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 138 For Men Only Part 2

Psalm 138: 3 and 6

When I called You answered me,

You made me bold and stouthearted.

Though The LORD is on high,

He looks upon the lowly,

But the haughty and prideful,

 He knows from afar.

Haughty and prideful……

I am seeing a caricature of a man…..

A small man desperate to be large…..

A cartoon.

I am seeing a man …..

Dominated by fear……

Striving for validation…..

Separated from the Life of God….

A force of division, strife and pain……

A wrecking ball to everything around him…..

I am seeing a man who at best….

Only knows about the Love of The Father.

Bold and Stouthearted…….

I am seeing a man who is……

Confident….

Purposeful……

Courageous…….

Adventurous…….

Full of Life and Joy…..

In touch with the Power of God……

Ready to take up the cause of the weak…..

Ready to receive from those stronger and farther along……

I am seeing a man who has……

Nothing to prove…..

A firm grip on his identity in Christ….

A reason to get up in the mornings……..

A strength from above that comes through…….

I am seeing a man who lives…..

Truly lives……..

From the Life and Love and Power of Christ in him.

I see the man I want to be.

The Difference……

“When I called on You…. You Answered me”

Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit,

I call on You even now….

Today, this very moment, to rise up in me powerfully.

I call on You to fill me to overflowing….

With all the Life, Love and Power I can possibly handle,

So that who You are overflows from my life today.

Father,

Rise up in me to be

 Bold and Stouthearted.

Amen

Psalm 137 Yes.... We Can!

Psalm 137:4

How can we sing the Songs of The LORD

While in a foreign land?

They only had memories.

We have Christ.

They sang from their memories….

They sang with bitterness in their hearts.

Us……..

You and I……..

We can sing……..

Yet not just from memories…..

And not with bitterness in our hearts.

No, none of these.

Us……

You and I…….

We can sing…….

Yes, we can sing…...

From the Life of our God……

Yes……From the Life of our God…. In us.

Let’s do it guys….

Let’s go have some fun……

Let’s go live the adventure…….

Let’s do it……

Let’s sing….

Let’s live.

You know we can.

Yes……. You know……..

We can!

John 15:5

Jesus said,

“I am the vine, you are the branches.

If you remain in Me and I in you,

You will bear much fruit…..”

Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit,

Thank You for the gift of Your Life in us

So that we might go out into this foreign land

And yet live!

Amen

Psalm 120 Lies or The Truth....... Now Choose

Psalm 120:2

Save me O’ LORD from lying lips,

And from deceitful tongues.

He has answered this prayer.

The question is…….

Have I taken hold of His Salvation.

The lying lips……

The deceitful tongue…….

The voices I hear most often are those inside me……

That are not me.

“You’re such a pathetic little boy”

“You will never have what you really want”

“You had better not try that- People will laugh at you”

“Be careful- You can’t let them see you fail”

“You’re just a hopeless sinner”

“God doesn’t really care about you”

Guys……..These are just the tip of the Ice burg.

There is only one way to answer the lies…….

Speak Truth.

Truth……My Father has given me a Spirit of Power.

2 Timothy 1:7

Truth……Even though I may sin- I am not a sinner- I am a new creation in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Truth……God Loves me and has made me His son.

1 John 3:1

Truth…..Father will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I can bear.

2 Corinthians 10:13

Truth……I can handle anything through Christ Who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

Truth…..It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me, to live through me.

Galatians 2:20

Truth…….He is at work in all things for my good.

Romans 8:28

Truth……….

Christ Himself……

Who died so that I can be forgiven……..

Who in His Resurrection has defeated sin and death and all evil……

Who by The Holy Spirit inhabits my very body……..

Who has prepared a place for me in His Kingdom……

Who will make all things New and Right and Good…….

Christ Himself is ………

Truth.

Truth or Lies……. What will you listen to?

What will you live from?

He has saved us from the lies…….

Now go and Live in the Power of…..

Truth!                                                                                                                           

Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit,

Thank You for answering the Psalmist prayer.

Thank You for saving us from the lies.

Lord,

Today… This very hour…….I will live…….

I will live from….

Truth.

Amen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaVg0cWkgAw