Thursday, April 28, 2011
Some where between Padawan and Master: Oops He Did it Again - 04/28/2011
Some where between Padawan and Master: Oops He Did it Again - 04/28/2011: "When I look at the last few verses of Matthew 15 I am bewildered by how the disciples the top 12 or even the elite three didn't seem to reme..."
Oops He Did it Again - 04/28/2011
When I look at the last few verses of Matthew 15 I am bewildered by how the disciples the top 12 or even the elite three didn't seem to remember what happened not that long ago. In another deserted area with a large crowed who had been listening to Jesus and watching him heal the sick. Jesus again noted the physical needs of the people the took care of healing the sick and then recognizes that the people are hungry and decides to feed them before they are sent away.
Wasn't just the last chapter where we see 5000 feed. This is almost like an instant replay. Healing, Hungry, Lets feed them. The disciples respond with where are we to get enough food. Why didn't they remember the last time Jesus asked this question? I mean wouldn't we respond with something like. "Jesus we don't have enough food to feed everyone but remember the fish and loaves thing you did to feed all those people last time. Well we have 7 loaves of bread and a few fish do you think you can do it again?"
Stop for a moment and reflect on your life. Your temptations, your circumstances, your physical needs, your financial needs. Has he provided in the past? Then why are there times where we face a similar situation, only the name on the bill or the amount of time unemployed is different, do we not remember his provision.
Is it just me? I don't think so. Look back to the Old Testament. How about the book of judges. God raised up a Judge. They would save Israel from their enemies, their persecutors, their punishment for turning from God. Israel would see how they had turned from God and would return to him only to, often with in a generation or two, turn away again. Then they would cry out. It is like the instructions on the shampoo to rinse and repeat until the hair is clean.
The good news is that God is willing to rinse and repeat for far longer than any of us would have the patience to. The other good news is that through the death and resurrection and then the ascension of Christ to the Father we have been given a few things that Israel and the disciples had at this point in Matthew 15. We have been given freedom from sin through the blood of Jesus. He has become the righteousness in our lives and for our lives. We have been given direct access to God, we are his adopted sons and daughters. We have been given the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, and now it is not just a fleeting moment of "the spirit of God came upon" it is a permanent indwelling.
I and the Lord both know my struggle with remembering the past and seeing His hand in my life. But he is repeating the cycle in my life as I am learning and seeing more of what he has done, is doing and will do in my life and the lives of others. I am also; with God's love, patience and mercy being given to me; learning how to see and use what was given to me so I can succeed.
2 Peter 1:3-8
3 For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).4 By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature.5 For this very reason, adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy), and in [exercising] virtue [develop] knowledge (intelligence),6 And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control, and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety),7 And in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love.8 For as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep [you] from being idle or unfruitful unto the [full personal] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).9 For whoever lacks these qualities is blind, [spiritually] shortsighted, seeing only what is near to him, and has become oblivious [to the fact] that he was cleansed from his old sins.
Wasn't just the last chapter where we see 5000 feed. This is almost like an instant replay. Healing, Hungry, Lets feed them. The disciples respond with where are we to get enough food. Why didn't they remember the last time Jesus asked this question? I mean wouldn't we respond with something like. "Jesus we don't have enough food to feed everyone but remember the fish and loaves thing you did to feed all those people last time. Well we have 7 loaves of bread and a few fish do you think you can do it again?"
Stop for a moment and reflect on your life. Your temptations, your circumstances, your physical needs, your financial needs. Has he provided in the past? Then why are there times where we face a similar situation, only the name on the bill or the amount of time unemployed is different, do we not remember his provision.
Is it just me? I don't think so. Look back to the Old Testament. How about the book of judges. God raised up a Judge. They would save Israel from their enemies, their persecutors, their punishment for turning from God. Israel would see how they had turned from God and would return to him only to, often with in a generation or two, turn away again. Then they would cry out. It is like the instructions on the shampoo to rinse and repeat until the hair is clean.
The good news is that God is willing to rinse and repeat for far longer than any of us would have the patience to. The other good news is that through the death and resurrection and then the ascension of Christ to the Father we have been given a few things that Israel and the disciples had at this point in Matthew 15. We have been given freedom from sin through the blood of Jesus. He has become the righteousness in our lives and for our lives. We have been given direct access to God, we are his adopted sons and daughters. We have been given the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, and now it is not just a fleeting moment of "the spirit of God came upon" it is a permanent indwelling.
I and the Lord both know my struggle with remembering the past and seeing His hand in my life. But he is repeating the cycle in my life as I am learning and seeing more of what he has done, is doing and will do in my life and the lives of others. I am also; with God's love, patience and mercy being given to me; learning how to see and use what was given to me so I can succeed.
2 Peter 1:3-8
3 For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).4 By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature.5 For this very reason, adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy), and in [exercising] virtue [develop] knowledge (intelligence),6 And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control, and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety),7 And in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love.8 For as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep [you] from being idle or unfruitful unto the [full personal] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).9 For whoever lacks these qualities is blind, [spiritually] shortsighted, seeing only what is near to him, and has become oblivious [to the fact] that he was cleansed from his old sins.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Bad News Leads to Great Works - Matthew 14 - 04/27/2011
n Mathew 14 John the Baptist is killed by Herod. Then in verse 13 we see Jesus' response to the news. He sought a private and solitary place. I believe that Jesus was grieved. Not only was John a prophet for God he was Jesus cousin. This sad moment leads Jesus to a deserted place and sets the back drop for two great miracles.
In the midst of Jesus' emotion and desire for solitude the crowds find him and he shows them compassion. He heals the sick and then one of the big miracles is set in motion. The feeding of the 5000. The miracle of taking food and multiplying to meet the physical hunger of the people. After he has met their need for food and healing he sends his disciples and the multitudes away.
Then we see Jesus go to seek the solitude he needed and he prayed. All alone he prayed. As public as Jesus ministry was at this time he made time to get alone and pray. Can you imagine what he might have prayed about? I know my prayers might have been something like this.
Father God,
Sometimes I would just like a break. Can you believe these people. I came all the way out here to be alone. To grieve the loss of my flesh and blood and your messenger.
Then they come asking for healing. They couldn't have even brought food to eat. They are so needed. It is all about them. What about me?
Amen
Aren't we glad Jesus isn't like us. Even in the midst of turmoil and the bad of life, even in his flesh, he took the time to love on and care for the people who came to him. I think his alone time with God was a time of refocusing so he could keep his eyes on the Father and his mission. When he is done praying he decides to go for a walk as only the Son of God can. He walks on the sea if that wasn't enough he goes walking on a rough sea with wind and waves.
The waves and wind which the disciples have been fighting against while he was praying, he just walks right on through. The Disciples see him coming and are afraid. Every time I read this story my though is "Come on now disciples he just healed a bunch of people and feed 5000 men". But how many times do I find myself doing the same? Not getting the power of Jesus. Not seeing that even in the situation He is God. Even after he has just shown me great compassion and provision for something else.
He invites Peter out and even when looking Jesus in his face the chaos around "The Rock" distracts him. The veteran seaman looses sight because of the waves. What hope do we have when the Seaman who is one of the big three, the inner circle gets distracted and begins to loose faith? The hope is seen later in the new testament. A great hope that speaks of a faith that grows to a point where even the distractions persecution and even the face of death can no longer sway "The Rock".
Jesus gets on the boat and the seas calm. Then everyone shouts You are truly the son of God. The revelation of God and who he was came through a moment of Sorrow and Jesus' need to seek solitude. In the midst of the crap of life The Son of God was revealed.
When I look over my life I can find a lot of crap. A mountain of bad news and bad times. But when I look carefully and open my heart to what else is there in the midst of the chaos and the negative I see some thing unexpected. I see good news of a God who reveals Himself in the midst of it all. A God who has compassion on me despite my own stupidity and failure. A God who stops and meets my needs.
In the midst of Jesus' emotion and desire for solitude the crowds find him and he shows them compassion. He heals the sick and then one of the big miracles is set in motion. The feeding of the 5000. The miracle of taking food and multiplying to meet the physical hunger of the people. After he has met their need for food and healing he sends his disciples and the multitudes away.
Then we see Jesus go to seek the solitude he needed and he prayed. All alone he prayed. As public as Jesus ministry was at this time he made time to get alone and pray. Can you imagine what he might have prayed about? I know my prayers might have been something like this.
Father God,
Sometimes I would just like a break. Can you believe these people. I came all the way out here to be alone. To grieve the loss of my flesh and blood and your messenger.
Then they come asking for healing. They couldn't have even brought food to eat. They are so needed. It is all about them. What about me?
Amen
Aren't we glad Jesus isn't like us. Even in the midst of turmoil and the bad of life, even in his flesh, he took the time to love on and care for the people who came to him. I think his alone time with God was a time of refocusing so he could keep his eyes on the Father and his mission. When he is done praying he decides to go for a walk as only the Son of God can. He walks on the sea if that wasn't enough he goes walking on a rough sea with wind and waves.
The waves and wind which the disciples have been fighting against while he was praying, he just walks right on through. The Disciples see him coming and are afraid. Every time I read this story my though is "Come on now disciples he just healed a bunch of people and feed 5000 men". But how many times do I find myself doing the same? Not getting the power of Jesus. Not seeing that even in the situation He is God. Even after he has just shown me great compassion and provision for something else.
He invites Peter out and even when looking Jesus in his face the chaos around "The Rock" distracts him. The veteran seaman looses sight because of the waves. What hope do we have when the Seaman who is one of the big three, the inner circle gets distracted and begins to loose faith? The hope is seen later in the new testament. A great hope that speaks of a faith that grows to a point where even the distractions persecution and even the face of death can no longer sway "The Rock".
Jesus gets on the boat and the seas calm. Then everyone shouts You are truly the son of God. The revelation of God and who he was came through a moment of Sorrow and Jesus' need to seek solitude. In the midst of the crap of life The Son of God was revealed.
When I look over my life I can find a lot of crap. A mountain of bad news and bad times. But when I look carefully and open my heart to what else is there in the midst of the chaos and the negative I see some thing unexpected. I see good news of a God who reveals Himself in the midst of it all. A God who has compassion on me despite my own stupidity and failure. A God who stops and meets my needs.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
The Soil of Life - Matthew 13 - 04/26/2011
As I look back at my life I can see that my life has been each of the soils that Jesus talks about at one point or another. I can also look back and say with sadness that I wish my life was like the good soil more often than it is.
There are times when influences, circumstances, mindsets, needs and wants take the good soil of my life and pollute it with rocks and weeds. This is the bad news and the stuff of life we all face. But there is good news.
If you where to decide to grow a garden at your home and you only find soil that is rocky and/or full of weeds. You could give up on the garden or you can work the ground and make it good soil by removing the pollutants. By working the soil and replacing the bad stuff with good soil, amendments, and fertilizers. You change the condition of the soil from unable to grow good fruits to soil that will produce good fruit.
Thank God that as we have recently celebrated Easter and all that Christ did through the death and The Resurrection we can be reminded that the things that are needed to turn bad unproductive soil to soil that produces great crops has been offered to us through Jesus. All we have to do is open our lives our soil to the work that needs to be done. We just need to offer him our weeds and our rocks so he can replace them with the amendments, fertilizers, and good soil we need.
This was a part of my recent experience at the Men's conference I went to. As I was finishing that last part of Max Lucado's book "He Choose the Nails" Max addresses the need to take the trash of our lives to the cross of Jesus. We need to place it at the foot of the cross. Once it is at the foot of the cross the blood shed by Jesus can run over it covering it in his covenant, his righteousness, and his promise to make us into righteousness. He takes his good soil and uses it to replace the bad stuff in our lives making us good soil.
So this is my challenge to each of us today. What weeds do you see in your life? Is there seeds of weeds that are being planted because of the things you choose to expose yourself to? What rocks are there in your life? Is there circumstances, thoughts and behaviors in your life that instead of bring them to the surface you keep them buried in the soil? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see these things, the pollutants in your life keeping you from seeing the great production and good fruit in your life. Then when you see something take it to the cross and leave it there. Sometimes it will be hard and you may go back and pick it up. But to see the fruit of good soil you have to take it back to the cross. Thank you Jesus that there is forgiveness even forgiveness for our attachment and unwillingness to let the rocks and weeds go.
There are times when influences, circumstances, mindsets, needs and wants take the good soil of my life and pollute it with rocks and weeds. This is the bad news and the stuff of life we all face. But there is good news.
If you where to decide to grow a garden at your home and you only find soil that is rocky and/or full of weeds. You could give up on the garden or you can work the ground and make it good soil by removing the pollutants. By working the soil and replacing the bad stuff with good soil, amendments, and fertilizers. You change the condition of the soil from unable to grow good fruits to soil that will produce good fruit.
Thank God that as we have recently celebrated Easter and all that Christ did through the death and The Resurrection we can be reminded that the things that are needed to turn bad unproductive soil to soil that produces great crops has been offered to us through Jesus. All we have to do is open our lives our soil to the work that needs to be done. We just need to offer him our weeds and our rocks so he can replace them with the amendments, fertilizers, and good soil we need.
This was a part of my recent experience at the Men's conference I went to. As I was finishing that last part of Max Lucado's book "He Choose the Nails" Max addresses the need to take the trash of our lives to the cross of Jesus. We need to place it at the foot of the cross. Once it is at the foot of the cross the blood shed by Jesus can run over it covering it in his covenant, his righteousness, and his promise to make us into righteousness. He takes his good soil and uses it to replace the bad stuff in our lives making us good soil.
So this is my challenge to each of us today. What weeds do you see in your life? Is there seeds of weeds that are being planted because of the things you choose to expose yourself to? What rocks are there in your life? Is there circumstances, thoughts and behaviors in your life that instead of bring them to the surface you keep them buried in the soil? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see these things, the pollutants in your life keeping you from seeing the great production and good fruit in your life. Then when you see something take it to the cross and leave it there. Sometimes it will be hard and you may go back and pick it up. But to see the fruit of good soil you have to take it back to the cross. Thank you Jesus that there is forgiveness even forgiveness for our attachment and unwillingness to let the rocks and weeds go.
Friday, April 22, 2011
David's Words Needed in My Head - Psalms 57 - 04/22/2011
In Psalms 57 we again see David bringing his fears, frustrations, and hurts to the Lord. As you read through the Psalms especially the ones written by David you will see a few patterns. One David personalizes his relationship with God. Look for the use of personal words like my and your. See How he address God, not distantly but directly as if he is speaking to God.
The second pattern is seen here in chapter 57. David starts with what appears negative like he is complaining or grumbling. But there is a change in the direction of the Psalms in verse 5. In the midst of his own negativeness David turns to worshiping God by speaking of what God has done, pointing out God's character and God's promises and provisions.
Read a Psalms and look for these patterns. Then do as I am challenged to do today. Make it your own. Verses 7-11 to me is a statement I need to make my own. I need to take what David is saying and bury it in my heart and mind. Make it my view and my rock to stand upon. Make it personal.
The second pattern is seen here in chapter 57. David starts with what appears negative like he is complaining or grumbling. But there is a change in the direction of the Psalms in verse 5. In the midst of his own negativeness David turns to worshiping God by speaking of what God has done, pointing out God's character and God's promises and provisions.
Read a Psalms and look for these patterns. Then do as I am challenged to do today. Make it your own. Verses 7-11 to me is a statement I need to make my own. I need to take what David is saying and bury it in my heart and mind. Make it my view and my rock to stand upon. Make it personal.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
It will come - Psalms 31 & Matthew 7 - 04/20/2011
My life journal reading(YouVersion - Life Journal Plan) took me through Psalms 31 and Matthew 7 as well as two other chapters. I am writing about Psalms 31 and Mathew 7 because of two particular passages that stood out and seemed to connect together to form a single thought. A thought which pertains to where I am at spiritually in life. I don't believe this is a coincidence, it was for a purpose. My choosing to write about it may seem like a coincidence to some of you who may choose to read this, but it is not either. I believe that for some of you this is a message you need to hear or you know someone who needs to hear it. In either case please take this entry as a word of encouragement. Use it how you would like. Take it and share it with others as I have written it or as it has meaning to you. Possess it, take hold of it, personalize it. That is one of the wonderful things about scripture is we can make it a part of us. So be blessed, lifted up, edified and encouraged by God's word.
We are going to focus in on Psalms 31:24 and Matthew 7:7-8. However, feel free to read the scope of these chapters beyond these three verses. There is a lot of good stuff to be found.
Psalms 31:24
24 Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!
Matthew 7:7-8
7 Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.
If you have been following my blog or have been following the life of Mandy and myself, in particular our spiritual journey, you may have seen or heard us talk about the place we are at, the questions we have, the things we are seeking, the doubts we have and the fears we struggle with in regards to faith and trust.
God has been particularly targeting some specific parts or components of our spiritual lives. Now I am not speaking for Mandy on all of theses points, yet in a way I am as her husband. Some points are more of my struggle and some are more of her struggle. I tend to be stubbornly content with life and she tends towards worrying. I fear change because it is change and could be different and she fears change because it is either not in her control or it leads to some place she doesn't know (just a glimpse of differences). Yet I find answers in these three verses that speak clearly to us both individually and to our family as a whole. My hope is that you will see answers also despite how different or similar you may be to us. I would like to start with some questions for you then go back and read the verse again.
Can you see what God's word is saying? Can you hear the heart of Jesus? Is there condemnation for having doubts, fears, worries or questions? What is God instructing us to do? Does this change in light of our fears, doubts and questions? Or is what he saying the very answer to those fears, doubts, worries and questions?
Chris Rice wrote a song called "Big Enough" in which he talks about God being big enough to handle our questions. I have often found myself debating with myself and with God if He truly is "Big Enough". Over recent weeks the sum of the events of life and the revelation of scripture have solidified in me that God IS "big enough", so ask away. Spill it all before Him! Questions, Fears, Doubts, Sins, Failures anything and everything that would hold you back from walking in faith and trust.
In a book by Max Lucado called He Choose the Nails, Max describes the process of spilling it (my words here Max would be much more elegant) as working through lists of our life and placing those things at the foot of the Cross of Calvary then letting the blood which Jesus shed to flow down over those things and cover them. Once the blood is covering them they are dealt with. Then we find our self in a place of relationship with God.
A relationship which will allow us the freedom to put our hope and trust in Him. A place where we can stand firmly knowing; that despite what may feel to us like a lot of seeking, knocking and asking or what may seem to us an unworthy or unimportant hope for or expectation; that He is there and He is listening and answering. God and I are working on some things regarding the promises in his word. Here, a specific promise I have been challenged in is the promise of God meeting and exceeding our expectations and hopes.
If we stop hoping and expecting for something or are not hoping or expecting something big enough or we decided that what we really would like to hope for or expect is not worthy we will never experience the fulfillment promised to us in God's word. Or we can connect it more to the wording in Matthew. As soon as we stop knocking, seeking, and asking before the answer comes more than likely that will be our answer, no answer.
To personalize it I have a specific dream I believe God gave me over 15 years ago. To be honest I have gone for long periods not expecting, hoping, seeking, knocking asking about this dream. Guess what? I have not seen or experienced the fulfillment of this dream. Why? Because God doesn't really want it for me or maybe he didn't really give it to me. I don't think so. I have been challenged that what He wants from me is action in regards to my dream. Secondly we have been given a desire for Mandy to transition from being a working mother to a stay-at-home mom. The path is not clear as to how this will happen. There are some large questions(in our minds) that need to be answered.
So here is hoping for and expecting for the fulfillment of a dream and our desire. I stand here before man and God with a dream waiting for fulfillment and a desire in my heart to be meant. A dream and a desire for which I have a lot of seeking, knocking and asking to do so I can write on this blog some day... Wonderful news Mandy gets to stay home. Great news, Crossed Out Cafe is opened.
Please let me know what you think or feel about this. Do you have something to share with me in regards to the journey of the Mattos family? Do you have something that touched you in our journey, our words or our life? Did you hear from God or are you able to personalize the verses from Psalms and Matthew? If so let me know. If you are comfortable commenting on here please do, otherwise email or message me directly. I would love to hear how God is using me and this blog (I almost said if) to work in the lives of others.
We are going to focus in on Psalms 31:24 and Matthew 7:7-8. However, feel free to read the scope of these chapters beyond these three verses. There is a lot of good stuff to be found.
Psalms 31:24
24 Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!
Matthew 7:7-8
7 Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.
If you have been following my blog or have been following the life of Mandy and myself, in particular our spiritual journey, you may have seen or heard us talk about the place we are at, the questions we have, the things we are seeking, the doubts we have and the fears we struggle with in regards to faith and trust.
God has been particularly targeting some specific parts or components of our spiritual lives. Now I am not speaking for Mandy on all of theses points, yet in a way I am as her husband. Some points are more of my struggle and some are more of her struggle. I tend to be stubbornly content with life and she tends towards worrying. I fear change because it is change and could be different and she fears change because it is either not in her control or it leads to some place she doesn't know (just a glimpse of differences). Yet I find answers in these three verses that speak clearly to us both individually and to our family as a whole. My hope is that you will see answers also despite how different or similar you may be to us. I would like to start with some questions for you then go back and read the verse again.
Can you see what God's word is saying? Can you hear the heart of Jesus? Is there condemnation for having doubts, fears, worries or questions? What is God instructing us to do? Does this change in light of our fears, doubts and questions? Or is what he saying the very answer to those fears, doubts, worries and questions?
Chris Rice wrote a song called "Big Enough" in which he talks about God being big enough to handle our questions. I have often found myself debating with myself and with God if He truly is "Big Enough". Over recent weeks the sum of the events of life and the revelation of scripture have solidified in me that God IS "big enough", so ask away. Spill it all before Him! Questions, Fears, Doubts, Sins, Failures anything and everything that would hold you back from walking in faith and trust.
In a book by Max Lucado called He Choose the Nails, Max describes the process of spilling it (my words here Max would be much more elegant) as working through lists of our life and placing those things at the foot of the Cross of Calvary then letting the blood which Jesus shed to flow down over those things and cover them. Once the blood is covering them they are dealt with. Then we find our self in a place of relationship with God.
A relationship which will allow us the freedom to put our hope and trust in Him. A place where we can stand firmly knowing; that despite what may feel to us like a lot of seeking, knocking and asking or what may seem to us an unworthy or unimportant hope for or expectation; that He is there and He is listening and answering. God and I are working on some things regarding the promises in his word. Here, a specific promise I have been challenged in is the promise of God meeting and exceeding our expectations and hopes.
If we stop hoping and expecting for something or are not hoping or expecting something big enough or we decided that what we really would like to hope for or expect is not worthy we will never experience the fulfillment promised to us in God's word. Or we can connect it more to the wording in Matthew. As soon as we stop knocking, seeking, and asking before the answer comes more than likely that will be our answer, no answer.
To personalize it I have a specific dream I believe God gave me over 15 years ago. To be honest I have gone for long periods not expecting, hoping, seeking, knocking asking about this dream. Guess what? I have not seen or experienced the fulfillment of this dream. Why? Because God doesn't really want it for me or maybe he didn't really give it to me. I don't think so. I have been challenged that what He wants from me is action in regards to my dream. Secondly we have been given a desire for Mandy to transition from being a working mother to a stay-at-home mom. The path is not clear as to how this will happen. There are some large questions(in our minds) that need to be answered.
So here is hoping for and expecting for the fulfillment of a dream and our desire. I stand here before man and God with a dream waiting for fulfillment and a desire in my heart to be meant. A dream and a desire for which I have a lot of seeking, knocking and asking to do so I can write on this blog some day... Wonderful news Mandy gets to stay home. Great news, Crossed Out Cafe is opened.
Please let me know what you think or feel about this. Do you have something to share with me in regards to the journey of the Mattos family? Do you have something that touched you in our journey, our words or our life? Did you hear from God or are you able to personalize the verses from Psalms and Matthew? If so let me know. If you are comfortable commenting on here please do, otherwise email or message me directly. I would love to hear how God is using me and this blog (I almost said if) to work in the lives of others.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Celebrate the Good of Others - Psalms 35 - 4/19/2011
27 Let those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.
Sometimes it feels like we have forgotten how to celebrate each others acts of uprightness or we just don't praise people for doing good or doing a good job. I work in the retail and I even spent a few years working as a supervisor.
Do you know how many times I received complaints about the job of the associates on my team? Countless... How about the number of times I received a complaint because the employee was doing their job as per instructions? More than I can recall. How about the number of times I received a complement for an employee? In four years of supervision my high guess is 18 times I am think the number was actually closer to under a dozen.
Have you ever been in a restaurant and had the waiter or waitress make the dinning experience great? What about if their was an issue with the order but their service still made it a great experience? I remember a time that we had this happen. The chief had made an error on my order but the waiter had caught it himself and informed us that it was being resolved. So he took care of the issue and didn't charge us for our drinks. When we were done I asked for the manager at the hostess counter. I saw her go ask talk to the manager and he looked flustered and prepared for a chewing. When he came over I spoke highly of our waiter and didn't complain but spoke praise and thankfulness for the service we received. As I spoke I could see the fear and anxiousness leave the manager.
Sometimes I feel we miss this very concept and practice too often in our churches and homes. All we see is how that person on the worship team missed that note, or how the usher looked too solemn, or how the Pastor preached about tithing, or how we don't like the flowers that got planted by the entrance, or etc... And what about in our home? When was the last time you praised your spouse for picking up in the bathroom? Praised your child for turning off the lights without being asked?
I may be making a bit of a stretch here but I think when we see the positive things being done by those around us, to us and for us God likes it when we speak highly of them. He likes it when we lift them up with praise and celebrate in joy with them for a good job. Yes there is a time for discipline and correction. We can see some good example of that in 1 and 2 Corinthians. But you will also see the boastful heart of Paul talking and celebrating the good and upright that they had also done and were doing.
I would like present a challenge to myself and everyone who reads this. Over the next few days as we work to Easter Sunday find somebody each day that you can celebrate with in their good actions. Tell then and tell God what a good job they did. Fill out a comment card, ask for a supervisor, write a thank you note or just smile and say thank you or great job.
It would be cool if people would post through out the week some of what they did and saw. So please come back and comment as we finish this week.
Sometimes it feels like we have forgotten how to celebrate each others acts of uprightness or we just don't praise people for doing good or doing a good job. I work in the retail and I even spent a few years working as a supervisor.
Do you know how many times I received complaints about the job of the associates on my team? Countless... How about the number of times I received a complaint because the employee was doing their job as per instructions? More than I can recall. How about the number of times I received a complement for an employee? In four years of supervision my high guess is 18 times I am think the number was actually closer to under a dozen.
Have you ever been in a restaurant and had the waiter or waitress make the dinning experience great? What about if their was an issue with the order but their service still made it a great experience? I remember a time that we had this happen. The chief had made an error on my order but the waiter had caught it himself and informed us that it was being resolved. So he took care of the issue and didn't charge us for our drinks. When we were done I asked for the manager at the hostess counter. I saw her go ask talk to the manager and he looked flustered and prepared for a chewing. When he came over I spoke highly of our waiter and didn't complain but spoke praise and thankfulness for the service we received. As I spoke I could see the fear and anxiousness leave the manager.
Sometimes I feel we miss this very concept and practice too often in our churches and homes. All we see is how that person on the worship team missed that note, or how the usher looked too solemn, or how the Pastor preached about tithing, or how we don't like the flowers that got planted by the entrance, or etc... And what about in our home? When was the last time you praised your spouse for picking up in the bathroom? Praised your child for turning off the lights without being asked?
I may be making a bit of a stretch here but I think when we see the positive things being done by those around us, to us and for us God likes it when we speak highly of them. He likes it when we lift them up with praise and celebrate in joy with them for a good job. Yes there is a time for discipline and correction. We can see some good example of that in 1 and 2 Corinthians. But you will also see the boastful heart of Paul talking and celebrating the good and upright that they had also done and were doing.
I would like present a challenge to myself and everyone who reads this. Over the next few days as we work to Easter Sunday find somebody each day that you can celebrate with in their good actions. Tell then and tell God what a good job they did. Fill out a comment card, ask for a supervisor, write a thank you note or just smile and say thank you or great job.
It would be cool if people would post through out the week some of what they did and saw. So please come back and comment as we finish this week.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Simplified Instructions - Psalms 34 - 4/18/2011
Psalms 34:11-14
11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you to revere and worshipfully fear the Lord.12 What man is he who desires life and longs for many days, that he may see good?13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.14 Depart from evil and do good; seek, inquire for, and crave peace and pursue (go after) it!
The Psalmist in these verse lays down simple instructions on how to revere God. It is often the simple instructions we miss most often in life. We seek God for wisdom and direction. We ask Him to make his path to be clear. All the while we are not following the simple instructions. Thinking our specific needs and desires couldn't be met in such simple instructions. Comparing the complexity of our world to the lack of complexity in the instructions. Asking ourselves how can something so simple lead to the answers we need and want.
My wife and I have been in a season where we keep asking God for direction and wisdom. There are some specific needs we have been addressing this is not a general question. So far all we have gotten is what appears to be a general answer. Do what you know you need to be doing. Be faithful in what you do, be good stewards, invest in your walk, read the bible, and pray. We keeping saying but Lord we need specific answers to our specific questions. The more we seek the louder the general answer is.
As humans we can often over complicate God and upright living. Look at all the rules and laws that the Israelites had made by the time Jesus came to them. It was no longer the Ten commandments, It was no longer just what was outlined Exodus, Deuteronomy, Numbers and Leviticus. They had added more way more. You had to spend a childhood studying to know it all. Even if you studied it all could they all be lived out? Then came Jesus and he simplified it for us. In a form even more simplified than the ten commandments. His instructions for life are included in the following verses
Matthew 22:37-40
37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). 38 This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. 40 These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.
If we look back to what is said in Psalms 34:4-9 we can see a promise. In my words and for the question Mandy and I are asking here is that promise. If you will do the simple things in life I am calling you to do and be, then your specific questions and needs will be answered and taken care of.
That is the promise which I am boldly standing on today and with God's strengthening; the leading of the Holy Spirit and the love, support and reminders of family and friends I will be standing on tomorrow and the day after that until I am in the presence of Jesus.
11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you to revere and worshipfully fear the Lord.12 What man is he who desires life and longs for many days, that he may see good?13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.14 Depart from evil and do good; seek, inquire for, and crave peace and pursue (go after) it!
The Psalmist in these verse lays down simple instructions on how to revere God. It is often the simple instructions we miss most often in life. We seek God for wisdom and direction. We ask Him to make his path to be clear. All the while we are not following the simple instructions. Thinking our specific needs and desires couldn't be met in such simple instructions. Comparing the complexity of our world to the lack of complexity in the instructions. Asking ourselves how can something so simple lead to the answers we need and want.
My wife and I have been in a season where we keep asking God for direction and wisdom. There are some specific needs we have been addressing this is not a general question. So far all we have gotten is what appears to be a general answer. Do what you know you need to be doing. Be faithful in what you do, be good stewards, invest in your walk, read the bible, and pray. We keeping saying but Lord we need specific answers to our specific questions. The more we seek the louder the general answer is.
As humans we can often over complicate God and upright living. Look at all the rules and laws that the Israelites had made by the time Jesus came to them. It was no longer the Ten commandments, It was no longer just what was outlined Exodus, Deuteronomy, Numbers and Leviticus. They had added more way more. You had to spend a childhood studying to know it all. Even if you studied it all could they all be lived out? Then came Jesus and he simplified it for us. In a form even more simplified than the ten commandments. His instructions for life are included in the following verses
Matthew 22:37-40
37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). 38 This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. 40 These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.
If we look back to what is said in Psalms 34:4-9 we can see a promise. In my words and for the question Mandy and I are asking here is that promise. If you will do the simple things in life I am calling you to do and be, then your specific questions and needs will be answered and taken care of.
That is the promise which I am boldly standing on today and with God's strengthening; the leading of the Holy Spirit and the love, support and reminders of family and friends I will be standing on tomorrow and the day after that until I am in the presence of Jesus.
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