The Power of Sacrifice: How Giving Up Your Will Strengthens Marital Bonds

Marriage, a profound journey where two lives entwine, embodies the essence of sacrifice to forge an unyielding bond. This sacrifice isn’t merely relinquishing possessions but an act of profound love and dedication, fortifying the very fabric of the relationship. Let us delve into the transformative power of yielding personal desires, drawing parallels between such sacrifice and the sacred unity found in the Christian faith.

The Significance of Sacrifice within Matrimony

At the core of a thriving marital union lies the art of sacrifice. Sacrifice within marriage necessitates prioritizing your partner’s needs above your own, echoing the sentiment of Philippians 2:3: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Contrary to common belief, relinquishing personal desires doesn’t entail losing oneself; instead, it unveils one’s true essence.

Yielding for the Enrichment of Marriage

Recall those instances of discord with your partner, recognizing that yielding could have diffused the tension. In my book, “Heart of a Husband,” I explore Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, where despite his own desires, he submitted to God’s will, epitomizing sacrificial love (Ephesians 5:25) — a model for husbands in cherishing their wives.

Emulating Jesus’ Sacrificial Love in Matrimony

Contemplating Jesus’ sacrificial love unveils a blueprint for husbands in honoring their wives. Jesus sacrificed much for the greater good, akin to how husbands ought to prioritize their wives’ joy. This depth of love is transformative, fostering marriages steeped in trust, reverence, and unwavering support.

Selflessness illuminates the path to marital harmony. Each sacrifice fortifies the bond between partners, knitting together shared experiences and resilient commitment, fostering enduring and unwavering relationships.

In sacrificing for one’s beloved, the heart of a truly remarkable marriage beats. This altruism not only draws couples closer but also weaves an unbreakable bond. As we ponder surrendering our desires for our partners, let us recall that it’s an expression of love, empathy, and the elevation of our relationships to a higher plane.

How Are You And Jesus Doing?

“How are you and Jesus doing?”

This is a question I’m aiming to make as common as asking, “How are the wife and kids?” Of course, I’m not suggesting randomly asking this to everyone. I’ve encountered those with a gift of evangelism or those who enjoy making people feel a bit awkward by throwing this question into casual conversations. I recall a lunch with a guy who, while ordering food at a quick-casual eatery, asked the employee making our food if he knew Jesus as his Lord and Savior. The employee hastily replied “Yes,” but his expression screamed, “Oh God, please don’t let this guy ask me anything else” That’s not quite what I mean. What I’m striving for, what I want to embed in my relationships with friends who are fellow followers of Jesus, is genuinely checking in on their relationship with Jesus as naturally as I inquire about their family.

For those who know me, I’ve devoted ample time to understanding what a healthy relationship with my wife and kids looks like. It’s been a journey of trial and error. Some days, I feel like I’m acing it, while on others, I find myself farther than ever. In my book, “Heart Of a Husband,” I share my quest to understand how to relate to my wife, and on that journey, I discovered that every relationship should reflect our relationship with Jesus. As in marriages or friendships, our bond with Jesus grows as we spend time together—talking, listening, preferring each other, and submitting to one another.

Perhaps when faced with the question I posed earlier, you don’t know how to respond. Maybe you’re unsure about your relationship with Jesus. Maybe your “relationship” is summed up by a morning devotion on YouVersion, or you only talk to God in times of need. How meaningful would your bond with a friend be if they only heard from you when you required something? Do you have “friends” like that? “Hey “John”, I haven’t talked to you for a while, but could I borrow your truck?” How close would you be to such a person if they only reached out when they needed something? Or imagine only hugging your spouse when you expected something in return? Jesus desires a deep, loving, and intentional relationship with you. He longs for your time and affection. He desires to hear from you, to talk to you. So, the next time a friend inquires about you and Jesus, I want to equip you to respond that you and Jesus are inseparable!

Prayer and Meditation

Prayer is an essential means of communication with God. Allocating time for prayer, whether through structured prayers, conversational prayer, or meditation, fosters a personal connection with Jesus. It’s not just about presenting requests but also about listening and being receptive to God’s guidance and presence. Recently, I read “A Practice In The Presence Of God” by Brother Lawrence (I’d recommend the modern English version). Brother Lawrence advocates for spending time in constant communion with God. Yes, you can maintain continuous communication with the Father. I’ve begun practicing this in my daily life—whether in meetings, during chores, or any other activity, I strive not to break communion with Him. The outcome? I’ve witnessed changes in how I interact in other relationships. I’ve gained peace and increased trust in Him. I’ve grown content knowing He’s with me.

Studying Scripture

The Bible is fundamental in understanding Jesus’ teachings, life, and character. Regularly studying the Bible, contemplating Jesus’ words, actions, and the overarching message of love and salvation helps draw us closer to Him. Reading the Gospels and letters to comprehend Jesus’ life and teachings, along with exploring other parts of the Bible that highlight God’s character, deepens our understanding and connection with Him. Spending time in God’s Word is crucial. As followers of Jesus, we believe it’s the inspired Word of God. Just as we’d gain insight into the thoughts and feelings of our loved ones through their journals (although I wouldn’t recommend reading those!), studying the Bible with the guidance of the Holy Spirit offers glimpses into who God is and who we are meant to be in Him.

Fellowship and Community

Connecting with other believers in a community setting, whether through church, small groups, or fellowship gatherings, enriches our relationship with Jesus. Engaging with fellow believers provides mutual encouragement, shared experiences, and lessons from each other’s spiritual journeys. Fellowship offers support, accountability, and the chance to collectively worship and grow in faith, fostering a deeper connection to Jesus through shared experiences and communal worship.

We’re all at different stages on the path to becoming more like Jesus (which is our goal as His disciples), but I’m confident that as you pursue a more intentional and consistent relationship with Him, you’ll feel closer to Him.

James 4:8 states, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you…”

CHECK YOUR BEATITUDE: WHAT IS MEEKNESS?

The Power of Meekness: Inheriting the Earth through Submission

In the timeless words of Jesus, we find the Beatitudes, a collection of blessings pronounced upon certain qualities and attitudes. Among them, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” stands as a profound call to understand and embody the virtue of meekness. Contrary to the misconception that meekness equals weakness, exploring the true essence of this virtue reveals its power and significance in our lives. In this devotional, we delve into the meaning of meekness, its implications on the Body of Christ in today’s society, and the transformative impact it can bring when embraced wholeheartedly.

At its core, meekness refers to a disposition of submission and humility. It begins with surrendering everything to God, recognizing that our pursuits, ambitions, and desires must align with His divine plan. By shifting our focus to God, we open ourselves to receive His blessings and provisions, as Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33. However, as followers of Jesus, meekness does not stop at submission to God alone.

Beyond our relationship with God, meekness extends to our interactions with others. In the context of the Body of Christ, it prompts us to reconsider how we engage with the world around us. Sadly, modern Christianity often finds itself entangled in worldly pursuits, be it the pursuit of success or the combative expression of opinions on social media. As believers, it is vital to embrace meekness in our interactions, presenting our ideas and opinions with gentleness and respect.

Practicing meekness can be challenging in a world that often glorifies assertiveness and dominance. Climbing the ladder of success, as the world defines it, can be tempting, but meekness calls us to a different path. It urges us to pause before speaking, posting, or striving for the next rung, and instead, reflect on what meekness would look like in each situation. This challenge applies not only to our external actions but also to our internal motivations. We must discern when pride is driving our actions and when we are trying to achieve things in our own strength, rather than submitting to God’s will.

As we embrace meekness, we discover its profound promise of inheritance. This inheritance goes beyond material possessions and worldly achievements. By surrendering ourselves to God and engaging with others meekly, we inherit spiritual blessings—a closer and more consistent walk with Jesus. Meekness opens the door to a deeper communion with God, where we find true fulfillment and purpose.

In a world often driven by self-centeredness and ambition, meekness stands as a counter-cultural virtue. As followers of “the Way,” we are called to embody meekness in our relationship with God and our interactions with others. By doing so, we position ourselves to receive the spiritual inheritance promised by Jesus—the profound and transformative blessings that come from walking in the way of humility and submission. May we, as the Body of Christ, embrace the power of meekness and truly inherit the earth in its most profound sense.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

We come before you with humble hearts, seeking your presence and guidance in our lives. We long to embody the virtue of meekness, to walk in the path of submission and humility that you have set before us. We recognize that meekness is not weakness but a source of true strength found in surrendering ourselves to your divine will.

We acknowledge that pride can often creep into our hearts and minds, clouding our judgment and leading us astray. We humbly ask for your help in recognizing and addressing any traces of pride within us. Please reveal those areas in our lives where we may be driven by self-centered ambitions and desires, and replace them with a deep desire to follow your perfect plan for our lives.

Help us, to surrender everything to you—our dreams, our plans, and our aspirations. May we let go of our own agendas and place our trust in your unfailing wisdom and love. Teach us to seek your will above all else, knowing that when we do, all the things we need will be added unto us.

We yearn to interact with others from a place of genuine humility and gentleness. In a world that often values assertiveness and dominance, help us to stand firm in meekness. Show us how to express our opinions and ideas with grace and respect, considering the feelings and perspectives of others.

We know that it is only through your transforming power that we can truly embrace meekness in our lives. So, we surrender ourselves to you, asking for your Holy Spirit to work within us, molding us into vessels of meekness. May we be a shining example of your love and grace to the world around us.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

I’d love to connect. For more information go to www.justpaulyall.com

Devoted To The Disciplines

It’s that time of year again where I begin to embrace the “fresh start” that comes with the beginning of a new year. Most of us see December 31st as a clean breaking point for new beginnings. Whether it’s a new diet, workout regime or promises made to be more intentional in our relationships, we all have things that we would prefer to do or not do in the next year. Typically, once I get to the fourth quarter of the year I begin to pray and meditate for a theme for the upcoming year. I usually have a one word theme and it appears that the theme for 2023 is Discipline. I know, that’s a word that could apply to a lot of things and though I do want to be more disciplined in my physical disciplines I see this more as a focus on the spiritual disciplines. You may be asking, “What are the spiritual disciplines?”

Dallas Willard divides the disciplines into two classes: disciplines of abstinence (solitude, silence, fasting, frugality, chastity, secrecy, and sacrifice) and disciplines of engagement (study, worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, confession, and submission).

Though I definitely would benefit by growing in all of these areas, and I will be starting 2023 with a fast, I have found myself drawn to what Willard refers to as the “disciplines of engagement”. I feel a real draw to becoming more disciplined, specifically, in my study, prayer and fellowship.

I was recently re-reading about the early church, in the book of Acts. In Acts 2:42, shortly after the Holy Spirit came, it says,

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. – Acts 2:42

The beginning of the christian church was founded on devotion to these disciplines: Teaching (scripture), Fellowship (with meals) and Prayer. If you continue on in the passage you will see that devotion to these disciplines led to not only unity in the entire body but also to “signs and wonders”. As they pursued a relationship with God and “neighbor”, miracles followed them.

As I move into the new year I want to be more devoted to the disciplines. How about you? What could this look like in our lives? I am working on becoming more consistent in my time studying scripture, prayer and fellowship. We all live in such a busy time and it may seem that we don’t have time to be devoted to one more thing but I would invite you to join me in being more intentional about the disciplines. It’s so easy to let our “routine” start as soon as we wake up but what if we got up 15 to 30 minutes early and just spent that time in prayer, worship and study. What if we opened our home for a meal with other believers at least once a month just to break bread and fellowship as a discipline? If we are finding that we are just too busy to spend time in study, prayer and fellowship maybe we should reconsider where our devotions lie. I won’t make suggestions on what to review in your life, we all know the things that are taking up our time. I want to prioritize my devotion to the disciplines. I want to grow in unity with other brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to see the power of the Holy Spirit released through my life in signs and wonders.

I pray that my actions match my desire in this upcoming year. I pray that my devotion to the disciplines becomes so intentional that it impacts my life but also the life of those I come in contact with.

Amen.

Paul

The Struggle Is Real: Find Rest In Your Busy Season

Recently I was reading the Bible, specifically Mark 6. In this chapter, a lot of things happen: Jesus sends out the disciples for the first time, John the Baptist is killed, Jesus feeds the 5000, Jesus walks on water, and multitudes of people are healed. Jesus and the disciples were very busy once Jesus’ ministry started. As I was reading, a specific section of the scripture stood out to me, verses 45-52. Let’s look at it real quick:

⁴⁵ Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. ⁴⁶ After telling everyone goodbye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

⁴⁷ Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. ⁴⁸ He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, ⁴⁹ but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. ⁵⁰ They were all terrified when they saw him.

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here! ⁵¹ Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, ⁵² for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

So directly after a long day of feeding 5000+ people Jesus sends the disciples off while he was doing a “meet and greet” time after “dinner”. Instead of following the disciples Jesus immediately goes “up into the hills” to pray.  This seems significant to me: Jesus has spent his day caring for himself, pouring out to others, and once he tells everyone goodbye he goes and spends time in prayer. 

While Jesus is praying apparently the disciples run into some trouble. Sounds like a storm has blown up on the water and the disciples are working really hard to fight the storm. Something stood out to me in this section of the scripture, it says that “Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. ⁴⁸ He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.

Imagine with me, it’s late at night and the disciples are out in the lake “rowing hard and struggling” and Jesus is standing on the shore just watching. It says that it was late at night when the disciples were in the middle of the lake struggling while Jesus was on the shore and then it says, “About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on water.” I wonder how long he stood there and watched. I wonder what he was thinking. Was he as tickled as I was at the thought of him just standing there watching them to try to struggle and row with their own strength? Did he wonder if they would ever stop long enough to notice him on the shore watching? I wonder how long Jesus stood and watched before he walked. As I imagined this moment I considered that it says it was “late at night” and then, “about three o’clock in the morning”. In some translations, it says “fourth watch” which would be anywhere between 3 am and 6 am. Did he wait until morning to walk out? I imagine he waited long enough for them to realize that they weren’t going to be able to manage it on their own. 

So Jesus starts walking and then it says, “He intended to go past them”. No matter the translation you read on this, they all are clear that Jesus was not planning on stopping. He was just walking on the water to get to the other side (Later in this chapter you will see that he had more ministry to do on the other side.) Or maybe he thought, “they aren’t noticing me, maybe if I walk out a little closer THEN they will notice me and invite me into the boat? At first, the disciples didn’t even recognize him and actually thought he was a ghost.  They cried out and THEN he got in the boat and the wind stopped. The struggle was over. 

I’m sure we all can draw the parallels but let me share some of the things that stood out to me. 

The disciples spent their entire day “feeding” others. Directly afterward they hit a storm. Why didn’t Jesus hit the storm? Because he went and prayed.  He “poured out” and then spent time in prayer to refill. The disciples didn’t take any time to rest then the storm came. Often times we get hit with a storm and the struggle is real but more often than not we try to fight the storm with our own power. We work to make a plan to solve the issues. Whether it’s a family issue, a work problem, or an interaction with a stranger, we try to force our will as we “row and struggle” to make things happen, and all the while Jesus standing by wondering if we will even notice or recognize him at that moment. 

There have been so many times in my life when I tried to take control of my situation. No matter the storm I would just fight and row and battle and get nowhere but I am learning that if I rest, pray and “invite Jesus into my boat” the storm has a way of stopping. 

REST. PRAY. INVITE JESUS INTO THE SITUATION.

It was never the intention of the Father for us to struggle on our own. His whole plan is “bearing our burden”. It’s literally the message of the cross. Jesus is watching and waiting for the invite. He wants you to want him. He wants to be invited into your “boat”. Stop struggling and fighting to make things happen and invite him to calm the storm. 

Before I pray for us I want to talk about verses 50-52; 

 ⁵⁰ They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here! ⁵¹ Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, ⁵² for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

“They still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of their loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in”. Don’t let your heart be too hard to understand the significance of the work of the Lord in your life. Don’t be afraid. Take courage, He is here. Father, thank you for sending Jesus. Thank you for loving us in such a way that when you see us struggling and we don’t notice you, Jesus will move in closer so we might catch a glimpse and cry out for him to “get into our boat”. Help us not forget the significance of all the work you are doing. Soften our hearts so we can “take it all in”. Teach us to rest. Lead us to pray. Help us to trust you. We hand our “oars” to you. We are tired of fighting the storm. We cry out to you, “GET INTO OUR BOAT” Today we hear you and obey, we will not be afraid. We will take courage. In Jesus’ name! Amen.

IS JESUS KING?

Something that is very important to me is to pursue a life that looks like I’m a follower of Jesus. Trust me, I don’t always get it right but my hope is that as the King reveals the ways of his Kingdom to me that I live those principles and mandates out in my everyday life everywhere I go. This world is not our home; We are representatives of the Kingdom of Heaven

That reminds me of an old song my grandma used to sing called this world is not my home.  Let me share a few of the lyrics to you:

This world is not my home. I’m just a-passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore. Sometimes we feel way to at home in this world. 

If you are a follower of Jesus. You are child of a King (your’e actually seated with him, but that’s an entirely different sermon) Once you died to your “old man” and was born again you became a citizen of the kingdom of heaven and your primary service is the to the King of that kingdom Jesus. This isn’t our home.  We represent a different kingdom.  

PREFER TO WATCH? CATCH THE FULL SERMON HERE!

When we show up to the grocery store we represent a King.  People of Earth’s kingdom get mad when the workers at the grocery store are in the way pulling groceries for other people but the King of my kingdom says, prefer others over myself. People of this kingdom lose their temper in traffic and say things that only they and God can hear but all the while we are cursing that person with the words of this kingdom, with the heart of this this kingdom. Alternately, the king of my kingdom says that I will give an account for every careless word I say. 

People of this Kingdom respond defensively and in anger when someone disagrees with them, including their spouse, kids, neighbor, political opponents but the king of my kingdom says to walk in humility and gentleness. I’ll be a little vulnerable with you, this one, I’m still working on this one. 

I imagine that if I were to take a poll on how many of us believe Jesus Is King, most of us, if not all of us would say, “Amen”. We all talk about Jesus “the king.” The Savior of the world. All hail, King Jesus.  But what is he King of?  Is Jesus the King of your heart?  There are times when I even have to ask myself this question, Is Jesus truly King of my life. Do I respond like him?  Do I represent the King?  Do I serve the King?  Is Jesus King?

I would love for us to take a few minutes and consider what it looks like to serve a King.  I want us to answer the question, “Have I fully committed my life to serve a King of a different kingdom?”, for ourselves. What it does it look like to bow my will and ambition to the feet of the King of Kings and to allow his purpose, his rule to guide my life, my actions and my reactions?

When we talk about “bringing the Kingdom” or serving the King of a Kingdom I think have to start with “what is the kingdom?”.

Romans 14:17

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

it’s not my intention to develop a deep theological study into what righteousness, peace and joy are. Trust me, I’m not that deep, and if you want that kind of study it is out there. What I would like to do is help you have a better understanding of what it means to be a representative of the kingdom of heaven. 

All through the gospels Jesus talked about the kingdom.  In Matthew 5 he lays out the law of the kingdom of heaven.  We’ve talked about these but let me just do a quick refresher:

Poor in spirit (recognize their need for God)

Mourn (are sorrowful and repentant for their sin)

Meek

Hunger and thirst for righteousness (want to be right before God, this happens through Jesus). 

Merciful

Pure of Heart

PeaceMakers

Persecuted and falsely accused because of Jesus

When I consider this list (we call the beatitudes) it is glaringly obvious how different the mandates of this kingdom look to the way the kingdom of earth functions. 

We as kingdom people are light not because we are trying to expose darkness.  We are light because we think, act and react so differently than the kingdom of this world that it makes people wanna know more about our King.  The way we live always point back to Jesus.  We show others if he is the King or not. As kingdom people and children of the king we act, react and think like the king Jesus.

A conviction that I have had is that if I am not choosing to respond to the rule of the king am I actually serving the king?

When I started on this journey of understanding what it looked like to represent the King of the Kingdom of Heaven, I don’t always get it right but on the journey of “bringing the kingdom” I started with the Lord’s prayer. 

Matthew 6:9-10

Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed (holy, revered, honored) be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  

As it is in heaven…What does that mean? When I found myself in trying situations, I began to ask myself “Is that how it is in heaven”?

Is there sickness in heaven?  Is there impatience in heaven?  Is there pride in heaven?  Is there anxiety or depression in heaven? Is heaven concerned with the political agenda of this kingdom? Is there social media in heaven? Boy, I hope not.

Being kingdom people, sons and daughters of the king should look different than this kingdom.  Today let’s address three areas that should be affected when we represent a kingdom that is righteousness, peace and joy.

1. How We Act

As servants of the King we actually act differently than the servants of this kingdom.  

Philippians 2:3

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Ephesians 4:1-3

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Righteousness. Peace and Joy.   

Walk in a manner worthy of the calling.  If we are kingdom people we have to walk like it.  Eager to maintain unity. Guys, the society we live in is all about division, cancel, hate, judgment. We can’t buy into it.  The air is heavy with condemnation but that’s not the kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy. Doesn’t that sound nice. A kingdom where we walk so much in peace that it actually brings peace to the earth. That we carry a joy even when we don’t feel it and the people of this kingdom don’t understand it but they want to know more.  

I understand that this kingdom will affect the way we feel because this is a noisy, opinionated and proud kingdom and it will push on you and pull on you to conform to it but I’m not talking about feels.  I’m talking about what’s real. The Truth is that we are kingdom people and we can, by the power the Holy Spirit who is in you, represent the King of Kings in the way we act and actually bring the kingdom to that moment.

I want to tell you a story about my vacation this year.  I was in traffic between here and south carolina.  I was feeling really anxious in all of the traffic. I sometimes can get worked up in a crowd or in traffic and I don’t necessarily love it when cars speed up on my right side when I’m in the “fast lane” and then wanna cut in.  Ooooooo…I’m sure I’m the only one but I totally feel the “get behind me satan” in those moments. In the moment of my anxiety and frustration Jesus asked me, “Is this how I would respond, why don’t you just let them in?” In that moment I had a choice to make.  I was modeling the wrong thing for my family. I was responding like I was a representative of this kingdom but when the King of Kings asked me if I was responding like him, I had a choice to make.  Would I consider what he asked or would I remain in what I considered to be control by forcing them to suffer the consequences of their action. What would Jesus do?

I then remembered Philippians 2:3

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

and Ephesians 4:1-3

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Jesus would slow down. He would allow the one who was “wrong” right of passage. That’s what he did for me.  That’s what he did for you. He allowed one who was wrong the right of passage into his kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy.  So I slowed down and let the guy in.  I began to allow everyone who did that to come on over.  You know what happened?  I gave up my need to control and in that actually gained authority.  Not authority over the person but authority over the situation.  I brought a kingdom response to the situation and immediately peace filled my heart.  I was no longer upset I actually enjoyed slowing down and letting them in.  The response of kingdom brought peace.  It released the kingdom.   I don’t what all happened but that moment of me surrendering myself to the king brought me peace.  It brought the guy who I let in peace.  As sons and daughters of the King we are called to represent the Kingdom in the way we ACT.

2. Way we react

Luke 6:27-29

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.

Righteous. Peace. Joy. Love your enemies. Pray for those who abuse you. If they take your coat give them your shirt. That doesn’t sound like this kingdom.  What does loving our enemies look like when we are serving the King of Kings? 

In my previous job I was climbing the ladder. I didn’t internally step on others as I moved to the top but I had no problem stepping over you.   I had my eyes set on a goal.  In this process there was a guy who was added.  Not in a role that was oversight of me but a role that was in the way of me. At least in my mind. I didn’t like that we had hired him.  I felt like he was overpaid and didn’t know what he was doing. I voiced my complaint regularly to the CEO and even to this guy. It really had me feeling anxious. I began to pray about it because that’s all I could do to help me feel any peace or joy. You know what the King told me to do?  “Help him.” You see, I was the most tenured in my position.  I knew all of the answers and I even had kingdom solutions but I was upset about this guy who was hired and didn’t know anything but the King told me to help him.  So I began to direct him when he was off track. I would build things for him so that he could learn.  I taught him what I knew.  I humbled myself and I followed the King in bringing the kingdom. I preferred this guy over myself. Once I brought a kingdom response I once again had peace. 

Another story I’d like to share is also from a previous job. There was a guy that I had worked with and when I got promoted I became his boss.  He didn’t like that I was promoted and  he didn’t like the fact that I had replaced a friend of his.  After my promotion he gathered a few other managers of like mind and began to make up stories about me to try and get me fired.  These were stories that were absolutely not true but because there were a couple of people saying the same thing it caused me to have to go into the CEO’s office to address these matters.  Once I was vindicated and moved on I had the right and authority to fire them but I didn’t.  God told me that he was doing something else. A few months passed and the “ring leader” of this attack on me had an issue with another employee that had treated him in a way that was discriminatory.  As his supervisor I could have dismissed his feelings but instead I became his advocate. I defended the one who had tried to ruin me.  Though he did eventually leave the company we had developed a relationship where I gave him a reference for his next job.  This isn’t about me but what I hope you get is that there is a King that is telling us that his kingdom prefers others over ourself.  The people of his kingdom prays for those who hate them.  It’s what we do, we’re sons and daughters of the King.

The Kingdom of Heaven is Righteousness, Peace and Joy.

What if? In this kingdom we see political ads bashing the opposition but what if our ads talked about all the things that are good about our opponent or all the ways we were praying for them. It would close with “I’m Jesus and I approve of this message” What if we only acted in a way that Jesus could be the tag line.  Is the King approving your message? I know it seems crazy. Yeah.  Think about what Jesus said, he said, if someone hits you offer them the other cheek. That’s crazy. He said, if someone takes your coat, give them your shirt.  That’s crazy. The kingdom of heaven is crazy if we view it from the perspective of this kingdom but if you switch it and you view this kingdom through the perspective of the kingdom of heaven you’ll realize that everything you’ve been taught when it comes to how everything works in this kingdom is actually counter kingdom of God. 

What if, as kingdom people, we prayed for our business competitors. What if we offered strategy to help them succeed. You know that as kingdom people we have kingdom strategy.  We serve the king who has all of the answers.  You can know them.  You can have them.  You can share them. Think what righteousness, peace and joy would be released all the while expanding the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

As sons and daughters of the king we react differently.

3. Think

Romans 12:2

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

There are so many things that affect the way we think.  This kingdom is full of triggers that cause us to think people don’t like us, we aren’t good enough.  We have shame that comes from this kingdom to make us believe that we will never become everything we were created to be or we’ve messed everything up. The battle in the mind is powerful.  We dwell and focus on things that may not even be true. What are you thinking about?

Philippians 4:8

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

As I prayed about this portion of the writing God kept bringing me back to Philippians 4, specifically 4:4-9.

Philippians 4:4-9

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

When I considered the way we represent the kingdom in the way we think it’s actually the prime catalyst to the way we act and or react.  We will act and react based on the way we think.

When I was upset and anxious in traffic, my heart was responding based on my mind. My mind said this guy is trying to push his way in. This guys is trying to run me off the road. This guys cheating the system. In the grocery store my mind told me that the person was pushing me past me to get the last best banana. I was in line first why is that person cutting in front of me. I wasn’t submitting my thoughts to the King but when I heard the King speak and I obeyed, the fruit of his kingdom filled my heart and changed the atmosphere.  Peace came. Joy came in the revelation of his kingdom being released.  Righteousness. Peace and joy. His Kingdom came.

As we consider about how we think.  How our mind affects the way we release the kingdom I want you to know that we all have different variables and reasons we struggle with things in our mind.  Some have diagnosis, while others possibly like me have shifts in the seasons where I get down or stressed, but our diagnosis isn’t our identity. Though there are different levels the way our mind is working, the truth is that all of the struggles in our mind, anxiety, depression, shame is fruit of this kingdom.  There is no anxiety in my Kings kingdom.  It’s just the truth.  

As I was reading Philippians, I imagined Paul in prison.  He’s locked up writing letters to the church.  Writing letters that would become our guide to following the King.  When he begins to exhort he starts with Rejoice. God is near. Don’t be anxious. But pray. Give thanks. Let God know what you need. And his peace, that we can’t even understand, will guard your hearts and your mind.  Keep in mind that he is in prison.  If you are looking or thinking from the perspective of this kingdom he had nothing to rejoice about. It appeared that he had plenty to be anxious about.  But he says, rejoice. Be reasonable. God is near.  In one of his lowest moment he penned a letter to the church to encourage us not to be anxious. To remind us that God is near. He says, talk to God and let him know what you need and HIS peace will guard your heart and mind.

There are several places in the scriptures where we are instructed not to be anxious.  Jesus says it in Matthew 6.  I Peter 5 tells us to “cast your anxieties on him because He cares for you.”  Paul says it in Philippians. Our mind and emotions must matter to our King.

We all have things that have affected us because of this kingdom. Things that are said to us.  Things that are done to us.  These contribute to how we act, react and think but today. I want to offer you another way. Is Jesus king? Is he King in he way you act in traffic?  Is he King in the way you react to those you don’t agree with?  Is he King in the way you see yourself?  How can you see others correctly if you don’t see yourself correctly.  

As followers of Jesus we are here, our primary purpose is, to live in a way that the Kingdom of God expands. You are a kingdom ambassador. You were created for this. 

As followers of Jesus, we are all trying to be more like the King than we were yesterday.  Sometimes I don’t represent him as well as I should but man I want to.  I want people who encounter me to know that I’m not from here.  This world is not my home.  This world is not your home.  We don’t have to be affected by it.  We don’t have to act, react or think like it.  Jesus Is King.  We serve a king that doesn’t bow to the things of this world and neither should we.  

Prayer

King Jesus. We submit to you.  We bow and give up our will to you. Show us how live like people of your kingdom.  Show us how to act, react and think like you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Maybe you’ve never made Jesus king of your life or maybe you want to re-commit you’re actions, reactions and thoughts to him.  Now is the time.  Don’t be afraid. Don’t be ashamed.  Run to the King.  He’s such wonderful ruler.  Such a peaceful master. Such a beautiful savior. What a lovely friend.  Let us all come to know Him deeper.

Check Your Beatitude: Comfort For Those Who Mourn

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Devotional

As I read through the Beatitudes again this week I had so many images come to mind when I read verse 4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”. I see images of a mother that I met with recently who had lost her son. I see the pain in a father’s face as he is tormented over the fact that he has to stand on the corner of a street begging for money to feed his family of four. I know we all could relate to moments of mourning and though I think in this verse most would say Jesus is referring to an individual lamenting their sin and will be comforted by the sacrifice he made once they accept it. I’m wondering if you would be willing to think a little bit “outside of the box” with me on this?

When I read the word “comfort” I almost always immediately think of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, it reads,

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

As we mourn God comforts us so that WE may comfort others. In John 14:16 the greek word, Παράκλητον (Paraklēton) is used to describe the Holy Spirit, and one of those translations means, Comforter. It reads, “And I will pray for the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”

As we continue to dig into the Beatitudes and learn what it looks like to live out the Fruit of the Spirit in our everyday lives we find that as followers of Jesus we are comforted as we give him our sorrow and our worry and then in turn we get to partner with Him to comfort those around us. When we mourn He will comfort us. When others mourn we will comfort them through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer/Application

Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending the Comforter. Thank you for comforting us as we mourn. You not only set us free from the shame of sin but you also carry us in the hardest of times and you exchange our anxiety, sadness, and pain for peace, love, and joy. Help us to represent you in our world. Help us to be the comforters that the world needs. In Jesus’ name.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is one area of your life that you are “mourning” that you need to allow the Holy Spirit to be a Comforter to you?
2. What’s one area that you can grow in being empathetic to others and helping comfort them in their mourning?

Where is God In Control?

Daniel 7:13-14

13 As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.

Devotional

I was recently in a prayer time with some co-workers.  The scripture reference for our prayer time was Daniel 7:13-14. As I read this passage I couldn’t help but consider the areas of my life that I haven’t fully given God control or rule.  If Jesus has authority and rule over everything in the world, how does this apply to my life?  If Jesus’ rule is now and forever, how am I serving the King?  I think about the way I’m serving him in my job.  I think about how I am serving him in my home.  I am considering how I am serving in my neighborhood.  How is His rule evident in the way I plan my day?  How is His authority shown in my priorities?  Most believers would say that Jesus is in control of everything but how is His rule evident in our day to day, our moment to moment?  

Most of my life has been spent in management; In most of my jobs I have been “in charge”.  When I asked an employee to do something to fulfill the vision of the company the employee did what I asked.  When I laid out a plan for the managers who worked for me, they put the plan into action. In those cases my rule was the way and those who were under my rule did as I asked.  They became a representative of my rule.  They began to do things as though I was doing them. When they responded it became the way I would respond.  When they worked in the store they did the same work I would have done. I think anyone who has had a job or served someone understands that when asked or directed to do something we must submit to the instruction of those who are in rule.  I think we must ask how we are listening to Jesus’ instruction and how we are applying his rule to all areas of our life?  As I considered these questions in my life here are some things I journaled that I believe are a great “next step” in following the rule of the King of Kings.

Live in a way that:

Every action is His action. Every plan is His plan. Every reaction is His reaction. Every prayer is His prayer. Nothing is originated in my mind but all of my thoughts come from Him. I am truly subordinate to Him and His way.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You are in charge of me.  I want your rule in my life.  I only want to say what I hear you saying.  Help me to quiet all of the noise around me so I can hear your voice.  Give me wisdom and discernment to know your voice so I can follow your rule.  I only want to do what I see you doing.  Help me to humble myself in a way that I don’t have to be in charge of what I do, but I’m so in agreement and union with you that I follow you in everything I do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Discussion Questions:

1. Are you allowing the rule of Jesus to determine the way that you interact in your everyday life? (Family, co-workers, people in traffic on the way to work, grocery store, that server who isn’t very attentive?)

1. What is one area of your life that you need to relinquish control and allow Jesus to take rule over?

CHECK YOUR BEATITUDE: POOR IN SPIRIT

18. Check Your Beatitude: Poor In Spirit

Matthew 5:3

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Devotional

Over the next few weeks, we are going to go on a journey into the “Beatitudes”.  As we take a deeper look into these teachings of Jesus it is my hope that we begin to see that these are more than just tips for us to pick and choose from; they are the epitome of the Fruit of the Spirit being lived out.

As you read through the first 12 verses of Matthew 5, you can easily draw the parallels with Moses’ journey up Mt. Sinai to receive the commandments on how the children of Israel should live.  In this story, Jesus sits down and begins to teach from the Korazim Plateau (Today known as the Mount of Beatitudes) and preach his very first sermon, “The Sermon On the Mount”.  In contrast to Moses, Jesus wasn’t offering rules to live by but maybe, more importantly, he offered up a way of living. A culture-shifting way, that would seem anything but normal, yet if lived out would change the culture of any Earthly kingdom.

Though I don’t believe that anything is a coincidence with God, I find it very intentional that the first “Beatitude” is “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.  I think the natural next question is “Who are the poor in spirit?”. Well, let’s talk about that. Some believe that Jesus is saying to give up riches to inherit the kingdom. Though riches should never be our primary pursuit, Jesus isn’t talking about material riches here; he is speaking of spiritual poverty.  To sum it up, Jesus is saying that for us to inherit the kingdom of heaven, we must recognize that no matter what we have, without Jesus we have nothing. We approach him “spiritually bankrupt” in need of a God to save us.  Yes, salvation is the key benefit of us recognizing that we are poor in spirit and need a savior but I believe that he desires us to remain in a place of humility and continual recognition of our need for Him.  Whether it be in our relationships, our work, or our decisions, when we are poor in spirit we recognize our need for God in every area of our life. Before anything else we must be poor in spirit.

Prayer/Application

Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving me so much that you made a way for me to be with you.  Help me to never forget that I am in need of you.  Help me to not try and “go it on my own”; I can’t handle anything without you.  Encourage me every morning to remember that you are in control and I don’t need to be strong; that’s what I have you for. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s one area of your life in which you need to relinquish control to God and acknowledge your need for his guidance in your life?
2.  What’s one way you have acknowledged your need for God and have completely given up trying to control outcomes or responses?

Selflessness: A Key To Living Like Jesus

Philippians 2:3-8

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6  Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

As someone who has grown up “in the Church” I know that it is a fundamental part of our belief that Jesus is “God made flesh”.  He came to not only die for our sins so that we might be free from the “debt” that comes with sin but He also came to show us how to live, how to interact with others while here on Earth. The Bible serves as the story of God’s plan to reconcile us and it serves as an “instruction manual” on how we, as followers of Jesus, are to live. 

In Philippians, we are offered several “tips” on how to best pursue a life that looks more like Jesus and it appears that selflessness is a major piece of that journey.  As we consider this particular passage we must contrast our current society, where we are encouraged to “climb a ladder” to the top of whatever we are doing, with the “King Of The Universe” giving up his “divine privileges” to die for those who are to serve Him. In this passage, Paul tells us that we “must have the same attitude as Christ Jesus had”.  What does that look like in our everyday life? (These will be extreme examples and may even seem ridiculous but so is a God dying for sins He didn’t commit.) At work, it might look like helping a co-worker get that promotion you both want.  It might look like allowing someone to have your place in the grocery check-out line because they have MORE groceries than you. It might look like not forcing your way up in a traffic line and instead of slowing down to let other cars in front of you, even though they are “merging incorrectly”. Instead of judging how someone wound up standing at the corner of a busy intersection asking for money, take time from your busy schedule by pulling over, talking with them, praying with them, giving to them, or even holding their sign for them. There are so many encounters that we have every day that we approach with only our interests in mind. Thoughts like, “I was here first, I’ve been here longer, I have worked harder than anyone else, I’ve earned this, my politics are correct, my theology is more accurate” are natural human responses but as followers of Jesus, to be more like Jesus, we have to have a shift in how we see ourselves and how we see others. 

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out for your own interests, but take interest in others, too.  You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” – Philippians 2:3-5

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus, yourself in servant form, to die for me.  Wow!  Thank you for the example of humility and preferring my interests over your own.  I want to be more like you.  I want humility, I want to prefer others over myself.  Help me recognize opportunities to live this out in my every day life.  Help me not carry offense but instead carry your heart for everyone I encounter.  In Jesus’ name. 

Discussion Questions:

1. How am I currently practicing humility in my everyday life?  With my spouse? With my kids? With my co-workers?  With my “enemy”?

2.   What’s something I could do to practice putting the interest of others over my own   interests?