Fantastic Friday #807 - Crafty

Crafty

11 The lowly he sets on high,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 He thwarts the plans of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He catches the wise in their craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are swept away. Job 5:11-13

Do you have experience with a crafty person? Someone who is cunning to gain an advantage or downright evil to have something come out in their favor. Our family has encountered an individual in the past couple of weeks that thinks they are being crafty, but in reality, their craftiness is just evil that impacts us in a negative way. I am not typically judgmental, but some things make me so angry. When I sit back and look at it, this person taking advantage of a situation and lying to benefit themselves personally can only bring temporary success, especially if you believe in God's Word. I believe in God's Word and His teachings and know that God will handle things like this in His own time. Until then, we just have to continue to trust and love God with all our hearts, and fight against the crafty people who take advantage of every situation that comes their way. We cannot get angry for things that are out of our control, but have to continually focus on good and treating others with respect and love.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #806 - Water

Water

You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you. Psalm 63:1-5

Does water satisfy your thirst? Think about it, when you are truly thirsty does anything but water satisfy your thirst? If you look at all the beverages out there, sports drinks, sodas, calorie free drinks, it feels there is always something missing from them to satisfy us completely. Water is almost always there and can create true satisfaction. Once you drink it, is your thirst not gone completely? When you are hungry and need to quell the hunger pains you might drink a big glass of water, does it not make the pains go away and your belly feels slightly full? What else do you look to in order to fill your thirst for God? Is it the Bible or searching for God himself, or do you look to society, pastors, leaders or the internet? I guarantee the only place you are going to be satisfied within is with a true relationship with God and His Word. He is Power and the One that can change your life. He can satisfy you fully, just like the water can satisfy your physical thirst, God will satisfy your spiritual thirst.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #805 - Want

Want

16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. Romans 9: 16-18

What do you want? Truly, what do you want to have happen to you? What does God want? This is a pretty simple answer, He wants you. The challenge is that not everyone wants God, they want the things of this world because they think those bring them happiness. There is only one thing that can bring true happiness, and that is a relationship with God. The enemy doesn't want us or care about us, he just wants to pull us away from God. We have to focus our desire on God and His mercy. If we want God, then we can overcome the challenges and sin that enters our hearts. God will harden the hearts of those who don't seek them, and while they might be able to enjoy the things of this world, unless they pursue Him, then they won't experience the Glory that God wants for us. God wants us so we should want Him more.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #804 - Ally

Ally

13 My own hand laid the foundations of the earth,
and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summon them,
they all stand up together.

14 “Come together, all of you, and listen:
Which of the idols has foretold these things?
The Lord’s chosen ally
will carry out his purpose against Babylon;
his arm will be against the Babylonians.[a]
15 I, even I, have spoken;
yes, I have called him.
I will bring him,
and he will succeed in his mission. Isaiah 48:13-15


Who do you have as an ally? Is it someone you trust and have confidence in to keep you accountable for what you should be doing? In wars, countries have allies to help and support them. The allies from WW2 were fighting against an unimaginable evil that destroyed the lives of people and in the end, that evil enemy was destroyed. But there were many people who fought on the enemy's side that were only doing it to preserve their own life. There is not much difference between being an ally in a war and an ally in someone's life. When you are someone's ally in life, hopefully you are fighting for someone to be better and not be on the wrong side of a war. We have battles each day in our lives, and we need to remember we don't have to fight those battles alone. We need to align ourselves with God's teaching, be around people who want to make a difference and finish the mission that God has sent us forth to accomplish. We can't accomplish life without allies, you just have to remember which allies you will align with to succeed.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #803 - Mindset

Mindset

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Philippians 2:1-5

What is your mindset as a person? As a Christian, if you are one? I read something this week that the biggest issue with people today is they are so driven by what they can get out of this life, that they tend to forget about the people around them. It made me stop down and think, what am I doing as an individual to impact the lives of others. Do I sacrifice what I want for what they need? Not very often to be honest with you. I think that I can so easily get caught in my bubble and looking for my own Joy, that I forget to spread Joy to others and have the mindset of Christ. It certainly isn't easy, but if we all take a moment to stop thinking about ourselves, and think about being who God made us to be, then we could change our world. I know that I need the reminder every single day. I need to give more of myself to others and stop thinking only about what I have given and what I have done. I challenge you to focus less on you this week.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #802 - Upright

Upright

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14

You know that God does not expect people to judge other people's actions. In a world of people who take the time to be judgmental about where you send your kids to school, what you eat, what you do on your off time, how you spend your money, what you spend your time watching or reading, how you dress, or how you act, we live in a world under a microscope. I am honestly quite shocked how bold people are in judging people that are in the limelight, especially when they know nothing about those people. In a world where it is easy to judge someone online from a distance, we need to remember that this judgmental attitude can only lead to negativity and ungodliness. I can find myself being judgmental of people in my work and surroundings, but it is up to me to stop before I judge someone for no reason but to make myself feel better. In the end, I really don't feel better and it only highlights my weakness to step into the world. Instead I should be focused on what is good in the world and the people around me. God brings salvation to all, and not just a particular group. Let your blessings rub off on others and think before you make a judgement. There is only one who will judge, and it is not us.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #801 - Distress

Distress

5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me. Psalm 86:5-7

When you are afflicted with something that is weighing heavily on your heart, is your first response to go into a depressive negative state? I find that when most people enter this afflicted state, in their distress they tend to focus solely on the negative aspects of where they are at that moment. Why is that the case? Mainly because the enemy moves in on people who are afflicted and in distress. Those people are an easy target to try and make them forget that they are truly blessed and there is One who can respond to that distress and lift them out of the state of affliction. We need to do a better job of those around us who live in that afflicted state daily. One of my colleagues tends to do that, and I reminded them that we can find joy in the distress and affliction if we only turn to God and His plan for each of us. I am one of those people that can let distress drag me down, but I am reminded quite often by the one I love that this does not have to be the case. Build up the distressed around you by reminding them that God will always answer. He hears you and will listen.

Have a great weekend.

Matt