Tag: don’t worry

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The Life You’re Meant to Live

“21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

I think if St. Paul had heard Bobby McFerrin’s song “Don’t Worry”, he would have included those lyrics in the Book of Philippians. Can’t you just heart it… “Don’t worry, be happy”! I often meet Christian people who are so caught up in their cares and problems they don’t really enjoy life. I must confess…I’ve been there too. When that happens, we need to be reminded of Paul’s words – “To live is Christ”.

As followers of Jesus, we need to follow Him in all our being, not just in belief. Our faith should make all the difference in how we approach this life. Paul is saying that to live in this world is to live as Christ would live in it. That doesn’t mean we never have cares and concerns, Jesus had many. Remember His agony in the garden? And, how about all those long nights spent in prayer instead of sleeping? It means we don’t let our cares steal our joy.

“To live is Christ” means we live with an eternal optimism that no matter what happens to us in this world, we will make it through. The power of the resurrection is the power of His Spirit within us to overcome all obstacles. And, even if we die trying, guess what… “to die is gain”!

Sometimes we fail to live with the assurance that death isn’t the end of life, it’s the beginning. Only in death will we fully realize the power of the resurrection, when God raises up even our physical bodies from the grave to life eternal. When we leave this world behind, we also leave time behind. It will seem as if in the twinkling of an eye we’ll all be together again in the resurrection on the last day, until then remember, Christ is risen…and so are you!

Grace & Peace,

+Pastor Brad

 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, restore to me the joy of my salvation. Help me to see you and your victory in all I face in this world, until at last I am victorious with you in Heaven. Amen. Alleluia!

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Raised From the Ashes: Week One, Thursday

“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?”

Matthew 6:30

Read Matthew 6:27-33

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

When I was a younger man I made my living as a Haberdasher. That’s a cool way of saying I was a retail, ‘clothing salesman’. I sold men’s suits for a living, expensive ones. I literally worried about what I was going to wear. After all, you only get one chance to make a good first impression and I was totally wrapped up in making sure people thought I was a success. Well, let’s just say I’ve grown a lot since then. I still think about those days. It was fun wearing all those expensive clothes. However, when it was all said and done, I didn’t feel ‘expensive’ on the inside.

What are you worried about?

You see, in those days I was worried about all the wrong things, superficial things like looks, and what other people thought of me. But, what I’ve grown to learn as a follower of Jesus is when you realize you’re a child of the King, you should realize how expensive you really are. God puts infinitely more value on you, than the flowers of field, which He adorns so beautifully. Yet, knowing that God treasures we humans as infinitely more valuable than the beauty of creation, we still worry about how our lives are going to turn out. Even in Bible days they worried. They worried about what to wear, what to eat, and how their lives would end up. Doesn’t make much sense does it?

Last night I went to church and had an ashen cross smeared on my forehead. As he put the ashes on my head, the minister reminded me that I was mere dust, and that one day I will return to the dust from whence I came. Perhaps you had a similar experience? As a minister, I too was placing ashes on the heads of others. I wondered what the people felt as they heard those sobering words about our mortality. Then it was my turn and I realized in that moment with just me, the minister, and the Holy Spirit, that I was worried about far too many things in this world that really don’t matter in the real scheme of things.

What I really need to worry about

The one thing I really need to worry about is how I can learn to live in the truth of God’s love for me. If the Father clothes the flowers of the field with beauty and splendor, and yet tomorrow they’re gone, how much greater are his plans for our lives? God loves all His children, but those who choose to love Him back can rest in the knowledge that He knows what we really need. Why should we worry about how things will turn out? St. Paul reminds us if God is for us, who could be against us? (Rom 8:31)

As we set out on this Lenten journey, won’t you turn your worries over to Him at the start? Don’t carry those burdens, it’s wasting away your energy, and robbing your hope. Won’t you listen today to this song from David Crowder? The words call us to lay down our burdens and shame, and come to our Father just as we are. You are His child, His most prized of all creation. There’s one person you’ll never have to worry about what He thinks of you – and His is the only opinion that counts. You are special, believe it.

Click Here to listen to “Come as You Are”

Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,

Pastor Brad

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6