land. They wanted a king and they refused to open their eyes to a man that fulfilled a much different role. Jesus didn't give them what they wanted, He gave them what they needed.

You see, the Jewish people lost control over the land because they turned away from God and began following their own ways. They believed that simply obeying a bunch of rules would be enough. Unfortunately, in their attempt to follow the rules, they forgot the purpose of the rules, which was to teach the people how to have a good relationship with God and with others. The Jewish leaders fell away from relationship and relied on strict obedience. The Messiah came to reteach the people how to have a relationship with God and to establish a new way to have that relationship, but we'll read more about that later.

So what about you. Are you missing Jesus because He isn't who you thought He should be? He didn't come to make you rich, give you good grades, or even to fix the problems of this country. Jesus came to heal your heart and restore your relationship with God. Will you let Him?

Daily Reading

Matthew 10:27-11:1; Psalm 13:1-6; Proverbs 3:16-18

Today Jesus finishes his instructions to the disciples before sending them out to preach. His words to them are just as important for us today -

• Stand Firm in Your Faith!
• Trust in God to Protect You!
• Proclaim the Word to Everyone!
• Make Jesus the Priority in Your Life!

Notice he reminds the disciples that His message WILL NOT bring world peace. This teaching will split families - some will follow Jesus, others will choose to ignore him. These two groups will be in opposition with each other. BUT, the followers of Jesus are to continue to treat everyone with love & compassion.

Don't confuse love and compassion with tolerance though. Following Jesus requires sacrifice on our part as we learn to deny our own fleshly desires and rights & place ourselves under the authority of Jesus. That means Jesus comes first. That means you agree with ALL of his teachings, not just the ones that work for you. Sounds hard, but remember: the things that mean the most in life - the things that bring about love, joy and peace - require effort.

Our culture has run in the opposite way - we want easy, effortless satisfaction RIGHT NOW. Unfortunately, that satisfaction doesn't last. Easy and effortless equals laziness. Laziness leads to poor health - both physical and mental - & boredom. So weigh your options: boredom or joy? Apathy or love? Anxiety or peace?

Daily Reading

The reading for today comes from Matthew 10:1-16; Psalm 12;1-8; Proverbs 3:13-15.

Today, Jesus sends his disciples out on a missionary journey. He has taught them, trained them, and now, with some final instructions, they are ready to minister to the Jewish people. Notice that Jesus is very quick to warn his disciples of the trials they will face in this ministry. Not everyone will be willing to hear the Good News. In fact, this message will cause much persecution. But notice what Jesus says: This persecution will help you to spread the message & the Holy Spirit will guide and help you during your trials.

Why was Jesus hated? Because His ministry pointed out the hypocrisy in the religion of the Jews. They had become judgmental and shallow. All their rule-following had severed their relationship with the Lord. They obeyed Him with their deeds, but they ignored Him in their hearts. Jesus came to renew their relationship with their Heavenly Father, to put their focus back on Him. Unfortunately, most of the people who heard this message turned to resentment rather than repentance.

So what about you? It's hard to be criticized - even when it is done in love. It's hard to hear that you're doing it wrong. That you've gone down the wrong road and are headed toward destruction. Many of us, when we hear these words, dig in in an attempt to prove that we are right, we know what we are doing. But in digging in, we just run faster toward our own destruction. So, open your ears to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. Honestly review your choices and decisions. Ask yourself why you do the things that you do. What is your motivation? Is it shallow obedience or a real, living relationship with the Creator of the Universe?

Read Proverbs 3:13-15 again - Good judgment and common sense lead to a happiness that nothing compares with. That's what God's laws have been put in place for - you guide you to good judgment & common sense, which lead to happiness.

Daily Reading

Daily Reading: Matthew 9:1-17; Psalm 10:1-18; Proverbs 3:9-10.

When I read this passage, I am touched by a few things -
Jesus claims to be the Messiah, He alludes to His death, and He loves sinners.
Not only does He speak with great authority, not only does He make claims about who He is - He backs up His words with actions. He heals the sick - proving He has authority over nature and illnesses. He forgives sins - proving He is the Messiah for only God can forgive the sins of man. He knows the thoughts of man & He calls us out on our intentions and motivations. I love all of this, but most of all I love that Jesus loves sinners. Jesus was not worried about impressing the religious leaders - those men that should have recognized the true nature of Jesus. Instead, Jesus had compassion on those that were lost - He saw value and purpose in their lives. He formed relationships with them and hung out with them. He didn't give them a list of rules to follow, He showed them a way of life.
Did you know that Jesus has a way of life for you too?
Our Proverb for today tells us the way of life - stop relying on your own wisdom, turn away from evil & trust in the Lord.

Weekend Reading

The Reading for this Saturday & Sunday is Matthew 8:1-34; Psalm 9:13-20; Proverbs 3:1-8.

Today is all about the miracles of Jesus: He heals three different people of illness, calms a storm, and casts out demons. In all this, the army captain understands the best - these miracles represent Jesus' authority over this world. His authority is complete - He has authority over the physical body, nature, and the spiritual realm.
Notice that Jesus' miracles caused several different reactions - some, like the army captain, recognized Jesus for who he really was & believed; others were excited by his power, but were unwilling to truly follow him; still others were terrified by his power. Where do you stand?

Daily Reading

Today's reading: Matthew 7:15-29; Psalm 9:1-12; Proverbs 2:16-22.

Ever wonder if you are really a Christian? Jesus gives us the answer here - look at what you do. Does your life produce good fruit? Are you firmly founded on the foundation of Jesus Christ? Are you living with your heart, relying on God - or are you just giving Him lip service? Ask yourself: are you talking the talk or really walking the walk?

Christians have a relationship with Jesus - they know Him & He knows them. This relationship produces a lifestyle that lines up with the Scriptures. Does this mean Christians are perfect? Nope. We still mess up, we still do things wrong - but WHO do we fall back on?

Psalm 9 complements Matthew 7 well - It's written by a true believer. A man who loves the Lord with everything he has and he tells everyone about how wonderful God is. In times of trouble, he falls back on the Lord. This is a man that produces good fruit - his name is David and his story his found in 1 & 2 Samuel.

Daily Reading

Today's reading: Matthew 6:25-7:14, Psalm 8:1-9, Proverbs 2:6-15.

I love today's reading from Matthew - Don't worry, rely on God. Jesus tells us not to worry about our physical needs and not to criticize our neighbor. Interesting that these two things are talked about interchangeably. So often, when we allow ourselves to become worry-warts, we transfer our worry to others. Rather than deal with our own spiritual and emotional needs we fixate on pointing out everyone else's problems, which causes strife and even more anxiety.

Jesus says, "Stop! Don't worry about your physical needs, don't worry about your neighbors shortcomings, focus on your own spiritual health and ask your loving heavenly Father for help."

Then he says two things that are very interesting:
"But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to." Sounds like a condition? It is. Look at it this way - I as a mother know what my children need and I lovingly and willingly supply those needs for them. However, they need to be receptive to taking those things. For example, allergy season is starting and poor Cameron is beginning to cough. This happens every spring & will continue until summer. As his mother, I know that he needs medicine to help him through this time. Cameron, however, does not like the medicine that will be most beneficial to him. He would rather leave the medicine behind & be miserable. Now I can chase him down, force him to take it and deal with his resentment. Or I can let him make his own choice in the matter and let him suffer the consequences. That's God - He's all about free will. He offers us the medicine we need to live a life full of love, joy, and peace. We simply need to choose to take it. That's the condition.

Secondly, Jesus says, "The Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it." That narrow road is Jesus Christ. Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again that everyone who trusts in Him will have eternal life. The world tells us that there are many ways to heaven, Jesus says He is the only one. It's a narrow road, but once you're on that road, God provides everything you need to navigate this life safely. So don't worry, trust in Him.

Daily Reading

Today's reading:

Matthew 6:1-24, Psalm 7:1-17, Proverbs 2:1-5

The last few days we have been reading Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. This message from Jesus tells us how to live a pretty great life through our actions and our choices. It's all about relationships: our relationships with God, with other people, and with ourselves. Jesus tells us it's not about the things we do, but the reasons we do them. This great sermon starts in Matthew 5:1 and ends in Matthew 7:29.

I love today's Proverb, since it ties in with the Sermon on the Mount so wonderfully. If we are to begin to inspect the motives behind our actions, we will need wisdom. How do we get wisdom? By taking the time to search our thoughts and motives.

So slow down and think about why you are doing something before you do it. Then test your motives against Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, 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." Do your motives match up with this verse? If so, go ahead & do what you were going to do. If not, don't do it. That my dear friends is wisdom.

Perspective

A boss of mine once tried to convince me that perspective is truth. I argued that I didn't agree as I believe in absolute truth which doesn't rest on the beliefs of me or anyone else.

However, he wasn't completely wrong. Absolute truth still stands in and of itself but what a person perceives to be the truth will affect how he speaks, acts and reacts. It affects who you think you are. If you believe yourself to be a loser you will not attempt to win or even to try because you say, "I am a loser". If you think you are worthless you may make silent cries for someone to prove you wrong but you won't try to stand out or to make a difference. "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he..." - Proverbs 23:7

But there is more to the story - other people's perspectives. Yours is not the only one. Its easy to forget that even though you think you are worthless sometimes someone else may see you as priceless. That person could be your mom, your friend, someone you don't even know.

Let's not forget though that God has a perspective too. He has a say in all this. He has thoughts on who you are and the cool thing is that he sets that absolute truth I mentioned before! So what he thinks is for real! You can think you are a loser and you can act like a loser and you can live your life forever trapped in that OR you could have a chat with God and see what he thinks.

What does God think about me?

• I am a child of God. (John 1:12)
• I am a friend of Jesus. (John 15:15)
• I have been justified and redeemed. (Romans 3:24)
• I will not be condemned by God. (Romans 8:1)
• I have been accepted by Christ. (Romans 15:7)
• I am a new creature in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• I have been set free in Christ. (Galatians 5:1)
• I am a branch of the true vine, and a conduit of Christ’s life. (John 15:1, 5)
• My old self was crucified with Christ, and I am no longer a slave to sin. (Romans 6:6)
• I have been set free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)
• As a child of God, I am a fellow heir with Christ. (Romans 8:17)
• I have been called to be a saint. (1 Corinthians 1:2)
• In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:30)
• My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in me. (1 Corinthians 6:19)?
• I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with Him. (1 Corinthians 6:17)
• God leads me in the triumph and knowledge of Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14)
• The hardening of my mind has been removed in Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:14)
• I have become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• I have been made one with all who are in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
• I am no longer a slave, but a child and an heir. (Galatians 4:7)
• I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:3)
• I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God. (Ephesians 1:4)
• I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ. (Ephesians 1:7)
• I have been predestined by God to obtain an inheritance. (Ephesians 1:11)
• I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. (Ephesians 1:13)
• Because of God’s mercy and love, I have been made alive with Christ. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
• I am seated in the heavenly places with Christ. (Ephesians 2:6)
• I am God’s workmanship created to produce good works. (Ephesians 2:10)
• I have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)
• I am a member of Christ’s body and a partaker of His promise. (Ephesians 3:6)
• I have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Christ. (Ephesians 3:12)
• My new self is righteous and holy. (Ephesians 4:24)
• I was formerly darkness, but now I am light in the Lord. (Ephesians 5:8)
• I am a citizen of heaven. (Philippians 3:20)
• The peace of God guards my heart and mind. (Philippians 4:7)
• God supplies all my needs. (Philippians 4:19)
• I have been made complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)
• I have been raised up with Christ. (Colossians 3:1)
• My life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
• Christ is my life, and I will be revealed with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)
• I have been chosen of God, and I am holy and beloved. (Colossians 3:12)
• God loves me and has chosen me. (1 Thessalonians 1:4)

And that is just the tip of the iceberg; God has a lot to say about you and me! So who's perspective will you believe?

Daily Reading

Today's reading for March 8, 2011 -
Matthew 5:27-48; Psalm 6:1-10; Proverbs 1:29-33

DAILY READING

Good morning. Today's reading for March 7 is:
Matthew 5:1-16, Psalm 5:1-12, Proverbs 1:24-28.

Daily Reading

Ah, consistancy is my big downfall. Thank you for your grace & mercy yesterday in my failure to post our Scripture reading. Please keep me accountable, because it doesn't matter where one is on their walk with Jesus - we all make mistakes, we all have issues that we deal with, & we all need help staying on track. I'm going to post a reading for the entire weekend - break it up how you will, but please read it. I heard Ron Brown speak last night. He said that his players need to maintain a healthy diet to stay in prime football mode. It's the same for Christians, we need to continually feed ourselves a healthy diet of God's Word in order to stay primed for the fight. Not only for our own souls, but for the souls around us. So, here goes:
Matthew 2:13-4:25, Psalms 2:1-4:8, Proverbs 1:7-23.
I have also given a bonus reading in light of a recent conversation I had. I think this Scripture is very timely as we deal with the lies and schemes of the devil. Read Galatians 5:13-26. Read it & tell me what you think.

Get WARPeD

WARPeD is not only an acronym for prayer and Scripture reading - it is an exciting new way of life for our Focus Youth Group. WARPeD is not my idea, it was suggested at Dare2Share, but it will surely warp the way we look at the world as we accept the challenge to spend a minimum of eight minutes each day getting to know our Heavenly Father.

The WARPeD acronym stands for:

• Worship - Begin your time in prayer by worshiping the Lord God Almighty.
• Admit - Admit the things you have done that don't measure up to God's standards.
• Request - Ask God for the important things in life.
• Praise - Praise God & thank Him for all He has done and will do in your life.
• end - End in prayer by listening to the still, small voice of God.
• Discipleship - Open up your Bible and become a disciple of Jesus as you read His Word and apply it to your daily life.

Starting tomorrow, a daily Scripture reading will be posted on this blog. We will be reading through the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. I challenge you to post your questions, thoughts, and insights on our Focus Victory Youth Facebook Page.

Are you ready to get WARPeD?

Daily Bible Reading

Bible Reading for March 3, 2011 - Crack open those Bibles, because today our adventure begins:

Matthew 1:1-2:12
Psalm 1:1-6
Proverbs 1:1-6

I suggest you get three bookmarks & place them in each of these books after you have read the noted selection. They will come in handy in the months to come.