Life Changing

How is your life? Is it a mess? Are you waiting for the other shoe to drop? Have you learned anything from your past? Have you learned from your family’s past? Have you decided to change your approach to life? Do you know where to turn?

Our lives often get messy. Things go awry. Things get out of control. We face interruptions. Plans get changed at the last moment. The disruptions create frustration. Our outlook on life gets out of whack. We may wonder how we will get through the day.

Have you entertained the idea that God is humbling you so you will turn to him? God does things like that sometimes. He decides we need an awaking. All the while, we flop around like a fish out of water. We struggle through the situation we are facing, trying to figure it out on our own. We don’t stop, take a moment, and discern if it is God at work in our lives or just the randomness that happens in this broken world we live in.

Despite what we may think, God is at work in our lives. Just like the Israelites who he rescued from their slavery in Egypt, God cares for us. But just like them, when we forget about him and start complaining about the blessings we have, he can put us in the desert so we will turn back to him. He cares too much about us to leave us in a state of discontent.

Notice in today’s passage that God turned the Israelites back to him through their stomachs. He reminded them that they needed to turn to him and obey his commands. We need to do the same. If we do not, God may just use a situation to remind us. After all, he is the Almighty God of heaven and earth.

I pray we all remember we need to lean on God. I pray we decided to obey his commands. I pray each one of us learn from the past—how God worked in the lives of the Israelites and how he has worked in ours. Lean on God. Live by his Word. Obey his commands. Look for him working in your life.

Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

God Provides

Do you worry about having enough food to eat? Are you picky about the food you eat? Have you gone without meals due to not having enough food? Or have you gone without food because you didn’t like what was available? Do you rely on God to provide your food?

Most of us have no need to worry about eating. Many of us have pantries with enough food to last at least a couple weeks. Oh, there may not be our favorite snack in the pantry, but there is something there to eat. We have gotten spoiled by the availability of food.

Our western culture has gotten so rich that if we don’t find something we want to eat in our house, we drive a short distance to a restaurant. We make our lists for our grocery runs to ensure we keep our shelves packed with what we might want to eat. We throw food away that has expired because we thought we might want it at some time, then never ate it.

In the first century, this was not the case. Though they may have had a few staples in their homes, they didn’t have large pantries. They often had to rely on getting food every day or two to feed their families. Travelers relied on the ability to purchase food along their routes, much like we do today. However, the difference was they traveled on foot, which meant sometimes staying out in the open country for a night or two between towns. They would only carry what food they knew they would eat between towns.

Yet, Jesus tells the people not to worry about what they would eat. He also changed what they could eat by stating anything God provides is approved for eating. The previous restrictions no longer applied. Why would Jesus go to this trouble? Perhaps He wanted the people to focus more on God than their bellies. Perhaps He wanted to set priorities straight for us. When we trust God to provide for our needs, we no longer need worry about them. We can focus on his will for us and go about doing his work.

I pray we all focus on God as our top priority. I pray we trust God to provide for our needs. I pray each one of us accept what God provides, trusting he will take care of us. Trust God to provide. Spend less time focused on needs. Focus on God. Know that God will care for you.

Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?”

False Justification

Do you justify yourself? Do you justify your actions? How do you justify your actions? Do you justify them according to worldly thinking? Does that worldly thinking include justifying yourself with the almighty dollar? How far will that get you in eternity?

We justify our actions in a variety of ways. We make excuses for doing one thing and for not doing another. We make excuses for missing our kids’ school events. We make excuses for having an affair. Perhaps worst of all, we make excuses for not going to church.

Our excuses for not going to church include I don’t feel like it today, someone there once offended me, I believe in God but don’t need anyone else, I think the church is corrupt, I had to work, etc. We can make up all kinds of excuses and justify our actions in our own minds. But how do we think God views those excuses?

I suggest God views our excuses just as Jesus viewed the self-justification of the Pharisees. All the money in the world will not buy us eternal life. Notice Jesus says what people value is detestable in God’s sight. Remember, Jesus told Satan when He was being tempted that we are to “Worship the Lord Your God, and serve him only.” (Matthew 4:9) In other words, we are to make God our number one priority.

I can state with full confidence from my own personal experience that God will get us through your toughest times if we put him first. It was the Sunday morning, Sunday small group, and Wednesday evening Bible study that got me through a very rough time in my life. It was spending time with God’s people that gave me strength. Were there people there that I didn’t get along with perfectly? Sure. That didn’t stop me from leaning on God and being where I knew he was most active. When we put God first, make him our priority, he justifies us and strengthens us.

I pray we all make God our priority. I pray we give up trying to justify ourselves before a holy God. I pray each one of us determine to lean on God and spend time with his people. Stop trying to justify yourself. Make God your priority. Meet with the people of God. Trust Jesus at His word.

Luke 16:14-15 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.”

Parched

Have you ever been so thirsty you thought you would die? Have you had a lack of water for so long your lips cracked? Once you had water, did you gulp it down? Have you heard of people wondering through the desert without water? What would you say to them?

Some of us may have been very thirsty at some point in our lives. It could have been due to performing a task that we just wanted to finish and didn’t stop until it was done. It could be we were traveling a great distance and forgot to pack a cooler of drinks. It may have been at the end of a long race or sporting event.

Imagine this: a large group of people set out on a trek across the dessert on foot. They must carry everything with them or haul it on wooden carts pulled by oxen. How do they carry enough water? That was the case for the Israelites as they left Egypt. We are told in Exodus 12:37 there were 600,000 men besides children. The word interpreted as men actually means men who were able to fight. So, there would have been men who could not fight, women who were not included in this number, and all the children would have been excluded from that number. Some simple and conservative math would estimate there were more than 2 million people in total, not to mention all the livestock they brought with them.

Moses had a real problem on his hands. They needed water and were upset there was none to be had. I can only imagine they were about to lynch Moses. What does he do? He goes to God. He knew God was the only one who could provide the water they needed. He trusted God, even in a desert where there were no running brooks or springs. God delivers in a miraculous way.

When we are in need, we should go to God as well. He provides for our needs, sometimes in miraculous ways. I have seen God provide for a need in a totally unexpected way. We simply need to trust him to do so. We need to ask for the help. God will take care of the rest.

I pray we all turn to God in our time of need. I pray we ask God to provide for our need. I pray each one of us will trust God to provide, without doubting, and watch him work in our lives. Seek God in your time of need. Ask God to provide. Trust that God will provide. Watch God work in your life.

Exodus 17:2 The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”

Saved By The Son

Have you allowed Jesus to save you? Or are you stuck on being condemned by the world and yourself? Do you think Jesus came to condemn you? Or do you think He came to save you? Are you willing to allow Him to save you? Are you willing to believe it is possible?

We will typically say that Jesus came to save us. But many times we act as though He came to condemn us. We fail to believe we are savable. In other words, we condemn ourselves. We believe far too much the world inundates us with, rather than believing Jesus.

It is absolutely true that Jesus gave us a few commands. It is also true that He has some expectations of us. But His expectations are not to satisfy Him as much as they are to change us into the person we were created to be. He wants only the best for us.

Jesus boils all the commandments and the prophets into two commands—love God and love your neighbor. If anything, Jesus simplified what it means to live for Him. If we do anything out of love for God or for someone else, we have obeyed Him.

By living out Jesus’ expectations our lives are better. We have more joy. We are more satisfied. We have more energy. We smile more. We enjoy being with others more. Overall, we feel better. How does this come about? When we believe that God sent Jesus to save us. When we take Jesus at His word. Believing Jesus is the first step. Taking His word to heart. Planting His word deep in our heart and allowing it to grow.

I pray we all believe Jesus came to save us. I pray we plant His words deep in our heart. I pray each one of us seek to meet Jesus’ expectations and improve our lives. Accept Jesus’ saving grace. Believe in Him. Allow Jesus to save you. Do not condemn yourself. Do not allow the world to condemn you. Live for Jesus.

John 3:17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Tell Someone About Jesus

Do you have an answer when asked about being saved? Do you know what to tell someone who asks? Will you be able to tell them what they need to do? Would you like to know what to say? Have you considered following the example the Apostle Paul gave us?

We may be put in a situation where someone may ask us how they can be saved. They may not ask it just that way, but they ask it in one form or another. Knowing how to answer them may seem to be tricky. However, it is not really that difficult.

The simple answer is just what the Apostle Paul told the jailer who had imprisoned him and Silas, “Believe in Jesus and you will be saved.” Some of you may ask about baptism. Sure, that should be done as well. After all, baptism is our outward profession of faith.

But take note of what Paul did following his basic statement. He told them about Jesus. Could he tell them everything about Jesus? No, probably not. But he would have told them what they needed to know to believe in Him. We can do the same. We all know at least some of the stories about Jesus, even if we cannot quote them verbatim. We can tell of Him performing miracles of healing, raising the dead, or forgiving the woman caught in adultery. We can tell them of Him meeting with the woman at the well, sending the disciples out to speak about Him, or maybe even remember a few of the parables.

Each one of us can tell someone what they need to do to be saved. We can help them come into the kingdom of God. We can bring them to Jesus, just as the Apostle Paul did. We don’t need to be an apostle nor have fancy degrees. All we need to do is tell them about Jesus.

I pray we all know that we can tell someone how to be saved. I pray we lead people to Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us will take time to tell someone who is seeking about Jesus. Trust that you have the knowledge. Tell someone about Jesus. Tell them how to be saved. Lead them into the kingdom of God.

Acts 16:31-32 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.

Be Saved

Have you been in need of saving? Were you in a bad situation and needed rescue? Was there a time in which you needed someone desperately to reach out a helping hand? Are you in that situation now? Do you know you need to be saved? Do you know who can save you?

We all go through good times and bad times. Some of us may have gone through some very bad times in our lives. Others of us may have bad times ahead of us. In those times we need family and friends to help us through. We may lean very heavily on them to get through it.

We have come to expect bad times, but we also need being saved during good times. In fact, it may be during very good times that we most need saving. Why? We do not realize we need saving. We think we have the world by the tail. We are running through life riding our high horse. Nothing can stop us. Until…it all comes crashing down.

The bottom line is this: we all need saving. Jesus came into the world to save the world. He came to free us from our sin, our culture, oppression, and ourselves. Left to our own devices, we will walk down the path to destruction. It is only by walking with Jesus that we walk the path of salvation. He is the cornerstone, the One on which the entire kingdom of God is built.

When we turn our lives over to Him, we are saved. We may think we are fine, but we are not, if our lives are not built on Jesus. We may make lots of money. We have great jobs. We may have a wonderful spouse. We may raise good kids. But we still need to be saved.

I pray we all choose to be saved by Jesus. I pray we decide to build our lives on the Cornerstone. I pray each one of us will give our lives to Jesus and walk the path of salvation with Him. Know that you need to be saved. Choose to allow Jesus to save you. Build your life on Him. Walk the path of salvation.

Acts 4:11-12 Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

The Good Shepherd’s Voice

Do you know people by their voice? Do you know, without seeing, your mother or father’s voice? Do you know your boss’s voice? Do you know your spouses’ voice? How many voices do you know? Do you know the voice of God when you hear it?

We know the voice of many people. We have heard them so often that we can identify their voice, even if it is somewhat distorted. Each person has a uniqueness about their voice. That is why kids know exactly whose mom is yelling for them to come home, even if their names are not called out.

But do we know the voice of God? Jesus tells us the sheep know the shepherd’s voice. Have you ever seen a shepherd walking across a pasture with sheep following behind? I have. It is quite an interesting sight. The shepherd walks along, calling the sheep by making little noises, and they obediently follow behind. The sheep know the shepherd will lead them to food and water.

We are to have the same level of trust with God. In order to know his voice, we must learn to listen for it. Much like the sheep and the shepherd, we must experience following God, and learn to trust that he will lead us to what we need. It starts with small steps and continues to increase as we experience his leading.

Unfortunately, just like sheep, we can be lured away by something shiny that catches our attention. So, we must listen at all times, keeping our focus on the shepherd. We must recognize those other voices as a stranger, someone who means to do us harm rather than good.

I pray we all listen for the voice of God—the Good Shepherd. I pray we keep our focus on him. I pray each one of us will follow the voice of God, experience him, and learn to trust him in all situations. Know the Shepherd’s voice. Stay focused on him. Experience him. Trust God.

John 10:4-5 “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

Life in the Son

Have you experienced a rebirth? Have you been born of both water and spirit? Do you know a rebirth is needed to be in the body of Christ? Have you believed in Jesus’ testimony? Do you believe He is the Son of God? Do you believe He was risen on the third day?

There are many people in this world who have either not heard the whole story of Jesus or they do not believe it. For those who have heard the whole story and still do not believe, there is not much we can do for them. It is now up to God to change their hearts.

However, for those who have not heard the whole story, whether just fragments or nothing at all, we can be the messenger of God to them. We can tell them how the Son of God came to earth, born as a newborn to Mary and Joseph. We can tell of Him going to the cross to save us from our own sin. We can tell them there is a perfect eternity calling out to them and the calling comes from Jesus. We can tell them our own story, how Jesus has changed our lives for the better.

We can relay the story as the Apostle John did in 1 John 5:6-8, “This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.” There is eyewitness testimony about Jesus. In fact, there are several eyewitnesses who have testified about Him.

As John goes on to say in verses 9 and 10, we are willing to accept human testimony, whether it be in a courtroom or workplace or daily conversation. If we are willing to do that, why do we not accept the eyewitness testimony about Jesus? Perhaps we should reconsider. Perhaps we should accept the eyewitness testimony about Jesus and accept Him.

I pray we all decide to accept the eyewitness testimony about Jesus. I pray we accept Jesus for who He is. I pray each one of us will review the testimony and tell others about Him. Review the testimony. Believe the testimony. Tell others about Jesus. Be a positive impact on someone else.

1 John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Seek God’s Kingdom

What is your number one priority? What is it you are chasing after? What are you trying to achieve? Is it seeking a higher education? Is it seeking a new job? Is it seeking a companion? Is it seeking to help others? Is it seeking financial security? Is it seeking a solid retirement?

We seek many things in our lives. Our top priority changes depending on our current situation, where we are on the road of life. When we are younger, we seek education, a companion, and a job we believe we will like. As we get older, our priorities change, often focusing on retirement.

All of those are important to us and we should put them toward the top of our list. Yet, they should not override our desire to seek God’s kingdom. Making God our top priority will put all other priorities into perspective. By making him our top priority, he will provide all we need.

How do we make God our top priority? That is a question we may be wrestling with. We have many other things vying for our attention. The best way to make God our top priority is to set aside each day for him. It may be fifteen minutes while we drink our morning coffee. It may be a half-hour while we are working out. It may be fifteen minutes of quiet time before we go to bed. No matter when it is, we need it to be a time of prayer and reading God’s Word. It needs to be a dedicated time in which we can focus on him.

As we get in the habit of spending time with God, he further inhabits our thoughts. The more he is in our thoughts, the more we listen for his guidance. Eventually, we allow him to guide all our thoughts in all situations. It is not a quick process, but it is well worth it. The more our decisions are based on God’s guidance, the better our lives will be.

I pray we all make God our top priority. I pray we set aside time to spend with God each day. I pray each one of us will filter our decisions through God, allowing his guidance to take over our lives. Seek God. Make him your top priority. Allow God to guide you. Set aside time to spend with God. Live a better life.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”