Too many times I waste my time looking at the outward things, when I should be looking at the inward things. A man's heart tells much more about him than his outer appearance. A man's heart will show Jesus or the world, which ever one is important to him, and at times there is a battle going on in our hearts as satan is trying with all his might to tempt us, and Jesus is trying to show us the way to Him. We tend to look at the outward of man and we make judgements on how he looks, what he wears, where he works, where he lives, and who his friends are, when the outward appearance can deceive us when we are just looking at the things we can see, instead of focusing on those we cannot. Look at this verse with me. It is found in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." Just as when we are going through trials, we focus on the here and now, and we tend to focus on what we see, not what God is doing through those trials. When we are going through trials of any kind, God is doing a work in us, and those around us who see us in the midst of our trial. When we begin to focus on what we see, we lose sight of a call or a purpose that God has for us through the trial we are facing. Our problems we have here are temporary, although they may appear to be lasting, our eternal rewards will far outlast what we are facing here on earth. Romans 8:24-25 "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." God is at work all around us, He is moving through our lives, and molding us, teaching us, and seeking a greater walk with us. Today is another day I look at my husband who is still looking for work. I know he is hurting, he is moving about not sure of anything right now, and there are those days in which we wants to give up. He has no idea where else to go, or what to do. It breaks my heart to look into his eyes that I know are carrying many burdens. He wants to provide for his family, he wants to have a job. But I know that God will take care of us, He has provided for us and will continue to provide for us. He will send my husband the job He has for him in His time. It has been over a year now, and seems like forever, but it really isn't, its a season in our lives that is humbling, that tries us, and teaches us to lean on Christ for all our needs. It has taught me its not the things of this world that bring joy, its those that are felt in your heart, its love, its Jesus. When I look at our circumstances I know how bad they are, I see the bills on the counter, I see the needs we have, but I also see the blessings we have. We have each other, we have love, we have our home, we have our health, and we have our Savior. I pray for my husband to not find his self worth in a job, or what he does, but to find himself in Jesus. So for all the things I do see I have to remember the things that I know are going on around us that we cannot see and believe in Jesus, knowing He has a plan for us, and if we stay close to Him, if we keep our eye upon Him, He will show us the way, and we will have a closer walk with Him, and with each other. Our trials produce glory for God, they produce in us faith. It is through those trials we learn and our gain belongs to God for all He does for us and will do in the future. If a rich man and a poor man walk into your church, which one do you want sitting next to you? Is there a difference in them just because of how they are dressed or maybe smell? God loves all His children, He doesn't love one more than the other, He looks into our hearts, not on the outside. We tend to sterotype people into different classes, you have your wealthy, your middle class and your poor. Is there a difference to God? No, it doesn't matter where we live, or who we know. What matters is in our heart. When you are walking into your bank or local store and you see a man of color, a man from another country, do you jump to conclusions about him, are you fearful? That man of color just might be a Pastor, and that man from the other country could be a missionary, or the doctor that saves your life one day. We must stop looking at the outward appearance of man, and begin looking into his heart. Romans 10: 12-13 "For there is no distinction between Jew or Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Just as we need to stop focusing on our trials, and stay focused upon Christ and believe and have faith in the One who chose to die for you and me. We can see many things in this world, and we can be deceived by all we see, but God will not deceive us, He will lead us as we look to Him. If we focus on Christ He will empower us through all we will endure here on earth. If we focus on Him and not the things of this world He will shine through us, through our hearts for others to see. We don't ever have to lose heart, for God will lift us up and He can bring us together as His children. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed."
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Can you see the invisible?
Too many times I waste my time looking at the outward things, when I should be looking at the inward things. A man's heart tells much more about him than his outer appearance. A man's heart will show Jesus or the world, which ever one is important to him, and at times there is a battle going on in our hearts as satan is trying with all his might to tempt us, and Jesus is trying to show us the way to Him. We tend to look at the outward of man and we make judgements on how he looks, what he wears, where he works, where he lives, and who his friends are, when the outward appearance can deceive us when we are just looking at the things we can see, instead of focusing on those we cannot. Look at this verse with me. It is found in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." Just as when we are going through trials, we focus on the here and now, and we tend to focus on what we see, not what God is doing through those trials. When we are going through trials of any kind, God is doing a work in us, and those around us who see us in the midst of our trial. When we begin to focus on what we see, we lose sight of a call or a purpose that God has for us through the trial we are facing. Our problems we have here are temporary, although they may appear to be lasting, our eternal rewards will far outlast what we are facing here on earth. Romans 8:24-25 "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." God is at work all around us, He is moving through our lives, and molding us, teaching us, and seeking a greater walk with us. Today is another day I look at my husband who is still looking for work. I know he is hurting, he is moving about not sure of anything right now, and there are those days in which we wants to give up. He has no idea where else to go, or what to do. It breaks my heart to look into his eyes that I know are carrying many burdens. He wants to provide for his family, he wants to have a job. But I know that God will take care of us, He has provided for us and will continue to provide for us. He will send my husband the job He has for him in His time. It has been over a year now, and seems like forever, but it really isn't, its a season in our lives that is humbling, that tries us, and teaches us to lean on Christ for all our needs. It has taught me its not the things of this world that bring joy, its those that are felt in your heart, its love, its Jesus. When I look at our circumstances I know how bad they are, I see the bills on the counter, I see the needs we have, but I also see the blessings we have. We have each other, we have love, we have our home, we have our health, and we have our Savior. I pray for my husband to not find his self worth in a job, or what he does, but to find himself in Jesus. So for all the things I do see I have to remember the things that I know are going on around us that we cannot see and believe in Jesus, knowing He has a plan for us, and if we stay close to Him, if we keep our eye upon Him, He will show us the way, and we will have a closer walk with Him, and with each other. Our trials produce glory for God, they produce in us faith. It is through those trials we learn and our gain belongs to God for all He does for us and will do in the future. If a rich man and a poor man walk into your church, which one do you want sitting next to you? Is there a difference in them just because of how they are dressed or maybe smell? God loves all His children, He doesn't love one more than the other, He looks into our hearts, not on the outside. We tend to sterotype people into different classes, you have your wealthy, your middle class and your poor. Is there a difference to God? No, it doesn't matter where we live, or who we know. What matters is in our heart. When you are walking into your bank or local store and you see a man of color, a man from another country, do you jump to conclusions about him, are you fearful? That man of color just might be a Pastor, and that man from the other country could be a missionary, or the doctor that saves your life one day. We must stop looking at the outward appearance of man, and begin looking into his heart. Romans 10: 12-13 "For there is no distinction between Jew or Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Just as we need to stop focusing on our trials, and stay focused upon Christ and believe and have faith in the One who chose to die for you and me. We can see many things in this world, and we can be deceived by all we see, but God will not deceive us, He will lead us as we look to Him. If we focus on Christ He will empower us through all we will endure here on earth. If we focus on Him and not the things of this world He will shine through us, through our hearts for others to see. We don't ever have to lose heart, for God will lift us up and He can bring us together as His children. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed."
