Why Are You Going?

Is there someone you continue to follow or are friends with because they can do something for you? Does what someone can do for you effect how often you speak to them? If they stop doing for you, do you stop interacting with them? Is that your relationship with God?

We all know someone who hangs around with others only as long as others will do something for them. When people stop doing for them, they move on to someone else. We may not like them taking advantage of people. We may refuse to help them.

But do we do the same with God? It seems the more wealth we acquire, the less likely we are to continue to follow God. We don’t have to be wealthy, just be able to live comfortably. Having a good job and not worrying about paying our bills is enough to cause us to depend less on God. Having a talent or skill that gives a feeling of accomplishment can be enough.

Large crowds would follow Jesus, not because He was preaching and teaching the good news, but because He was healing the sick and casting out demons. It was what they could see with their own eyes that caused them to follow Him. They wanted to see amazing miracles happen. They wanted to see things not seen before.

We may do the same with a pastor. As long as the pastor uses props, colorful graphics, or other gimmicks that entertain us, we continue to attend worship services. We may not be growing in our relationship with God, but we enjoy what we see. If this is why we go to church, we are being just like the large crowds following Jesus. Might I suggest we change our mindset and go to worship services to worship God and grow our relationship with him.

I pray we all go to worship services. I pray we go to hear a message from the Word of God. I pray each one of us go to church to worship God and grow our relationship with him. Worship God. Increase your knowledge of God. Build your relationship with God.

John 6:1-2 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick.

Bless Future Generations

What do you want out of life? What is it you are asking for? Are you asking out of selfish ambition? Or are you asking in accordance with God’s will? How big is your imagination? Do you believe God can do anything you can dream of? Are you willing to ask him?

We all desire something from this life. So much of today’s culture seeks to fulfill selfish desires. They continually seek to gain what they believe will make them happy or feel fulfilled. Yet, we they achieve it, they find it is not as fulfilling as they thought, and they seek something more.

It is only when we seek what God desires in our life that we are truly fulfilled. More than that, when we seek what God desires and believe he can do anything, we see him move in ways that we never thought of. God not only fulfills our desires, but he exceeds them. It goes against our human way of thinking. By giving up our desires and pursuing God’s desires, we experience God overflowing us with blessings.

Jesus says in John 10:10 that He came to give us abundant life. He also states in Luke 6:38 that our cup will overflow when we do not judge, do not condemn, forgive, and give to others (Luke 6:37-38). But all of this is predicated on our belief that God can do all things, that he is more powerful than we can imagine. We may state he is all-powerful because we have been taught it. We may even believe it intellectually. But we must believe it deep within our heart.

When we believe it deep in our heart, we give him the glory. We follow his guidance to glorify him, the church, and future generations. In other words, setting aside our personal desires to follow God’s desires, we are working with him for his glory and will bless future generations through Jesus Christ.

I pray we all seek after God’s desires. I pray we set aside our personal desires. I pray each one of us gives the glory to God, his Son, Jesus Christ, and the church Jesus has built so as to bless future generations. Give God the glory. Give Christ the glory. Glorify Christ’s church. Bless future generations.

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Pattern for Prayer

What do you pray for? Do you pray for your family? Do you pray for your friends? Do you pray for the members of your church? Do you pray for brothers and sisters in Christ around the world? Do you pray for physical health and financial well-being?

Often, our prayers revolve around ourselves, our families, and our friends. We often pray for healing, whether physical or relationship. We may pray for financial assistance in times of need. I can confidently state this as a pastor who receives many prayer requests.

Yet, we should pray as Paul states he prayed for the church in Ephesus. Our church members need us to pray over them in this manner. Notice that Paul first acknowledges the glory of God. Giving God the glory for all that he has done for us should be first on our list. It follows the pattern of what we call the Lord’s prayer.

Next, Paul prays they receive power from the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who lives within us and can strengthen us. It is his power that carries us through troubling times and allows us to overcome hurdles in our lives. It is also the Holy Spirit who converts our human words into heavenly language and lifts up our prayers to the Father.

Paul continues by praying that Christ dwells in our hearts through our faith. Having Christ within our hearts guides us in all we do. For Jesus stated it is what comes out of us, from our hearts, that evil comes (Mark 7:20-23). That evil cannot reside in our hearts if Christ is in it.

Finally, Paul prays that we are being rooted and grounded in love. This is the unconditional love that Christ said we should love God and love our neighbor. When this kind of love is our foundation, how we conduct ourselves and go about our daily lives reflects Christ.

I pray we all pray over our families and friends. I pray we pray over the members of our church. I pray each one of us use the pattern Paul demonstrates in praying over the church in Ephesus. Pray over your family. Pray over your friends. Pray over your church. Pray like Paul prayed.

Ephesians 3:16-17 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.

Set People Free

Do you know people who do not believe in God? Do you shake your head at the thing they do? Do you sometimes wonder if they are right? Does the evil in the world cause you second guess yourself? Are you struggling with your faith? Are you hanging on by your fingernails?

We likely know someone who doesn’t believe in God. If we don’t know they well, we know about them or have seen them in our towns and cities. In some cases, they don’t want to believe because something bad has happened to them. They may even hold it against God.

Others may have never heard of God, as strange as that may seem to us. So many believers have grown up believing in God and cannot fathom someone having not heard of God. But they are out there. They have lived a completely different life than we have. They have lived a life of neglect, abuse, and survival of the fittest. If they have heard of God at all, they have been told he is a myth or some cosmic force they cannot know.

We can be the people who tell them about God. We can tell them the good news of Jesus Christ. We can let them know that God is watching over everything, even if he does not always intervene. God is looking for those who will seek to know him. He is looking for people who will obey him. He is looking for people to set free from the evil in which they have been entangled. We can open the eyes of someone who does not know God and set them free.

I pray we all see those around us who do not know God. I pray we seek to know God. I pray each one of us will share the good news of Jesus and set people free from the bondage of evil. Look around you. See the people who do not know God. Share the message of Jesus. Set people free.

Psalm 14:1-2

Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” 

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; 

there is no one who does good. 

The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind

to see if there are any who are wise, 

who seek after God.

Establishing God’s Kingdom

What comes to your mind when you think about God’s kingdom? Do you think about the pearly gates of heaven? Do you think of golden streets? Or do you think of the King who has established His kingdom forever? Is He the focus of your attention above all else?

We have been taught to envision many different sights with regards to God’s kingdom and heaven. However, some have been taught as though the Scripture is literal versus symbolic. There is likely no way for us to describe heaven in our human languages.

On the other hand, there is a lot written about Jesus. We can see His personality, grace, mercy, teaching, and the example He lived. We proclaim Him as our King, and He is. So why do we focus on physical objects rather than the person who is Lord of them?

Jesus has established God’s kingdom forever. The Father has established His throne forever. It is the person of Jesus and His teaching that we should be focused on. Allow the visions or descriptions of heaven to be symbolic, meaning beyond our own imaginations.

When we make Jesus our focus, we can better reflect His love, grace, mercy, and light. Being more like Him, we can be better at reconciling with one another. Focusing on Jesus is what we are called to do. Let’s all seek to be like Him in showing love to one another.

I pray we all seek to be more like Jesus. I pray we show His love, grace, mercy, and light to everyone we meet. I pray each one of us will focus on Jesus as the One who established His kingdom forever. Be like Jesus. Show Jesus’ love. Demonstrate grace. Be merciful. Reflect Jesus’ light. Focus on Jesus.

2 Samuel 7:12-13 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Laying the Groundwork

Have you ever decided to do something only to get wise advice shortly thereafter to reverse your decision? Did you follow the wise advice? Or did you follow through with your decision, ignoring the wise advice? Were there regrets later? Did the wise advice prove to be correct?

We sometimes make sudden decisions. They may not be entirely rash, but they are spur of the moment and well-intended. Yet, they may not be as wise as we might think they are initially. We may receive some wise advice not long afterward and we may need to reverse our decision.

King David had that exact situation when he decided to build a temple for God. David was in his new home, looking at the grandeur he lived in, and realized he was living better than the ark of God which was being housed in a tent. He made a quick decision to build a grand temple. Nathan, the prophet who advised David, told him to do what he wanted to do.

Yet, that very night God spoke to Nathan. He told him to go tell David that he would not build a temple for God. David was a battle tested and had blood on his hands. David had been blessed by God to defeat the enemies of Israel and David’s personal enemies. But God had decided the one who would build his temple would be a man without blood on his hands. David’s consolation was that he could begin gathering the materials for the temple.

God may use us in a similar way. We may not be the one who accomplishes the grand task. We may the one who does the groundwork so the grand task can be accomplished. Our pride may take a hit. We may be disappointed. We must remember the groundwork is just as important as the grand task. Without the groundwork being done, the temple could not be built. So, do not be disappointed if you are laying groundwork for someone else to build on later.

I pray we all seek to do God’s work. I pray we are contented to do the groundwork. I pray each one of us are willing to change our decisions to be aligned with God’s infinite wisdom. Do God’s work. Be willing to change your decision. Be willing to lay the groundwork. Seek God’s wisdom.

2 Samuel 7:4-5 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in?

Active Member

Are you a member of various organizations? Do you attend meetings regularly? Do you feel like you are part of something much larger than yourself? Are you committed to being an active participant in one or more of those organizations? Is one of them a church?

There are numerous organizations we can be a member of—veterans, professional, and social. Some organizations require us to pay dues, be of a certain status, and participate regularly. We commit time, energy, and money to those organizations. Why? We believe in them.

If we say we believe in God and Jesus Christ, shouldn’t we make the same commitment to a local church? After all, those other organizations cannot have any effect on our eternal life. Why don’t we commit more to the local church? We have been told a lie. We have been told we don’t need the church, that we can believe in God while not being an active member of a church.

Paul tells the church in Ephesus that they are being built into a spiritual dwelling place for God. Each person is joined together in Christ with other believers to create a holy temple. We become part of something much larger than ourselves, something that effects our eternal life. Being an active member of a local church is far more important to our well-being—spiritual and emotional—than any other organization we can be a member of.

As we grow in our knowledge of God and faith in Jesus Christ, we become stronger members of the local church. The more we become like Jesus, the more we desire to bring others to Him. As our eyes are opened to who He is, our view of life and its importance changes. We begin to see every life, every person as a creation of God and love them as Christ loves them. It all begins with a commitment to Christ and continues with a commitment to a local church.

I pray we all seek to know more about God. I pray we see to be more like Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us will be an active member in a local church, grow in our faith, and lead others to Jesus. Seek knowledge. Seek understanding. Be like Jesus. Be an active member of a church. Bring others to Christ.

Ephesians 2:21-22 In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

Common Belief

Have you ever thought about all the laws, rules, and directives we are supposed to follow? How many do you need to follow in your job? How many are you to obey when driving? Do you know them and follow them all? Do you feel overwhelmed or oppressed at times?

There are traffic laws, criminal laws, corporate laws, and medical laws. There are rules for our conduct, sporting events, corporate directives, and even rules in our churches. Not only are there the overwhelming number of written laws and rules, but there are unwritten ones.

God had given the Israelites laws, commandments, and ordinances to follow. They struggled to follow them and periodically stopped following them altogether. God knew something different had to be put in place to bring people back to him. So, he sent his Son to be abolish them and institute a new way forward.

Because of Jesus, we no longer are required to follow the plethora of laws, commandments, and ordinances God had given the Israelites. But eliminating them was not the only reason Jesus came down from heaven to walk the earth. The other reason was to eliminate the divide between the Jews and Gentiles. He came to reconcile and join the two groups into one.

Those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior are one body, one humanity. Yet, we often divide ourselves by instituting church rules, directives, and guidance—we call them doctrine. Not only does doctrine often separate us, but we have different viewpoints on the interpretation of Scripture. Far too often we focus more on our differences than on the one thing that unites us—our belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. It is encouraging to see a movement of more denominations working together based on our common belief, setting aside our differences in doctrine.

I pray we all choose to focus less on our differences and more on our common belief. I pray we know Jesus desires us to be united in Him. I pray each one of us will pursue working together regardless of denominational affiliation. God sent his Son to unite us. Jesus desires us to be one body. Set aside differences. Come together in our common belief.

Ephesians 2:15-16 He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.

Math Problem

Are you good at math? Can you walk through the multiplication tables (or times tables for us older folks)? Have you experienced multiplying, rather than simply doing the math on a piece of paper? Have you witnessed God multiplying your efforts to enlarge the results?

We typically think of math as a finance or business practice. We may include it in some of our work around our homes. Yet, we do not often think of math, outside of the business part, within our churches. Perhaps we should ask God to multiply our outreach efforts.

When we look at the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, we are amazed at the miracle of feeding them with five loaves of bread and a couple fish. We may even dig into the fact that Mark records the five thousand as men and tack on an estimate for women and children, perhaps estimating the total number to be fifteen or twenty thousand.

But what if we look at it differently? What if we look at the possibility that God can do the same with our outreach efforts, multiplying them to reach more people for his kingdom? Imagine our efforts being multiplied by two, five, ten, or twenty. Think about how many people we could reach for God’s kingdom. Think about how many more people we could bring to Jesus and into our churches.

How do we do that? First, we need to pray that God leads us in our outreach efforts. Second, we need to follow his lead. Third, we need to pray over those efforts before we begin. Fourth, we need to trust that God will deliver on his promises. This is the model Jesus followed to feed the five thousand. He knew the Father’s will. He knew the people needed to be fed. He prayed over the food. He relied on the Father to bless His effort. Then the miracle happened.

I pray we all seek to follow God’s will in our outreach efforts. I pray we follow God’s lead in our efforts. I pray each one of us will pray before we act, and trust God will keep his promises. Seek God’s will. Follow God’s will. Pray before you act. Trust God’s promises. Know that God will provide.

Mark 6:41-44 Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

Seek God Always

What is your reaction when you are faced with a situation in which you see no good solution? Are you ready to cut your losses and seek to escape? Do you look for someone else to take over responsibility or be the one to blame? How can you take a different viewpoint?

Being in difficult situations, especially ones that seem to have no good outcome is hard. Often, we just want to give up or run as far away as we can. Sticking it out and seeing it through is not something we look forward to. Yet, those situations are great for learning from.

Do not think you are the only one who wants to pawn it off on someone else. Jesus’ disciples did the same. When Jesus had been teaching most of the day to a crowd of thousands, his disciples told Him to send them away so they could find food for themselves. It was a logical thing to do from a human perspective. But it wasn’t Jesus’ way of doing things.

We can find ourselves being much like Jesus’ disciples in this story. We find ourselves in a situation that is near impossible, or we see it as impossible with our human view and look for an avenue of escape. We may turn our backs on those in need because we do not see a way to provide for them. We may push people away because their need makes us uncomfortable.

Perhaps the better way of serving in those situations is go to God in prayer, ask for him to guide us through it, and trust him to do so. We quickly forget that God is all-powerful, everywhere at once, knows everything, and will do the right thing according to his will. His will is to care for us and us love him. His will includes providing for us in a time of need, which may include using others. His desire is that we trust him to carry out his will.

I pray we all love and trust God to carry out his will. I pray we seek to live within God’s will. I pray each one of us will see beyond the impossibilities to see the possible with God. Seek God always. Love God. Trust God. Seek God’s will. Live in God’s will. Know God is all-powerful. Know God is omnipresent. Know God is omniscient. Know God is omnipotent.

Mark 6:35-36 When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.”