Steps
8 Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the Lord on the third day from now?”
9 Isaiah answered, “This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?”
10 “It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.”
11 Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz. 2 Kings 20:8-11
Do you ever wonder why we tend to look back all the time when so many things are in front of us? We tend to walk through life and while it is easier to move forward, there are many times when we move backwards. Maybe it is a particular sin or shortcoming that we have that we keep revisiting, or maybe it is dwelling on something in the past that has long since been dealt with. Our steps are always challenged by the enemy trying to get us to move backwards because that typically takes our focus off what's ahead. It is so much better for us to move forward and to leave the enemy behind. Keep your steps moving forward and protect against thinking it is easier to move backwards, because if you are like me, you will trip moving backwards.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, September 29, 2017
Friday, September 22, 2017
Fantastic Friday #594 - Destruction
Good Morning,
Destruction
1 Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
Why do you boast all day long,
you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
2 You who practice deceit,
your tongue plots destruction;
it is like a sharpened razor.
3 You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Psalm 52:1-3
I am currently reading a book about a former war and there are many gut-wrenching parts of this novel. The clarity in which the soldier describes the destruction and death around him paints a picture so clear, sometimes I feel like I am right in the middle of it myself. The other more personal pictures of who started the war and why they started the war are just as moving. I assume that this war just like any other starts with a misunderstanding and also lies a deep hatred for someone or some thing. The enemy has so much influence on people these days, if only the people at war stood back and looked at each other for the people they are they might see past that evil and acknowledge them as a human being. The problem is evil is strong and makes people think they can be a hero for their cause and they don't think of anything else. With war comes destruction, not just of land but of people and their beliefs. Can you imagine if we looked at building up rather than destroying people, how much better off our society would be. Before you think that I am truly talking about a war between countries, think about the battles you fight daily where you are tempted to tear down someone else or their beliefs even when they don't agree with yours. Maybe we should work to build people up and focus on good rather than evil through the truth we all know. Don't let the enemy tell you it is OK to be destructive, because in that world nobody wins.
Have a great weekend.
Destruction
1 Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
Why do you boast all day long,
you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
2 You who practice deceit,
your tongue plots destruction;
it is like a sharpened razor.
3 You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Psalm 52:1-3
I am currently reading a book about a former war and there are many gut-wrenching parts of this novel. The clarity in which the soldier describes the destruction and death around him paints a picture so clear, sometimes I feel like I am right in the middle of it myself. The other more personal pictures of who started the war and why they started the war are just as moving. I assume that this war just like any other starts with a misunderstanding and also lies a deep hatred for someone or some thing. The enemy has so much influence on people these days, if only the people at war stood back and looked at each other for the people they are they might see past that evil and acknowledge them as a human being. The problem is evil is strong and makes people think they can be a hero for their cause and they don't think of anything else. With war comes destruction, not just of land but of people and their beliefs. Can you imagine if we looked at building up rather than destroying people, how much better off our society would be. Before you think that I am truly talking about a war between countries, think about the battles you fight daily where you are tempted to tear down someone else or their beliefs even when they don't agree with yours. Maybe we should work to build people up and focus on good rather than evil through the truth we all know. Don't let the enemy tell you it is OK to be destructive, because in that world nobody wins.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, September 15, 2017
Fantastic Friday #593 - Troubles
Troubles
28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
29 He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven. Psalm 107:28-30
Troubles are all around us. Troubles are presented to us in many forms. I have seen many troubles this week that other people have. One thing I have tried to focus on instead of the why is how are these people going to get over their troubles. Many of them don't have a close relationship with the Lord. It makes me begin to wonder, is my relationship close enough to the Lord that if I had the same troubles as them, would I be able to respond with a deep abiding faith in the Lord to get me through? We tend to forget that God is always there for us, even in our deepest darkest moments. All we need to do is step forward and lean into Him who gives us a calm spirit. Knowing that He can calm all the storms in our life and make them quiet gives me the strength and faith I need to get through. You know, those people with troubles can be prayed for, even if they don't have a relationship with the Lord. He wants all to come to Him.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
29 He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven. Psalm 107:28-30
Troubles are all around us. Troubles are presented to us in many forms. I have seen many troubles this week that other people have. One thing I have tried to focus on instead of the why is how are these people going to get over their troubles. Many of them don't have a close relationship with the Lord. It makes me begin to wonder, is my relationship close enough to the Lord that if I had the same troubles as them, would I be able to respond with a deep abiding faith in the Lord to get me through? We tend to forget that God is always there for us, even in our deepest darkest moments. All we need to do is step forward and lean into Him who gives us a calm spirit. Knowing that He can calm all the storms in our life and make them quiet gives me the strength and faith I need to get through. You know, those people with troubles can be prayed for, even if they don't have a relationship with the Lord. He wants all to come to Him.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, September 8, 2017
Fantastic Friday #592 - Mature
Mature
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4
While this scripture is only a piece of a larger passage, there is so much truth in this one verse that it cannot be ignored alone. This week I got up in front of my colleagues with a green pompom in hand and jumped around a stage screaming Team Green. For those of you who know me, you might find this a little odd, and maybe sound a bit immature considering my age. But, let's break this down for you. I am a team captain within our division of student affairs in a friendly competition, and I was trying to motivate the team. I figured if someone in my position could jump around a stage with a pompom in hand and look silly for a moment, I could show a side of me most people don't see. Like our Christian walk, there are many parts of us that are immature and we are not fully grown. When we show our immaturity, it shows others that we are like them and not fully mature. To show others our immaturity helps those people grow, because we can be less intimidating in our beliefs and how we present ourselves. Being mature comes from a long-term relationship with our Father in Heaven, and not just occasional visits with Him. A regular bit of hard work, study and relationship can mature you where you need to be. One thing I should note is that you should not let your immaturity rule your life, but let God take you and mold you into the mature individual. Be immature to teach, but don't live in this area.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4
While this scripture is only a piece of a larger passage, there is so much truth in this one verse that it cannot be ignored alone. This week I got up in front of my colleagues with a green pompom in hand and jumped around a stage screaming Team Green. For those of you who know me, you might find this a little odd, and maybe sound a bit immature considering my age. But, let's break this down for you. I am a team captain within our division of student affairs in a friendly competition, and I was trying to motivate the team. I figured if someone in my position could jump around a stage with a pompom in hand and look silly for a moment, I could show a side of me most people don't see. Like our Christian walk, there are many parts of us that are immature and we are not fully grown. When we show our immaturity, it shows others that we are like them and not fully mature. To show others our immaturity helps those people grow, because we can be less intimidating in our beliefs and how we present ourselves. Being mature comes from a long-term relationship with our Father in Heaven, and not just occasional visits with Him. A regular bit of hard work, study and relationship can mature you where you need to be. One thing I should note is that you should not let your immaturity rule your life, but let God take you and mold you into the mature individual. Be immature to teach, but don't live in this area.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, September 1, 2017
Fantastic Friday #591 - Sight
Sight
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8
With this week's tragedies, it is often easy for us to lose sight of God's overall goal for us. The sights we have seen give us anguish and cause us to wonder, what's next. God asks us to love others and love Him, and we have seen plenty of people loving others. We have also seen the hatred in people's hearts by taking advantage of the less fortunate. We need to remember that our sight of the future relies on that faith in our Heavenly Father, that whatever tragedy comes our way, there is hope on the other side. We can get so bogged down in our negative circumstances that we tend to let those overtake our faith and diminish it. Don't lose sight of what God has for you and stay on the path of righteousness that leads to our real home with the Lord.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8
With this week's tragedies, it is often easy for us to lose sight of God's overall goal for us. The sights we have seen give us anguish and cause us to wonder, what's next. God asks us to love others and love Him, and we have seen plenty of people loving others. We have also seen the hatred in people's hearts by taking advantage of the less fortunate. We need to remember that our sight of the future relies on that faith in our Heavenly Father, that whatever tragedy comes our way, there is hope on the other side. We can get so bogged down in our negative circumstances that we tend to let those overtake our faith and diminish it. Don't lose sight of what God has for you and stay on the path of righteousness that leads to our real home with the Lord.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
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