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Mark 7

9/28/2016

Mark 7:37 NLT

"They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything He does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.”

As people saw what Jesus was doing there was the initial thought of amazement, but why did some change so easily? I don't know if we'll ever know that answer but for me I want to take hold of the word and let it fill my heart. See, when we let it fill our hearts there is change that take place. We see the word "everything" and we believe it to mean that. Right before this Jesus shares a story in Mark chapter 7 verses 20-23 “And then He added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

If we pray and ask God to fill our heart, He will fill it. We should renew our minds daily with the things God says and we should understand that nothing He shares is bad, it is all good. His ways are different than the worlds ways. We can't get caught up in what the world thinks, we need to remember that "everything He does is wonderful" and if we are struggling with something check it with the word of God. The list of worldly thoughts is big and it is natural to get caught up in it but, we must remember what Jesus said in John chapter 16 verse 33, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Since He has overcome the world, we have overcome it in Him, so we can't let the world keep us in a place of depression or negative thoughts. By renewing our mind we fill our heart with truth, and that truth will set us free from the craziness of this world so we not only say God is good, we believe He is all the time. Amen

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Philippians 2

9/26/2016

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Philippians 2:3-4 NLT

"Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

We need to see the importance of this so as we grow and mature we are able to reach people and make disciples. In any relationship we have we should be thinking of others and developing that relationship with care and love. Think back to when you were a kid and playing with friends, everyone had those friends that needed all the attention and everything was about them. Well, as we grow and understand what Jesus has shown us in the word, we see it applies in all areas of our lives and this very thing can make our relationships stronger and amazing. He says, "don't be selfish" "don't try and impress others" when we direct the attention on us we miss out on the joy of our friends or spouse. I have learned that when I think of what my friends or my spouse wants and joyfully focus on them I feel better than if it was about me.

By following Christ people will see us and be impressed at our love and we will never have to try and win them over, Jesus in us will attract them. Next it says, "be humble" when we care for others and they see how much we care, relationships grow into deep meaningful things that can be used to change lives. This goes right along with what is said next, "Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” We can't just say we are interested we need to show we are interested. This happens when we surrender our will and truly work on living like Jesus. Our selfishness fades and our excitement of seeing others happy gives us pleasure and we grow in our abilities to make disciples.

See God's word is simple if we open up to it and ask, seek and knock. Philippians chapter 2 verse 5 simply says, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” This takes us studying His attitude, and then living it out. It is good to see what verses 6-8 say and remember it daily so our lives become about others and we develop lasting relationships that make lasting relationships. “Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”

We must keep our eyes on Him and live our lives so people see Him in us. Amen

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Matthew 22

9/14/2016

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When I was reading today, this set of scriptures tugged on my heart and I wanted to share what the Spirit showed me. It is the parable about the wedding feast and the original guest that weren't excited to go to the feast. So the king tells his servant to go find some guest and invite them. (Read the entire chapter today)

Matthew 22:10
“So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.”

We need to see that everyone was invited, we can't think in a way that would exclude anyone from knowing Jesus and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. As we open our hearts and we understand the excitement of the invite we must believe that we are new creations in Christ. Paul shares this in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” At that time we need to put on our new cloths and ask, seek, and knock and believe all that God has for us. We don't need to earn anything when it comes to Jesus, He has been given to us, we just need to confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that He was raised from the dead, and we will be saved.

(Read Romans 10:9) We have to see that our belief needs to be present and our new lives being lived. Verses 11-12 continue to say, “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply.” The problem wasn't with who was there, but that person not having any reply. Our reply is shown by our life lived, and by what we clothe ourselves with. When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit and He will show us what clothes are needed and He will give us the correct reply as well. The thing is, we have to make that choice to listen and grow. In the end It doesn't matter about what we do in our strength it's about who we are in Him, and that takes surrender.

This parable ends with verses 13-14 which say, “Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.” See, it's not about earning, it's about believing that you belong. I love what it says in Ephesians chapter 4 verses 23-24 “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” Let's not be caught without the right clothes and with no reply, we must be thankful and know that His love is real and we have a choice. Amen

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Matthew 14

9/7/2016

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Matthew 14:28-29

“Then Peter called to Him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.”

I love this story because it shows how we get excited to do things that the Lord tells us to do, and when we are faithful things happen. Peter's worries were gone for that short moment and his joy for going to Jesus drove him to do. We all have those moments and that passion that starts us moving but then the size of the world takes over our heart and we start to doubt. Look what happens to Peter in verse 30, “But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.” We have all had those time, or maybe it's just me, that after the initial excitement my worry sets in. We need to pray every day and believe that our Lord is much bigger than the world and He has ask us to come, walk on the water.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 8 it says, “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.” When we believe and we continue to see the faith Jesus is perfecting in us we can stay focused on Him and not the world. I love what it says in verse 7 because it is a great reminder to us about His greatness and the power that He gives us. “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” We need to bring our storms to Him without the fear and worry so we walk right over and don't start to sink.

Look how Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verses 16-18, “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” Our waves, storms, trials or whatever else is taking our attention will be gone soon, we need to keep pressing toward Him and live with the excitement Peter had when He told him to walk to Him on the water. I pray for all of us to remember that God is way bigger than the world and Jesus has given us the strength to overcome everything. In Jesus name, Amen.

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Hebrews 12

9/1/2016

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Hebrews 12:14 NLT

"Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.”

As I read this today it made me think about the importance of unity and love. It says "work at" living in peace with everyone. So it will take us learning and growing to understand that we are a new creation in Christ and we can develop and be peaceful. Then it says, "work at" living a holy life. As new creations we should continue to grow cutting away our old ways and living like Christ did.

See, if we don't "work at" changing and being Christ-like or a Christian, then there is no purpose for us saying we are. Our words mean nothing without our action. Ever since accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior in 2005 this verse in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 26 always stood out to me, “Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.” We need to "work at" surrendering and truly understanding what the blood of Jesus has done for us. "Work at" doesn't mean perfection, it means we are aware of the changes needed and are making a choice to change. This happens by confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved. Look at what it says in Romans chapter 10 verse 9, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

When we believe something it should drive us to seek it and be like it. I love what Paul shares in Philippians chapter 4 verse 13, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” This doesn't mean lift a house or that we are bullet proof, it means through Christ we can "work at" living at peace with everyone and "work at" living a holy life. WLM, BLM, YLM, BrLM, all lives matter, to have to express one more than another does not help us "work at" peace with everyone. God has no favorites so we need to stop putting a label on everything that happens with a color first. LIVES MATTER, should be our biggest concern, and knowing Jesus as our Lord and Savior should be our biggest desire. AMEN

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Mark 7

Philippians 2

Matthew 22

Matthew 14

Hebrews 12

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