Which Way Do We Go?

Which way do we go?

I heard a comment made this morning during a "news" interview regarding the trouble our country is in currently. The response led one to understand that the primary cause of our trouble was our lack of confidence as a nation. The respondent said, sure the deficit would bankrupt the economy and surely the high unemployment was a tragedy, but what we needed was more confidence because we still live in the greatest nation on earth. 

While I have no doubt that the United States of America is an amazing nation with tremendous wealth and resources, I do not believe that we can overcome realities with false confidence. I do believe that personally it all comes down to what, or who, we place our confidence in. We have placed our confidence in an economy that has now led to astronomical debt (maybe the debt ceiling is the new space program - lol). We have placed our confidence in jobs that are disappearing like a magician's assistant (I never could figure out how they did those tricks). We are placing our confidence in education for the sake of education without being productive (sometimes I wonder if we have more people employed talking about the unemployed than we actually have gainfully employed). We place our confidence in new candidates for political office or other leadership positions only to be disappointed over and over again (will we ever learn?).

I'm currently in the book of Ezekiel in the Bible where God has the prophet telling of great nations that were once so "high and mighty" that would be coming to ruin because of their disobedience to the Lord. I'm not saying our future as a nation is or is not God's judgment, but I do believe we as people cannot simply place our confidence in the things, or people of this world regardless of God. After all, this world, and this nation are temporal; God is eternal. How foolish and short sighted we are when we place our confidence in anything less than God Almighty. 

The Bible also speaks of not laying up treasures here on earth, but in heaven instead. It is a shame that we spend so much of the wealth and resources of this world on things that have no eternal value. Rather, we should invest in the things of God and eternal lives of people. Next time we make a purchase or investment, let's consider the long term results rather than the short term satisfaction.

May God give us wisdom and confidence in Him alone. Love God above all and love your neighbor as yourself.

John 6:1-13

Some points to consider from the account of Jesus' miraculous feeding of the 5000...

I have not seen the movie, "Pay It Forward" but have often heard the phrase and seen examples. I've even watched some excerpts and trailers on YouTube.
Pay It Forward Scene
The concept of doing something for three people that they could not do for themselves and then encouraging them in turn to do for three other people and so on and so on is quite intriguing. Of course, like a pyramid marketing plan, it depends on each person doing their part to keep the multiplication process going. Similar plans have been promoted for church/disciple multiplication and even for serving others in ministry settings. The great thing about the spiritual realm though is that the power and results are not in our hands, but in God's. Our part is the obedience aspect. 

Similar to the disciples responsibility in the account from John, though they did not understand or even conceive the possibility of feeding so many, they were simply called upon to be obedient. Jesus provided the power and results. The disciples merely obeyed the Teacher, and witnessed the miracle. Not to mention, gathered up the "left-overs."

Here are some points for us to take away:

1. Don't focus or worry about our limited ability. We need to recognize that the Lord of the universe has all power to accomplish His will.

2. We need to be willing to surrender what we call "ours" to His service. Just as the boy gave up his lunch we should consider what God has put in our hands to "give up."

3. We need to trust God to use it to His glory. No need to be concerned with getting the recognition for ourselves, just recognize God.

Here's a quote from Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati: "Small things done with great love will change the world."

Final notes:

As we go through this day I pray we will be faithful and obedient. Let's see what God will do.

Here's a good song to end with: "Go"
"Go" Hillsong United

Thanks to Lifeway and the KNOWN curriculum -- check it out at www.lifeway.com/known

simply 2

Here's the link to that aforementioned interview and quote:

http://mikeslaughter.com/blog/?tx_wecdiscussion[single]=4521

simply

Heard this quote in an interview between Mike Slaughter and Alan Hirsch:
"Living simply so other people can simply live."  - awesome attitude!
simply.

Word

The Word of God is sufficient.

Movement

Movements of the people of God...
"Every believer is a church planter, every church is a church planting church."

http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/alan-hirsch-on-cultural-distance-the-american-missionary-problem/

sacrifice?

How often do we as Christians confuse inconvenience with sacrifice?
How often do we attribute ordinary, everyday "suffering" to persecution?
Is it to the point that we never really sacrifice anything for true faithfulness to Christ?
www.persecution.com