One of the most popular sections of the “Sermon on the Mount” is at the beginning, known as the beatitudes. This is where Jesus identifies different people who are blessed. Two of the beatitudes specifically identify people in seemingly undesirable situations and calls these people blessed because the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Continue reading “The Kingdom is yours!”
Tag: blueletterbible
The cure for anxiety, stress and worry!
It always seems the holidays bring on a new level of stress and worry. Afterwards, many experience a different kind of stress as they decide if this year will be the year they finally make “the change”. Some go back to work and it seems everyone waited until after the holidays to bring the problems in. Either way, if you are human, you know some level of stress, worry, or anxiety.
The most famous sermon ever, the “Sermon on the Mount”, is captured in Matthew chapters 5-7. It takes about 15 minutes to read and is filled with simple and deep truths for all people. The Kingdom of God is mentioned eight times in this relatively short sermon. The famous book by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “The Cost of Discipleship” (Nachfolge), is an excellent exposition of the Sermon on the Mount.
2018 Focus – Seek First the Kingdom
In each of our 2017 family meetings we would read Psalm 27. The core of this Psalm is to have a singular focus on seeking God.
For 2018 we will continue our practice of turning to the Bible and seeking God during our family meetings. Our primary focus will be to “seek first the kingdom” from Matthew 6:33. Since this will be the focus for my home, my posts through 2018 will align with this as well. Continue reading “2018 Focus – Seek First the Kingdom”
The book I read every month!
This week I want to share a personal practice that I believe has helped keep my behavior in check, and my mind more focused on the most important things. I have not been perfect at doing this, and I have seen the opposite results at the times I have strayed.
Many years ago I was challenged to read one chapter from the book of Proverbs from the Bible each day. It doesn’t take long…usually less than 5 minutes. It was easy to determine the chapter to read because it was the “proverb of the day”.
See, the book of Proverbs has 31 chapters. This means there is basically a chapter of Proverbs for each day of the month. After a month you have read the book, and can simply start over.
After doing this off and on for several years, it has become a practice I really enjoy. Each time I read a chapter there seems to be a verse or principle I can apply to my life in a very practical way as a husband, father, son, employee, leader, friend or disciple. Somehow, at the right time there is a verse or passage that stands out for me. Sometimes it is right after a situation where I realize I should have handled something differently. Other times it is right before a situation and the verse provided the much needed preparation for the moment.
Here are a few “stand out” verses from yesterdays reading of Proverbs 15 (one of my personal favorite chapters):
- Verse 1 – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- This resonates with every parent. And it is great advice for work, school, and even friendships.
- A parent of a teenager may paraphrase this verse like: “A door closed gently is good for the relationship.”
- Verse 22 – Plans are frustrated without consultation, but with many counselors they succeed.
- For our family, this verse translates to time we spend each week to spend a little time to look at the calendar for the next few weeks to make sure we have everything calendared that we know about at the time.
- At work I spend a lot of time planning, and then sharing my plans with others to see what they think. This has been very helpful for me to see areas where I totally missed an important step, or where I completely underestimated the amount of time something would take (I am good at this).
- Verse 31 – the person who listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.
- This tells us that the wise people have a mentor, confidant, or friend who will lovingly listen and watch them and give “life-giving” correction and direction.
- I appreciate these friends in my life who will challenge and encourage me to be a better husband or father, live a life worthy of my calling and purpose, or help me get those negative thoughts out of my head so I can focus on the truth.
- Conversely, you will find much in Proverbs 15 that speaks about the foolish person who does not accept correction. Not only have I met those people, I have been that person. The good news is…I was able to change. Thank God!
While each passage has much to ponder, I tend to take one verse or so that stands out that day and focus on that for a while.
I encourage you to try this for one month and see how it helps you. Let me know how it goes!
God is not all you need
He was sipping his coffee, wrestling with loneliness. A kind hearted, growing Christian, who was finding support in God, and on the verge of giving up on humanity. He didn’t want to go to Church. They were all judgmental hypocrites, who didn’t care about him. His friends had pushed him aside. In his mind, all he had was God, and that was all he needed. He reflected on the old song, “You’re all I want. You’re all I ever needed” I encouraged him to continue growing closer to God in this time. And then, I told him another truth:
Friend, God is not all you need.
He looked at me as if I had blasphemed the Holy Spirit. His eyebrow went up. He must have felt that I didn’t understand. So, he began clarifying that God is all he needs. He needed to pray more, read his bible more. He didn’t need all the problems that come with having other people in his life. They just pull him down. I let him vent. I have been there myself. I get it. Then, I told him again.
Friend, God is not all you need.
Then, I brought him all the way back to the beginning. “Do you remember the first thing that was not good? It’s found in Genesis 2:18.”
Adam had God. For relationship, all Adam had was God. He knew God in ways we may never know in our lifetime. Adam had God. And God said “It is not good for man to be alone.”
My friend responds, “Alone? How was Adam alone. He had God?”
This is the very point God was trying to make.
Our relationship with God does not satisfy our need for relationship with others. We can have God and still be alone. And, that’s not good.
As I look at my journey as a Christian, I believe God has provided three very important things to help me along the way:
1) The Word of God, 2) The Spirit of God, 3) The People of God
Today, the focus is on the last point. Without other people in my life, I cannot imagine what it would be like. I’m not talking about going to Church on Sunday (although I do enjoy that time). I mean real relationships, with friends and family who speak into my life, provide Godly counsel, support me in my struggles, lift me up and encourage me to keep going. Sometimes, I even get to do that for them.
At my church, we say: Life happens in circles, not rows
Church services are great for motivation, encouragement and the wonderful reminder of God’s great love for us. But, they are not great for building life long, meaningful relationships with the people around us. That happens over lunch, dinner, coffee, or through a small home group. That’s where relationships happen.
Since the beginning, God has designed us for relationships.
This week, as you go about your planning, I encourage you to look at the people around you, and see them as a gift from God. Encourage them. Pray for them. Even for that one person you don’t like. Believe it or not, you need them. God knows, it is not good to be alone.
Productive weeks are like separating oranges
Do you have a lot of messy work weeks? Do e-mails and meetings hinder you from a productive work day?
If so, I recommend an honest review of your work by what I will call the “principle of separation”. It’s like an orange. Separating an orange the right way leaves a beautiful wedge for eating. Separating it the wrong way leaves your hands sticky and everything messy.
Continue reading “Productive weeks are like separating oranges”
Why you will never earn what you are worth
Why you will never earn what you are worth!
My heart was broken after a conversation I had with a young, well paid and respected executive. He was told in school that if he doesn’t double his pay every two years then he is failing at growing his career. For most of his career his pay had doubled at least every two years. What the instructor failed to tell him was what it would cost him. His family suffered greatly.
In that moment I wish the instructor had a different message:
You are more valuable than your paycheck!
Continue reading “Why you will never earn what you are worth”
He made the stars also.
I love the clear sky on a dark night. From our home we can see Orion some of the year. My family can sometimes be found laying on the sidewalk in front of our home looking up at the stars. There is something that happens as I pause and look up at the big dipper, little dipper, north star, and even the planets. Somehow, the problems of this world seem to fade as my mind looks into the universe.
What does the universe have to do with planning our week? Let me give you one thought! Details. Continue reading “He made the stars also.”
The most consistent thing in life!
I love sunsets. The shift from day to night. The end of a productive day. It’s as if all creation is preparing for rest. On Pinterest I have an album where I have pinned some sunset pics others have posted. Check it out!
The most consistent thing in life is change.
How to introduce something meaningful in just one week!
When I was a little kid we had a big family Bible. It sat on the bottom shelf of a hutch we had in our living room. I remember needing to move this huge book around as I was dusting the shelf.
Numerous times I would get ambitious, “I can read this!” I would begin, and get a few chapters into Genesis when it all became too much for me. In my life, I have probably began the first few chapters of Genesis 100 times.
These same chapters have become some of the most meaningful to me as an adult. For a while, each Sunday edition of my blog will expand on a passage from Genesis. These next few Sundays, I will focus on the first chapter, where we have a description of the first 7 days of creation, and what it can tell us about planning our own weeks.
Today really marks the creation of my blog. Why not start “in the beginning“?
Continue reading “How to introduce something meaningful in just one week!”