178

Matthew 6:26 (the message)

"Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds."

You count more to Him than the birds. In the whole scheme of things, you're way higher up on the totem pole to God than the birds that fly around in the air. They fly, they nest, they live. The lovely truth, is that they are being taken care of by God every single second of every single day. They are truly free spirits, and they depend on God with a simple (yet super-natural) dependency on their God. It's a simple trust in their Creator, a trust that says everyday they will be okay.

Next time you're outdoors and looking at the sweet little or big birds that fly around above your head, enjoying their lives in trees and in the air, think about their day-to-day. Think about the birds who are careless, free-spirited and happy in their "nothingness" (compared to us in our stupid rat-race). Think about how God takes care of them and makes sure that they have enough to eat and drink, and a place to live. He enables them to look after their families, and provide for those they love. How much more will He do that for you and for me? He will do that a million times more than He will do that for the birds.
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177

James 4:8 (New King James Version)

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

Get real and raw when it comes to being a friend and child of God. It takes a commitment, dependency and an utter abandonment to Him to enter into an honest relationship with Him. This relationship can be a pure and personal walk with Him, unlike anything you will have with a human, and it can cost you. It's about laying down every scrap of pride, self-dependency and laziness, both inside and out, and picking up the beautiful friendship, love and humility with Jesus possible on this earth. You will lay down your sin and natural desires to be with Him and to develop a relationship that withstands days, months and years on this (sometimes, often) awful earth.

The beauty of this promise is that when you feel alone and distant from Him (or even anyone, practically), and you really get serious about drawing close to Him, and you take the time throughout your day to be with Him, ask for forgiveness and actually changes your behavior, then He comes to you. He comes where He is invited and wanted. He is close to you, and you are not distant or alone anymore.

He promises to come near to you. That is the most special, undeserved thing humans have here. Treasure the unreasonable amounts of love He has for you; don't take advantage. When you get to the end of your life, you will regret every day, minute and moment you didn't spend with Him. To know Him is to love Him.
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177

Matthew 5:4 (the message)

"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you."

There is something powerful about losing something or someone that means the most to you. When God brings you to a place in your life where you feel the most lost inside and out, it is then that He honestly and humbly walks in to be everything and everyone you need.

And in some way or another we have all experienced loss. Loss is the universal emotion and experience that binds the human race together at the seams. So you're finally brought to a place where you're lost, and then suddenly after blood sweat and tears - the utter desperation where you have eventually run into Jesus' arms... you are found.

Loss is universal, but have you ever been to a place where you are lost? Let me suggest this: you want that time in your life at some point. You don't want to cruise through life with everything okay and in the middle. You want some risk, some adventure, some hard work and some loss.

No matter whom you have elevated to a prominent place in your life, make sure you reserve a piece of your heart for Jesus and Jesus alone. So when you lose the person, place or thing that holds your heart, you are able to (even in an ever so slightly way) survive the damage.

God is good.

Amen.
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176

#176

Jeremiah 1:7-9 (nkjv)

But the LORD said to me: Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the LORD. Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth..."


There are no excuses for not obeying God's call on your life. Every single child of God (that's you) has been given a purpose, a destiny and a mandate from their precious Father in heaven. There is something divine and specific for each of us to do and someone unique and beautiful and secure for us to be. And, sometimes when God calls you to do it or be it (whatever "it" may be) it's hard to even imagine yourself in the same vicinity as that "it", let alone actually thinking you could ever possibly accomplish "it."

And that's the releasing, relieving and let-out-a-deep-breath about this conversation between God and the prophet Jeremiah.

When God calls you and sends you, He will perfectly and wholly equip you. And most of the time it's an out-of-your league thing anyway, and in those cases all we have is God - He must pull it off, because there is no way on earth you could do it. God will place His hand over the area or areas of your life where you feel the most inadequate (Jeremiah was too scared to speak and thought he was way too young to accomplish anything), and He will give you all that you need. He called the teenager, Jeremiah, to be a voice to the nations! He gave Jeremiah a mandate to speak to the nations and kingdoms of the world, and little Jeremiah was beside Himself thinking: Lord? I'm a kid and I can barely put two words together!? And when God doesn't relent, we kick and scream and fight and cry, and then our beautiful and sweet God gently covers our mouth, and calms our nerves and fears. We let out that muffled cry (like when someone is covering your mouth trying to calm and rest your arguments and tears), and we give in to His perfect plan and heart for our lives.

When God calls you, follow Him. He will take you there.
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175

Psalm 119:105 (New King James Version)

"Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path."

It's as simple as that. Your dark will be lit up with light. The Message says it perfectly, "By your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path." So all there really is to say: read the Bible. Read it out loud, read it in silence, write it out on paper: get it into you any way you can. And, take out of that beautiful book of the Spirit of Jesus every ounce of light and promise and goodness for the season of life you are in right now.

Notice how the scripture doesn't say, "your word shines this massive bright light all over my path for miles and miles and I know what' do to for the next ten years..." It simply says, however, that like holding a flashlight or a torch on a dark path or in a dark room, it only really lights up the next step or two. You then take the next step and then after you take that next step, the next step will be lit up for you, and so on and so forth. So picture it like you're holding the Bible out in front of you: it's a flashlight, it's a weapon, it's a piece of art, it's a code, it's the answer to life's questions, and it will show you the next step to take.

So stay in it. It will take some dedication to this book for the Lord to speak through it to you. Don't give up. Your darkness will become light. If you're wondering the what's, when's, how's and who's of the next days, weeks, months ahead, don't be discouraged. Don't let the devil cover your eyes from behind. Shake him off like an annoying fly. The word of God will light up the path ahead of you. He is good and He loves you. He knows more than you.

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174

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

the message

"Stay calm; mind your own business; do your own job. You've heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts. We want you living in a way that will command the respect of outsiders, not lying around sponging off your friends."

In most situations, the Bible makes is quite clear how to live. It is concise and explicit in regards to how we should treat others and how we should love our Lord. Sometimes it may express in vague metaphorical terms, but for the most part we are told what to do and how to do it well. Lately I have been pondering gossip, and assumptions about other people's lives and getting caught up (in the negative sense) in other people's lives. And this is what I think: don't do it. Be cool. Be super nice to people and mind your own business. Nothing positive comes from meddling in other people's lives and talking about people behind their backs and making assumptions about peoples lives, behavior, finances, relationships and motives.

When you imitate Jesus and how He walked the earth, you will command the respect of others- people will be drawn to you and you will be full of light and peace as you walk this earth.

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173

Isaiah 60: 1-4 (the message)

"Get out of bed, Jerusalem! Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight. God's bright glory has risen for you. The whole earth is wrapped in darkness, all people sunk in deep darkness, But God rises on you, his sunrise glory breaks over you. Nations will come to your light, kings to your sunburst brightness."

This whole idea of light being wrapped around us and all over us is encouraging and hopeful for us today. And since things have gotten pretty dark, we all need a little or a lot of light. Some days life is pitch black, and it's hard to see one step in front of us, let alone what the answers are to the questions of our lives for the coming days, weeks, months and years. Some days things seem to be in such ruins that it's hard to even feel the teensy bit of hope that everything will work out.

And then there is the glory of God. The glory of God that shines on us like the first batch of sun on our paste-y-white sore winter skin. Except it's a million times more refreshing and overwhelming than that. The glory of God that is His magnificent presence in our lives every waking (and sleeping) moment. The glory of God that draws people to us because they need light in their own lives. The glory of God that transforms our darkness and sin into the reflection of Jesus Christ in all His loveliness, purity and beauty. The glory of God that blinds us like the sun and leaves us motionless and on our faces in passionate worship toward our king. The glory of God that gives us a good and wonderful, joyful, peaceful life, and the glory of God that leads us home.

When you're in the dark, pray and believe that this verse is true, and by faith step into God's glorious light. It will take your breathe away, and make you radiant. And you will know the way in which to go.
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172

Colossians 2:13-14 (the message)

"When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive—right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ's cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets."


The other day I closed my eyes and imagined myself being handed a check for all the debts I currently owe. I imagined the sheer relief and smile that would spread across my face when the kind stranger or friend handed me the moolah. I imagined the excitement I would feel, and more importantly, the weight that would lift from my shoulders knowing that I would be free from the grip that the debtor has on me.

Now, I honestly don't want to sound corny, but a tear came to my eye the other day in the car thinking that Jesus did that exact thing for us in the spiritual (the stuff that actually matters) sense. He went to the cross to pay for it all. He completely paid for everything. Every debt that we owed and will ever owe (because of our darkness) has been completely paid for in full.

Since we're a human race that thinks through the filter of money (unfortunately), maybe we would be more in awe and more grateful if we started to think of God's grace and mercy like that. The state of your soul is so incredibly much more important than the state of your bank account, so some days when you refuse to recognize the earthly gravity of it all, just pretend that someone paid all your monetary debts and then set you up to have none in the future... and then realize that that has happened for you in a million more important and eternity changing ways. That is enough in itself to all day long be praising Jesus for giving you so much money (life).
Selah
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171

Psalm 121: 1-2

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth."

I love the peace we have in our Lord Jesus. He made it all, the magnificence of the earth, and the hope of a home that we know is real but cannot yet see, heaven. He made it all - the hills, the mountains and the heavens - and He is our help. The imagery of this verse of psalm offers a beautiful sense of peace and confidence. We are reminded to lift up our eyes in hope, to look above the situations that seem to be staring us directly in the eyes. Because sometimes things at eye level get scary, messy and sad. We must look up. We must raise our eyes above what we see and focus our gaze on the mountains, not as a place to flee the calamity around us, but to behold the creative maker of those huge, strong and steady mountains. The "mountains" (the gigantic-far-away-pieces of land that represent something much bigger than ourselves) take our attention from our current situation, and point us to their creator, God, Jesus Christ, who is always there, and even more constant and steady than the hills He created.

So when life has positioned you in a messy and heartbreaking situation, look up, focus your energy on Jesus, and remember that He is near. Get in the habit of asking Him for help. Amen.
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170

Philippians 4:6 (New King James Version)

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

I can't talk you into having peace. That's silly. We're all too high strung, and living at too high of stress levels on an daily basis to be talked into feeling peaceful, especially when certain situations in life give you every reason to be an utter mess. You may disagree with me about the constant state of stress thing, but let me break it down for you: a few years ago two planes flew into buildings and destroyed lives in an effort to scare a country/world, my best friend lost his cousin when an oil rig exploded in the sea last spring, we madly lock every door in our house before bed, last year a friend of a friend got shot walking his dog for the twenty bucks in his pocket and is now paralyzed, every month we're all trying to pay our bills and give our families the best lives possible despite our current economic situations, the rich of the rich started jumping out of buildings when the stock market crashed last year and they lost all their money, and I also believe that people are dying of cancer at the highest rate in history and we still don't know why. Then there's just the everyday life/family/health/financial stuff (I'm really not trying to depress you, I do love life and I really do have a point).

And my point is this: things are getting a little too mentally exhausting for us to talk ourselves into feeling okay and hopeful about everything going on around us. The peace we desperately need in order for us to not breakdown mentally, physically and emotionally, must be a supernatural act of the Holy Spirit mixed with thankful and specific prayers to our sweet heavenly Father. It must be an act of our wills and an aggression, if you will, that brings the things heavy on your heart to the Father in thankful prayers.

Things get a little heartbreaking on this earth at times, but life can be, and is, so wonderful when you walk with the peace of Jesus in your heart and mind. When you start feeling anxious, or the fact of the situation you're in gives you every reason to be a hysterical ball of anxiety, get alone with Him (or maybe if you're already lonely, go to a coffee shop with Him so it's not just more silence in your life). Write down the things in your heart, or just tell Him all the things you're going through, and all about the things you need His peace to invade. Be thankful and ask Him some questions. Offer your requests to Him, talk it out, and then wait for His peace. You may just have to believe it before you feel it. Your peace will come.

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169

Colossians 1:15-18 (The Message)

Christ Holds It All Together
"We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body."

Firstly, read this magnificent interpretation about 3 or 4 times. You will be dramatically moved as you start to believe the magnitude of who Jesus Christ is for us in our lives and hearts and world. Jesus is our all in all. He is our beautiful saviour and healer and hope and everything and always. We can never (not in one million years) put Him on too high a pedestal, bow too low on the ground, worship too extravagantly with our hearts and voices and bodies, or stand in awe for too many hours and days and years before His glorious being. He is so other, yet He is right here, right now, holding us all together in the grip of His grace and love for us.

Everything about God that we can see and everything that we can't see is made sense of and is found complete because of Him. He makes sense of the nonsense of everyday life, and His death on the cross and resurrection from death completed our yearning and longing for a saviour. When our lives feel meaningless and hopeless and ridiculous and boring, we look at Him and realize that it all started and ends with Him, and we know that we have a reason to get out of bed each day, get dressed, get working and get loving the world. We look into His face and eyes and there we find our purpose and destiny.

168

Genesis 1:1 (new king james)

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

It's true. God is the creator of the world - He made everything you and I see and then the things we don't see. He is the most true and pure artist and designer. And everything that is good and lovely and beautiful on this earth comes from Him and His perfect mind and spirit.

It doesn't matter if you're an artist or a trash man, everything we do in our day to day lives coming forth from us can be inspired by Him. He can give you ideas and inspiration to create things that no one on this earth has ever even thought of. Pause for a moment and think about that. It's more obvious, perhaps, to ask God to inspire you if you're an artist or designer, but God is also very interested in inspiring you for every aspect of your daily life- finding new ways to parent, clean a house, communicate with people, make money, help someone- He is there and He is always on standby ready to show you something new. A life with Jesus as your creative mentor will take you places you only ever dreamed of. Take a creative leap/risk in what you find yourself doing and He will catch you, always.
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167

Isaiah 30:21

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.

There will be a voice for you. There will be the peace, comfort and encouragement you need: a teacher, a friend, a companion or a still soft voice inside telling you the way in which you should walk. God is gracious and compassionate and very faithful to you. His concern is you, your heart and your whereabouts. You will not only be guided continually, you will be incredibly encouraged by Him every step of the way. This beautiful verse explains that His presence manifests itself in your decisions. He comes and helps you walk in them and follow through with them. He may give you the nudge you need, or He may give you the energy to keep going when the decisions you thought were right seem to be wrong. But as you step out into your destiny, whatever narrow path you may choose, you will be lead and encouraged in all of your paths as you make Him your finish line.

Set your eyes like flint on Him, and all that He has called you to do. You won't go wrong when you do. And not only that, He will be the still, steady voice of peace in your ear saying, "Go for it!!"

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166

Matthew 5: 3 (the message)

"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule."

I think the main thing God wants us to get a grip on is dependancy on Him. He wants complete and crazy child-like trust in a God who is the greatest father, friend and king a child could ever want or need.

We must get to a point where we are fine with everything imperfect, not in place and not together. And even the control we think we have over our lives is an illusion anyway. Because, in this life, nothing is truly constant; money, status, people and stuff comes and goes. And it's all about asking Him to be the glue that holds your life together.

So when you have nothing left, that's a good thing. It is then that God can really shine in your life. In my own search for dependancy upon God, I have found that by being on my knees in the mornings and begging Him to take my life and do something magnificent with it, I start to see change. I just repeat over and over, "I depend on You. I need you every hour. Every moment..." or something to that effect. And then, throughout my day, when hopelessness and doubt and worry try to grip my mind and heart I just repeat that "I depend on You only Father..." His beautiful sovereign hands cover and grip your life with such a hold that nothing and no one can get you.

So you may as well go ahead and get to the end of your rope now. It will eventually happen anyway. Let go and let God be who He wants to be in your life. You will be blessed.
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165

Matthew 5:1-2 (the message)

"When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions."

"... the committed, climbed with Him." I get an image of a bunch of guys hiking (or climbing) together. This little opening couple of verses says a lot about relationships and life stuff. Jesus' ministry is building building building, lots of people are wanting a piece of Him, wanting to hear what He has to say, and becoming believers and followers of Him as the Messiah. I can imagine the crowds would have been starting to get a little crazy at times, and maybe it would have taken some initiative to get away, be alone, talk with Him with no one around, and to simply get to know the real Jesus - not just the crowd Jesus (not that I think He was different or inconsistent around different people or anything - what you see is what you get with Jesus - I'm suggesting that a church service with Jesus and being alone with Jesus in your bedroom can be two different experiences with Him. Both wonderful, yet both different, just like being in a crowded room with your best friend is way different than sitting over a coffee with them).

My first thought is that when it comes to Jesus (the most important relationship you will have in your whole life), you will notice the very close ones to Him. You will notice those ones, those beautiful souls who have put their faith in Jesus in front of everything else in their lives. It's such a passion for them that it's kind of like you can see it written all over their faces. Those ones willing to go the extra distance to "climb hills" with Him, beside Him as companions, to be alone with Him, even when it doesn't seem trendy or convenient, or when being seen with Him is not very cool to the world.

And my other thought (much like my first one) is that in life you should find people that will climb the hills with you. When no one is watching and you're a big fat loser, it's those special and truly dedicated people, who are committed to climbing life with you who will be by your side climbing a dumb and tiring hill just to be beside you, and to get to know the real you. And even if you ever only find one person (a friend or parent or spouse or relative or pastor) over the course of your life who will be that special soul, stick with them, and climb all the way Home to heaven together.

So, pray that you will be that companion to Jesus and to others. Selah.
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