pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Where Your Treasure Is…

Reading: Matthew 6:19-29

Matthew 6:22 – “The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.”

Turning to our passage for today we must be aware of the context. Jesus has just spoken against showy religion, showy prayer, and showy fasting. In the middle of this critique of the behaviors of the religious leaders, Jesus teaches about “proper prayer.” This section contains what we know as “The Lord’s Prayer.” It is a humble prayer of surrender and trust. Praying (and living) these words counters the tendency to be showy with our faith. Instead of seeking to be noticed by others, Jesus tells us to give, pray, and fast in secret. It is then that God will notice and “will reward you “

In verse 19 Jesus tells us to “stop collecting treasures for your benefit on earth.” These treasures are partly the recognition from others that can drive us to practice “showy religion.” There treasures are also the stuff, titles, and power that we can also seek. Jesus warns that moths, rust, and thieves will ultimately take away our fine clothing, our fancy cars…, and our wealth. These treasures are only temporal.

Jesus next points toward the condition or focus of our heart. In verse 22 Jesus says, “The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” In Jesus’ day it was thought that the eye revealed the condition of the heart. The eyes revealed the light or the darkness that was in one’s heart. If our eyes see and pursue the things of this world, then these are truly the desires of our heart. If our eyes see other’s stuff and we worry about our status, our food and drink, our clothes… then we are seeking the ways of the world and not God’s ways.

Pointing to creation, Jesus notes how God cares for and provides for the birds and the lilies. This is a call for us to trust in God’s love for us, to seek this love above all else, to make this our treasure. When we do, we live into Jesus’ words: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” How true. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, our flesh desires to be noticed, recognized, looked up to. This is why we chase after the things of this world – treasures that feel like they satisfy but don’t last. Guide us by your Spirit, raise up the divine within us, lead our hearts to pursue your heart’s desires above all else. Amen.


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Victory in the Daily Battle

Reading: Psalm 1

Verses One and Two: “Blessed is the man who… delights in the Law of the Lord and on His Law meditates day and night”.

The Psalm represents a daily battle for us all. On one ‘side’ are those who “walk in the ways of sinners” and who “sit in the seat of mockers”. The psalmist writes that these are like chaff that the wind blows away. They will soon be no more as the “way of the wicked will perish”.

This choice is contrasted with the choice of the righteous. We read, “Blessed is the man who… delights in the Law of the Lord and on His Law meditates day and night”. The psalmist compares faith to a tree “planted by the water, whose leaf does not wither”, a tree that “yields its fruit in season”. The Psalm speaks of the righteous being able to stand in the judgment in the end and of God’s protection in the time here on earth, a time of prospering for the righteous.

When one considers option A and option B, it hardly seems like a choice. Do you want the rusty old Pinto or the shiny new Corvette? Hardly seems like a choice. Yet it is a daily battle. It is a daily battle not to fall to sin and not to choose the ways of the world. Satan has ways of making that rusty old car look pretty good to our earthly eyes. Satan can also trick us into giving up the keys to the Corvette, enticing us with something “better”, but it it just rust underneath.

The key to victory in our daily battle lies in our key verse for today. When we choose the Word as our foundation and we think on it day and night, then the things of God remain in the forefront of our minds. If we keep God’s Word fresh in our mind, it is easier to call on it when Satan tries to come calling. When we choose to be rooted in Christ, then Satan stands no chance. May we walk steadfastly in the way of the Lord today, enjoying His protection and love. Amen.


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Overcome

Reading: 1st John 5: 1-6

Verse Five: “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God”.

In our passage today we see how our connection to Jesus is born of our love for God and vice versa. The more our love of God grows, the more we follow the ways of Jesus, revealing a growing love of God. The more we follow the ways of Jesus, the deeper our connection to God becomes as our love of God also grows. These interconnected relationships strengthen and encourage one another and they grow alongside one another.

One cannot separate God from Jesus. John writes, “everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God”. This is what leads us to love both God and Jesus. It also leads us to love one another. When we love God, we love Jesus. It is through this love that we carry out His commands. Primary among those is the command to love one another. In doing so we are modeling what Jesus first modeled. It is part of that cyclical relationship.

John also writes of this love overcoming the world. It overcomes the world because the love of God is greater than, stronger than, more powerful than, more steadfast than the powers of the world. Our fleshy desires are only temporary and can therefore only be satisfied temporarily. As soon as the buzz or euphoria or excitement or newness wears off, we feel pulled to that fleshy desire again, starting over from square one again. More of this cycle never truly satisfies.

Having a relationship with Jesus Christ brings a peace and joy and contentment and happiness that is forever. It is not built on anything temporal, so it does not fade or rust. The love of God and Jesus simply grows and deepens. When we cast our lot with Jesus, we begin the journey of overcoming the sins and desires of this world. They become less and less as Jesus becomes more and more. John closes by reminding us of our helper in this battle. He reminds us that the Holy Spirit testifies to the truth. Ever leading and guiding us along our walk with Jesus, the Holy Spirit blesses us by keeping us connected to God and to His Son. Thanks be to God for our belief in Jesus the Christ, He who overcame the world.