What is your faith in?

With the looming recession one might expect people to turn to God, but alas it is the almighty dollar that has won out. Yes, people are playing the lottery more and more. The AP reported that lottery sales are up nation wide.

The sad reality is that even if people make money from the lottery, it won't make them any more content. True contentment only comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

The path to Joy!

People often wonder where joy comes from. Some confuse joy with happiness and seek material things to find it. Assuredly, when people seek after material things they will never find contentment. Many have quoted Rockefeller to make this point. Rockefeller, when asked how much money is enough, reportedly replied "just a little bit more." The same could be said for people looking for joy in sex or power - no matter how much you have, you will always want more.

So then, if joy is not found in stuff, where is it found?

The answer may be surprising, but when you think about it, it makes sense. Joy is found in humility. Consider for a moment, people are discontent and therefore lack joy because they are not happy with the place that God has put them.

If we could just trust that God knows what he is doing and that God is with us, even when we are in difficult situations or don't have the latest widget, then we could truly have joy.

"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

The Mustard Seed

The Bible talks about the Kingdom of God being like a mustard seed.

A mustard seed is very small, the smallest you would plant in your garden. But when it grows it reaches heights of 10-15 feet tall. In the fall the branches stiffen and the birds are able to take refuge in it.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like this. It began small, with only the disciple, but quickly grew to thousands and thousands before the second century. Even today the Kingdom continues to be advanced.

The other thing about the Kingdom is that you can find rest in it. Jesus has said: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28). There is rest in the Kingdom of God, all we need to do is go to Jesus to get it. If you are burdened today, go to Jesus and find rest.

The Kingdom of God

And the Kingdom of God is like: "Leaven a woman took and hid in three measures of flower until is spread through all of it" (Matt. 13:33).

Long ago the apostles hid a small amount of leaven in the world. This leaven had a strange effect, it put the world into a ferment, it changed the world in a way that cannot be undone. The spreading of the leaven was effective, not by outward force, but by an unstoppable inward change that continues even until this day.

As time continues, Christianity spreads; one day it will reach the outermost parts of the world effecting every people group.

To God be the Glory for the great work he has done.

Proof that God Exists!

Okay, so I don't really have proof that God exists. Not scientific proof, anyhow. Here's the thing - nobody is going to get a picture of God on their iPhone and I wouldn't count on God opening up the clouds and declaring to the world "Here I am, look at me."

Instead, God has chosen to reveal himself to us through revelation, generally through creation and more specifically the Bible. I know some people will come along and demand hard scientific proof - saying they won't believe in God if he won't give them proof. I just don't think that threatening God is the wisest path to take. If you don't believe in God, would you really want to believe in a god that would do whatever anyone demanded?

When considering God we would all do well to remember the words of the Lord Jesus and: "fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28). I should quickly follow that with the words from Paul in Romans 13, which say: "Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you." If you want to live without fear of God,then do what is right in his sight and he will commend you for it.

to think or not to think

I got an e-mail from a self proclaimed "material atheist." He told me that if a god did exist that it would (and these are his words): "be perfect ... [with] no need to be worshiped it could have no thoughts."

I don't want to pick on this guy, I just want to make a point at his expense. The idea of 'a god' that has no thoughts, doesn't seem very god-like. The very fact that humans are able to think is what makes us superior to animals (and dirt) and gods are supposed to be superior to humans. So, how is it that a perfect god could have no thoughts?

I don't serve a thoughtless god. I serve the omniscient God, the great I AM, Yahweh, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Indeed God has thoughts. As the Bible says: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thought" (Isa. 55:9).

Now that is a God worth worshiping - a God who can help when you need help - a God who can direct you and guide you - all because of his great wisdom and power.

The Devil

Reading through Matthew 13:24-30, I find some very interesting ways the Devil works against God. We would do well to recognize these so that we may remain safe from the wiles of the devil.

First, the Devil works "while the men slept." The Devil is a trickster, he is ever watching for opportunities to take advantage of people. He sows his evil under the cover of the night. Stealth, secrecy and dishonesty are his favorite tactics.

Next, the Devil "went his way" after sowing the bad seeds. The Devil is an impostor; he wants people to think he is something he is not so he gets the job done and leaves as quick as possible. Most of the time he is done working before we ever know he was there. The seeds he sows in darkness are very similar to the true wheat - only with time will we be able to see what the Devil has done.

But this should not discourage us. In the end the Lord will send out his angels to bind the weeds the Devil has sown and cast them into the pit. The wheat that was sown in righteousness will be taken up to heaven.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.