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
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Friday, July 24, 2020
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
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
Friday, July 17, 2020
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
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
Friday, July 10, 2020
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.
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.
Friday, July 3, 2020
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
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
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