28 July 2017
Money Actually Can Buy Happiness
Philippians 3:14
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

I read an online article yesterday entitled “Money Can Buy Happiness.” And I got to thinking how true that is! Money is the answer. Buying things make us happy, then when we’re not happy anymore, we can buy something else or go on another trip. Spend, spend, spend and be happy, happy, happy. It doesn’t matter if your relationships are in tact or you have a fulfilling job; if you continuously have money or a huge line of credit, you can continuously be temporarily happy over and over again.

What money doesn’t buy is contentment. And that is what Believers are called to be – content. Contentment is a state of being whereas happiness is a feeling. Ever notice that happiness is not listed as one of the products of having the Holy Spirit?

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT)

Happiness sounds like the result of such a life described above, but happiness is not our pursuit. Contentment is. Godliness isn’t the result of happiness...

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you...
(1 Timothy 6:6-12 NLT)

So this news article I read is not cutting edge in its claim that money can buy happiness when the old known cliche has always been that money can’t do that. Of course it can, and when one runs out of money, get more money; that is the key to happiness. But it is NOT the key to contentment. Continually pursuing life with Jesus is the key to contentment, and contentment is what we really want. We want to be sustained while we have trouble, we want the holes in our hearts filled in not only temporarily covered up over and over again. Money can’t buy contentment, and contentment is what we all actually want, not happiness. Ever met a content person? They are totally HAPPY!!!
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Dear God,
Thank you that in your economy I don’t have to worry about making myself happy; it just happens because you instruct and encourage me to press on every day, and you make me content, you sustain me, you also bless me and fill all the holes in my heart. I love you so much, and thank you that a rich full life with you involves no money whatsoever. Thank you! And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

​18 July 2017
Simple Thankfulness
Psalm 119:7 (NLT)
As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should!

I’ve had conversations with people about obeying God’s Word in our lives where they didn’t really see the point if Jesus has already died for our sins. Without entering any kind of theological debate about Predestination, Election, or Calvinism, Psalm 119:7 has always been the answer for me regarding obedience... Believers obey God’s Word, follow Jesus, and pursue righteousness simply because we are thankful for what HE has done for us.

We don’t obey out of fear, dread, tradition, or coercion. I want to know what God requires and expects of those who love and trust him, and I want to do those things out of appreciation, thankfulness, and gratitude. What kid has ever shown respect and thankfulness to a parent without including obedience and honor?

Believers are not suckers. We are not brainwashed, and we are not unintelligent. We are simply thankful to the One who has saved us and blessed us, and we show our love and thankfulness with obedience.

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.
Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair.
They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.
They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:7-14 NLT)

Dear God,
Thank you for not only saving me through your Son, Jesus, but also for showing me the right way to live through your Word, Jesus’ example, and your Holy Spirit. I pray that what I do and say today would please you. I love you very much, and I pray in Jesus name, amen.

17 July 2017
How Low Can You Go OR How High Will You Aim?
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes.

Romans 6 describes this power of God that is at work in the lives of the Believer...
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. (v.6) That means we can sin, but we don’t have to sin. Even before we were saved, we most likely weren’t as wicked as we possibly could be, but still only wickedness (no matter what degree) was our only behavioral option.

But Jesus saved us from this! Belonging to HIM means options. We don’t become perfect instantly, but at least now we are able to pursue perfection whereas we couldn’t before Jesus showed us what that is like and his Holy Spirit empowered us to live differently.

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:12=14)

Pastor Dean says that Christians today shouldn’t be concerned with how low we can go and still be saved. Instead, we should reach for the highest goal – being like Jesus!
That is the Good News. We can be like Jesus more and more each and every moment because the power of God is at work in the lives of every Believer making it possible.

Dear God,
Good Word! Good reminder today! Thank you for making holiness and option for me everyday. I love you and praise you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

​11 July 2017
Just Remember
Jeremiah 32:17
O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!

The Old Testament is full of history and truths about God’s character. This passage has both. The history lesson here is that God created everything we see and even everything we don’t see...
 
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.  (Colossians 1:15-17)

The truth about God’s character from this Jeremiah passage is that God is strong & powerful and that nothing is difficult or impossible for him because the One who created everything certainly can do anything! Ephesians 3:20 confirms that he is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. And 2 Corinthians 12 agrees by reminding us that God’s grace is all (I) need. His power works best in weakness...  so that the power of Christ can work through me... For when I am weak, then I am strong (v.9-10)  because the One who is strong and lives in me!

What a wonderful verse to start the day today! I have no idea what’s going to happen today, I have big problems with no solutions, and I need someone to look out for me. Thankfully, I can simply just remember to put my trust and hope in the One who made everything, who is full of strength and who is a remarkable problem solver! He certainly will help me and show me what to do.

Dear God,
I like being reminded over and over again of the truths about you. It strengthens my faith to read and remember passages like these. I am not alone, I don’t have to be afraid, and you help me and sustain me all the time. You even do it when I’m unaware; I can look back and see what you’ve done for me and what you’ve led me through, and I am so thankful. You are so good to me and I love you and thank you and pray in your Son’s powerful name, amen.

​7 July 2017
Cage Free
Psalm 18:30
God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

Perfect, True, Protection. These are all really good and considerate things. God doesn’t trick, manipulate or deceive, so trusting in his promises and obeying his will doesn’t lead to misunderstanding and disappointment even though lots of people mistakenly think so.

Recently in California, everyone voted for chickens (the kind consumers will eat) to be cage free. The advocates for this law are very happy with themselves because they’ve projected their feelings on to barn animal raised for food and truly believe they’ve made the life of a roasted chicken much better. My sister took a tour of a chicken facility recently. The barns with cages were quiet, clean, and undisturbing. The barns with cage free chickens were loud, dirty and disturbing as the chickens were crammed in there neck to neck picking away at each other. Gross. What the voters probably thought they were voting for was for all chickens to be free on a range somewhere, roaming around and living a good life full of fresh air before they meet their end. But the law just says they’re no longer in cages, and that doesn’t mean they’ve been given access to a chicken utopia.

This way is not perfect for sure. This law was only fulfilled in word not spirit; it isn’t truly what chicken sympathetic voters were hoping for. And there is no protection for the chickens hacking away at each other before they get their heads chopped off. This is a backdoor deal. The voters think one thing and the lawmakers give the appearance that something good is being done when the opposite is actually true.
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But God doesn’t do that. He is always looking out for us. When we pray, he knows the spirit with which those prayers are offered and truly helps us not embarrasses us because we didn’t use the exact right words. He knows what we need and offers it to us anyway because he truly has our best interest at heart.

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.  And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:26-28
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Some people view Christianity like they’d be in a cage not being able to do what they want. But if what they want are good things then following God is the only place to be. His promises to care for us (Psalm 121:2), protect us (Psalm 121:7) and even avenge us (Romans 12:19) when necessary are real not a trick. He doesn’t want us proverbially sleeping in the proverbial beds we’ve made. He wants to rescue us and give us real and good things. He’s not a lawmaker from California who doesn’t deliver what was promised because he’s not looking out for himself or out to make himself look good. He just IS good, and so is following all of his ways that are perfect, true and full of protection.
  
Dear God,
Thank you for your perfect promises that are true and full of protection for my life. Thank you that your character is giving me good things and that your plan for me is for me to always be with you. Thank you that you do not trick or manipulate or hope I mess up. You are kind in all your ways and I just can’t thank you enough. I love you and pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

​5 July 2017
The Benefits of Godliness
Isaiah 12:4 NLT
In that wonderful day you will sing: “Thank the Lord! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is!

I like celebrating our Nation’s Birthday. I think it’s appropriate to be patriotic and proud of our country, to have borders and stand out; I don’t quite understand the big deal about that. Our nation is special! If it weren’t special, why would so many people want to come here? If we stop making it special, what will compel anyone to come here or stay here? Why is the USA so special anyway? Nobody likes the real answer, but God, or at least the way God thinks, is what has set our country apart for generations, and everybody likes it!!!

“America may not be a Christian nation per se, but only the Judeo-Christian worldview could have framed such a nation’s ideas and values.” - Ravi Zacharias

Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is...  Actually, ALL of God’s thoughts are wonderful and make life better. It is important for Believers to point that out to people. If we know someone who appreciates “All men are created equal,” we should be making sure they know where that concept comes from... And God created us all; he has no favorites, whether rich or poor. Job 34:19 (CEV)

And there are many “American Concepts” that are uniquely God’s...
Do not steal or tell lies or cheat others. Do not misuse my name by making promises you don’t intend to keep. I am the Lord your God. Do not steal anything or cheat anyone, and don’t fail to pay your workers at the end of each day. I am the Lord your God, and I command you not to make fun of the deaf or to cause a blind person to stumble. Be fair, no matter who is on trial—don’t favor either the poor or the rich. Don’t be a gossip, but never hesitate to speak up in court, especially if your testimony can save someone’s life. Leviticus 19:11-16 (CEV)

God has set specific standards for living, and time has shown that a nation based on these concepts is a place where everyone wants to be. Well, God has specific guidelines for daily living as well, and recent social experiments deviating from his standards are now proving to be detrimental to society.

There’s an article by the Daily Mail today called Millennials aren't ready for the 'reality of life' and suffer from panic attacks and anxiety problems, research finds. Their research claims that 61% of mellennials are anxious about being out on their own for various reasons. One major component of anxiety was due to casual sex, that is having sex with people you’ve known for less than a week. Anxiety was increased for this group of people compared to their non casual sex counterparts.

I know there are lots of factors that contribute to the weird unprepared adult phenomena that is currently sweeping the nation. But with godlessness simultaneously on the rise, isn’t it logical to conclude there’s a strong connection? I’m not saying everyone who lives here has to be a Christian. But I am saying that all people of all races and cultures sure have enjoyed the benefits of Christianity being part of our nation’s foundation. Similarly, not everyone needs to be a Christian (although that would be awesome!), but people can personally and socially benefit from living within God’s economy for living. For example, sex being saved for marriage is not a bad, backwards, archaic idea. We’ve already seen an era of less casual sex being related to less anxiety. These dots aren’t hard to connect.

Godly values built a fine nation that is appealing and beneficial to everyone. Won’t the godly values of it’s citizens fill that country with a competent generation able to function in it?

Doing what is right makes a nation great, but sin will bring disgrace to any people.
-Proverbs 14:34 (NCV)
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Dear God,
Thank you for an opportunity to celebrate another birthday for our country last night. Thank you for the sacrifices of so many over the years to help keep us free and safe. Thank you that we both know that everyone here is enjoying the benefits of your prescription for living whether they acknowledge it or not, and help us to find ways to increase godly living here as well. Help Believers everywhere to be bold to express the benefits of godliness. Help me to be bold, and thank you so much for showing me your way of doing things through your Son, your Holy Spirit, and your Word. I love you so much and I’m so glad to enjoy your way of thinking and living. Thank you, Lord, and I pray in your name, amen.