The Daily Dose

A lot or a little

“Whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42

Rewards.  If you’re anything like me, heavenly rewards seem far away and almost undiscernible.  I mean, what are the rewards in heaven?  Most people don’t even know what that looks like. I know there are crowns.  In fact, the Bible talks about 5 different crowns.  They are: The Victor’s crown, the crown of rejoicing, the crown of righteousness, the crown of life and the crown of glory.  Those rewards are awesome, but certainly these are for the really great ministers that are reaching the world every day, right??  Or are they?

Today’s passage talks about receiving rewards, just because you received others.  For example, if you receive and accept the words of the gospels, you are receiving the disciples.   Jesus said that is just like receiving Him and our Heavenly Father.  What about the prophets?  If we receive God’s prophets and the word they gave in the Old Testament through them, we will also receive their reward?  That sounds amazing!

Jesus said there are even rewards in simple acts of kindness such as giving a cup of cold water.  So, how do you know who to receive and who to be kind to?  Well, first of all, kindness should be to all people.  God loves all people, so we are to love all people.  Second, we should receive God’s Word and the prophets who wrote it as the final authority on every subject.  Even though there were men that wrote the words, they were people of God that God spoke the message through.  It is the true and living Word!

Lastly, righteous people of today.  This gets a little sketchy in my mind.  Certainly, this takes some discernment.  There are many who claim to be righteous today but have gotten off track. However, 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that He gives us His righteousness when we give Him our sin. So, even if you do not agree with every word that a person proclaiming the message gives, you can still receive them as a righteous person because they are in Christ Jesus.  This does not have to be complicated.  Righteous people are children of God.  Not perfect people, because there are none.  Just children of God and to receive them is to love them.  If we love all people as Jesus told us to, we will receive our eternal rewards.  To sum it all up:  Love all people unconditionally so they can know God and experience His goodness in their everyday life.

Today I want to encourage you to think about heavenly rewards.  Obviously, God wants us to know about them because He talks about them in His word.  Next, walk out simple acts of kindness wherever you go.  Lastly, love people because they are God’s creation and love is the way to draw people to Him.  Your reward will be great and best of all, you will get to hear Him say: “Well done!”

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 10:40-42

 40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

Find life

He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 10:39

Have you ever wondered in your lifetime why certain activities didn’t bring you the satisfaction that you expected them to?  Have you ever thought about why the new job or new home didn’t fill the void that you thought it would?  In today’s reading, Jesus tells us how to find that fulfillment in life that we all seek and sometimes never find.  It is losing yourself in Him.

Sometimes life feels like we are chasing after the next big event or new accessory.  Somehow in life many of us have gotten the idea that some material thing or grand experience can fill the emptiness that each person has on the inside.  The problem with that is that our Heavenly Father created that spot inside of every person for Himself to live in.  That is why when we get that new relationship or latest devise, it fills the gap for a little while, but the newness quickly wears off.

Thank goodness the Lord’s mercies are renewed every morning and His lovingkindness continues for ever (Lamentations 3:22).  He can bring joy into each day we are alive in this world simply by putting His plans and agenda before your own.  In fact, the verse today says that we must lose our lives in Him so we can find it.  When we put away the things and desires that we think will bring happiness, and instead, seek after what God has designed us accomplish, we will live a life of total satisfaction.  The reason is because He created us with that purpose in mind when He made us.

Today I want to encourage you to spend some quiet time with your Heavenly Father before you start your day.  Get alone with Him and ask Him to fill up your heart with the assignment He has for you today, this week and your lifetime.  Then make it a habit to spend time with Him every morning to get the plan from Him and soon you will be walking out the good missions He created you for.  Then and only then will you find true joy, satisfaction and fulfillment that you never have had before.  Lose your life today so you can find what life is really all about.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 10:34-39

 34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;

36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’

37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

 

Help, Lord!

_{Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. – Psalms 12:1}

I specifically remember a day not too long ago that I made a conscience effort to listen to conversations going on around me.  At work, while I was running errands and in my neighborhood.  It is easy to see what is in a person’s heart, just by listening to the words that they speak.  As I took time to simply hear the voices around me, the first thing I recognized was pride.  Almost every conversations was retelling something that had happened to and how they prevailed by not backing down or letting anyone get the better of them.  Next, I heard gossip and complaining and the last thing I noted was fear.  I was disappointed that it seemed like the whole world around me had no idea that they could be doing something to make things better in their world, but the choice was to just talk about things in a negative way, never realizing that it didn’t help things at all.

I was reminded of the day I took time to listen to people around me when I read Psalms chapter 12 this morning.  But instead of feeling helpless by the pride and evil going on around me, I spoke these words in prayer. “Help, Lord!  Where are the godly people and why does it seem like they are so far and few between?”  I know there are still many Christians in the world, and I see so many of them on the weekend when I go to church, but why is it so hard to identify them when I go out into the world? 

Then I read verse six in this Psalm that says the words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace and purified seven times.  God’s Words are perfect, and they are pure and true.  When we begin to speak what He says we are speaking His plan and His promises.  Whatever is going on around us, God has a word for that situation, and He wants us to know what He says so that we can speak those words instead of pride and fear over our life’s circumstances.  His words are His will, and we can be praying scripture over our homes, over our neighborhoods, over our country and our world.  These are the words and promises that will make an impact and God’s words are how we will be the light to the world around us.  We can know the will of God for every life crisis we come up against because His will is His word.  Our faith in His power to change things starts when we know what His will is for that situation by finding His promise in His book.

Today I want to encourage you to talk differently than the world around you.  Put away criticizing, complaining and condemning conversations.  Instead speak the good news of God’s promises and salvation plan for the world we live in.  Begin to make notes when reading the scripture of the passages that touch your life personally.  Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart and ears to the words that your Father wants you to hold onto for your struggles and then put your faith in action by holding on to those promises when you begin to worry about the things in life.  When you don’t know what to do or say, it is ok to cry out for help.  “Help, Lord! Show me the way to your godly words and plan.”  He will show up and shine the light in every dark time you find yourself in.

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 12

1 Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.

2 They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things,

4 Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; Who is lord over us?”

5 “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”

6 The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

7 You shall keep them, O Lord, You shall preserve them from this generation forever.

8 The wicked prowl on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

Put your trust in Him

In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”? – Psalms 11:1

If I said to anyone of you reading this message that the world we live in is messed up, I don’t think anyone would question why I would make such a statement.  No doubt, the dangers surrounding our everyday lives can be extremely frightening. With unexpected weather phenomenon or current sickness and diseases that might be going around, not to mention the violence that happens daily, it is easy to see why some people are just not able to cope.  Many times, over the past several years I have said: “I don’t know how people go through life without knowing God and that He has a plan set in motion.”  Honestly, I look to Him each day and trust Him for protection, for provision and for the grace I need to accomplish His plan for the day.  I cannot even imagine living in this world without knowing my Father is with me to take me through life’s struggles.

I’m sure we all know people who are terrified of the things that could happen to them at any given time.  They worry about getting sick or being hurt in some way.  Some people are so afraid that they won’t even leave their homes because of the fear that something bad could happen.  It is a sad thing to not know how to trust God to watch over and to keep you in all your ways.  There are so many promised in His word about how He is watching over His people and even wants to be actively involved in their lives.

I love how Psalms chapter 11 starts.  It states that I put my trust in the Lord so much that I would not even think of saying to my soul, you should run away and hide.  Fly away to the mountain like a bird that takes refuge from predators.  It goes on to say, yes, the wicked are out there and there are threats that exists in the world, but God is in His holy temple (which is the body of His people) and with His eyes He is looking and watching us.

This chapter even goes so far to say that life is a test to see if we will trust Him or try to figure things out on our own.  He is watching us and when we call on Him, He always answers.  He has a plan and a purpose and nothing or no one in this world can stop it!  Glory to God!

When you renew your mind to the promises He gave in His word, you will no longer live and make your decisions based on fears and outward circumstances.  Suddenly, you will trust Him to empower you to accomplish every great thing that He has put in your heart for this life.  He will give you the boldness and the strength to share His love and provision with those who live in terror of things to come, and He will lead you to those who are ready to hear His message of love and salvation wherever you go.

Today I want to encourage you, no matter what is going on in your life and in the world around you, to put your trust in the Lord! Don’t run and hide from the unknown and treachery of the outside world.  Instead, look to His word and promises and believe what He has said about leading you in the path of righteousness.  Recognize that every day is a test and you have the choice to trust and follow Him or lean on your own limited understanding and fear.  Realize that He is only a prayer away and is ready to rush in and rescue you from every scary thing you come up against.

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 11

1 In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”?

2 For look! The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.

3 If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?

4 The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.

5 The Lord tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.

6 Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind Shall be the portion of their cup.

7 For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.

It’s ok

_{Why do the wicked get away with despising God? They think, “God will never call us to account.” – Psalms 10: 13}

Did you ever see people that seem like they are getting away with doing the wrong things in life?  Maybe even some seemingly “successful” ones that you know have gained position through underhanded and even unethical methods.  Still, you may know some that are always trying to get away with doing things halfway or bare minimum, yet they always seem to come out on top.  When you see these things going on, it can be easy to fall into the trap and ask why does that work for them?  Why do they seem to be prospering despite their evil ways of living life?

All through the scriptures, God promises that He is not overlooking the evil that is being done in the world we live it today.  Even in the Psalm today, the key verse talks about mankind thinking in their heart that there is no punishment for wrongdoing.  Many times, it looks like they are getting away with things simply because God wants to give them every opportunity to repent and start living their life in the godly way.  He is long suffering and patient, and I am so thankful that He is because I depend on His love and kindness every day.  He is patient with me and doesn’t hold my sin against me and always gives me the time I need to run to Him with a repentant heart. 

As for the wicked, God has promised that without repentance, people will eventually reap what they sow.  It is a law that He set in motion when He created the world.  Everything produces after its own kind.  Apple seeds make apples and maple trees will produce more maple trees.  Good works produce good in a life and bad will eventually reap bad.  If you are sowing corruption and deception, it will come back on you.  This principle works either way, good or bad.  When you sow love, kindness and generosity, it too will come back into your life as blessings from above. No matter how long it may look like someone is getting away with doing something wrong, they will always reap what ever they are sowing.

This Psalms also clearly shows us that it is ok to bring our doubts and fears before God.  It is ok to pour out your heart to Him when you are feeling low and discouraged.  When you don’t know what to do, He is there for you waiting to hear your cry for help.  Even when He seems far away, in faith you can know He is close and is waiting to comfort you.  Many times, when I am feeling low, I pray a simple prayer like: “Lord, thank you for sending me some encouragement today!”  That’s all it takes, and He always shows up.

So today what ever you are up against, I want to encourage you to receive His patience, love and kindness by faith into your life.  Remind yourself of His promises to be with you always and thank Him for the good plans He has for you today.  Pour out your heart to Him and receive His comfort.  Then stay close to Him throughout the day and thank Him every time you see the good, no matter how small it seems.  Remember that the wicked will reap what they sow in their season so turn your attention away from what seems to be going on with them to your Father above.  He is the place you will find hope and He is the One that will give you peace and joy.

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 10

1 O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?

2 The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor. Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.

3 For they brag about their evil desires; they praise the greedy and curse the Lord.

4 The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead.

5 Yet they succeed in everything they do. They do not see your punishment awaiting them. They sneer at all their enemies.

6 They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us! We will be free of trouble forever!”

7 Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats. Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.

8 They lurk in ambush in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people. They are always searching for helpless victims.

9 Like lions crouched in hiding, they wait to pounce on the helpless. Like hunters they capture the helpless and drag them away in nets.

10 Their helpless victims are crushed; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.

11 The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us! He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!”

12 Arise, O Lord! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not ignore the helpless!

13 Why do the wicked get away with despising God? They think, “God will never call us to account.”

14 But you see the trouble and grief they cause. You take note of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in you. You defend the orphans.

15 Break the arms of these wicked, evil people! Go after them until the last one is destroyed.

16 The Lord is king forever and ever! The godless nations will vanish from the land.

17 Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.

18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.

Praise the Lord

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart.  I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. – Psalms 9:1-2

 Have you ever had a day of low energy?  Maybe you were lacking inspiration or motivation?  Maybe you didn’t get enough sleep the night before or there was no time to eat a healthy breakfast before you were off and running?  There are many things that can contribute to the times when you feel less than enthused about life.  Chances are, if you are anything like me, you have those kinds of days more often than you care to admit.

There are many days when I get up that I have to stir myself up and remind myself that God has a good plan for today and as I walk it out with Him, it is going to be a blessed and fulfilling day. In fact, most day that I open my eyes, I need to be encouraged that there is a purpose and plan for my life, and I get to honor God today with all that I say and do.

Today’s key verses are a great way to step into God’s supply of strength and grace each day.  By speaking these scriptures and making the conscience decision to praise and bless the Lord, praising God will help you remember His goodness in your life and turn your low energy, self focused day into a powerhouse of blessing others!

The first line of Psalms chapter 9 says that I will bless the Lord with my whole heart.  As I consider that statement, I have to ask myself: “Do I?”  “Do I ever praise the Lord with my whole, entire heart?”  Do I know how to pour out praise to the point that I empty my heart?  The very next line says that if I do praise the Lord with my whole heart, it will be evident in the ways I tell His marvelous works and joy will show up in my life and on my face.

I have to admit that if I began my day by intentionally praising the Lord with my whole heart, that it would totally change my perspective and make me glad and enjoy the day He has planned for me. And why wouldn’t I? It is the reason my world exist.

I want that for you also.  I would love to see all of God’s people praising Him with their whole heart and rejoicing in His marvelous works and then to go out into the world around you, telling the testimonies of His goodness in your life every day that you are given breath.

So, today and every day I want to encourage you to praise the Lord!  Not just a little bit, but with your whole heart.  Each morning when you wake up, purposefully take time to praise Him and remind yourself of the wonderful works He has done in your life.  Then, praise Him for the awesome things He has planned for you today.  Rejoice in His love and goodness until His empowering grace rises up inside of you.  Don’t let anything or any attitude get in the way of pouring out your praise to Him.  When you empty yourself before Him, He will fill you up with everything you need to get your mission accomplished!

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 9

1 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.

2 I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

3 When my enemies turn back, They shall fall and perish at Your presence.

4 For You have maintained my right and my cause; You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.

5 You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever.

6 O enemy, destructions are finished forever! And you have destroyed cities; Even their memory has perished.

7 But the Lord shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment.

8 He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.

9 The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.

10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

11 Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people.

12 When He avenges blood, He remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the humble.

13 Have mercy on me, O Lord! Consider my trouble from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death,

14 That I may tell of all Your praise In the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation.

15 The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.

16 The Lord is known by the judgment He executes; The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Selah

17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.

18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten; The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.

19 Arise, O Lord, Do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judged in Your sight.

20 Put them in fear, O Lord, That the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah

What is man?

What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? – Psalms 8:4

 This is one of my favorite Psalms, but to be fair, there are so many that I love.  I learned a song in junior high school with many of the words from this scripture.  It always stuck with me as most scriptural songs do.

It starts out far away and builds a picture of the greatness of God and all His creation.  My attention is drawn to the heavens, the sky and the hand of God that is evident in the scenery that surrounds us each and every day.  But then in verse four, it brings this great scene of creation down to people.  The Psalmists questions and really suggests that people are insignificant compared to the huge universe we live in.  Yet, we are the center of God’s attention.  Even though this passage says that we were created lower than angels, we have been crowned with His great honor and glory.  Although most of the world lives everyday of their life never considering the love that the creator of all has for us, everything we see and the world we live within was designed with us in His mind.

So, what is it about people that God so desires to connect with us?  Why is it that the God of the universe wants to empower us to be successful in the plan and design of our lives.  What is the reason that each one of us has been so uniquely put together that with all the billions of people in the world, no two are the same.  We are a special creation and truly made to be God’s people and family.  A being created after His own image in in His likeness and a body that He could come and be a part of the human race.  The creator became the creation when He took on a flesh and bone body for the purpose of giving us the choice to love and work with Him to get His plan accomplished.

Now we make that choice every day.  Each morning when I wake up, I decide that I do love my Father in heaven for making me and saving me through the blood of Jesus who came to pay the price for my sin.  There is no mor clear evidence of the greatness of His love than that He planned to pay my debt from the beginning of time.

Every day I choose to receive the filling of His Spirit to empower me to work along side Him in His great plan to reach the world around me.  And Every day I look forward to the time when I can be with Him for all eternity and put away the pain and suffering of this world.

What about you?  Do you make a conscience effort each day to make the God of heaven the object of your praise and worship?  Are you offering your love and affection to Him each day and laying down your life to walk out the mission He wrote for you?  Do you desire to commune and connect with the One Who created it all?  If not, you can start today.  Consider as you read this Psalm how great He is and how excellent His name is in all the earth.  Take a look around you at His works: the sun, moon and stars.  The mountains and the valleys, the trees and the animals.  How beautiful it all is and yet, you are the one that is in His heart to bless, live with and surround with His goodness.

Today I want to encourage you to spend time thanking Him for the great love He has for you.  Take time to bask in His goodness and the world He has created for your temporary home.  Even though it can be easy to see what is wrong, today look at the part that God gave us and bless His holy name. Praise Him for the plan He included you in on and then walk beside Him through your day and fulfill that assignment He has for you.  You will experience complete joy and fulfillment when you do and then get up again tomorrow and do it again.  This is the purpose you are in the world right now.  Don’t get distracted with your own agenda, stay on the road with Him and follow His lead. Then every day you have breath in your lungs will count for all eternity.

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 8

1 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained,

4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?

5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands, You have put all things under his feet,

7 All sheep and oxen— Even the beasts of the field,

8 The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!

Indestructible Soul

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Matthew 10:28

I have an indestructible soul.  You do too if you have received salvation through the blood of Jesus.  If you have not, well, your soul will still exist forever, but it will be separated from the One who created and loves you?  It is a very grim picture. Many people never consider where they will spend their forever, but have no doubt, we will all spend it somewhere.

In today’s passage, Jesus told his disciples not to be afraid of people, because even the evilest person can only take your life.  They cannot touch your eternal being.  That’s the part of you that lives on the inside of your physical body.  We should, however, fear the One true God that can destroy both soul and body.

Today we know that God doesn’t want any person to go to hell.  Hell was created for Satan and his demonic forces.  But hell is a real place and those who reject the gift of salvation that God freely gave through the blood and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, will spend their eternity there with Satan and his demonic forces.

Since it is not God’s will for people to go there, Jesus told His disciples to talk openly about what Jesus told them in secret and to preach from the rooftops what was whispered in their ears.  Jesus wanted the whole earth to know that God loves the world so much that He sent Jesus to rescue all people from the eternal separation caused by sin.

Jesus then told the disciples that they are more valuable to God than many sparrows.  God created the birds, and not one falls without God knowing about it.  God even knows the number of hairs on our heads and everything else about us.  He knows that because He created us to be His children and He loves us as a  Father loves His children.

Today I want to encourage you to think about how valuable you are to God.  Consider that He is your Father and wants to be close to you.  He wants to walk each day in communion with you and He wants you to know how precious you are to Him.  Your soul is indestructible, so ensure today that you will spend your eternal life after this life with Him in His glory!  If you have never received His gift of salvation through Jesus, pray this prayer today and Jesus will come into your life and change you for all eternity.

God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to do the things that You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 10:27-33

 27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.

28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

 

Jesus was in a small group

And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Matthew 10:1

Who are you walking through life with?  Your family?  Close friends?  Church members?  Hopefully we all have loved ones that we connect with day to day.  Jesus gave us the example of walking through life with others in His concept of small groups.  He chose twelve men to walk through life with to lead, teach, encourage, build up, and serve.

Today’s scripture starts with Jesus calling and empowering His twelve disciples/apostles.  This became His small group.  In this small group, Jesus taught these men for three years and He walked through every season of life with them. They not only served in Jesus’ ministry, but they served each other including Jesus as the leader.  Their connection became so great that after Jesus left, the disciples picked up and continued that ministry and it goes on even today. 

The small group concept continued after Jesus’ ascension into heaven when the New Testament church began having meetings in their homes.  They could not go to the synagogue to meet and talk about Jesus without seriously offending someone, so they met daily with each other, caring and serving one another.

Over the years the church has grown and become one of the largest organizations in the entire world.  Since the local church has grown and our focus in life tends to get distracted with keeping up in the world, it seems like this is a good time to reestablish small groups for accountability and support.  Even though you may have members of your church that you are close to, small groups are a way to get new believers connected so they don’t fall away when pressure comes.  Small groups can also become community outreach groups and neighborhood support groups.  It is an excellent way to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world!

Today I want to encourage you if you are not part of a small group, get involved with one.  If you don’t know how or where, maybe start one of your own.  You can start a Bible study group, an activity group (hiking, golfing) or a community service group.  If you are new in the faith, ask the person who led you to Jesus if they would be willing to co-lead a group with you to keep you on track as you learn.  When leading an activity or serving group, it can be more about the project or activity, just make sure to include a time of prayer, prayer requests, and some discussion of what life is dealing to people in the group.  You can do some scripture encouragement and some worship, too.  There is really no set structure, just so the focus is connecting closely with others and walking through life together.  Remember this is God’s group, you are only hosting or participating in His group.  Make Him the focus and encourage all who join to walk closer with Him and to love other people.

Today’s scripture reading:  Matthew 10:1-15

 1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts,

10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.

11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out.

12 And when you go into a household, greet it.

13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.

15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

What is your first response?

 _{O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me, – Psalms 7:1}

 In the world we live in, there are opportunities everyday to panic, judge and stress in the conditions surrounding us.  We have the choice daily and even hourly of how to response to the circumstances and people around us.  Often times when faced with unexpected problems and struggles, fear and panic is the first reaction.  Trying to find a way out or a defensive position of protection is the natural response, especially when someone you love is being threatened.  People over all assume the responsible posture is to take matters into their own hands and figure out a way to vindicate and even justify keeping from being overtaken.

King David was a man well acquainted with people and situations coming against him.  He spent the first half of his time as king running from those who were seeking to take his life.  He was forced to go on the run and hide out for many years to preserve his life until the kingdom was turned over to him.

In today’s reading, David writes about being chased by his enemies that want to tear him to shreds.  He confesses that if he has done something deserving of this pursuit then he is willing to take the punishment.  But if not, he calls on God to rise up and take his judgement on the situation.  David knew that he was following the direction of God for his life and trusted Him to get him through the obstacles of enemy oppression and negative circumstances.

This chapter starts with David calling out to God first thing.  He didn’t start with calculating the troubles surrounding him, his first response in the situation was to bring God on the scene.  This was always David first response and even when he was confronted with his own sin, he was quick to repent and fall on his face before God’s presence.  This is why he was said to be a man after God’s heart.  It was what he pursued in every area of life.  No matter what he came up against, his first questions was always: “What is in God’s heart about this set of circumstances?”

Hopefully this is your first response too.  When things don’t seem to be going right in the world around you, is your first response to go to prayer or to go into panic mode.   Do you feel pressure to make something happen, to avenge yourself or someone you love or do we let God be the judge?   Are you looking for the “God” solution in every situation or the world’s way of dealing with things?  I hope and pray today that you will begin to seek first God’s way and answer to every problem you come up against in life.

Today I want to encourage you to trust God first with every area of your life’s circumstances.  Follow Kind David’s example and chase after the heart of God for everything that comes up in life.  Don’t try to figure out your own way of handling things, get the plan.  God has designed a path and solution to every struggle you face in life and it is the perfect response.  Go ahead and take the time to let Him lay it out for you no matter how great or small your dilemma.  Trust Him first today and you will always be assured victory in your life.

Today’s Scripture Reading: Psalms 7

1 O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me,

2 Lest they tear me like a lion, rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

3 O Lord my God, if I have done this: If there is iniquity in my hands,

4 If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me, or have plundered my enemy without cause,

5 Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me; Yes, let him trample my life to the earth, and lay my honor in the dust. Selah

6 Arise, O Lord, in Your anger; Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies; Rise up for me to the judgment You have commanded!

7 So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You; For their sakes, therefore, return on high.

8 The Lord shall judge the peoples; Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.

9 Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just; For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.

10 My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

12 If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready.

13 He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.

14 Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.

15 He made a pit and dug it out, and has fallen into the ditch which he made.

16 His trouble shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.

17 I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.