Tomorrow and Forever

          The best poem I ever wrote
          Is the one that has yet to be written.
          (...what?)
          Poetry comes from feelings. It comes from thoughts, and experiences.
          These poems are feelings, they are thoughts, they alone are experiences in themselves.
          They are

          Excitement
                             and
                                    disappointment

          Unending joy
                                 and
                                        immeasurable pain

          They are life
                               and sometimes
                                                       they're
                                                        death.

                But the best poem I ever wrote
                 Is the one that isn't written yet.

Don't Worry 'bout a Thing

Luke 12:22-31
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."

I encourage you to please pray that God helps you understand His word and message through scripture, then read through these verses a couple of times, really chew on these verses today.

Jesus made it very simple for us by giving us instructions in the bible. He was also very specific on a lot of things, like telling us not to worry. He's very clear that worrying isn't going to help get us anywhere, and worry is not from God. Life is so much more fulfilling when you let God take care it. He was even loving enough not to just say "Okay, don't worry", but instead explains what to replace those types of thoughts with as well.

He tells us to "seek his kingdom". Focus on loving God with everything you have, surrender your every day to Him and be excited that He has everything under control! Worrying will not add a single hour to your life, all it does is rob you of your joy and peace, which takes your eyes off of the One who can take care of the situation! When you worry, you're focusing on the problem instead of the solution. God LOVES you beyond what you can even comprehend; He wants you to live an abundant life full of joy and peace and love that is absolutely overflowing. He's going to make provision in your life and give you what you need. I've seen Him do it in my life and the lives of my faith family countless times.

But so often I let the problem distract me from the solution (God!) and I let myself worry about it, even though I've experienced God work situations out in ways I would've never imagined, and way better than I could've guessed! So when you do start to worry about a situation (because you probably will, we all do because we're human, there's a reason Jesus talked to us about this!) be intentional about taking those thoughts captive! (2 Corinthians 10:5, Philippians 4:8) Start by talking to God; thank Him for what He has already done in your life. This is going to build your faith and remind you of how He has already worked out situations in the past (thanks for helping me pass that impossible class, thank you for healing my friend's illness, thank you for providing me the funding for that mission trip, etc.). Then ask Him to take the worry away and replace it with peace and comfort, and ask Him in confidence to work the situation out, and know without a doubt that He is going to take care of it! (Romans 8:28).

Pray this week that God helps you to stay free from worry. There is freedom that comes with being a child of God, and that includes freedom from stress and worries. Actively focus on how God has worked out problems in the past for you and people you know, and even for people in the bible. Remember to stay plugged in to His word and the power that is yours as a child of the most high King!


Related Scripture to Keep You Focused This Week:

• Philippians 4:4-13
  
• Matthew 6:25-34
  
• Jeremiah 29:11-13
  
• Proverbs 3:5-6
  
• Matthew 11:28-30

Where Freedom is Found

Happy Wednesday! (Or whatever day is happens to be when you're reading this). Pray that God gives you understanding of His word, and read over these verses in John a few times and really pay attention to what is being said about freedom.

John 8:31-38
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father."

The truth of the gospel is the truth of love and a future and the good news of Jesus Christ. By being completely grounded in the teaching of Jesus you experience the freedom that comes with a relationship with Christ. But what does that set you free from? Let's look at what Jesus told the group.

The Jews Jesus was speaking with had never been slaves, so they were confused by what Jesus was saying. "Set free? Whatever dude I'm already free to do whatever I want." Um, well... That kinda seems true at first, but it's a lie the enemy uses to decieve people into continuing on that path. Jesus said anyone who sins is a slave to sin. That's because without the intercession of Christ, we are bound by that sin. Without grace, we are stuck in bondage and the death that sin causes (Romans 6:23).

We were created by God to serve God and live in a relationship, so we have a natural instinct to worship and serve. As a result, we will either be a slave to sin (fall under temptation, chase after worldly desires that will pass away, worship idols, etc.) or a child of God, which ultimately results in freedom.

Romans 8:1-4
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

You have been set free by the sacrifice Christ made. He made that willingly because of his passionate, enduring love for you. You are free to live a life rich with joy, hope, love, and faith. You are free to live without caring what other people think or say about you, you are set free from addiction, from the hopelessness that results from sin. You have the power to resist temptation and have hope and faith under any circumstances. In addition to the liberation you have in this life, you are now set free from the struggle to make yourself right by just being a "good person" to try and get to heaven, but by grace through faith you get to spend eternity with our King. 

Smile today and know that you are free. Free to live the beautiful abundant life God has promised... Free to be the person He created you to be and live for him with everything you have.

Here's one of my favorite videos, personally... And it's a great visual for the freedom we have in Christ.