Thought I Was Going to Blog About the Pastor's Message; God Had a Different Message

I was asked in May to write a blog for the church’s blog site. Since that time I have asked God, “Lord, what am I supposed to write about?” and His answer has continued to be, “You’ll figure it out.”  Even sitting down to write this, I thought I might know what I was supposed to write about.

I thought I was going to be blogging about Pastor Mitch’s sermon from last Sunday, June 10^th, and what God spoke to me during the sermon.  While I’ll be mentioning it a little later, it has transformed into something completely different as I’ve began to type.

Sunday, Pastor Mitch posed the question, “Are you eating from the right tree?”  Pastor Mitch did a great job of defining the trees; one tree being the word of God and what He says is truth, and the other tree being the tree of knowledge of good and evil—the tree of what the world says.

For many, I’m sure they were able to understand this just from this explanation. I’m not always like that. I found myself saying, “Okay, Lord. I believe Your word is true, so where am I missing it?” 

He showed me two examples where this applies. He said, “The wrong tree is the doctors telling you, you are sick and dying. I am the tree of life. The wrong tree is the world saying you’re poor and defeated. I am the tree saying you are prosperous and victorious.” The examples can go on and on.

I’m an analytical learner. I like details, examples, metaphors and visuals. This is the way God speaks to me.  He is either giving me check points, using examples in my life or visually showing me things and saying, “it’s like this”. His voice is always the same, but His tone changes. For me, it’s been patient, friendly, chiding, or humorous. It just depends on what He’s saying and how long He’s been saying it. Sometimes He’s my Father, and sometimes He’s just speaking as my friend.

 In church we’ve been talking about prayer lately, and how we pray. As a family, we have set times during the day where we pray; morning, meal times and bedtime. We use these prayer times to thank God for what He’s done, what He’s doing and what He continues to do.

If a problem presents itself throughout the day I thank Him for providing me His patience, strength and wisdom in helping me through the situation. If I get a prayer request from a friend or someone else I pray very similarly. I provide scripture to the person and let them know what I’m agreeing to believe with them on and that God receives all the glory for it. 

I’ve found myself asking, do I pray enough, and do I pray the right way. His response to me was, “Praying isn’t just ‘God help me; God, do this; God, do that, God, why won’t you do this; God, why won’t you do that.’ 

Prayer is communion with Me. It’s showing respect and knowing what I do for you and knowing what I’ll keep doing for you. As a parent, as an employer, as a person in a position of authority, or as a friend - would you want your children, employees, subordinates, or friends to continually bring all their problems to you for you to fix them? No. You want them to use what you have given them, use what you have taught them to solve their own problems.  If you have given your word on something, it’s okay if they remind you of it because you want them to know you care for them and they can depend and rely on you to honor your word. You want them to talk to you and share with you things they find important, just as I do with you.”  

He went on to tell me how much time I don’t even realize I am talking to Him and with Him just because it’s become a ‘normal’ part of my day. He told me it’s okay and He’s pleased, and that made me smile.

 At the beginning of the year, the Lord shared with me that I was being selfish by not sharing with others what he speaks and has spoken to me.  I made a commitment to share and have honored that commitment. 

Today, he wanted me to share that He speaks to each of us differently in a way that is most beneficial to each of us. There is no right or wrong way to hear from Him. If you are confused rather you’re hearing Him or not, He says if whatever he’s said, or instructed you to do or change is followed with a feeling of peace, it’s Him.

                                                     by: Jessica Carlisle

What Is It That You Seek?

Pastor Mitch has been mentioning Matthew 6:31 a lot, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?”  

We have learned that this verse is a commandment from God instructing us not to concern ourselves with these things.  We know that this is instruction from God because Jesus said it, and Jesus says what he hears his Father say.  

Not only is this verse instruction to the believer, but it is also comfort.  Without reading any further, Matthew 6:31 is comfort because by telling us to not concern ourselves with food, drink, and clothes, He is telling us that he will take care of them.  We don’t have to do anything other than believe that God’s word is true.  Think about it, there is no way that our God, who loves us more than we could ever know, would ever allow us to go without these things, especially after telling us not to concern ourselves with them.

Matthew 6:32 reads “(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”  

This confirms what the believer should take away from the previous verse.  Jesus is confirming to us that our Father is aware of our needs, and if this was not enough, the second half of verse 33 says “and all these things shall be added unto you.”  So even though the believer should be able to deduct from verse 31 that God will take care of these things, Jesus goes on to spell it out for us in verse 33.

There are a couple of additional points to take away from verses 32 and 33.  

Verse 32 starts out with “(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:)”.  

Here, Jesus is pointing out that there should be a difference between believers and non-believers.  If we are seeking the same things that gentiles are seeking, then there are no differences between us.  If there is no difference between the believer and the gentiles, God will not be seen in His people.  

In the beginning of verse 33 Jesus tells the believer how they should be different and what they should be seeking.  “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.”  So here, Jesus tells us what should consume our thoughts.  Not only do we believe God to provide those things that we need, but we seek our God’s kingdom and righteousness in place of those other Earthly needs.

The second, but equally as important point to take away from verses 32 and 33 is that there is a cause/effect relationship between what a person seeks and what God will provide.  The second half of verse 33 is conditional upon obeying his command in the first half of the same verse.

 If you seek His kingdom and righteousness, these things (that the gentiles seek) will be added unto you.  Meaning, if you are seeking anything other than His kingdom and righteousness, you do not qualify for God to add food, drink and clothes to you.  Why would He add things to you when He will not get the credit for it because you were trying to achieve it yourself? 

Matthew 6:31 – 33 separates the believer from the non-believer.  The difference between the two can be found in what they seek.  The non-believer seeks food, drink, and clothes.  The believer seeks God’s kingdom and His righteousness.  What is it that you seek?

By Chris Carlisle

Faith, Hope and Love

Faith, Hope, and Love

What mountain must faith move to find where we stand?

Where must hope go to gain entrance to our hearts?

What must love do that it may come close?

For the only mountain faith must move is our own desires to allow it to work in us.

Hope must go nowhere; for, it lies in the Scriptures waiting for us to receive it.

Love must only draw near once we submit and likewise have drawn close.

For these things are the individualities of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

by: Nick Mosier