Some Thoughts From Matthew 6

"....For where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also."  (Matthew 6:21, Amplified Bible)

There was a book which was somewhat talked about when I was in college, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.  I never read it, but understood that it was about several characters who felt isolated and alone in life.  Now each had a different reason for their perceived isolation, but the title reveals that the lonely heart is the heart continually searching for meaning, security and peace in life.  You have heard the phrase, "a troubled heart."

Our Lord Jesus tells us something of the heart.  It will focus and center on that which it treasures, values most highly, longs for, "....[that on which your life centers]...."  The context of today's passage tells us of investment, "....Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where...," nothing can destroy or steal from us.  How many times do we hear of people who "lost everything."  The "lost" was victim of, "moth,..rust,...thieves...."

Then there are the people who sang, "Love Is A Many Splendid Thing," only to find out just how painful "destroyed" love can be.  Moreover, have you ever heard people say, "I live for....?"  Whatever follows will determine any lasting peace, security, happiness.  If one's life here is based upon, "....lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,.." nothing good will come from it.  That "lonely heart" will keep on hunting------ and never find.

In following verses, our Lord Jesus tells us that we, "....cannot serve God and...." He says, "No one can serve two masters; for he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other."  Again, it is, "no one."  We may have at times in our lives thought we could, and even attempted to, "serve two masters," but the Bible very clearly teaches that we can only have one master.  Living in total surrender to Jesus, He  then goes on to say, will lead a life of walking in victorious, "....do not worry about your life...."  If we serve Jesus, and Jesus only, we have no worries.  If I do worry, it just further reveals that I am attempting to, "serve two masters."

Surrender totally to Jesus and we will serve Jesus only, which means there is no room for serving another "master."  In the same chapter, Jesus tells us that, "If ...your eye is good (single, clear, sound), your whole body will be full of light."  If Jesus alone is our, "single, clear...Treasure," our, "single, clear," Master, there is no doubt that we will then walk in, "Therefore do not worry....Your Heavenly Father knows that you need...all these things...."  And, there is no doubt that they, "....shall be added to you."

Father, in Jesus' Name, Wow!  Your Words!  Amen.
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* With Pastor Mike and Diane, and their congregation over the weekend, October 7, 8
* In DC, October 20   

* Please put a "post it" on your frig to pray for our Fall Mission, October 28-November 15

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

The "President's" Household

"All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar's household." (Philippians 4:22)

Again, so much for the "separation of church and state."  The Bible knows no such political correctness.  Paul could not have gotten any "higher up" in the Roman Government than, "they of Caesar's household." 

The Church and the Kingdom are not the same.  The Kingdom includes, but is also beyond the Church.  The Kingdom is where the Church is not.  The King of the Kingdom, Jesus, is working throughout the earth, yes, even where Believers are not.  I repeat Mumford's insightful statement, "You can control the Church, but you can't control the Kingdom."  No matter what the Church is doing throughout the earth, "The Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.'

Could it be that if we want to see some of the most powerful things the Holy Spirit is doing, we need to get more involved with, "Caesar's household"?  Now if some think I'm putting down the Church, I'm not going to respond to that.  But if the Church does not think, move, and work more with, "The Kingdom of Heaven/God," in our hearts and theology, we will miss much of what King Jesus is doing in the Earth.

Now, what has this to do with a "devotional?"-- Everything.  You and I are Citizens of, "the Kingdom of Our Lord and of His Christ."  You may be a member of a "small church," but you are also a Citizen of the Kingdom, the Kingdom described in the Book of Daniel, "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never destroyed....It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.....Then to Him (the Son of Man) was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him....And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High....And all dominions shall serve Him."  As ones in whom Jesus Christ lives, this is ours! 

Father, in Jesus' Name, "lift our vision higher."  Amen.
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A further, most revealing article on Germany at: jhs58.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"I Have No Good Besides You"

"O my soul, you have said to the Lord, 'You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.'" (Psalm 16:2)

The present United States of America is a very strong affirmation of this.

Let me share a few other translations.  "....apart from You I have no good thing" (NIV).  "I have no good besides You" (NASB).  "I have nothing good besides You" (HCSB).  How interesting that even before I read our text this morning, I was thinking the same thing.  It was one of those moments of, "I stand amazed in the Presence of Jesus the Nazarene...."  Sometimes talking to oneself is okay, especially if one is reminding oneself that I have, "....nothing apart from You."

When I think of those years of Jesus' faithfulness, just in Jesus' provision alone, when things looked very, very uncertain, Jesus Was/Is always Certainty Personified.  I remember once when I was contemplating an "alternative supply," Our Lord Jesus said to me quietly, even sadly as a hurt friend, "What are you doing?"  I was never so thoroughly rebuked, embarrassed, yet loved and encouraged all in the same sentence.  Take a moment right now, won't you?  The hymn says, "Count your many blessings, see what God has done."  It is much better "therapy" than counting what we think He has not "done." 

You do know, don't you, that when we opened the door of our hearts to Jesus, He came in?  The song writer said, "Since Jesus came into my heart,..floods of joy o'er my soul like the sea billows roll, since Jesus came into my heart."  And, I remind you that HE HAS NEVER LEFT, NOR WILL HE.  Presence is Who Jesus Christ Is.  He does not come and go.  He does not have to be awakened, nor asked to come to us, nor "welcomed," nor any other such language which implies He was somewhere else and had to be invited.  "You are my Lord; I have nothing...besides You." 

Father, in Jesus' Name, Yet, in You, I HAVE EVERYTHING.  Amen.

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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"The Righteous--What Has He Achieved?"

"The foundations are being overthrown.  What has the righteous wrought?" (Psalm 11:3, Cambridge Bible Commentary)

One translation suggests, "The foundations (that is, of good order and law) will be destroyed, what has the righteous done (to sustain them)?"  The Expositor's Bible says, "The foundations [of society] are being torn down; the righteous-- what has he achieved?"  The Church needs to ask this in our prayer meetings, worship, testing of "prophetic words," missions and evangelism.  The, "foundations," of which our text speaks are not foundations of some laws, principles, etc., of man's creation.  They are of Jesus' creation, His "Law/Word" (Luke 6:46-49).

The last 55 years has seen those, "foundations," largely rejected in the United States of America.  The Church too has been affected, attendance down, giving down.  Nothing seems to be stopping this: "....the righteous--- what has he achieved?"  The Church in America and globally must "stop, look, and listen."  Upon what foundation is she building, or, has Christendom just stopped building altogether?  What about me?  What about you?  May we never forget that our personal "victorious living" also depends upon, "The foundations...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that if asked of me, "What has the righteous done?" my life does not say, "nothing."  Amen.
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* Read how Austria seems to be "getting it" when it comes to immigrants:
    jhs58.blogspot.com
* Please pray for our Berlin/Wittenberge Mission, October 28-November 15 

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

What Are You, "Treasur[ing] Up," Today?

"My son, if you receive My Words and treasure up my commandments with you..., then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.  For the Lord gives wisdom; from His Mouth come knowledge and understanding...."  (Proverbs 2, ESV)

I, "treasure up..," the, "Words of God," not because I'm religious, "spiritual," or some super saint.  I, "....treasure up..," His Words because I know just how much my life, my survival depends upon Them/Him.  Notice that, "....the fear of the Lord and...the knowledge of God," and, "....wisdom..., knowledge and understanding...," all are rooted in, "My Commandments," aka, "The Words of God." (Some leave here because they think they know what I am going to further write.)

If you read the Bible because you have to, you have never realized just how utterly dependent you are upon the, "power of God."  If you read the Bible to get sermons, teachings, devotionals or to fulfill someone's description of a "quiet time," again, you cannot know, "....Christ the power of God," no matter what other "spiritual" endeavor you partake of.

47 years ago, our Lord Jesus literally, "....drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog...."  Yet, even this morning I know that I am on the edge of, "....the pit of destruction..," and, "....the miry bog...," any time I would rest in my own power, strength, determination, self-will, independence, any "spiritual" exercise apart from, "The Words of God."  Life is not a one-time decision.  Life is a series of moment by moment decisions.  The, "....lion...going about..," takes no days off.  Please never think for a moment that anything you or I do can ever accomplish any overcoming power if we do not take heed to, "treasure up My Commandments." 

"....the pit of destruction," and, "....miry bog...," are not very far from any one of us.  What have you done today to, "....treasure up My Commandments with you"?  I know the busyness which attacks us all.  It is quite true that "there never seems to be enough hours in the day."  The very wise person, however, finds those "hours in the day," and, "treasure[s] up," His Words.  Jesus tells us, "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food which the Son of Man will give you."  That, "food," my friend, is His Eternal Words.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much for Your Words You Breathe on me.  Amen.
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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2