Friday, May 22, 2009

Dominate

We are going to conclude this week with one more verse that Jonathan referenced this past weekend. It shows up in a pretty familiar, yet counterintuitive, lesson that Jesus taught.


Luke 12
22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear.
23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing.
24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!
25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.
28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things.

30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs.
31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.


Dominate. There is a constant struggle for the focus of my thoughts. The struggle is really the direction of the focus ... upward (on what God wants), outward (on what others need) or inward (me). Conventional wisdom will tell you to focus on the third option, especially in the midst of a crisis, because no one else will. Ironically, Jesus taught the opposite ... focus on the first two options and He (God) will take care of the third. Here’s a thought ... if someone were to monitor your thoughts for a day, which direction do you think would win the “time of possession”? Would any specific direction dominate?


Have a safe and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend.
We will be off on Monday.
See you Tuesday.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

People

A quick quiz before we move on with Joseph’s story ... what does Psalm 20:7 say? If you don’t remember, check out Monday’s post (Boast) for a quick reminder. Yesterday, we read Joseph’s advice (and action) regarding the coming famine. Today, we see the result of his preparation.


Genesis 41
53 At last the seven years of bumper crops throughout the land of Egypt came to an end.
54 Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. The famine also struck all the surrounding countries, but throughout Egypt there was plenty of food.
55 Eventually, however, the famine spread throughout the land of Egypt as well. And when the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told them, “Go to Joseph, and do whatever he tells you.”
56 So with severe famine everywhere, Joseph opened up the storehouses and distributed grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt.
57 And people from all around came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.


People. Ultimately, this is about people. As Jonathan mentioned this past weekend, we are called to help people in need (especially in the midst of crisis). God mandated it (check out
Deuteronomy 24:17-22). Jesus taught about it (check out Matthew 25:31-46). It’s going to sound like I am laying the guilt on really thick here; but I’m not. I am simply expressing a truth ... a truth that is heavy and stings a little ... but still a truth. Part of our responsibility, as Jesus followers, is to be a reflection of God. Our actions and attitudes are a reflection of God’s actions and attitudes. Our generosity and compassion are a reflection of God’s generosity and compassion. Considering these passages, is it an accurate reflection?

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Inspected

This past weekend, Jonathan kicked off our new series “Never Waste A Crisis”. In his message, he referenced a story in the life of Joseph. Yesterday, we read about how Joseph used a God-given ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dream ... a dream that predicted seven years of prosperity followed by seven years of famine. Today, we read the advice Joseph offered concerning that impending crisis and the steps that were taken to prepare for it.


Genesis 41
33 “Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt.
34 Then Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven good years.
35 Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away, and guard it so there will be food in the cities.
36 That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt. Otherwise this famine will destroy the land.”
37 Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials.
38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are.
40 You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.”
41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.”

46 He was thirty years old when he began serving in the court of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And when Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he inspected the entire land of Egypt.
47 As predicted, for seven years the land produced bumper crops.
48 During those years, Joseph gathered all the crops grown in Egypt and stored the grain from the surrounding fields in the cities.
49 He piled up huge amounts of grain like sand on the seashore. Finally, he stopped keeping records because there was too much to measure.


Inspected. We all know that life is a series of ebbs and flows ... seasons of prosperity and seasons of famine ... when it comes to our finances and our relationships. It is one thing to acknowledge it. It is another thing to actually do something about it. That is why I am inspired by words like inspected, gathered and stored. Joseph new a famine was coming and he immediately got to work preparing for it. For those of you that are experiencing a season of prosperity financially and relationally, you need to start preparing because eventually there will be another season. For those of you that are in the midst of a famine (financially or relationally), you need to file this lesson away for future reference because eventually there will be another season. There always is.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Forgotten

This past weekend, Jonathan referenced an important story from the life of Joseph. Over the next three days, we are going to reexamine that story. You can check Joseph’s backstory in Genesis 37 and 39; but let me offer you some of the highlights. Joseph’s father (Jacob) loved him more than his other sons. As you can imagine, Joseph’s brothers didn’t appreciate their father’s favoritism so they sold Joseph into slavery. As a loyal slave in Egypt, Joseph was falsely accused of attacking his owner’s wife and eventually thrown in prison. Joseph even used his God-given ability to interpret dreams to help a guy; but that guy forgets about him for two more years until Pharaoh has a dream...


Genesis 41
14 Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh.
15 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.”
16 “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”
17 So Pharaoh told Joseph his dream ... (You can check out his dreams in
Genesis 41:17-24)
25 Joseph responded, “Both of Pharaoh’s dreams mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.
26 The seven healthy cows and the seven healthy heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity.
27 The seven thin, scrawny cows that came up later and the seven thin heads of grain, withered by the east wind, represent seven years of famine.
28 “This will happen just as I have described it, for God has revealed to Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.
29 The next seven years will be a period of great prosperity throughout the land of Egypt.
30 But afterward there will be seven years of famine so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten in Egypt. Famine will destroy the land.
31 This famine will be so severe that even the memory of the good years will be erased.
32 As for having two similar dreams, it means that these events have been decreed by God, and he will soon make them happen.


Forgotten. I was really struck by the idea that the “prosperity will be forgotten” ... “even the memory of the good years will be erased”. I shouldn’t be ... how many times have I quickly forgotten all the ways that God has blessed me the minute a difficult a difficult season of life appears on the horizon? This is why we encourage people to journal. This is why we offer Communion every weekend. This is why we make such a big deal about Easter. We need daily, weekly, yearly reminders of how powerful God is, how loving God is and how gracious God is. Then, when the “famines” of life arrive, we will be able to respond the way Joseph did, “It is beyond my power ... But God can ...”

Monday, May 18, 2009

Boast

This past weekend, Jonathan began a new series entitled, “Never Waste A Crisis” by talking about the fact that we are in the midst of a “perfect storm” when it comes to our finances. The good news is we don’t have to waste this experience. God, if we will let Him, can use this crisis (or any crisis) to make some important changes in our life.

Last week, we experimented with the spiritual discipline of memorization. We are going to continue that effort, as we begin this week, by working on memorizing what Jonathan called the “theme verse” for this week.


Psalm 20:7
Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.

Boast. Another translation replaces “boast” with “trust”. In his message, Jonathan suggested a more contemporary spin on this verse might be ... Some trust in bank accounts and some in stock portfolios, but we trust in God. I know it is easy to say we trust in God; but do we really mean it. If someone monitored our life for a week ... how we used our time, where we spent our money, etc. .... what would they discover about who or what we trust?