Trusting in the Lord

Matthew 6:28-30 And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Imagine the lilies blowing in the breeze around Jesus, the Master Teacher, as He used the beautiful flowers to drive home this powerful point—God cares enough for the grass of the field to provide it with color and beauty. Don’t worry, He will provide for you.

The promise of God is to provide us with exactly what we need. I get a little peeved with people that think and claim He gives us the desires of our hearts as if it was due them. I have trouble with that because I think they forget that scripture also says in Psalm 37:4-6 ESV Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

There are some action verbs in that scripture which require our attention. Delight yourself in the Lord… Commit your way to the Lord… trust in Him…

Delight yourself in Lord doesn’t mean to sit around making a list of the ‘desires of your heart’ that you want God to provide as if He was Santa Claus. It means we fall in love with the Lord and want what He wants for us. Our will starts lining up with His will for us and we want His will in our lives more than anything else.

Commit your way to the Lord means your living and thinking lines up with His precepts and sensibilities and your old ways of living for yourself, doing what you want to do in your earthly ways falls off and no longer entices you away from the Lord. Friends, scripture tells us that temptations and trouble will always be a fact of life as long as we are walking in out ‘earth suits’ but it also tells us that God will always provide a way out of temptations for us…it’s up us to make godly choices.  

Trust in Him is easy enough to say we do but do we really? Trusting in the Lord means waiting on His timing instead of insisting on our own. I’ve learned the hard way that His schedule for my life is far better than me insisting on pushing ahead of God and doing it MY WAY. Trusting in Him means believing He will provide what we need, not necessarily what we want. There is a huge difference. Do you trust Him to know what you need?

Father, thank you for the love and care you have for your children. Help us to worry less and trust more. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What are you Hiding Behind?

This morning I am sharing a few words of wisdom I found by Stephen Davey. After so mnay months of being off-line, it is good to be back!

Psalm 139:23-24: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way."

There is no doubt that first impressions can last a long time. Whether you are interviewing for a job, showing up for a class, or moving into the neighborhood, first impressions are hard to live down.

Sociologists have studied the subject of first impressions. One study concluded that a first impression is solidified in the first four minutes of a conversation. They say that if those first four minutes are positive, your acquaintances will most likely view everything about you in a positive light—even things unknown to them.  Your professional skills, your morals, and even your intelligence will be held by them in high regard. Why? Simply because you made a good first impression.

Sociologists have even given a name to this phenomenon—the "halo effect." If you can put your best foot forward and come out looking and sounding impressive, you will create a certain air about you that may last a long time, regardless of whether or not it is true.

This happens all the time in our modern culture; a culture where charisma matters more than character—where image is more important than integrity. We live in a world that is consumed with creating halos and keeping them shiny at every opportunity, while hiding the sordidness of our true identity.

This is certainly not a new development. During the days of Christ, the people who wore the brightest halos were the Pharisees. They arrived at the busiest street corners in the marketplace at exactly 9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m., where they prayed on public display.  People thought of them as men who loved God more than other people did; men whom God loved most; but Jesus Christ was not deceived by their chicanery. He, being God, looked beyond their smiles and priestly robes and saw what was in their heart. They were hypocrites to the core and Christ was not fooled by their good impressions.

His condemnation of the Pharisees was justified when they crucified Him. How ironic! They were the supposed "God-fearers" of the day, yet at their first chance, they put Christ to death for unmasking their true identity. Though they studied the Scriptures fervently, they did not heed the words of Solomon, who wrote in Proverbs 15:33, "The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility."          

Fear of man induces hypocrisy—fear of God produces humility.

Are you living a double life in order to gain the approval of others, or living a singular life that recognizes the need for God's grace and direction each day? Are you shining your halo or cultivating your humility? Halos make a good first impression on mankind . . . humility makes a lasting impression on God.