Discontent comes when you believe things are out control. Discontent happens when things don’t go the way you believe they should. Discontent happens when you think you don’t have enough. Discontent is the enemy of healthy, loving relationships. When getting ahead in life is measured by the things you acquire or by the approval of others discontent thrives. In short, living for things that you cannot eternally possess results in futility. Listen to what Paul says about contentment: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” I Timothy 6:6&7. This is why you must aggressively pursue contentment. It is not enough to just want to be […]
Worry
52 posts
Jesus teaches his disciples what prayer should look like in Matthew 6. Then he makes several observations regarding the impact that prayer should have on your everyday life. He speaks of heart allegiance, worries about food, clothing, life’s basic necessities, and how long you will live. He feeds the birds and tells you that you are more valuable in his eyes. He contrasts all of these concerns with the reality that God knows all that you truly need and more. The first portion of Psalm 139 beautifully and intimately describes how God knows everything there is to know about you. He even knows your thoughts before you have them. The exact days that you will live have been determined by […]
The human mind is not compatible with worry! Worry is anxiety about things that you cannot control. Jesus tells you not to worry about even the most basic needs of life. He even tells you how to pray so that you will not worry. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus instructs you to ask God for your daily bread. By reading the verses that come after the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6, we see that Christ was talking about more than just asking God for bread. Three times, (in verses 25, 28, and 31), Jesus commands that you not worry about your life, clothes or food. That is amazing! Worry messes with your mind. When you worry, you can’t think well! […]
The person who is insensitive dominates your thinking. Your ungrateful kids or spouse provides hours of self-pity. The so-called friend who is constantly irritating you keeps you awake at night. The political figure who is against everything you stand for makes you see red. When you reject the Spirit’s control you give all these people control of your life. Is this what you really want? I didn’t think so. All of the above examples mean you are being controlled by your flesh and not the Spirit of God. In Galatians 5 Paul tells you to walk by the Spirit, so that you will not gratify the desires of your flesh. If you desire the control of the Holy Spirit then […]
Turmoil is a part of life. The headlines and news alerts produce a steady flow uncertainty and events to worry about. Personal relationships can bring a daily dose of drama. Disappointment is common. All too often the question, “where is God in all of this?”, creeps into our thoughts. Thankfully, this is not all there is to life. Underneath and around the turmoil something more compelling and more sure is at work. Psalm 62 takes you back to the place of safety and security. King David’s life was full of strife, attack and turmoil. But, David’s security is that safety is found not in changing circumstances but in his unchanging God. Because his God is his life’s constant, he is […]
You can have confidence in the face of terror and be an encouragement to your family and to those around you. In Matthew 10 Jesus brings gentle encouragement to his followers. He tells them it is God who has the real power over body and soul. Then he tenderly comforts his followers by reminding them that not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from their Father’s care. So, don’t fear for you are worth more than many sparrows. The world is not stumbling out of control, even if our leaders are uncertain in their responses to evil. Your loving heavenly father is committed to care for you no matter how serious the threat of terror. Focus on the […]
What is the opposite of worry? If worry is destructive, then what can be put in its place? You tend to worry about what you think is uncertain. But being certain about what will come won’t help. First, because no one can be certain about what the next minute or hour will bring. Then, secondly, if you did know what was going to happen next you would probably worry about that. We still need a replacement for worry. God says that the opposite of worry is to wait on him. If you learn anything from the Bible, it is that tomorrow is uncertain. No one knows what tomorrow will bring in terms of events and circumstances. But what you do […]
Once again, terror leads the headlines. Terrorism and peace, not two things you think of at the same time. Terror breeds fear. Peace yields confidence. How do you know peace in times of terror? Where do you find confidence? The answer: there is only One who brings peace and confidence in our troubled world. His name is Jesus Christ. Your savior is supremely confident. His confidence flows from his humility. Think about that. Jesus is confident that he can always trust his Father. God the Father has given his son his sheep. No one can take them away. That means no one can take you away from the strong hand of your Savior. Jesus is confident in his Father, you […]
There are times when everything goes wrong all at once. The kids are out of control. There are problems with the car or the house. You are tired to the bone. There are far too few hours in a day. There are times life hurts. You try to pray but it is like God is on coffee break. There was a king who had a moment like this. There was a vast army that was coming to attack him. Why? Simply because they wanted to. They were strong and unjust. He knew that he had no ability to defeat the bad guys, they were simply too strong. Our king had no idea what to do. But then, in humility, King […]
The human mind is not compatible with worry! Worry messes with your mind. Worry is anxiety about things that you cannot control. This comes, in part, from believing you are alone in life. In response to this, Jesus tells you not to worry about even the most basic needs of life. He even tells you how to pray so that you will not worry. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus instructs you to ask God for your daily bread. By reading the verses that come after the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6, we see that Christ was talking about more than just asking God for bread. Three times, (in verses 25, 28, and 31), Jesus commands that you not worry about […]