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Where Your Heart Is...........

8/16/2018

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​22Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? 27“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 29“And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
32“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. 33“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. (Luke 12:22-34 NLT)
 
“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” I really enjoy this particular teaching style of Jesus. It is inductive, that is, He teaches all of the points first and then culminates with the BOOM statement. Here we see all the reasons why we as His creation should not worry about our lives and our everyday needs, and I think that is a great message in and of itself (of course) but did you pay attention to the BOOM statement? The final statement speaks more to the very desires of our hearts than to the little things that make up our existence. In other words, are our hearts set on Jesus or on all of the little things that make up our days? Do we see the big picture – or are we too engulfed in the thousands of little pictures? Do we trust God, our Father – or do we trust ourselves and the things that we have, or think that we need?
 
Great questions.
 
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Would You Like to Be Healed?

8/2/2018

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1Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. 3Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. 5One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” 7“I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” 8Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” 9Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! (John 5:1-9 NLT)
 
As you read this scripture, let me ask – what part of it really sticks out? What part of it really speaks to YOU? It is, of course, a picture of salvation; but there are so many facets to what is happening here that speak into the individual, into the church, into what it means to be in a submitted relationship with our Lord and Savior. Lets review: The lame man laid there for 38 years and NOBODY would help him! What does that say about the depths of human selfishness and depravity? Jesus asks the lame man, knowing that he has suffered all of this time, “Would you like to get well?” Why would he ask? Wouldn’t it be more “charitable” to just do it? Who Wouldn’t want healed after 38 years of suffering? But wait, the suffering man’s response is – “I can’t, sir” not YES SIR! The suffering man didn’t say, “what have you been waiting for?” or, “What a stupid question!” He says, “I can’t, sir.” Notice also that the response that the man gives is not even to the question Jesus asks! Jesus does not ask if the man can make himself well, Jesus asks if the man would like to get, or be made, well. Interesting.  Oh my, and we didn’t even get into how “the church” reacted to the authentic power of God! Please, read on and tell me if that sounds in any way like your church leadership.
 
Jesus does not touch the man; he does not make a paste and place it on the man; he does not make a big show of prayer or call attention to the situation in any way, shape, or form. Jesus simply speaks. Jesus, the Word, speaks and His creation is healed. Powerful. We forget that our God is a creator God. We forget that Jesus is the Logos – the Word – and the Word was with God and the Word was God Re: John 1. We speak to Jesus. Jesus Speaks to us. We can’t heal ourselves. Jesus desires to heal us. If you declare with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Re: romans 10) You will be healed. You will be redeemed. You will be transformed. You will, “pick up your matt and walk!” ​
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    Pastor Brian is the senior pastor of Churchtown Church of God and regularly shares his thoughts & insight here - he invites you to join in the discussion of life & faith!

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