Fantastic Friday #765 - Glory

Glory

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2: 13-14

How often do you stop and give glory to God for anything? When you do, it probably sounds nothing like the heavenly host, but I am sure that God is honored each time you do. In this year of challenge, change, frustration and suffering, we might need to take that step of thanks to give God the glory that He deserves. He has given us life, He has given us family and friends, a roof over our heads, freedom of choice and most of all a Savior to give us hope and a future in Heaven if we choose to follow Him. So, during this day of remembrance of Christ's birth, let's give Glory to Him who deserves it and in your best voice try to match the glory of the heavenly host.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #764 - Kindness

Kindness

6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:6-8

This week someone I know stated that they were just too nice and they seem to get hurt when they are nice. This got me thinking that being nice is not the same as kind. There is nothing wrong with being nice or doing something nice, but this reminds me of something that is fleeting and you can be nice and then turn right back around and be mean. It is very possible that kindness is what leads you to do something nice, but at the same time I only see niceness as an action in a brief moment. I look at kindness as something that is done from the heart and something that makes a significant impact. Just as God expressed in His kindness, we can express in our kindness from our heart. Remember that God first showed us kindness, so we can definitely return the favor and show kindness to others. Focus the next time you do something nice, and ask yourself if it is coming from a heart of kindness or a heart of necessity. Look to see how your kindness can improve your heart condition and those around you.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #763 - Resist

Resist

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:7-8a

What have you had to resist this week? Maybe it was a temptation to eat one more piece of cake, have one more drink, or maybe it was to take a shortcut with something. While shortcuts can be advantageous for some things, when you leave steps out, it can have a great impact on the end result. God wants us to take steps to improve ourselves, but the enemy wants us to take the easy way out and follow him. The enemy wants to take us down a path of self-destruction as well, and this is what we have to be diligent about daily. This is a very simple scripture that is not always so simple, but if you look carefully, you can notice something that will help with resistance. That is where we are in our relationship with God. We need to stop and focus sometimes on how close we are to God. We should focus on Him and His previous impact on our lives, so we can resist when the enemy tries to pull us away. Submit, resist and come near God and I guarantee you will see a difference in your life.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #762 - Good

Good

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16

What have you done that is good for someone besides yourself this week? It is probably not a question you ask yourself very much because things like that are not always on your mind. What did you sacrifice this week? Another question that could be very difficult to answer, but one we should probably focus on more daily. A sacrifice is sometimes viewed as hard because it would mean you would have to give up something or time to accomplish something. Most have time that you think is very valuable and you could be doing something for yourself. Whoop, there it is, giving up what you want for something or someone else. Isn't that what God wants, us to share with others and by sacrificing our money, time, energy it is pleasing to God. So, think about something good you can do this week, but something good that causes you to sacrifice something.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #761 - Servant

Servant

4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,”[a] bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. Hebrews 3:4-6

Have you thought about being a servant to someone else? I don't have a huge servant's heart, but I am beginning to learn what it is like to serve others, sometimes without the thanks. That is where the problem is, and my view is skewed. A true servant should never search for anything in return but should serve faithfully those that God has placed before you. We should also remember that as we are serving those others, we are serving God. I need to pray for more of a servant's heart and less of a desiring heart.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #760 - Giving

Giving

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Epehsians 5:15-20

I am not going to talk about giving in this season of our lives, I am going to talk about giving thanks to our Father in Heaven. Every day we can find ourselves trapped in the world of living unwise, thinking of how we can get and not what we can give. We all live different lives, have different roles and jobs, but how many of us stop down to give thanks to our Father in Heaven for what He has given us? Instead we shuffle around wondering what is next for us, what new toy we can get, where our next meal is coming from or how we can get ahead of that person that seems always to be out in front. We need to pause our giving, not actual giving, but giving in to the enemy and begin to thank God for everything in our life. Once we start living a life of gratefulness, our eyes will be opened to what we truly have, and what we can look forward to. In this season of giving, give thanks to our Lord and Savior first.

Have a great weekend.



Matt

Fantastic Friday #759 - Drift

Drift

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. Hebrews 2:1-4

Do you find that you drift from time to time where you lose your focus with what you are working on? When you drift, your mind wanders and the attentiveness you had is suddenly lost in whatever you begin to think about. Have you ever had someone just say a phrase or a word and then you are just gone? Like orange and white stripes, what immediately comes to mind? That's right, you are probably thinking about a Whataburger right now or maybe a Taquito. The same thing occurs when the enemy drops something in your lap to pull you away from God and what he wants for us. The great thing about God is that He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit and if we listen to the Spirit, these distractions can be minimized if not completely forced away. Keep in mind the enemy is always lurking and we can escape the clutches of the enemy if we stay focused and don't drift.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #758 - Separate

Separate

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Either way you pronounce the word, whether it is a short a or a long a, the word separate can still be applied daily. In these last days, we are seeing the fruit of the enemy impacting people and their lives. How many of us see people focused on money as the most important aspect of their lives, where they focus on the pleasures of this world rather than the pleasures of God? Don't get me wrong, God wants us to enjoy our time together here and all the earth offers, but what He doesn't want is the focus of our lives to be on the things of the world. He wants us to separate our lives from people who chase the things of this world. He also does not want us following things that separate us from Him. Keep this in mind when the hate and lack of self-control of those around you start to creep into your life, focus on walking with God and what He wants us to avoid. Don't be a lover of yourself, but a lover of others.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #757 - Petition

Petition

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

How many of us have petitioned a leader for something? Maybe you wrote your elected representatives or senators, presented in front of the school board, addressed your Elder Board, pleaded with a Pastor or even spoke at your city council meetings. Whatever it was that you petitioned for, you had a strong desire to make a change, and the change was typically driven by something you didn't like, or something someone did that impacted you negatively. In this world of elections in the U.S. democracy, we are given the opportunity to choose someone who we think can do the job well. How do politics and God's word cross? Well, God very explicitly in this set of verses tells us that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving should be made for all people. He didn't say "some people" or only your "family members", He said "all" people. He also clarified who that was to include and that was "kings and all those in authority", and I would say this even includes our elected officials. Whether you are on one side of a political party or another, we all need to remember that these candidates are included in the "all people" category and God wants all people to be saved and come to an understanding of Him. So take a moment to pray for the leaders of your country, because whether you voted for them or not, God can guide these leaders through our prayers.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #756 - Redemption

Redemption

13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14

Redemption, the act of atoning for a fault or mistake, that is what the dictionary says. However, redemption has a much deeper meaning than just that, especially when we may be atoning for something daily, which could be something you do or say about someone else. To have redemption through God' Son, Jesus Christ, gives us not just forgiveness, but it also rescues us from an eternity of darkness. Just because he has rescued us doesn't mean we don't have a role to play, when you put the preceding verses with the above two key verses, you get the full picture.

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 9a-12

We don't always pay attention to what we need to do to obtain this free gift of redemption, because we are all tied up into our own things that supposedly make us happy. If we stop and remove the vices and disobedient practices from our lives, then bearing fruit becomes much easier and we don't have to spend all our time atoning for mistakes we make because out of that fruit comes a joy that glorifies our father.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #755 - Malice

Malice

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

As I was reading this scripture this week, I thought how much this fits within the time we are living in now. Don't get me wrong, malice has always been around because the enemy is very influential on earth, but the level of anger and rage that we see daily is continuing to grow. We can all sit back on our high horses and in our houses including groups of friends and say, you know that is such a small percentage of people in the world, there are more good things out there than bad things. So let me ask you a question, how many of you experienced a feeling of bitterness or even slight anger towards someone this week. I know that I have felt a bit of frustration which can lead to bitterness and anger, and if we allow those small moments of bitterness to creep in, this will only cause us to be able to slip into those moments of anger more easily, which could eventually lead to malice. It is a pretty simple directive from God, and if you take a moment to step back and be kind instead of bitter, you can be the change that influences the world around you. So, take this challenge this week, wave at people when you pass them, say hello to complete and total strangers, hold the door for people you don't even know, and don't forget to ask God to guide you through these turbulent times. Get rid of the things that drag us down, you can find those in verse 31.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #754 - Hearing

Hearing

Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear. Isaiah 59:1

As I have begun to age I have found that I tend not to hear very well, but if you ask my family I have had this problem for many years. I wonder how many of us actually listen to what the Lord wants us to hear, or do we listen to what we want to hear. In today's world there are so many things coming at us at once, it is very hard to distinguish what we should be listening to day by day. We tend to listen to what sounds good to us. Kind of like music, we listen to things that make us move or feel good. How many of us have ever listened to the enemy and then felt really good after choosing to make a decision that is not righteous? We need to remember that the Lord's reach is far and wide to help us. He can hear everything we say to Him, and all we have to do is ask. If we listen carefully and allow the Lord to reach us, our hearing will improve.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #753 - Recognition

Recognition

3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 1 Timothy 5:3-5

If you were to look at me, recognition is something I hide from, even though Words of Affirmation is my love language. We all look for recognition for things that we do, in fact why would we care about grades in school if we didn't want the recognition for doing well, or why would we want the athletic award for doing well in sport, or the number 1 ranking for a performance. We all strive for recognition and excellence in some way. When life starts on its downhill course, this is when recognition doesn't matter as much to us, and especially when we are taking care of a parent. They took care of us all those years, and then the tables turn where we will take care of our parents. It is interesting that this scripture refers to "repaying" our parents. Our parents paid a price and so it is our turn to pay them back. God also paid a price by having his Son Jesus die for our sins, so maybe we should repay Him with our Honor and respect. Recognize who needs the most recognition and then you won't need it so much.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #752 - Thoughts

Thoughts

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55: 6-11



I hope that you have been thinking this week. I also hope your thoughts have been positive and uplifting. With so much evil in the world and anger, it is very easy to slip into thoughts of that same hate. This week I watched a video where police officers were being treated very badly verbally and being accosted for no reason while they were just doing their jobs. This mistreatment has made me angry the last couple of days as I try to rationalize why I am feeling so angry. Then I started to realize that God sees all these actions, including these people's thoughts and my own thoughts toward these actions. Why didn't I call on the Lord when I was feeling that anger in my heart, maybe it is because the actions were so evil and I allowed my anger to be kindled. Once I remembered my thoughts can be heard by God, it changed how I began to feel. I know that God knows the thoughts of all people and He probably is sad when people mistreat each other. We just need to remember that God will achieve His purpose and we should try and make our thoughts clean and full of kindness. Keep anger and hate for the enemy, and live a life of passion chasing after good thoughts.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #751 - Messenger

Messenger

24 “This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:

I am the Lord,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,
who spreads out the earth by myself,
25 who foils the signs of false prophets
and makes fools of diviners,
who overthrows the learning of the wise
and turns it into nonsense,
26 who carries out the words of his servants
and fulfills the predictions of his messengers, Isaiah 44:24-26a


What do you listen to when messengers share information? Do you take what is said for gospel, do you dissect it piece by piece, do you ignore it, or do you just listen to part of what is shared. Today, messages come to us in many forms across many avenues. Sometimes there are just brief statements with not a full explanation that have character limits. Other forms include full articles written in an opinion format, or a visual story of 2-3 minutes with some information but holes and gaps. We also have pictures that send a message, but maybe not the complete message and we also have the technological manipulated images that don't give the full picture. I can't think of any better messenger than our Father in Heaven. Our God of the Bible gave the full story through prophets and His son Jesus Christ. When we hear messages today, the best thing for us to do is to ask God how He wishes us to hear those messages. Are the messages true, a little research can help you decide along with the Holy Spirit who prompts us when things don't seem quite right. We won't always be able to decipher the messages we receive, but if we open our hearts to God and what He wants us to hear, the noise will be silenced and we can trust that God has what is best for us. Trust in the messengers that God sends, and have reasonable expectations that not every messenger is sharing the truth. Choose what is known vs. the unknown. Choose God.



Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #750 - Freedom

Freedom

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:13-16

When you think about being free, what first comes to mind? For those who are Americans, is it the U.S. Flag, is it the military that has fought to preserve our freedom, or is it the constitution that gives us freedoms and rights. Freedom also is the ability to make your own decisions, now the question should be is how do you use that freedom? Do you use it to serve others, or do you do it to possibly harm the well-being of others. When we have the freedom to say and do as we please, we also have the choice of how we say and do those things. Today, people are using their freedoms to blatantly attack other's belief systems, their faith and their families. We need to remember that God was very specific about the freedoms He gave us, and we shouldn't abuse those freedoms. Many people in the world don't have the same freedoms we have to worship, to teach, and to love others. God has provided a special gift and we need to remember to humbly use it and not to abuse it. Use your freedom wisely.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #749 - Situations

Situations

17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. 1 Corinthians 7:17a

Our situations are not much different from each other as people. We wake up, we eat, we go to school or work, we eat lunch, we work some more, then we come home, we eat, and finally we go to bed and the next day it starts all over again. I know this is a very simplistic way to look at our lives and there are many holes in these steps that I have listed, but those holes are where we most likely differ. What do you do in those gaps between eating and sleeping? Are you bettering yourself, or are you being a stagnant human being? Those of us who are believers, I hope that you fit God into those gaps with prayer and reading the scriptures. I also hope that you approach each situation as a God-assigned situation, and not as a negative situation that you can't seem to overcome. God calls us to each and every situation presented and expects us to handle each situation, not alone but with His help. He already knows we can't do it on our own, but he wants us to trust Him to help us through it. Keep in mind that not all situations are able to be solved immediately, but God provides a plan and path for us, all we have to do is follow it. Live as a believer and things will be easier than if you approach something in a negative fashion.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #748 - Peace

Peace

16 The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert,
his righteousness live in the fertile field.
17 The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;
its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. Isaiah 32:16-17

Do you ever wonder if there will be peace? Certainly with what we see every day, that hope is a long way off and we may never see the peace that you think of when people talk about it. If you look at history, there has always been war, fighting factions, government disputes, leaders who changed the way people think, and people who change the way governments think. It is pretty clear in scripture that God places people in leadership positions and we must respectfully understand that God has a reason for these leaders to be in power. However, peace does not come from these leaders, peace comes from God, and His peace is everlasting. Maybe that is why people cannot find peace, because they are looking for the wrong kind of peace. Maybe we should be looking for the quiet confident peace that God promises. Find your peace in God, and it will truly make a difference in your life.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #747 - Flesh

Flesh

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:5-8

After reading this scripture, look at your day-to-day activities, how many of you can say that you fall into setting your mind on what your flesh desires. I would say pretty much everyone. We don't always live with a mind that lives with what the Spirit desires, but we can start on that path by making simple changes. I mentioned this week that I am tired of the hate between people, and I got angry at work because of some information on a project that was withheld from me. When you stop and see the flesh take over, it is not easy in the moment, but afterwards you think to yourself, why did I let my flesh overtake my emotions? When we let our emotions be overcome by the flesh and the enemy, it tears up everything that the Spirit has built within you and you certainly aren't pleasing God with your behavior. Take a moment or several moments each day to remind yourself that the Spirit lives in you and can help you daily, even moment to moment overcome anything that is placed before you. Live in the Spirit.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #746 - Riddles

Riddles

5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:5-7


Everyone likes a good riddle right? Some phrases put together to confuse us from finding out the right answer? I mean didn't Jesus speak in riddles so people did not understand him? Maybe riddle isn't the right word, because while the answer cannot be found in a riddle, it can be found in a parable. Riddles are meant to confuse us, but parables are meant to teach. If you work hard enough at a riddle, you can eventually solve it and find that the answer wasn't that hard in the first place. Understanding parables requires something that not everyone has, and that is a fear of the Lord. A humble respect of our Lord can help us understand the many parables shared in the Bible, and much of His word that is not always easily decipherable. We just have to believe and have faith in our Lord and He will guide our hearts to understand His word, whether it be through parables or deep scriptural meaning. The only way to get there is to pray, have faith and study His word regularly. If you don't do these things, then you are just going to be reading riddles where the answer is always right in front of you and you just can't see it.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #745 - Vengeance

Vengeance

12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
and probe the heart and mind,
let me see your vengeance on them,
for to you I have committed my cause.

13 Sing to the Lord!
Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues the life of the needy
from the hands of the wicked. Jeremiah 20:12-13


Do you ever have a desire for revenge? Maybe someone hurt you or hurt someone you love. Inside your mind you probably tell yourself that God would want me to forgive that person, but we are all sinful people and don't always make the right decisions. I know many of us can sit around and think about the vengeance we can have on someone for being hurt, or maybe just talk a little badly about that person. But honestly, God does not want that anger and vengeance in our life. He wants love and forgiveness, just like He gives us every single day. How can we get rid of these thoughts of revenge? We can turn to the Lord and give praise to Him for everything He gives or has given. We can sing a song, we can ask to be rescued, and we can avoid being sucked into the wicked ways of the enemy. Focus on Love and Forgiveness and God will guide you.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #744 - Fort

Fort

16 But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.

17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely. Psalm 59:16-17

This week I was reading a story about a fort, and how the builders of that fort had strong points to protect themselves from attacking individuals. However strong this fort was built, there was still a weakness that allowed for the enemy of these people to penetrate that fort. We can try and be strong as individuals in our daily tasks and walk, but there is always a weakness in our own fort. This is where God comes in. He is our fortress and too often people forget that. They tend to think of a fortress as something physical and not something spiritual. Do not think of your fort as something that you are strong enough to handle on your own, but think of how God can be your strength.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #743 - Responsibility

Responsibility

4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. Galatians 6:4-6

Taking responsibility for one's actions is not something we see a great deal of in our world today, in fact it is something that can be very difficult if you have someone else you think is responsible for something that impacted your actions. I experienced something this week where I gave direction to a group of people, without assigning specific tasks to specific people which came back to a situation where something was not done that was very important. I could have hid behind the fact that I had given general directions to a group and expected them to accomplish the task, but instead I claimed responsibility for the task not being completed. If I would have hid, I wouldn't have protected those around me, and I wouldn't have received the respect for stepping up and accepting responsibility. I have learned, even at the ripe old age of adulthood, that you cannot place blame on something for which you are responsible. Be responsible, make the right choices and good things will come.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #742 - Presence

Presence

25 David said about him:

“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence. Acts 2:25-28

Do you feel God's presence? I wonder what it was like during Old Testament times when God spoke to people through the Prophets and the Holy Spirit was not active like the Holy Spirit is today. This last week I had a strong, almost audible presence tell me not to go where I was heading, but to turn and go in the opposite direction. I listened and went a different direction and went to a completely different location and felt at peace once I had done that. I listened to that still small voice, but I still don't know why I was sent a different direction and I guess I don't need to know. The fact that I listened to the promptings of the Holy Spirit made me realize I too often allow other things to drown out that voice and presence in my life. When you see that if the Lord is always before you and you will not be shaken, how wonderful of a picture is that? Remember, God doesn't always speak through others, but He uses the Holy Spirit to keep His presence known and we can rely on Him.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #741 - Nation

Nation

1 Vindicate me, my God,
and plead my cause
against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are
deceitful and wicked.

2 You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?

3 Send me your light and your faithful care,
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God. Psalm 43


Do you ever look at our nation from the eyes of what God sees, what about the world? There are so many things wrong with how people act and live, but really how different is it from when David was King? Minus all the technology, there was still sin and evil in the world, just like today. When David turned to God, he turned to the only One who could make a difference, so why are we so stubborn about turning to God. The question is have you asked for help or do you go about your day ignoring the evil and ignorance in the world. We need to step forward knowing what God can do to change people's hearts and attitudes. We need to remember that God has already won the battle, all we need to do is remind people that He is there with His faithful care. Put your Hope in God just like the scripture says and live a life of change and influence.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #740 - Enmity

Enmity

3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? James 4:3-5

Enmity is a hard word to say and to understand sometimes, but maybe if i use a synonym, it might make it more clear.  Spite is a word that I am sure we all recognize, and I know that we are seeing a lot of spiteful people these days.  When you see things people post for no other reason but to be hateful, this is when spite can be seen. Have you ever gotten so angry that you sit down and write an email or a social media post, and then push send just a little too early?  We all have had that experience where we may have spoken before we took time to think, and it possibly has come back to hurt us or others.  We all need to be careful about what we put out there, and we need to be thoughtful.  Maybe before we post something, write or say something we should ask ourselves these simple questions. Is this going to harm someone? Is this going to make my life more difficult? Is it going to put enmity between me and God?  A lot of times our words can hurt if not arranged and stated in the right way, or these words can attempt to build ourselves up to a place where we really don't deserve to be.  We need to be humble and cautious about how and what we speak, don't use spite to try and make yourself better than you really are, but use kindness and love through your words.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #739 - Pure

Pure

11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
will have the king for a friend. Proverbs 22:11

What do you think of when you hear the word Pure? Is it the white snow, the clear and clean running stream, or the purity of a young child? When you think of a pure heart, the thought of being completely clean might be something that enters your mind, and when God is described in the Bible the sheer brightness described must have been a blinding pure light when nothing else was seen. To have a pure heart these days is hard, because the enemy challenges us at every turn. I look at the anger and hate being spewed these days, and I wonder if there is any purity in these people. I also realize that people who spew hate and not love for others don't have many friends. Think about those around you who show grace and love to others, people usually don't have a bad thing to say about those people. That is because they are blessed with friendship because of their kindness and purity of heart. I would much rather be blessed with a kinship with others and a pure heart, than have a heart that is dark and no real love to give others. Speak with Grace verbally and online the next time you say something.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #738 - Pain

Pain

28 May they be blotted out of the book of life
and not be listed with the righteous.

29 But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
may your salvation, God, protect me.

30 I will praise God’s name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:28-30


Do you ever find yourself in pain or suffering? There is a lot of pain and suffering that goes on in this world, and a lot of times I think it can be self-inflicted. There are times when others can inflict pain on you, but if you think about it, there aren't that many people who intentionally inflict pain on us. The pain that I see is caused by worry, doubt and fear. Our body begins to break down and we can't sleep, get frustrated or feel like we can't overcome the pain. Here though is a perfect example of how we overcome the affliction and pain we experience. God provides coverage over us and we should remember that we can push back against the pain by utilizing the Holy Spirit for comfort and calling on God to help. We do need to remember to daily thank God for His coverage over us.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #737 - Mocker

Mocker

7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.
9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For through wisdom your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. Proverbs 9:7-12



Have you taken to social media this week and seen one person attacking another? Or, have you found yourself attacking someone's negative comments with opinions of your own? We all have deep feelings about the world and what happens around us, but with the advent of social media we tend to see these events more often, more quickly and almost immediately when live events are being broadcast. We need to remember that the world is full of wickedness and mockers whose sole purpose is to create a division among people. This Proverbs verse helped remind me that our role is not to rebuke the mockers, because as you and I know, these people will never see the wickedness of attacking others as being wrong. If they do, it will only because they see how you treat them with respect and love. We need to remember that we should respect God and His guidance on how to treat these mockers. Wisdom will come in how we treat others around us, and this wisdom will help others grow. When you rebuke, be careful in how you proceed, and I hope you can take a step not to antagonize people this next week but love them through your words and actions.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #736 - Wicked

Wicked

4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth;
his eyes examine them.
5 The Lord examines the righteous,
but the wicked, those who love violence,
he hates with a passion.
6 On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot. Psalm 11:4-6

What do you think about when you see the word 'wicked'? Does anything that you see in society today cross your thoughts, something across the street or down the road or on the news? There is a lot of wickedness in this world, but at the same time this is a lot of good and passion with people and their actions. Wickedness comes in many forms and cannot be narrowed down to one specific thing, and one specific location, and certainly God sees it all. Kindness and love, if practiced, can overcome the world of wickedness. I think reading this scripture this week that I would prefer to be on the side of the righteous over the wicked, because coals do not sound great unless you are grilling. Things are hot enough now that we don't need more heat from sulfur and scorching wind, so think about your love and kindness, and the kind of cooling impact it can have on wickedness.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #735 - Word

Word

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

When you read God's Word, how does it make you feel? When you study God's Word, does your load seem lighter? What about when you go several days without reading or studying God's Word. I know that I personally tend to lose focus and move on a path of doubt when I don't look at His Word daily or on a regular basis. Doubt is one of those things that the enemy finds as a very easy way to pull us away from God, but if scripture is alive and active, then it really destroys that doubt that creeps in on us. Remember the visual noted above of God's Word that can slice through anything the enemy places in front of us and can impact us deep in our soul. If we can remember the words of this simple verse, then our doubt can be easily defeated.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #734 - Changes

Changes

20 and declared:

May the name of God
be praised forever and ever,
for wisdom and power belong to Him.
21 He changes the times and seasons;
He removes kings and establishes kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those
who have understanding.
22 He reveals the deep and hidden things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
and light dwells with Him. Daniel 2:20-22


Sometimes we have to make changes on the fly. Maybe it is due to a sudden event, something your boss didn't like, or something that impacts the way you are able to make it through the day. If you look at the business world, people always talk about change, how it can be better, how it can make a difference and they also talk about how people are resistant to change and people stuck in their ways find it hard to change. How many of us have something that changes in our lives and it throws us completely off kilter. We think the world might be falling down around us or the enemy sees where he can step in and make us feel miserable about the change. Maybe we should look at changes in a different manner. Change, according to this scripture, comes from God alone. He changes the times and seasons in our lives for a reason. If we readjust our focus on where these changes come from, then maybe our view of our circumstances would be different. We also might begin to see and experience the deep and hidden things from God. I know I daily look for these guide-markers that God places before us.


Have a great weekend.


Matt

Fantastic Friday #733 - Knit

Knit

13 For it was You who created my inward parts;
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You
because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.
Your works are wonderful,
and I know this very well. Psalm 139:13-14

I have seen a lot of people working on things they haven't had time to do before this pandemic, and the most interesting thing I have seen is the knitting that is taking place. I saw a blanket that a friend made, and it reminded me of all the blankets my grandmother used to make. I made a joke that my friend should knit a pair of shorts for her husband, but not sure I want to see that. My daughter also produced a painting this semester for her art class that focused on this scripture but was also a personal statement. All of this reminded me of this scripture about God knitting us together. If God can knit together such a wonderful creation as us, don't we think that He can do anything? When doubt creeps in and makes us think our circumstances cannot be corrected, or that what we are going through is irrelevant to God, think about this scripture. God wouldn't take His time to knit together something as wonderful as us just to have us unwind into a mess of yarn. Focus on knitting your own life into one that is well-lived.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #732 - Heart

Heart

32 “Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And his master got angry and handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. 35 So My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart.” Matthew 18:32-35

Do you think much about how important a part of you that your heart is in your life? Sure, the easy thing is that it is the key mechanism to keep your blood pumping, which impacts a lot. Have you ever sat down and thought about your heart having feeling? You have heard the terms broken heart, heavy heart, light-hearted, strong heart, and hard-hearted. All these types of feelings that someone has show that the heart plays an important role in every aspect of your life. When you get scared your heart can beat faster, and when you are calm your heart beats slower and with each heart beat you can feel the impact on the rest of your body. So, what about forgiveness, some of you know that anger at someone can make your heart heavy and beat at a higher rhythm, but if you loosen that anger, you can feel a calmness come over your heart. That is why this scripture is so telling, it is just a minor part of a parable that really shows the impact of someone's heart and the love that God shows us. Dig deep into the goodness of your heart to forgive others and love God with all your Heart.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #731 - Terms

Terms

21 Come to terms with God and be at peace;
in this way good will come to you.
22 Receive instruction from His mouth,
and place His sayings in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be renewed.
If you banish injustice from your tent Job 22:21-23

Do you find it difficult in situations to come to terms with the challenges you face? Do you wonder why it is hard to be at peace during challenging times? What clarity do you come across when you ask these questions of God? It seems pretty simple, but our hearts are hurting and we can get lost in our own problems and worst of all the enemy sneaks in and attacks your mind with these little bad nuggets of doubt. Job had almost everything taken away from him, but he found guidance in the darkest time of his life. When people were telling him to doubt God, he rose above that. He turned where needed to in order to be at peace. We can experience the same peace by relying on God's Word, His historical gifts to us that He has provided, and the promises of what is in store. We just need to be receptive to His instruction and open our hearts to renewal. Take a look internally and know that He has it all under control.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #730 - Criticize

Criticize

10 But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God. 11 For it is written:

As I live, says the Lord,
every knee will bow to Me,
and every tongue will give praise to God.

12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14:10-12

I have seen a lot of criticism this week by others, and I have also found myself criticizing others. Some was necessary for correction, but not all of it was which is where we all fall short. We often forget how much of an impact this criticism actually has and is it necessary. How do you feel when someone criticizes you? Does it depend on the tone of voice, the tone of the email, the words that are used, or the presentation of the criticism? Everything is a factor and when every one of those ways or a majority of them is negative, it can really impact a person and their response. We need to remember when planning on criticizing someone, is it something that will help the person, or is it going to beat them down to a place that you wouldn't want to be yourself. Keep in mind that the criticism we give can be immediately turned back on us, and we need to be careful because we will be judged some day and we don't want to be known as the criticizer who never has anything else good to say.

Have a great weekend.


Matt

Fantastic Friday #729 - Mind

Mind

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The Lord put it into the mind of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and to put it in writing:

2 This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build Him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Whoever is among His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 Let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:1-4


The Lord put it into the mind of King Cyrus. Think about that statement for a minute, a King of Persia who had no reason to give the people of God an opportunity to build the House of the Lord, was influenced by our amazing Father. If God has such influence on people, then why do we doubt His ability to manage any situation we are going through. I know that these times people are hurting and desperate, but how many people turn the Lord in this time of distress? If God can influence a man like King Cyrus, don't you think He can influence our leaders in this world, and can control any situation. I challenge each of you take a moment each day to give thanks for where God has you, and the influence He is in your life. Sacrifice food for a day, yes fast for two meals this week, and pray during that period of fasting that He can resolve the challenges of the virus that has attacked so many. Be a blessing to others and wait for what He has for us.


Have a great weekend.


Matt

Fantastic Friday #728 - Unity

Unity

14 Above all, put on love—the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful. Colossians 3:14-15

I wonder some days why it takes a crisis for people to come together in unity. Every day on the news we hear about how one person helps another and how that impacted several people. Over time they show how just one act of kindness extends to others unknowingly. Are we so blinded by this world that we can't see this daily, or see all the good that goes on without a crisis? I think people tend to get so comfortable in their own lives that they can forget they are a part of the common good. I know for me it all starts daily with being thankful. Thankful for Christ's sacrifice, thankful that God put me in a place of influence, and thankful for my family and friends. Those are just a small number of things that I am thankful for, and we need to remember that we all can come together in unity at any time, not just when several thousand people around you are suffering financially and with illness. Thank about who you are in unity with and don't think that you are above being of one mind and body with your fellow man.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #727 - Plan

Plan

3 As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach different doctrine 4 or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith. 5 Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1:3-5

I don't know about you, but I like to have a plan. I like to plan meals, plan outings, and plan my work day. I may not be the super planner that some people are, but I at least like to have an idea of what is coming so I can be prepared for it. I am not a huge spur of the moment type guy, but that is for another day. The latest situation in our lives has caused me learn how to plan around difficulties and challenges that we have not had before. Curve balls are thrown at us in our life and it is how we respond to them that makes a difference many times in the outcome. It is pretty simple to say God's plan is this and we need to operate on faith, it is a whole different world to live it. Living what we are saying is a challenge, but every step that you live in faith increases the reliance you have on God and His plan. Believe me, I did not like His most recent plans with loved ones and family members, but I know my faith in God is what has gotten me through it. We need to remember that if we serve in love and have faith, God will answer according to His plan.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #726 - Calamity

Calamity

4 I am a laughingstock to my friends,
by calling on God, who answers me.
The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
5 The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt
and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.
13 Wisdom and strength belong to God;
counsel and understanding are His. Job 12:4-5,13

What a whirlwind of a month as we see sadness all around us daily. This week another calamity visited our family with the passing of a dear friend. No words or feelings can be penned to cover how my friend, his family and my family feel. We can only do one thing and that is turn to our God and ask for peace and guidance through this tragedy. While in the end, she is in Heaven with our Lord and Savior, that doesn't always help those who relied so much on her, and it doesn't always help when she was so young. I look back at Job and the calamity that he suffered through the loss of family and wealth, and see his continued reliance on God even through the challenges. We often forget that during times of struggle that God is in control of all things, and it is being fulfilled to His plan. Just like my mother one month ago, God called home another angel this week for His purpose. We won't understand and we are at a loss, but we can be found and will eventually understand if we put our faith in God at the sight of a calamity. Don't let the pain and sadness you feel overwhelm you in any situation, but know that God is always there.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #725 - Suffering

Suffering

31 For the Lord
will not reject us forever.
32 Even if He causes suffering,
He will show compassion
according to His abundant, faithful love.
33 For He does not enjoy bringing affliction
or suffering on mankind. Lamentations 3:31-33

Do you think the circumstances around you are a result of the world's rejection of God? We can look back at the history of the world and find where God punished people for rejecting him and worshiping other gods. While I don't believe that God is causing suffering to take place now because specific people have rejected Him, I do believe that God allows us to suffer to turn back to Him. There was a scripture my son shared with me this last week that pointed to the fact if we pray and seek His face, and turn from our evil ways, he will heal our land. Maybe we need to start thinking about seeking, turning, and praying to see what God can do. He is mighty and he certainly doesn't like to see us suffer.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #724 - Promises

Promises

3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 4 By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4

There is evil in the world, so much evil I wonder some days if the good can still overpower the evil acts and craziness that goes on. Did you see that statement? If good can still overpower evil. That is how a lot of us tend to think about things. Maybe we need to focus on the promises that God has given. He's already won the battle, and we get so deep into our lives, sometimes we tend to forget that. He gave Satan free reign over this world, and it needs to be within each one of us to battle it. He gives us the tools and the spirit to fight against the negativity and corruption, we just need to reach into that tool belt and use them. The promises are there and we will have them according to His goodness.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #723 - Signs

Signs

3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. Hebrews 2:3-5


Every day we look for signs. These signs we look for are sometimes related to an acknowledgement that we are doing the right thing, walking the correct path, or living how we should be living. I looked this week for a different sign and one that I did not receive an answer for until I truly listened. God gives signs and wonders all the time, and sometimes we just don't pay attention to His sign for us. Our hearts need to be right and God needs to be willing to give us a sign. It seems that we so often wait for something that seems to last for days. I was happy to finally receive a sign that was calming and clear, and we just need to wait His will. Wait for the sign that God has in store, and the sign will be clear.


Have a great weekend.


Matt

Fantastic Friday #722 - Resting Place

Resting Place

This is what the Lord says:

“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?
2 Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.

“These are the ones I look on with favor:
those who are humble and contrite in spirit,
and who tremble at my word. Isaiah 66:1-2

This week my mom went to her final resting place in Heaven. Do you ever think about where your final resting place is going to be? God clearly outlines that those that are humble and contrite in spirit and fear His word are the ones He looks on favorably. I can say without a doubt that I am not always humble and contrite, and I don't always tremble as I should, but God has created a way through His son Jesus Christ for us to be ones that He can look on with favor. Knowing that mom was always a humble caring individual gave me strength this last week where I know that she is in the place she needs to be. She is no longer suffering but rejoicing in the heavenly realms, where God created a place for all of us. Keep God at the forefront of your lives so that your resting place will be with Him.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #721- His Will

His Will

14 Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for. 1 John 5:14-15

God has always done things according to His will and not ours. We typically find ourselves wondering why my will is not done, but even when Jesus taught His disciples about praying, He taught them "thy will be done" which is certainly not our will be done. I have been wondering this week why He heals some and not others, why some suffer and others are miraculously healed. I know it is all related to His will. We don't understand these things, and it is because God does not reveal His plan for us clearly, but it will all be made clear some day. We just need to have faith in His will and his plan, and He does hear us, it is just what we are asking for may not be in His plan but we should not give up asking.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #720 - Hope

Hope

3 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5

I don't often enough think of how hope and faith intertwine so seamlessly. Maybe we need to look at how feelings turn into beliefs. When we are going through circumstances, people say have faith and the outcome will be there for you, but a lot of times our faith/belief is not there. This is probably because we haven't focused on the hope/feeling we have about what difficulty can be resolved. We must feel first before we believe in any situation, the reason is because our feelings drive our hearts and belief. If we have negative feelings about the outcome of something, then our belief is not going to even have a chance at starting because we have already squashed it. We must have the hope and positive belief that God will provide answers/solutions/healing in our life and that feeling can turn easily into belief/faith that God will provide. We need the one to have the other, and that is why you always see Faith, Hope and Love together. They all rely deeply on each other. So, use your hope to lead into faith. God will provide.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #719 - Deeds

Deeds

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy are in his dwelling place. 1 Chronicles 16:23-27



How do you practice good deeds? Is is something you specifically plan out each day saying I am going to do this and do that and then my good deeds are done for the day. Or, do you think, I am going to do one good deed today and they world gets in the way and when you are in bed you think, man I just forgot to do something good today. Or, do you do the right thing and practice good deeds as a part of your normal daily routine? There is nothing wrong with reminding yourself you need to perform good deeds, but they need to come from the heart and not done to just a check box. Maybe a good start is to recognize the deeds that God performs for us daily and do we ever thank Him for His deeds? If we start with praising God and His deeds, then it is a whole lot easier to perform good deeds for others not for ourselves, but to honor Him. Just remember not to get caught up in the "I must do my good deed" to mark it off my list, but perform your good deeds that should come from your heart and show others the love of Christ.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #718 - Cost

Cost

1 Lord, who can dwell in Your tent?
Who can live on Your holy mountain?

2 The one who lives honestly, practices righteousness,
and acknowledges the truth in his heart—

3 who does not slander with his tongue,
who does not harm his friend
or discredit his neighbor,

4 who despises the one rejected by the Lord
but honors those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his word whatever the cost,

5 who does not lend his money at interest
or take a bribe against the innocent—
the one who does these things will never be moved. Psalm 15



Do you think of the cost of fighting for rights of others, or the cost of fighting for someone you are close to? It is common to forget the cost that Jesus paid on the cross, but even during times before Christ came, people were following God at great cost sometimes. Today it is easier because of our freedom to follow Christ and His teachings, but not everywhere around the world. Certainly there are people paying a much higher price to follow the Lord, but honestly it doesn't cost us very much. What about your brothers and sisters in Christ, do you work hard to protect them at all costs, and do you think they would protect you at all costs? What about your past friends you have lost touch with, or just left behind for a closer group of friends. We need to think carefully about our circle of friends and not isolate ourselves. With the short lives we have on this earth, we need to take advantage of every relationship we have now or had in the past. I think sometimes we get caught up in a small circle and routine because we are comfortable, but we probably need to expand our realm at times past the things we are most comfortable. We don't know what is ahead of us and we might not know when we will need an acquaintance outside our immediate group. God puts all these people in our lives for different reasons, but He doesn't expect us to just ignore them if they move away or not rely on them when we need help. All I am saying is love on the ones outside your realm just as much as the ones close to you, and maybe God will show you how you all fit together, and there is no cost to gaining relationships, only losing them.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #717 - Depend

Depend

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
6 think about Him in all your ways,
and He will guide you on the right paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

This is a common verse we have all heard many times, but do you really listen to it carefully. The word rely has a synonym, depend, that we don't often think about, in fact we probably think about being independent more than dependent. When you find the path you are are walking as a rocky road, what do you depend on to get down that rocky road. Is it a broom to clear the path, a stick to knock the rocks out of the way, or do you try to find another path to avoid the rough and tumble road. Maybe we are relying too much on ourselves to get down this path, and we should focus on trusting the Lord to get us down that rocky path. Sure we might slip on path during our walk, but God is always there to catch us and guide us. Remember that we aren't strong enough to do these things on our own, we need the Lord in every step of our life.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #716 - Devotion

Devotion

16 The Lord is King forever and ever;
the nations will perish from His land.
17 Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will strengthen their hearts.
You will listen carefully,
18 doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed
so that men of the earth may terrify them no more. Psalm 10:16-18
When you look at your devotion to the Lord and His teachings, do you think about His devotion to you? We spend a lot of time thinking about our plight, about our hurt and not much time reflecting on the Lord's history of being devoted to the people who love Him and follow Him. I can spend all day talking to God, reading His Word, listening to uplifting music and reading devotional books, but am I really devoting myself to Him and His teachings or am I walking a path to look good to Him. When you truly devote yourself to God, it looks very different than what is listed above. Your walk is very different, your thoughts turn to what is good, and you live an uplifting life because of God's guidance. A humble respect of our Father in Heaven is what He wants from us and when we begin to Devote ourselves Humbly, His actions will be more clear to all of us.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #715 - Clarity

Clarity

1 Lord, I seek refuge in You;
let me never be disgraced.
2 In Your justice, rescue and deliver me;
listen closely to me and save me.
3 Be a rock of refuge for me,
where I can always go.
Give the command to save me,
for You are my rock and fortress. Psalm 71:1-3

When you are praying for something , do ask for a clear answer, one with full clarity that leaves no doubt. I think a lot of us want that clear answer, but that is not always how God works. Many times we are given bits and pieces of an answer to a prayer or a guiding response that requires something of us. You are probably asking yourself, what could I possibly give that would provide an answer with clarity. Your first step should be to come humbly to the Lord with a faith that He has already lined out a clear path, one that you just can't see yet. God desires us to want Him to help us, because He knows our heart and where we stand with our faith. If we let our faith waver, God knows this and might not provide us the clarity we wish for or want as an answer. The sooner we start to realize that God wants our humility and our faith in Him, the sooner the clarity will occur. Sometimes the worst things that happen to us give us the opportunity to look back on and clearly see why we had to go through them. There will be however some hidden things from us until we are truly ready for the clarity that God provides. Seek clarity through humble and faithful prayer.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #714 - NEW

New

18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19

The past is so easy to look back on and see what we have done and how we have done it. The continual evaluation of the past is not always good because we can dwell on the negative more than the positive. The past has things we can learn from, but we have to remember that not everything in the past is important. God creates a new day for us each day, and it is sort of a renewal to give us a chance to follow Him and what He has in store for us. We all have a constant battle we fight every day against the enemy and what he is trying to do is make us remember and dwell upon the past, including the challenges we are currently experiencing. We have something better than that and it is a true direction of not dwelling on the past from God's Word. God makes a path for us and even though there are times we cannot see it, the path is made clear at the right time. We have to make sure not to get lost in the wilderness by not taking His cues. Have faith in the one that fights all our battles for us and has already won the ultimate battle. Keep on fighting and live a New life every single day.


Have a great weekend.


Matt