Day 16: Prioritize Jesus in your CAR...

How many of you spend some time in your vehicles every day? Do you find your mind racing through what you have to do for the day? Places to be, things to do, deadlines to meet, lunch meetings, grocery shopping, kids to pickup, and of course soccer practice. The things of life. Its inevitable that each of us in this modern world will spend anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour a day or more in a car (imagine the days of horses... takes commuting to a whole new level doesn't it?)

How do you use your time in your car every day? For some its a detox from the stresses of kids, work, school, life. A time to just be still, or to think and dream about the future. The good news is, you are stationary, you are not 'going' anywhere while driving in your car. I mean you are going somewhere but you are not leaving your seat buckled in until you arrive at your destination right? Its a perfect time to commune with Jesus, pray, talk to the Father. A great way to simply engage with the Creator of the universe. He wants to speak to you and help you, extend His love through you for the day. He desires that you would be filled during your morning commute, no matter how short or long that is. Would you prioritize him during this time?

Prioritize Jesus in your car by:

1. Acknowledging His presence with you.
2. Thanking Him for the day, that His mercies are new every morning.
3. Confessing your need for Him today.
4. Repenting of any sin that would hinder you.
5. Talk out loud to Him, sing to Him.

In all of our mundane activities and tasks throughout the day, Jesus wants to be Lord of those activities, thoughts, actions, tasks, and work. Allow Him to grace you with His presence, His voice, His affirmation, and His goodness over your life. Be blessed as you prioritize Jesus in your life.

Prioritize Jesus in your mind

Today is day 2 of our 21 day journey as we seek to prioritize Jesus in a greater way as families, individuals, and a local fellowship.

"Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God." Colossians 3:2-3

It's easy for our minds to wander in many different directions with the blink of an eye. How does one set their mind on Jesus daily, moment by moment? I believe it's a simple practice of surrender and a strong desire and conviction to think and do all things for the Glory of God. You can garuantee the man or woman who has prioritized Jesus in this way, is sure to bear much good fruit. All of their passion, energy, gifting, focus, and time is given to the things that Jesus cares deeply about. In other words the carnal mind cares about self and not others. Self image, self preservation, self promotion. The one whose mind is set and fixed on the Author and Perfector of our faith cares about love, justice, mercy, kindness, the poor, the weary and hurting. He cares about the fatherless and the widow, the alien and the rejected. Having the mind of Christ is having the heart of Christ.

The Kingdom of God is in Christ and each one who bears His image. A fruitful thought life in Christ will prove to be a mighty weapon in demolishing strongholds and lies. Let us therefore today focus our minds on Him. Think upon Jesus.

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable - If there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise, dwell on these things." Phillipians 4:8

Love Never Ends

Love Never Ends. These three words give me the greatest hope and encouragement. I hope they give you even more encouragement in your life.

Love never ends. Hate will end, all wars will end, all sorrow and pain will end. Every form of disease and cancer will end one day, but love will never end. Man's ambition and drive to produce, perform, succeed, and conquer will end. Tears of a world broken by hatred, violence, sectarianism, confusion, chaos, division, pride...these also will all end.

You remember the old movies? The two words that you see when the movie is finished? You guessed it, The End. The end insinuates that there was a start, a point of continuation, and then a line indicating completion, when it is over. We are born, we live, and we die. The end? Yea, but only the natural. Love is spiritual and manifests itself through beings created in the "Imago Dei" which means the image of God for the non latin speakers. In order for love to never end it must be of a supernatural, out of this world origin. Man, in all of his ingenuinity did not create love, we simply steward what the Almighty Creator has given through His very own personality and existence.

Take courage today in this truth, love never ends, and it never fails. When has love, true love ever failed you? Can you name one time? Love, in the form of a kind word, a hug, a generous gift, a smile, a shoulder to lean on in difficult times, a friend who stood with you when no one else would? Even in your darkest hour, real love did not fail you.

I am grateful today that love will stand out in my life if I allow the Lover of my soul to have full permission to love through me. It's not difficult, its just simply allowing the force of love to control you, over any other competing factor. You my friends, were and are created to love. You exist for this reason.

Jesus Our Only Priority

We live in a time where we are distracted beyond measure. Constantly bombarded with media, TV, internet, and entertainment. Our American past time and primetime is to be entertained and overfed with all the current movies, sitcoms, and latest news. How does one draw away with Jesus in this digital age of noise? What does it mean to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness...?"

I am on a journey to find more time spent with Jesus in prayer and worship and supplication and less time in the things that don't matter.

I desire Him to be first in all things and not one of the "priorities" of my life. The word protos in Greek means singular focus, precedence in rank and value. Jesus is the Worthy One. He deserves it all.

Trusting the Unseen

You ever struggle with trusting someone you haven't physically spent time with? One on one getting to know their heart, emotions, strengths and weaknesses. Do you feel like your trust has been broken by someone that let you down in some way?

How do we learn to trust people? The truth is we don't necessarily trust people before a series of 'tests' have been performed right? Someone might seem trustworthy from the first time meeting them, but if you have been burned or hurt multiple times then your guard is clearly up, and rightly so.

How do we learn to trust Jesus, the Father, or the Spirit? How do we trust that which we cannot touch, feel, and know face to face? We are delicate beings, easily wounded and easily broken.

Think about your own children if you are a father or mother. The ways that you try to connect with them, love them, and gain their trust. When they are young they trust you automatically because you are mommy or daddy. Even if you hurt them they still trust you and run to you for comfort. As they grow older that trust has more to do with friendship, listening and caring about their issues, needs, wants, etc. It is a relationship built on time together, hanging out and playing sports, or father and daughter dates. Trust is sustained and earned by a track record of quality time with your child and consistently loving them no matter what.

It is the same with Jesus and the Father. As life throws its curve balls and difficulties our hearts begin to break and hurt and we are more hesitant to trust and jump into daddy's lap for comfort. If love is the measure of life and faith in Christ, then love will heal our wounds and brokenness in a way that nothing else can.

To be continued...

A Firm Foundation

What do you do when everything in your life seems to go wrong? Where do you turn when life's challenges seem to great to bear? Well, the answer might seem easy for the one who has put their hope in Christ, but the walking out of it practically is challenging. Its easy to say just trust God and it will all be okay right? But what if it doesn't turn out okay after having trusted God? Do you give up trusting and run to your own means of security or do you stick like glue to the words of eternal life found in the book? Either way we have a choice, put our trust in God or money(comfort, security, food, jobs,etc.) Right?

Either Christ is enough for us when our world falls apart or He is not. Either He is the firm foundation on which we stand or He is not.

May I encourage you with Psalm 40, meditate on these words:

"I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth and praise to our God, many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord."