Changing externals and environments can be helpful, but real, lasting change begins at a heart level and branches out from there.
Guardrails help us stay on the road. External controls can be helpful. Go deeper. Ask God to reveal the blind spots that are blocking His work in our lives. Then ask for His help to create in us a new heart.
(For deeper study, read Psalm 139 and Psalm 51)
Have you ever been surprised by God? You’re following along in a passage and you think you know what is coming next. But then…
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This probably happens more than I’m aware of. But I was reminded again this weekend. I was preaching on one of my favorite passages in the Gospels. Matthew concludes a section of his Gospel that featured Jesus in action teaching, preaching, and even healing people. The writer is about to shift the focus from Jesus ministering to the multitudes to Jesus building into His disciples.
35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Matthew 9:35-38
If you dig deeper, you’ll be richly rewarded in your study of the nuances of the original language used here. For now, I want to focus on the obvious because I am afraid we are in great danger of missing the core truth while we allow ourselves to be fascinated by the fringes.
When reading and studying the Bible, it can be helpful to take special note of the commands. There are a lot of great stories, events, and principles in the Scriptures. We can be refreshed, encouraged, and learn much by reading and meditating upon them. However, there are times that God wants to make sure that we get the point. Therefore, He often summarizes the concept in a command. We should enjoy the story but be sure get the point too. Continue Reading…
