SAFETY LAST: Why do you worry?

Have you ever worried about something? I've worried about my health, finances, economy, diseases, terrorism, jobs, relationships, clothes, car, school, intellect, and probably much more. Worrying is exhausting.

If we decrease our need to feel safe in this world and increase our faith in Jesus, our worrying miraculously diminishes.

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" (Matthew 6:25). Seek first God's kingdom and release the worry up to God. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:34).

SAFETY LAST: Where do you live?

Safety first. The concept permeates us. Before we make a decision, we often think "safety first."

For example, we get in our car, "safety first" - we put on our seat belts, drive the speed limit (sometimes), utilize defensive driving, and keep our car in good shape. We lift weights, "safety first" - we get a spotter, wear a belt, put clamps on the bar, and lift with proper form. We get injured, "safety first" - we get first aid, call a doctor, take medicine, and prevent it from happening again. With most of the activities that we do, we think "safety first."

For the most part this is a pretty good mindset, but, unfortunately, we adopt this mindset to our spiritual lives. I submit that we should reverse this thought to "safety last, Jesus first."

As Christians, most of us live life in hopes of arriving at death safely. I'm not suggesting that you become reckless, but instead prioritize on Jesus above safety.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE?
When I was in middle school, I once arrived home from a friend's house with just enough time to change clothes and make a trip to basketball practice. I casually walked up my driveway only to find out that I forgot my key. Where was it? Inside of my house! I thought...and thought...and thought...and eventually got really angry that I was two feet from my house, but could not get inside of it. I was so close and so far at the same time.

It says in the Bible, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).

The "treasure" that I needed for basketball practice was inside of my home, but I could not get it. Our treasure is in heaven. Except, Jesus has given us the key. Still, many of us live like it is on earth. We overemphasize things, places, people, you name it. We try to play it so safe to protect our lives when we are going to die anyway. The odds of dying are pretty stunning - 1 in 1. Once again, this isn't a license to become reckless, but a reminder to become sold out.

If our treasure is in heaven, our lives will reflect it. Lets live like it.

Once Forever

A large portion of our life consists of cleaning. If you're blessed (like my girlfriend Jenn), then you really enjoy it. If not (you're like me), and you really enjoy the fact that it is over!

Think about it. On a daily basis we take a shower, clean our dishes, clean our room (some of us), and clean our car (not all of us). On a weekly basis we typically clean our clothes, clean our house, mow our yard, clean our garden, and wash our car.

We should be pretty well educated about cleaning (Unfortunately). Can you imagine taking one shower that would last the rest of your life? Or, how about doing the laundry one time that would last the rest of your life (PARTAY!!)? It would be nice.

When Jesus came to substitute Himself for us, He paid a price that was so significant it will last forever. He offers the opportunity to come to Him and be cleaned...ONCE FOREVER.

---> Check back tomorrow - we'll be starting a series of blogs discussing how we live life so we can arrive at death safely. You don't want to miss it.

Always

God is ALWAYS there.

God ALWAYS deserves our best effort.

Always.

People will disappoint us, betray us, neglect us, and mistreat us. Some will keep asking for more and offer nothing in return. From our perspective, they don't deserve our love. They don't deserve to be served. They don't deserve to be appreciated. They don't deserve anything.

Question: Do you and I deserve anything?

I'll help you with the easy ones, the answer is no. Both you and I make tons of mistakes and we are disqualified from deserving anything. Somehow and someway, God still loves us. He is still there. He is still present.

I have a tendency to live like God is waiting for me to fail. He's not. Recently, I have felt like He would want to give up on me, because it seems like I make the same mistakes over and over. I questioned Him, "I feel like you are going to give up on me. What if I make another mistake?" I honestly heard Him respond (not audibly, but it might as well have been), "I'll still be here." That changed everything. He ALWAYS deserves our best, even if no one else does.

God is ALWAYS there.

Unstoppable

Philippians 1:19
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

What can stop someone with this attitude? Nothing. Absolutely nothing can stop someone who maintains this attitude daily. No matter what happens to you, continue to rejoice.

We All Need Easter

We all need Jesus, and not the Easter bunny. We all need salvation, and not Easter eggs. I'm not saying that participating in these events is sinful, just keep your perspective about what the holiday signifies.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”- Romans 3:23-24

Sustained

Never give up. There is hope NO MATTER WHAT.

Psalm 3:5
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.

God sustains us. He renews us. He revives us. He energizes us. He motivates us. Sometimes life can feel monotonous. Wake up. Work. Sleep. Wake up. Work. Sleep. God will sustain you and give you passion. Seek the Source.