"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

Today as I typed this verse into the computer, I had thought that I had memorized the last portion of these verses. I switched the words treasure and heart in my original entry. We think that if we know where our heart is, then that will be our treasure, which is exactly opposite where the Bible tells us our heart is. “But it’s such a subtle difference,” you say? Not really.

Where you spend your “excess” hard earned money is key to where your heart is. Same with time. Where you spend a great deal of times tells people where your heart is. And lastly, what you spend time thinking about is also a key to where your heart really is. Perhaps our spending and time habits reveal more about us than we care to admit.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Imagine waking up every morning to this verse echoing in your head. It’s two powerful verses to be sure. And both verses help us realize that there’s nothing–nothing–we can do nor is there any power in this world that can separate us from the love of God in Jesus.

Wow! Just wow!

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret…” Matthew 6:2-3

Giving to the needy is a very important part of the Christian life. The point of what Jesus is saying in this passage isn’t even about the giving. It was assumed that all of his Believers would give to the needy. It’s the motive behind the giving. Why do we give? To impress others? To help others? Because it was commanded?

A preacher friend of mine said that when he was a teen forty years ago, he saw an older gentleman drop a $50 bill into the offering plate. He knew it was a fifty because the man straightened it out and folded it lengthwise before dropping it into the plate. As a young boy, my friend was impressed. He paused and said, “Impressing me was the only reward he would ever receive for that gesture.”

Giving is important. The motive for our giving is perhaps even more important.

If anyone comes to me and does not have his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26-27

Very strong words. Every day we’ve got to count the cost of being a disciple of Jesus. The “cross” our Brothers and Sisters in Asia and Africa must carry is extremely heavy. Our spiritual relatives in Muslim countries know what the cost of following Christ is. Sometimes it means their certain death.

Every day we must remember who we are and who He is. Our suffering relatives in foreign lands are also depending on us to remember them in prayer.

How would it transform our prayer lives if we spent two minutes –120 seconds–every day helping our persecuted friends lift the weight of persecution from their backs? Would we complain less about our very comfortable lives and be more concerned for them?

And isn’t that what it’s all about anyhow?

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

I live by faith in the Son of God. Our walk is one by faith and not by sight. It’s easy to forget that in the heat of battle called life.

A number of years ago a movie came out that my family still talks about, What About Bob? It featured Richard Dreyfuss as a psychologist with a book titled “Baby Steps.” He encouraged all his patients to take his advice and do thing by simple baby steps. Nothing major, just small, seemingly insignificant steps in the right direction.

Our faith journey often resembles that, a little at a time. Some times are steps get larger as we’re encouraged by our progress in the smaller steps. Sometimes we fall down. We get right back up and do it all over again. Some days He tells us to take giant steps or to run.

What does a baby step of faith look like?

• Encouraging someone who needs it even when you don’t have time to do it.
• Visiting someone in a hospital
• Taking over for an afternoon for an overstressed mother.
• Housing a missionary family during furlough
• Deciding to adopt an orphaned child (this entire process will involve many steps of faith)
• Taking that job that doesn’t pay as well but is closer to home.

The list is endless.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Christ lives in me. Christ lives in me. The reality of those four words should radically change our lives. Daily. Here’s why:

If Christ lives in me:

• What should I fear in this world?
• How shall I conduct my business?
• How should I use my tongue?
• What should my thoughts be?
• How should I view myself?
• How should I view others?
• How should I speak to the ones I love?
• Is there any room at all for gossip?
• How should I look at the world?
• How should I view end times?
• How should I pray for others?
• How should I love others?

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Here is another of the verses that we should all commit to memory. Churn it around in your mind over and over and over again. It’s so rich and deep in meaning and significance. We are to live a crucified life, what does it mean? Romans chapter six tells us that as Believers we are now dead to sin and alive to Christ. Again, it speaks of a crucified life. Sin should no longer have mastery over us. Whatever the master chooses should be good enough for me.

So, what does this mean day to day? Philippians 2:4 helps us out:
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.

Essentially it boils down to this: it’s not about you. Or me.

It’s certainly a start.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to it and are saved. Proverbs 18:10

This is such a powerful verse of truth. We would do well to run to Jesus daily. Oh, how I need to hear that!

When things are going well, let’s run to Him. When things are breaking down and we’re stressed beyond belief, that’s also a time to run to Him. On our own, we run out of energy and strength. We sputter and wonder why we have no strength. We need something completely stable in our lives.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on it s stand, and it give light to everyone in the house." Matthew 5:14-15

How’s your light today? Remember as kids we held up our forefingers high to “shine the light” for all everyone to see? We were so proud that it was no longer under our cupped hand. And then the part about Satan blowing it out. “No! I’m gonna let it shine.”

For many of us, Satan continues to try to blow out that light. Those attempts are strong and fierce at times and he would want us to give in, to give up. And sometimes we question God. And then we feel guilty and then Satan beats us up more. He tells us we’re not good Christians. We feel guilty because “he’s probably right” we think. It’s a nasty and destructive cycle.

Brothers and Sisters, we have no small victory in Christ! Your light may be smoldering but you’re reading this for a reason. Think of your light as one of those trick birthday candles. Just when you think it’s out, it re-ignites. Sure, Satan wins a battle every now and then, but your light just re-ignited. And again. And again. God is still pursuing you. And me.

Take heart, you are not alone.

“Don’t let Satan blow it out. No! I’m gonna let it shine.”

“You are the salt of the earth…” Matthew 5:13

I heard a song on the radio this evening pointing that out by with slightly different words. The lyrics said that we were peculiar. 2 Peter 2:11 states that we are aliens and strangers in the world. They’re all correct, like it or not. We are different. We are supposed to be different, not for the sake of saying, “look at me, I’m different” but so that others will “see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.” (2 Peter 2:12).

Here’s something to consider. I used to think, “with one billion Christians, why aren’t we making a larger impact on societies around the world.” My thinking is different now. “What would this world look like if we removed all the Christians from it? How fast would it deteriorate?”

Remove the salt from the world and it’s a completely different ballgame.

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4

When we’ve been praying and praying and praying for a breakthrough for someone, this is a good verse to keep in mind. I mean, when it’s laid out it all seems logical that someone – everyone – should receive Christ. But remember, unbelievers cannot see the way we see. I don’t say that to be mystical or super spiritual but it seems to be evident. Satan has blinded those who are not Believers.

Keep this verse in mind when praying for your unbelieving friends because ultimately it’s not what you say that will change their hearts; it’s the Spirit of Christ working through you to that person, and Christ removing the “blinders.”

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23

If you haven’t already done so, memorize this verse, meditate on it, get it deep within your very being. When you wake in the morning, recite it because you’ll need it. When you go to bed at night, dwell on it. Think about its meaning.

Why do I think this verse is so important? Think about it for a minute. We are inundated with negativity all day, every day. We can become bitter and angry just reading the daily news. But we don’t have to let it control us. Guard what goes into it. Guard what you think about.

And we can become bitter against God. Let’s face it, we don’t understand everything that God does. The world would have us hate God. But we know God. We know that He is in control and does what he wills without our permission and completely without our control. Why the nerve of it! So in those times when it looks like God should have done something a little differently than we would have liked, we have to trust that God had the highest of intentions and knows what He is doing.

Above all else, guard your heart.

“But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven.” Matthew 5:44

This is a troublesome passage. It’s troublesome because I don’t always love those who persecute me and my fellow Believers. I want revenge. I find it hard to love my enemies too. I’m not talking about that vast group of people who hate us on the other side of the world; I’m talking about my neighbor. I’m talking about my co-worker. I’m talking about my former friend.

So what exactly is loving your enemies? First of all, we need to ask God to help us to love our enemies because without that, it’s difficult and often impossible.  Then we need to find ways to reach out, just as Christ would reach out. Jesus goes even one step further. Pray for them. Wow! Even then you might need to ask Him how you can pray for them because in your own strength, it’s extremely difficult.

Like I said, it’s a troublesome passage.

…and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” Matthew 12: 8-10

The Sabbath.

We Christians do not take the Sabbath as seriously as the Jews did, even though it is one of the Ten Commandments. Our Sabbaths are as busy as the rest of the week for the most part. We shop. We play. We take a drive. We work. We watch sports. We don’t really rest. I’m the first to admit my guilt on this.

My Jewish friends take the Sabbath very seriously. From sundown on Friday night until sundown on Saturday night they do no work. They don’t even cook or turn on the oven. They walk to Synagogue. They don’t shop. Essentially, they rest on the Sabbath.

What would our lives look like if we obeyed The Fifth Commandment as stringent as we obey the “don’t steal,” “don’t murder” or “don’t commit adultery” commandments?

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of you mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

The mind is a terrible thing to waste, so the commercial goes. But what are we putting into our minds is my question?

• What are our minds feeding on?
• What kinds of things are we absorbing day in and day out? Are they wholesome? If not, why not?
• What are we obsessing about?
• How are we renewing our minds daily?
• What are we thinking about?
• What do we spend our spare time thinking about?
• What are we telling ourselves about ourselves, about others, about God?
• What are we meditating on?

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11

It’s been interesting to watch the Olympics in Beijing this last week. These athletes are focused. They know what their goal is: a medal, and preferably a gold one. They train for hours, days, weeks, and even years to fine tune their focus and their skill. They desperately want to win and many will stop at nothing to win.

Isn’t that a vivid picture of how we’re to live our lives as Christians? One goal. Focused. Targeted. An undivided heart.

Many things can detract us, can’t they? Jobs, family, money, homes, the good life.

An old preacher used to say (and it was quoted by Steven Covey), “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Think about it. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. So perhaps a different question should be asked, “what is the main thing?” It will be different to different people, even to other Believers. So…

What is the main thing to you?

When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. …he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. Matthew 9:23-25

The mourners and musicians were already to bury the girl because, after all, she had stopped breathing. I’d like to say that I wouldn’t have been one of the laughers in the crowd. Those would be the naysayers. “That’s not possible; it’s never been done before,” so the excuse goes. Something tells me, though, that I would have been out in front laughing at this man.

Truth is, though, people still laugh at Jesus. Sometimes they do it in response to something we do. They know we’re Christians, but by our actions we certainly don’t show it. (It’s one of the reasons I don’t have any symbol or sticker on my car that singles me out as being a Christian. The first guy I happen to cut off will see it and think, “Yep, he’s really no different.”)

Are people laughing (or mocking or worse) at Jesus because of me? I have to examine every action and word I speak. And the tip I give (or don’t give) in the restaurant. And the unkind word I speak to a clerk or teller or fast food cashier or co-worker.

Yeah, it all matters.

“What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him.” Matthew 8:27

What kind of a man is this?

• To transform the heart of a troubled and weary soul.
• To create the entire universe and be concerned enough about me.
• To cause the sun to rise every morning and to set every evening, often in spectacular fashion.
• To take the form of a man and to experience what we experienced.
• To have patience with an increasingly wicked world.
• To be pleased with his children.
• To comfort his children when they hurt and when they want to blame Him for it.
• To lead us each day if we ask Him.
• To willingly sacrifice his life so that we can know his forgiveness.

Yes, what kind of man is this?

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9

A story is told of a Queen who was interviewing Royal coach drivers. She asked, "how close to the edge of a cliff do you think you can safely drive?" After several confident and bold drivers gave measurements in the inches, one driver responded, "Your highness, I will make it a point to drive as far away from the edge as I can."

I think we are very similar to the other drivers. We sometimes ask, "how close can I get to a sin without actually sinning?" when the question we need to be asking is, "how far away from sin can I stay?

Hating evil and the consequences of sin is a big step in the right direction.

Perhaps we need to ask God to help us hate, abhor, and detest sin and evil.

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean, but what comes out of the mouth, that is what makes him unclean." Matthew 15:10-11

The tongue. James talks about "taming the tongue." I think you can tell a lot about a person by listening to that person speak. And even more so when the pressure is on in any given situation. We often say things we wish we could take back in the passion of an argument or heated discussion. All of us are guilty of it.

But here’s something to keep in mind: the world is watching. They are listening to every single foul word or unkind word or damaging word we say. And they are also listening to how we react.

Back in the day before I became a Believer, I heard someone rattle off a string of profanity followed by every blasphemous word you could think of. Another bystander simply asked the person, "Do you kiss your mother with those lips?" It was a fitting rebuke, and the person apologized.

Jesus even cut to the matter quicker: it’s what’s inside that matters.

So, here’s the question we need to ask ourselves regularly: what’s in my heart that would make me cuss like a sailor?

"Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear….Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these." Luke 12:27

Consider the lilies. Whenever the Bible says we should consider something, perhaps we would be wise to do it. Consider the lilies for instance. Look off into a field where lilies (or other flowers grow). Marvel at the ease at which they grow (forgetting the hard work that went into gardening).

Or Scripture elsewhere states: consider your life. Think about it. Ponder it. For a few minutes focus your entire attention on it.

We would do well if we took the time to stop and smell the roses, as it were. It’s a time to reflect on life itself. We lose that in all our busyness.

Don’t let a day pass you by without stopping and considering the beauty around you. In a world tends to be ugly and uncaring, certainly you can stop to find beauty (and it may even be your life that’s the beautiful part!)

"For the roots of the mountains I sank down, the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God." Jonah 2:6

Jonah is in the belly of the fish when he said that. He realized that he could no longer run from God and had to give in to what He wanted Jonah to do. It was painful, but in the end, he could say, "you brought my life up from the pit."

Perhaps you’re wondering about your own life. It doesn’t seem to be going the way you had planned. There are obstacles in the way. Often. Always. But one thing you know and one thing you have going for you: God brought your life up from the pit. Where would you be now if He hadn’t?

The world may end tomorrow, but that’s one truth I can cling to: He brought my life up from the pit.

Sometimes we just need to reflect on the essentials.

He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.” Mark 4:21-22

As I write this, I know that the room I am in could use another light so I take out a small lamp. Now I have a couple of choices. I can put it near where I am reading or I can put it on the floor. Placing it on the floor won’t do me any good because, well, it’s on the floor. There’s nothing there but carpet. The higher I put it, the more widespread is the light that goes out. Why would I put it on the floor anyway?

I suppose that it’s similar to my faith. I tend to hide my faith, sometimes to the point of burying it. What’s the point of that? Back in the day, I was bolder and confrontational with my faith. What happened? What changed? Why is my lamp now on the floor, or worse yet, why is it in the closet with the door closed?

[Nicodemus] came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” John 3:2

We read this passage and get a sense that a sincere, curious man has approached Jesus. He doesn’t make a big showing of his encounter (for fear of being ostracized by his fellow leaders…probably). He’s a Seeker in the truest sense of the word. He’s hungry for the truth and isn’t disappointed at all.

Many of us can relate to Nicodemus. We’re not boisterous or “in your face” about our beliefs, but we’re still Seekers. Even if you’ve been a Believer for years, we’re still seeking truth, seeking direction, seeking wisdom, seeking answers in a world full of questions.

And of course we come to the right Man.

And yes, Wise Men Still Seek Him.

“I call with all my heart, answer me, O Lord, and I will obey your decrees.” Psalm 119:145

The story is told of Admiral Rickover. When he interviewed junior officers, he asked them two questions: “In everything you did, did you always give 100% effort?” The second was a followup (and always the same): “why not?” What Admiral Rickover understood about the human condition was that we tend to be slackers. Even in our mightiest efforts, we get tired and worn down. We get lazy.

The Psalmist writes that he calls out to God with all his heart. It may be that he, too, is worn down and tired, aching for relief. Like Adm. Rickover, I’ll ask the question, “When you call out to God, do you do it will all your might?”

And why not?

My answer probably reveals more about me than the question.

“For the grace of God that brings
salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say no to
ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,
upright and Godly lives in this present age.” Titus 2:11-12

First of all, memorize this passage.
Dwell on it, drink it in, get into your very soul. Play with it in
your mind. Keep it churning and churning and spinning around in your
head. Close your eyes and meditate on it. It will be time well spent.

A number of years ago there was a
famous anti-drug campaign: just say no. Whether it worked or not is
unclear, but let me just say that it was a good starting point (on
its own it was doomed to fail without something to replace it). And
so it is with us and sin (ungodliness and worldly passions). It’s a
start. Is it the be all to end all? Part of the problem is that we
put ourselves in situations that are tempting and once we’re down
that path, it’s next to impossible to turn back.

What areas of temptation are you
susceptible to? Only you can answer that. Scripture does tell us that
we can say “no” to ungodliness and worldly passions.

John said to the crowds coming out to
be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee
from the coming wrath… Luke 3:7

John the Baptist, what a character! He
ate locusts and wild honey, and his clothes were made of camel’s hair
(Matthew 3:4). He wasn’t exactly on any List of the Top 100 Best
Dressed people in the world! Some found him downright obnoxious. But
boy was he fearless (and peerless too). Not only did he dress and eat
strangely, but his message was direct: you brood of vipers!

We have people like John the Baptist in
our midst today. And like days gone by, not a lot of people accept
them. How so, you ask? Think of someone with multiple piercings or a
bright green Mohawk. Think he (or she) would be accepted in most
churches? But would it be different if you looked his way and saw him
raising his hands in true surrender and worship? You see, we accept
people who are a little different from us, but not a lot different.
Sadly, we all fall into that trap from time to time.

We need to ask God to be more accepting
and less judgmental. It doesn’t always come natural to us. There will
be people in heaven who look, sound, and smell quite different than
we do. We might as well get used to it here.

“Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. Luke 17:11-19

This is a story of simple faith. Ten lepers came to Jesus asking to be healed. They were healed on the way to the priest. In other words, when Jesus told them to go to the priest, they were not yet healed! They had to have faith that what this man said would be true by the time they arrived at the priest

Then only one returned to thank Jesus (a Samaritan, no less), though I’m sure the others had an impressive story to tell. Sadly, they never returned to thank Jesus.

As Christians we have much to thank Jesus for. Take out a piece of paper and just write down your blessings. Then give that list over to God, thanking Him for those blessings. We never want to be accused of not being thankful people.

He had no beauty or majesty that we should be attracted to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him… Isaiah 53:2b

That’s a pretty sobering verse, isn’t it? Hollywood would pass him by, just as the average man or woman on the street would. Were he walking the Earth in human form today, he would be plain and ordinary, dare I say, ugly? Obviously it wasn’t about the externals for God.

Jesus taught that throughout the New Testament. It’s what’s inside that counts. Inside. Inside. Your internal beauty is far more significant than external. Unfortunately, that’s hard for us to hear because we glamorize all the external things: beauty, clothes, positions, connections, degrees, IQs.

We have to be constantly on our guard against this wrong kind of thinking. Next time you see one of those paintings of Jesus on the wall (tanned and bearded), thank God that He probably didn’t look that good. Then thank Him for valuing internal beauty infinitely more than externals.

Internal beauty.

“The pride of your heart has deceived
you…” Obadiah 1:3

As the passage points out, pride is
deceptive. Often you don’t even realize that you have it. Others must
point it out to you! Pride ultimately is what doomed Satan and his
angels. They thought they were as good as or even better than God.

I think of two brothers I once knew.
They was an fifteen years age difference. The younger said to the
older, “I don’t need any help” when he was carrying an extremely
heavy load inside the house  The older, smiled as he watched his kid
brother struggle to accomplish his task. An extra set of hands would
have made the load much lighter but the younger boy didn’t want to
hear of it. He was going to carry it into the house if it was he last
thing he did.

We smile because we’ve seen that kind
of interaction between siblings. Why wouldn’t the younger boy accept help? Pride. 

Sadly, we say the same thing to God,
often without uttering a word. We do things on our own without
calling out for God’s input or wisdom or insight. We carry burdens we
were never meant to carry.

Now would be a really good time to lift
those burdens off and give them over to God. The first step is to
admit our pride. It’s a large first step but it will open many other
doors.