Poverty as a Good Thing

Matt. 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven

There is this desire that has been set into my heart-

A desire to matter…….

A desire for thrill and excitement.

A desire for meaning and belonging.

It is a desire deep within my soul…….

A desire that longs for Life and Fullness.

It is at my core to know…..

My life matters……

To know…..

My life will go on into eternity……

As something…..

Significant.

I want……

I want to breathe joy

I want to live adventure

I want a place in all this creation that…….

Quickens me.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit”.

Blessed are those…

Blessed am I…

Blessed are all who come to realize…

There is no hope.

No hope for the fulfillment of my longings…

No hope for the Life I hunger for…

No hope for anything good or true or right…

Apart from Creator of all that is good or true or right.

I cannot manipulate my way into what I want.

I cannot power my way into what I want.

I cannot buy my way into what I want.

The Life I long for…

The Life of the Kingdom of Heaven…

It won’t be found in the praises of men.

It won’t be found in some great accomplishment.

It won’t be found in wealth or riches.

I will not find satisfaction...

In any of these lesser gods…

Or their false promises.

I am destitute…

And this is a good thing.

John 10:10b

Jesus said, ”I have come that you might have Life…”

Father in Heaven

I pray You take away any notion

I might have of finding Life

In anything else…….

Apart from You.

Amen

Psalm 150 The Conclusion of the Matter

Psalm 150:6

Let everything that has breath,

Praise The LORD.

So what do you think it is…….

The conclusion of the matter, that is……

What is it this life might be all about anyway?

Some possibilities…….

Making a name for yourself…

Accumulating nice things…

Maximizing pleasure…

Making a difference…

Becoming powerful…

Following the rules…

Being comfortable…

Solving problems…

Meaningful work…

Rich experiences…

Building a legacy…

Proving myself…

Helping others…

Relationships…

Looking good…

Being good…

Doing good…

Self-control…

Having fun…

Adventure…

Winning…

Church…

Family…

Maybe it’s all about……

Nothing…..

It’s all random.

Maybe it’s all about…..

Everything…..

It’s all random.

But wait,

I wonder if there might be something…..

Some one, special, real, thing……

My life could be about….

Could center on……

Some one, special, real thing

That would…..

Make the difference for me……

That would……

Give substance to all these other…..

Lesser things?

Maybe it’s simple.……

As simple as the Psalmist expresses in this closing chapter.

Psalm 150:6

Let everything that has breath,

Praise The LORD.

Amen.

Psalm 149 The Best Feeling I Ever Had.

Psalm 149:1

…Sing to The LORD a new song…..

“My dream has finally come to reality….

And it’s the best feeling I have ever had.”

LeBron James on winning a Championship.

Strong words.

When I saw the quote……

“The best feeling….”

I couldn’t help but wonder how this could be so.

I mean here is a man with millions….

A man acclaimed by all his world to be one of the best…..

A man who has certainly had many incredible experiences and yet…..

This experience……

His dream…

A Championship…..

Worked so hard for…..

“The best feeling I ever had”

Maybe it’s because of his hard work…

The committed investment of his life in this pursuit.

Maybe it’s because he had made this his dream…..

Achieving greatness….

A Championship….

Validation.

“The best feeling I ever had”

The truth is I don’t know.

Anything I write here is a guess..….

A projection of my own experiences to a man I don’t know.

My congratulations go out to LeBron……

Along with my wishes that he have…..

At least one more experience…..

One that eclipses even this.

Now though…

What about you and me?

What is our dream?

What is the song of our lives?

What are we committing our lives to…..

For the most incredible feeling we might ever have?

Guys,

Know this….

Whatever it is…..

This song of our lives….

The reason we rise out of our beds …..

If it’s not flowing out of the very Life of Christ in us……

It may be time to heed the Psalmist……

To heed the Psalmist and……

Sing to The LORD……

A New Song.

Father,

I pray You lead us all into the New Song.

I pray You reveal to all of us in a powerful way

What it is that will give us the best feeling we ever had….

And so we might be irresistibly drawn to Life….

Real Life in You.

Amen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXilbs5a-iI

Psalm 135 Fools Gold

Psalm 135:15-18

The idols of the nations are silver and gold,

made by the hands of men.

They have mouths but cannot speak,

Eyes but cannot see,

Nor is there breath in their mouths.

Those who make them will be like them,

And so will all who trust in them.

Idols…..

Anything we look to for Life….

Apart from The True Life Giver.

There is no breath in their mouths.

And so shall it be……..

For any who trust in these lesser things.

We will never find the life we long for……

In these lesser things.

Guys,

Please do not misunderstand……

I am not saying it is wrong to enjoy the gifts.

I am not even saying it is wrong to desire things.

Ah,

But to look to these things……..

These experiences……

Even other relationships…..

For Life……

For Real Life…

It’s fool’s gold.

Jeremiah 2:13

My people have committed two sins:

They have forsaken Me, The Spring of Living Water

And

Have dug their own cisterns,

Broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Let’s turn to The Spring of Living Water….       

          

Great Father, Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus,

Show us where we have settled for lesser things….

Show us where we have believed the lies.

Open our eyes to see….

Real Life…

Your Life.

Breathe Your Breath of Life into our mouths and so….

Revive us.

We ask all this in the

Most Powerful Name of Jesus,

Our Savior and our King.

Amen

Psalm 127 My Vision or His Revelation?

Psalm 127:1

Unless The LORD builds the house,

It’s builders labor in vain…………

What are you building?

Actually a better question may be…….

Where is God in the labor?

Is He central?

Does your labor flow out of……..

His Revelation…….

His Power………

His Life………

In you?

Or………..

Do we simply build away……….

Toiling over our own visions of grandeur?

Maybe, at best…….

Asking for His blessing on the work?

I have spent a great deal of energy

In my 51 years on planet earth……..

Toiling……

Building……..

Laboring……….

Too many times……….

In vain.

No more.

Come Lord Jesus,

Build what You will build,

Do what you will do……

Through me.

Amen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LznxnuVaG8o