Trust God's Goodness

This thought from George MacDonald resonated with me: "Because we easily imagine ourselves in need, we imagine that God is ready to forsake us." (The Best of George MacDonald, p. 36)

I may not verbalize, "If God doesn't come through and meet my need that means He has abandoned me," but it is how I feel at times.

I have this unspoken belief that if God doesn't arrange for the life I want to live, then He doesn't love me.

This is a tragic thought, and Satan uses it to rob us of life and to doubt God's goodness.

This is why it is vital we remember God as our loving Heavenly Father.

I know that the name "Heavenly Father" can make God sound cold and distant. We imagine heaven being out there somewhere and father seems to be formal name that we don't usually use. Our perspective about God makes it difficult to picture him as loving, good, and present.

Changing our perspective about God takes time and it requires a change of experience. The only thing we can do is to start acting like God is our good loving father. As we trust God we begin to experience Him as our good loving father.

Here is the question I want you to ponder: How would it change our lives if we did begin to trust God as our good and loving Heavenly Father?

Here is how I think it would change my life.

1. It would mean not worrying about life. Instead of worrying I would be confident that God will provide for what I need for living a holy life. 2 Peter 1:3 says, "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence." (NLT). It is hard to enjoy life when I am consumed with fear and worry. To trust God to provide means I would be free to live life.
2. It would mean that I pursue the things of God rather than the things of this world. I live in the world and I am vulnerable to falling into the same worries, concerns, ambitions, and desires the people around me have. Jesus wants me to intentionally live in a different way. "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." (Matthew 6:33, NLT). I learn to trust God and experience His provision as I give myself to His will.
3. It would mean that I live generously. When I trust God that He will provide for me and my desire shifts to pursuing His will, then I will be more inclined to bless other people. Luke described how the first Christians took care of one another, "And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need." (Acts 2:44-45; NLT). To be free from worry allows me to find ways to bless and encourage other people.

Yes, we have needs, but these needs are not evidence that God has abandoned us or doesn't care about us. My needs are opportunities for us to learn to trust God as our loving Heavenly Father. It is this trust that motivates our prayers and gives us hope.

God is our good loving, and gracious Heavenly Father. Trusting Him will make all the difference in our lives.

Worship in Thanksgiving

{Psalms 9:1-2; ESV}

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;

I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

I will be glad and exult in you;

I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Heavenly Father, my great provider, open my eyes to the blessings You have generously given me. I have begun to take these great blessings for granted and I have not thanked You for Your generosity. I have come to expect these blessings as my right rather than as great gifts.

Move my heart to be thankful and open my eyes to see You at work in my life. I thank You for the food I enjoy, the clothes that I wear, the relationships that enrich my life, the work that uses my creativity, and the ministry that allows me to complete the good works You created me to do.

I worship You because You are the Creator, giving the universe beauty and meaning. I worship You because You are the Savior, giving me hope and freedom. I worship You because You are the Provider, giving me all that I need for life and righteousness. I worship You.

In the name of the Son, Christ Jesus, I pray, amen

Trust Jesus for Hope

Online preaching is what I am doing right now.

 It is different. I would rather speak in front of an audience, but I have to do what I have to do.

 This is the conclusion of the sermon series: Trust Jesus. I added this sermon after the Covid-19 pandemic hit because I thought hope is something that we need right now.

Take some time and watch Trust Jesus for Hope.

 

Value the Moment

We all have dreams.

Dreaming is part of what makes us human.

I dream of writing a book, getting into shape, and going on camping adventures. 

There are many things that I would like to accomplish in life, but when I examine my life I realize that time continues to move forward while my dreams gradually fade away. 

Too often it feels like life, quiet literally, is passing me by.

I assume that the same is true with you? 

Sure your dreams are different, but you too have moments when you feel like the life you have is not the life you want. You want your life to count for something and you long to be part of something special,  but now time is running out. 

Apparently our dreams come with an expiration date.

Why does life seem to gradually slip away? 

I believe it is because of the choices that we make. 

I am not talking about choices between good and evil, but about how we choose to use our time.

Erwin McManus wrote:

“This may sound too simple, but the abundant life that Jesus promises is ushered in through the choices we make in the ordinary moments of life.” (Seizing Your Divine Moment, p. 35)

Each day we are given 24 hours to use at our discretion. 

It is true that a large part of that time is taken up by our responsibilities. There are clothes that need to be washed, meals that need to be prepared, jobs that need to completed, and children who need to be loved. 

Yet, even with all our responsibilities we still seem to find time to watch Netflix, scroll through our Facebook feeds, and create awesome images of Instagram. 

Since busyness is a badge of honor in our culture, we will declare to the world how busy we are, but the reality is we are able to find time to do the things we want to do.

In those moments when we get to choose what we want to do, how do we use our time? 

I am afraid that too often I end up wasting my time. I scroll through Twitter, listen to podcasts, or play a game on my iPad. Rather than doing something productive I choose to entertain myself. 

In the process I squander the moments of life. These moments turn into days, which turn into weeks, which turn into months, which turn into years. 

It is important to remember: A moment may not seem like a big deal, but a moment is all that is needed to change the course of our lives. 

Again I like what Erwin McManus wrote in Seizing Your Divine Moment:

“The present moment is where the past and the future collide, and within a moment there is monumental potential. That’s the mystery of a moment. It is small enough to ignore and big enough to change your life forever. Life is the sum total of what you do with the moments given you.” (p. 18)

When we choose the path of least resistance, we miss out on the life God created us to live. 

There will come a time in your life when you look back and wonder: Where has my life gone?

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.  (Ephesians 5:15-17; NLT)

We are to be good stewards of the moments God has given to us. 

To live carefully has very little to do with taking safety precautions and has everything to do with how we choose to use our time. 

The apostle Paul wants us to be wise in our use of time.

Time is our most precious commodity, it is even more valuable than money. You can use time to earn money, but you can't use money to buy more time.

Time is also valuable because our lives are determined by the way we decide to use the ordinary moments of life. When we consistently use the ordinary moments of life to follow Jesus, sooner or later we realize, much to our amazement, that we are living the abundant life he promised us.

Here is the question I want to leave you with: How intentional are you in how you use your time? 

The good news is that it is not too late to become a good steward of the ordinary moments of our lives.

Don't look back on your life with regret, but look forward with hope.