Be Yourself

Today, on the way to work, I was listening to someone on Radio who was promoting a valid ministry (one I would never do). I was impressed that God gives each of us a job to do that no one else would do.

I am a pastor. I know the DNA that our church needs to have. My job is to keep us focused on the ministry that God has for us. There are hundreds of valid ministries to be done: political issues, AIDS, Justice, Muslim Outreaches, Revival Ministries, Race issues, etc... I could go on and on.

The fact is that although I (and our church) care about every one of these issues, if I focus on every need, I don't do what God called me to do.

My life calling is summed up in my life verse: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work hard with your hands, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."

Who are you called to be? Do you know? If you are trying to be something you are not, you will not succeed, and you will not accomplish the very things God put you on this world to do. Part of being effective is not only knowing WHAT to do, but WHAT NOT to do.

Prayer

Yesterday, in my devotions, I was reading from Matthew 6. When I came to "The Lord's Prayer" instead of just reading the words, I began praying them and letting the meaning of each request resonate with me. Rather than saying a rote prayer, I actually took time and prayed through each stanza of the prayer.

Let me walk you through the prayer, so you can follow me:

"Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name..."
- Begin with a time of praise, focusing on the nature of God.

"Your kingdom come..."
- The kingdom of God is established in the hearts of those who have repented and turned to him. Use this time to pray for those you love who do not know Christ as Lord and Savior.

"Your will be done..."
- This is the time to present your requests, petitions and intercessions.

"Give us today our daily bread..."
- We all need money and provision to survive. This is the time to pray for God's provision and to thank him for what he has already given. Notice that we don't pray for daily abundance, but daily bread. Use this opportunity to confess your total dependence on God's provision; financially, physically, & emotionally.

"Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors..."
- We have all sinned and owe God more than we can ever repay. Thankfully, if we ask for forgiveness, He releases us from what we owe him. Since he freely forgives us for the wrongs we have done to him, we should also release those who have done wrong to us.

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil..."
- It is not enough to simply be forgiven, we need to reject future sinful actions. This is the place when we ask God to help us choose the right path.

"For yours is the kingdom, power and glory forever..."
- Although this stanza was not in the original, it can be found in a prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:11. It is a fitting way to end a time of prayer, recognizing God's superiority and authority over everything you have just prayed.

Now, try praying today. You might be suprised at all that God is able to do in and through you!!

R U Happy?

Today, I picked up a devotional (not my normal habit). The part I read asked a very good question: "What would it take to make you happy?"

The author related a few stories, a blind person who said, "If I could only see, I would be happy." Yet, there are many seeing people who aren't happy. Another person said, "If I had a job, I would be happy." Yet, how many people complain about going to work? Another sad, "If I were just married, I would be happy." One word: Divorce.

Happy, as defined in this world is getting one more thing. It is having some outside force come into your world to give you something you don't have. But, as we have just seen, these things may give momentary pleasure or relief, but they can never provide happiness.

Jesus defined the "happy" life to us in the Beattitudes. the Greek word "makarios" is translated "blessed." The Greek dictionaries say the word carries the addional meanings of "happy or fortunate."

So, what is the happy life? A person who is "poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry, merciful, persecuted and insulted."

Apparently, happy is more an attitude of the heart than beneficial conditions, pleasure or acquistion of stuff. What would happen if we started embracing happiness from Christ's point of view? What if we simply started being thankful to God for what we have instead of being grumpy about what we do not have?

Salt for Worship

So, I preached a few weeks ago about the need to be "salt" in the world. This morning, in my devotions, I ran across a text that spoke to me.

"Season all your grain offerings with salt. do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings: add salt to all your offerings." (Leviticus 2:13)

Apparently, the salt in us is not just for the world, but it is worship to God. When we live in a way that is wise before God, he recieves worship from us through it.