Journalings from May 2022

May 3, 2022

The message in today’s Jesus Calling devotional is you can’t serve two masters.

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)

If you are trying to please people you will become a slave to them. You will never be able to “measure up.”

Years ago, I was a teller for Wells Fargo. Each quarter we had sales goals we needed to hit. If you did well you got a little pay bonus. There were three levels you got paid out at: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Each quarter (except maybe my first few months with the company) I managed to hit one of these levels. It was always such a relief to finally hit one of these levels as we were pushed and coached daily on attaining these numbers. If you weren’t on track to reach one of these metrics, the branch manager would come to you after your transactions to see where you may have missed a potential “sale.” But each quarter, the incentive levels would change. What would once get you Gold level, wouldn’t even reach Bronze. It was exhausting. The customer pool didn’t grow exponentially each year but the sales goals did. No matter how hard I worked I would never reach the top. And that’s pretty common in many industries that value production and profit. I think this is why the company got into trouble many years ago when it came out that branches were signing people up for debit cards and opening accounts that they never wanted. Thankfully, I never worked in a branch that did this or as far as I’m aware they didn’t encourage this behavior. I can say I loved the customer service side of my job but I hated the sales side.

It’s like this with many things in life outside of God. If you seek to please people, you may never measure up to their standards and they will have power over you, dictating how you feel about who you are or making you doubt your worth. Whether you are a spouse, parent, child, sibling, friend, basically being a human living in the world, others’ feelings towards you can change even if you didn’t. And try as you might, there is nothing you can do to change them. Trying to please people makes you a slave to their whims.

At work there’s always another ladder to climb and if you do somehow reach the top, there’s the immense pressure of staying there as you can be replaced the moment profits go down. It’s a very stressful way to live.

For some, serving God seems like another form enslavement. Another box to be confined to. They want to be “free” to live their life as they see fit and not be bound by God’s standards. But everybody, regardless of their beliefs, serves someone or something. You aren’t “free.” If you have addictions, idols (work, tv, house, perfect family), you are a slave to them. Even your talents that you enjoy have a form of restriction and control.

Think for instance if you are a talented athlete or musician. In order to get better, you must practice. This in itself is a limit to your freedom because you could be spending your time in other ways but your discipline in working on your skill unleashes your talent.

Or think for example of a fish. A fish is only free when it is limited to water. If it left the water it would die. Its restrictions and limitations actually save it from death.

In the Book, The Reason For God, Timothy Keller writes, “The love of Christ constrains. Once you realize how Jesus changed for you and gave Himself for you, you aren’t afraid of giving up your freedom and therefore finding your freedom in Him.”

The freedoms we think we have are not freedoms at all! Having that dream house limits your freedom with your money and time as it may come with a hefty mortgage, more maintenance and housework. Achieving your dream job comes with it other forms of restriction like being at work at a specific time, meeting deadlines, sales goals, and working with all types of coworkers. If you have children you know first hand how that limits your freedom in many ways. All of these things do have positive attributes and are not “bad,” but they do not offer true freedom. Nothing in our world does.

What I have found in Christ, is serving Him is the most freeing thing I can do! If I fail, He doesn’t cast me away. His time for me is infinite. His ability to take on my burdens and hear my cries is limitless. There is literally nothing I can do to change His love for me. The joy that is found in God surpasses all other pleasures. There are no Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels in His kingdom. When all that we know of this earth passes away, God is still constant, He never changes and that is freeing. He is the one hope we have and can count on regardless of what happens in our lives. When you are in Christ you are His forever.

May 6, 2022

My writings for the day, while I wait for the wood filler on my fireplace trim to dry.

Do you ever get caught up in the mindset of “once this gets done” or “once I accomplish this” or “once I make this much money” et.c etc. THEN I can relax or THEN I will be happy? I know I’ve had sentiments like this. Right now in my life the main one is, “Once I move into my house THEN…” and fill in the blank with a million different things.

No matter how hard we try these Once-Then lists never seem to end. You accomplish one thing on it and another one or two pop appear in its place.

Living your life this way will be full of frustration and disappointment. It’s a rat race you can’t win. If you want to break free from this draining, stressful routine then turn your attention from your Once-Then lists towards God.

“As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

(2 Corinthians 4:18)

I’ve been trying to be very intentional to live in the now and not let stress over future things rob me of the joy to be had in the moment. Keeping things Heaven focused can be a great help in these situations. Your lists will always be there, but God is also present and ready to help give you peace if you focus on Him. God will help you see what is important. There are some things that need to be done each day and God will help you discover which ones really matter and which ones don’t. Don’t let your lists or Once-Then mindset rule your life.

“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:33)

I’m also trying to not put things off for a later date because things aren’t ideal or the timing isn’t perfect. For instance, you may think, “Once I buy a treadmill or the weather gets nicer, then I will focus on getting in shape.” Find ways to make progress while in the circumstance you face currently. Things don’t have to be “Once this happens-Then…” in order for you to grow and better yourself.

Let your focus be completely on what is unseen, and that is Christ.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” (Mark 13:31)

 

May 7, 2022

God can bring good out of any situation we encounter. It can be hard to trust that this is true when you go through something terrible. The death of a child, abuse at the hands of someone you love, murder, how can God possibly use something so horrible for His good? Why does He allow these things to happen? Wouldn’t it be better if He protected you from these things?

My favorite story in the Bible about God using something meant for evil for good, is the story of Joseph. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him. He was a bit arrogant, telling them of his dreams where they bowed down to him, his father favored him, and they wanted to be rid of him. So they plotted to murder him. At the last minute, they instead decided to sell him into slavery and he was taken to Egypt. He was sold to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s ministers. Things were going fairly well until Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him. He refused her, she got angry, and lied to her husband saying he tried to seduce her. Joseph was thrown in prison. In prison Joseph interpreted dreams successfully which eventually led him to interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams. Pharaoh freed Joseph from prison and appointed him as his right hand man, giving him the task of preparing for the years of famine that were coming, as Jospeh had interpreted in Pharaoh’s dream. Famine hit the lands and Joseph’s family were feeling the effects. Hearing about stores in Egypt they ventured there to buy food. Long story short, Jospeh eventually tells his brothers who he is and they have a heartfelt reunion. His brothers obviously feel great remorse and Joseph forgives them telling them:

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20)

I haven’t had quite the same experience as Joseph, but I have had times in my life where people have tried to cause me harm, and it’s only in looking back years later that I can see that though they meant it for harm, God used it for good. In the moment, I couldn’t see it. It took years for me to really see God’s hand at work.

We live in a broken world, so there will always be hardships and sadness. Sometimes we may never see God’s plan or ever understand why these things happen here on earth. But during these trials we need to trust God’s sovereign role in everything.

While you are enduring difficulties, trust that God has not forgotten you. Do not fear what the future may bring. For God is with you. He goes before you and alongside you.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

 

May 8, 2022

“Do not long for the absences of problems in this life.” Your longings will never end. In this world we are guaranteed to have problems because we live in a broken world. When hardships arise a common question many have is, “If God is so good then why _____? And fill in the blank with all the calamities that befall humanity. Why did they have to die? Why is my health failing? Why did God allow this evil?

At church today, our Pastor talked about how God gave ownership of the earth to Adam and Eve. But humanity failed and ownership was transferred to Satan. The reason we have hardships in this world is because sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden and Satan now is the ruler here on earth. But there is hope. Revelation 5 talks about ownership changing back to God. So we do have hope, that in the end God prevails and the earth is restored to God’s original design. I will share that sermon on my page as well as it goes more in-depth on Revelation 5.

The only place we are guaranteed to be free of problems is in eternity. Our heaven cannot be found here on earth. As you start each day, ask God to help equip you to face any hardships that will come your way. Whatever you may face, God will never leave you. He is with you every step of the way.

“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” (Isaiah 41:13)

Just as God promised to Moses and all of Israel that He, “Goes before you and will be with you; I will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8) we can trust that same promise. This promise is equally true for us today. God has promised to be with us from now and forever.

Our focus should not be on the difficulties and problems in our life but on the One who has overcome them all. Knowing that He will never fail us nor forsake us is a source of great comfort to believers. No matter what is thrown at us, God has overcome it.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

 

May 9, 2022

Don’t be so hard on yourself! We all make mistakes. No one is perfect. It’s interesting how it can be so easy to give this advice to others but not actually heed it ourselves.

When you make mistakes you may hang on to them long after the damage is done. You may replay the situation over and over in your mind, trying to figure out what if..? But once it’s in the past, it’s in the past. There is nothing you can do to go back in time and change it. You have to learn to live with the consequences of your mistakes and move on.

Jonah made a big mistake. He chose to ignore God and as a result he was thrown into the sea and swallowed by a large fish. But God used Jonah’s mistake. Through Jonah, God was able to get the whole town of Nineveh to repent and be saved.

Even when we fail, God can bring goodness out of our mistakes. We just have to trust Him. We will not see every mistake we make yield fruit in some amazing way. Sometimes all we can gain is to learn from it and hopefully help others avoid making the same mistakes.

This will come as no surprise, but you will make mistakes, lots of them. You are human. Thinking that you shouldn’t make mistakes is a symptom of pride. Mistakes have a way of humbling people, if you let them. When I recognize my own shortcomings it also makes me a lot more understanding of others. Extending a little more grace and compassion to people is never a bad thing. Christ does that for us every day.

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)

“Whoever tries to hide his sins will not succeed, but the one who confesses his sins and leaves them behind will find mercy. Happy is the one who always fears the Lord, but the person who hardens his heart to God falls into misfortune.” (Proverbs 28:13-14)

Do not let your mistakes or past failures define you. Some mistakes will be bigger than others, some may change your life or others’ lives, but no matter how big or small do not let them define you. You are more than your past mistakes. Learn from them and keep your eyes fixed on your Redeemer and His eternal promise.

“But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7)

Some of you may think this is all well and good for little mistakes but not for the big ones. You may believe Satan’s lie that you have screwed up so badly, there is no coming back from it. Know this, there are no sins so great that you cannot be redeemed.

Christ paid the price on the cross for all of your sins, great and small. The strength that you need to go on, is found in Him. When we admit that we fail and fall short, we realize just how much we need Christ and His mercy.

“The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.” (Psalm 103:8-11 )

May 16, 2022

Each day we make plans as to what we need to get done and how our day is supposed to go. I’ve had many times where I have my day all planned out only to have it “foiled” when unexpected things pop up that take precedence over my plans.

In today’s devotional God is telling us that it is ok to have plans for your day but to keep them tentative, He may have other plans for how your day will go. Don’t let your plans become your idol. If your day doesn’t go exactly as planned or you don’t get all the things done that you wanted to, that is ok. Leave margin for God’s work, for His plans.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21)

While reading this, the story of Mary and Martha comes to mind. Jesus was invited into Martha’s house. Her sister Mary was there as well. Martha was busy making preparations while Mary sat and listened to Jesus. This irked Martha a bit and she said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” (Luke 10:40)

Oh man, I sure have days where I can relate to Martha! When I question to myself, “Why isn’t anyone helping me?” When I get distracted by all the preparations and work that needs to be done that I cannot focus on anything else and lose site of the joy that may be happening around me. I’m not living in the moment.

In this situation Jesus replied to Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

Jesus knew He was going to be crucified soon. He knew in the moment what was of high importance. However, that is not to say Martha was “wrong” and Mary was “right.” They are simply two different women with two different personalities. Mary would never have been able to hear Jesus had it not been for Martha’s hospitality and opening up her home without notice. When Martha gets upset it is due to her comparing her situation to Mary’s and as Teddy Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

In this moment, Martha needed to put her priorities aside and sit at the feet of Jesus. We all need to do that some days. Some days the chores and tasks we have to do are not the priority, we need to make time to spend connecting with the Lord. Trust me, He doesn’t care if the laundry is folded and the dishes are done, He cares about spending time with you. We should all have a heart of hospitality like Martha but the wisdom to know what is truly a priority like Mary.

 

May 17, 2022

We live in a world of supply and demand. Over the past two years in America we have witnessed this first hand. We had the toilet paper shortage, where demand went up as people for some reason, thought they would need a ton of toilet paper to get through the “pandemic,” shortages on certain foods and goods as supply chains struggled to operate in a world of Covid protocols, all the way to garage doors. I didn’t even know there was a garage door shortage, until we needed garage doors for our build.

Our builder had been waiting for months for our order and every week they were told it hadn’t come in yet. Since we are nearing the end of our build this made me a little concerned as I had read articles about people not being able to move in to their homes due to not having garage doors since they had to have the door mechanisms inspected prior to moving in. I started calling around to see if we could find any local doors, and businesses literally laughed when we asked. Everywhere was a 3+ month wait. Several factors lead to this supply chain issue, in early Covid shutdowns, companies weren’t manufacturing garage doors, then they couldn’t get the materials needed to make them, ports were jammed and ships delayed with transporting and unloading their cargo, and demand never went down. Thankfully, our doors showed up unannounced yesterday so that issue is behind us.

Even if you are not experiencing a lack of food or specific goods, you still see poverty in the world all around you. It is obvious that we do not live in a world of unlimited abundance for all. Some never give a thought to where their next meal will come while others literally starve. Even in America, we hear about impending food shortages with exploding costs on the horizon. We live in a world where we are constantly seeking to have enough and worry at the thought of there not being enough.

But God is enough. God is a God of abundance. His supply chain never backs up. His resources are never out of stock. Our finite minds have a hard time wrapping themselves around this idea of never ending abundance. Whatever need you have God can provide it.

The more time you spend in God’s presence the more you will see His abundance. We get glimpses of this here on earth, showing us what eternity with God will be like. When we don’t see tangible things being provided to us, we may doubt that God is a God of abundance. But God doesn’t just work in giving us the things we want. We cannot see His whole plan so that is where faith comes in. He has a plan for you and all of creation. While you were being knit in your mother’s womb, He had a plan for you. He knows you inside and out. He knows every hair on your head. Keep the faith in His perfect plan and rejoice in the abundance you have in God!

“Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.” (Psalms 66:8-12)

 

May 19, 2022

Since it’s almost May 20th this write up will be brief. 

We are facing much uncertainty in our world. Turn on the news and it’s more fear coming your way. Monkeypox is here! Covid is making a comeback! There isn’t baby formula to be found! Inflation is sky rocketing! Stocks are crashing! Food shortages are coming! Mortgage rates are doubling! We are in a recession! I could go on and on. The world is unstable and can make you feel worried about the future.

Remember, when you give your life to Christ nothing can take that from you. There is nothing that can happen here on earth that can stop you from entering God’s kingdom.

Practice walking with God every day. When fear begins to rise up in you, acknowledge those feelings but don’t let them consume you. Give it to God. The more you do this, the more you will feel His peace wash over you.

“May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!” (Psalm 29:11)

There really is very little that we truly can control in this life. But we can rest assured in the guarantee of eternity with God.

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me,is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:28-29)

 

May 22, 2022

Each day we are one day closer to Jesus’ return. We don’t know when the exact day will be, but need to be prepared.

As the world changes, oftentimes for the worse, we need to make sure we are not letting the world’s problems draw us away from Christ, for He is the only way.

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Right now, many Christians feel the end times are drawing very near, possibly occurring within this generation. Many are looking for signs to prove that it is happening. But no one knows the day nor the hour Christ will return. We shouldn’t make it our focus to look for the anti-Christ or focus on the end times, but to keep our eyes focused heavenward on Jesus’ return. No matter what is happening around you, keep your heart firmly planted in the Word.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25)

 

May 26, 2022

Every day we wake up to more devastation on the news, more turmoil, and unrest. That is because we live in a broken and sinful world. God did not create it this way, but when sin entered the world in the Garden everything changed.

But God did not change. He remains the same. He is the same God who created the world and everything in it. The God who “…saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)

When you feel like you are drowning in the chaos and evil of the world around you look to God for peace and stability. He is the one constant you can count on.

Uncertainty is a given. We don’t know what the future holds. Our days are numbered. I don’t like thinking about the world my children will grow up in. It seems every generation feels this, that the world they are raising their children in is “worse” than the era they grew up in. If you read Revelation you know that things will get worse. The future looks bleak from a human, flesh perspective. These aren’t the most uplifting thoughts but it is the truth.

Sin is a poison spreading and consuming our world. Satan has rule on earth right now. But there is one hope. Things will get worse, but they will also get better. The book of Revelation tells us that Jesus will return and restore our world.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”” (Revelation 21:1-5 )

Though we may not know what the future will bring we can face uncertainty by clinging to God and His Word. For He is the Prince of Peace.