"There is in Christ Jesus provision for the full satisfaction and contentment..."

"There is in Christ Jesus provision for the full satisfaction and contentment of the needy and thirsty soul.  [...]

First. The excellency of Christ is such, that the discovery of it is exceedingly contenting and satisfying to the soul. The inquiry of the soul is after that which is most excellent. The carnal soul imagines that earthly things are excellent; one thinks riches most excellent, another has the highest esteem of honour, and to another carnal pleasure appears the most excellent; but the soul cannot find contentment in any of these things, because it soon finds an end to their excellency. Worldly men imagine, that there is true excellency and true happiness in those things which they are pursuing. They think that if they could but obtain them, they should be happy; and when they obtain them, and cannot find happiness, they look for happiness in something else, and are still upon the pursuit.

But Christ Jesus has true excellency, and so great excellency, that when they come to see it they look no further, but the mind rests there. It sees a transcendent glory and an ineffable sweetness in him; it sees that till now it has been pursuing shadows, but that now it has found the substance; that before it had been seeking happiness in the stream, but that now it has found the ocean. 

The excellency of Christ is an object adequate to the natural cravings of the soul, and is sufficient to fill the capacity. It is an infinite excellency, such an one as the mind desires, in which it can find no bounds; and the more the mind is used to it, the more excellent it appears. Every new discovery makes this beauty appear more ravishing, and the mind sees no end; here is room enough for the mind to go deeper and deeper, and never come to the bottom. The soul is exceedingly ravished when it first looks on this beauty, and it is never weary of it. The mind never has any satiety, but Christ's excellency is always fresh and new, and tends as much to delight, after it has been seen a thousand or ten thousand years, as when it was seen the first moment. The excellency of Christ is an object suited to the superior faculties of man, it is suited to entertain the faculty of reason and understanding, and there is nothing so worthy about which the understanding can be employed as this excellency; 

no other object is so great, noble, and exalted.

This excellency of Jesus Christ is the suitable food of the rational soul. The soul that comes to Christ, feeds upon this, and lives upon it; it is that bread which came down from heaven, of which he that eats shall not die; it is angels' food, it is that wine and milk that is given without money, and without price. This is that fatness in which the believing soul delights itself; here the longing soul may be satisfied, and the hungry soul may be filled with goodness. The delight and contentment that is to be found here, passeth understanding, and is unspeakable and full of glory. It is impossible for those who have tasted of this fountain, and know the sweetness of it, ever to forsake it. The soul has found the river of water of life, and it desires no other drink; it has found the tree of life, and it desires no other fruit.

Secondly. The manifestation of the love of Christ gives the soul abundant contentment. This love of Christ is exceedingly sweet and satisfying, it is better than life, because it is the love of a person of such dignity and excellency. The sweetness of his love depends very much upon the greatness of his excellency; so much the more lovely the person, so much the more desirable is his love. How sweet must the love of that person be, who is the eternal Son of God, who is of equal dignity with the Father!  How great a happiness must it be to be the object of the love of him who is the Creator of the world, and by whom all things consist, and who is exalted at God's right hand, and made head over principalities and powers in heavenly places, who has all things put under his feet, and is King of kings and Lord of lords, and is the brightness of the Father's glory! Surely to be beloved by him, is enough to satisfy the soul of a worm of the dust."

-Jonathan Edwards in Safety, Fullness, and Sweet Refreshment in Christ

*

Lord Jesus, I'm so convicted by those words.  I'm so convicted because they're so definitive of who I am -- so regularly discontent, ungrateful, desiring more, rather than joyfully worshipping you with all that I am and continually thanking you for all that you are.  I readily confess that we are so quick to place such a high value on the things we think will bring us utmost joy and happiness.  We seek our own pleasure and are continuously in search of the things we believe will fill our hearts with the fullness of life.  Instead of looking to you, we look to the things of this world.  Father, we find ourselves enthralled by ideas of success and adventure and endless pursuits of love.  We place our hope in relationships, friendships, and marriage.  Even if we are unwilling to admit it, our minds are so often convinced that our joy will increase if only we obtain the next best thing...  Whether it is worldly materials or a new job or stability within our circumstances or control over our desires or even the perfectly decorated home and a long, relaxing weekend.  Yet time and time again, we find ourselves disappointed.  We find our souls continually seeking more, discontent, weary, and exhausted.  

Jesus, we don't want to be this way.  When we're really honest with ourselves, we know that these "things" and "dreams" and "ideas" won't satisfy our deepest desires, but yet we continue to crave them.  We crave what we think they will provide us.  We crave what we think we want, what we think is best for us.  I often fear that I will always struggle with desiring the perfect circumstances or marriage or control over my life or comfort more than I desire you.  The lies are all around us that these things are better than you, they're more immediate, they'll satisfy us.  Many of them are good gifts, but they're not you.  And when we exalt them above you, we become enslaved to their dark sides, their lies, their deception.  Jesus, the truth is, we are enticed by sin.  Our flesh is so willing to believe that the things of this world will provide for us freedom, but it's always an illusion.  What we think will set us free ultimately enslaves and leads to death.

Father, thank you that you did not leave us to wrestle with and attempt to defeat sin on our own because we couldn't have done it.  We are utterly helpless apart from you.  Thank you that you sent Jesus to defeat sin on our behalf.  Thank you that when we place our faith and trust in you as Lord and Savior of our lives, we are covered by your death and resurrection and identified as your own.  Thank you that you give us victory over sin and death.  Thank you that there is fullness of life in you, fullness of joy, fullness of love.  Thank you that you offer us yourself.  

Help our unbelief, God.  Fill us with the Spirit that we might trust that you are better than anything the world has to offer us.  May we love you more deeply than anyone or anything else.  Change us, Lord.  May we see you all around us and continually seek to be drawn in more deeply to your presence.  Change us that we may hold fast to the truth that you are good and you are sovereign.  Your plans are better, your ways are better, and a relationship with you is the sweetest, most pleasurable, enjoyable, delightful gift we could ever receive.  I'm so sorry that we so often live as though we don't believe that to be true.

Jesus, all we are is yours.  Thank you that you have committed to us.  Thank you that you have promised that you will be with us until the very end of the age.  Thank you that you are committed to conforming us into your image and presenting us blameless before our Father one day in heaven.  Thank you for letting us be a part of your family.  Thank you that in you we find safety, fullness, contentment, joy, and sweet refreshment for our souls -- even though we are the most undeserving.  

May we desire you and love you not because of the gifts you give us but because of who you are.  And when we recognize your good gifts, may they not lead us to worship the gifts themselves but to worship you -- the Creator and Giver of life, breath, and every good thing.  

Thank you for your grace.  Thank you that in Christ there is hope for today, hope for tomorrow, and hope for eternity.  May we long for more of you always.  Let us not forsake you as our first love.  Your Word says that your love is better than life.  Please fill us with faith to believe and walk in that truth.  Because your love is better than life, may our lips glorify your name.

"For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” -Jeremiah 31:25

"You make known to me the path of life;

    in your presence there is fullness of joy;

    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

-Psalm 16:11

Counting Sheep, Unable to Sleep, Exhaustion, and True Rest

"Sleep, I already said, is a necessity.  But it is also a relinquishment.  It is self-abandonment: of control, of power, of consciousness, of identity.  We direct nothing in our sleep.  We master nothing.  We lose ourselves and are carried like children or prisoners into a netherworld alternately grotesque and idyllic, canivalesque and elysian.  In sleep we become infants again: utterly vulnerable, completely defenseless, totally dependent.  Out of control.  [...]

So sleep, besides being a necessity, is also an act of faith.  'O Lord, how many are my foes!  /  How many rise up against me!'  David begins Psalm 3.  But then he declares: 'I lie down and sleep;  /  I wake again because the Lord sustains me.'  Or the next psalm: 'I will lie down and sleep in peace,  /  for you alone, O Lord,  /  make me dwell in safety' (Ps 4:8).  Every time we sleep we place ourselves again in this position of vulnerability, of defenselessness of dependency.  We enter again this infant like unguardedness.  And we do this well only under one of two conditions: utter exhaustion, where we can't help ourselves, or complete confidence, where we stop trying to help ourselves.  Then we sleep because we know from whence our help comes.  We sleep because we know in whom we have believed and are confident that he is able to keep that which we have entrusted to him.  We give ourselves, regardless of our unfinished business into God's care  We sleep simply because we believe God will look after us.

It's the same with Sabbath rest.  Real Sabbath, the kind that empties and fills us, depends on the second condition, on complete confidence and trust.  And confidence and trust like that are rooted in a deep conviction that
God is good 
and 
God is sovereign.

There's no rest for those who don't believe that.  If God works all things together for good for those who love him and are called to his purposes, you can relax.  If he doesn't, start worrying.  

If God can take any mess, any mishap, any wastage, any wreckage, any anything, and choreograph beauty and meaning from it, then you can take a day off.  If he can't, get busy.  Either God's always at work, watching the city, building the house, or you need to try harder.  Either God is in control, or it all depends on you."

-Mark Buchanan in The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath 

*

Lord Jesus, thank you that true rest is found in you alone.  Thank you that we can rest because you are good and sovereign.  The truth is, we were once incessantly enslaved to sin and the world around us, but because of your death and resurrection, Jesus, we can rest.  We can rest in knowing that all our striving, all our fears, all our insecurities, all our anxieties can be given fully and completely to you.  Thank you for being who you are.  You don't tell us to trust you because you will give us precisely what we want but to trust you because of who you are.  Thank you that your character has been revealed most clearly to us in the gospel -- in the fact that while we were still sinners and wanted nothing to do with you whatsoever, you created a way for us to be made right with you and enjoy you forever through giving up with life of your precious and perfect son Jesus.  Thank you, Father, for loving us so much that we can surrender every detail of our lives before you, knowing that surely if you spared your only son for us, won't you also give us everything we could ever need?

I confess so often I finally rest out of utter exhaustion and not deep delight in a Lord who has everything under control.  I run and play and work myself into the ground, unwilling to admit my limitations and neediness.  But the truth is I am so needy.  I am so dependent upon you.  Help us to rejoice at our inabilities, that we may revel in your ability.  We don't deserve you, Father.  We pray you would fill us with your Spirit, that we might breathe deeply and fully entrust ourselves into your gracious, loving care and protection, trusting the very words of Christ Himself, "Surely I am with you always -- even unto the end of the age." 

Of First Importance... The Gospel

Lord, may our hearts be refreshed and reminded this morning of the gospel -- the good news of Jesus.  By the power of the Spirit, I pray you would remind us of who we were, what you've done for us, and how because of Christ, we're able to relate to you on the basis of your grace and truth -- not our performance.  May we see you and treasure you in all of your glory.  Your Word says the gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.  Help us believe that.  Help us believe that we are saved by JESUS, we are made new by JESUS, we are sanctified by JESUS.  All of our human efforts to be good enough for you, all our human efforts to find value apart from you are in vain.  You've ascribed to us all the value we could ever hope for in making us your own and adopting us into your family.  

Thank you that you offer us grace and peace not as a far-off, distant greeting but as an invitation to your dearly loved children.  You are our Shepherd.  I pray that we would allow ourselves to be your sheep, weak and needy in your presence.  Thank you that you are with us, that you've promised you will never leave us.  Thank you that your approval of us does not rest on what we do or have done but upon the finished work of Jesus.

a little snippet from

"A Gospel Primer" by Milton Vincent

"So this is my status and these are my flaws

Apart from Christ Jesus and His saving cause:

I carry sin's guilt and am gripped by sin's pow'r,

Held fast to its various lusts ev'ry hour,

Deserving of flames, both within and without,

And sliding t'ward Hell as I toss all about, 

Too reprobate even to play a small part

In clearing my record or changing my heart

To pacify wrath and be worthy of grace,

To make myself lovely and win God's embrace.

Completely condemned by God's Law in its whole,

I've nothing to offer to ransom my soul.

But wonder of wonders, so great to behold, 

My God chose to save me with method so bold.

What I could not render, God fully has done,

And doing, He rendered it all through His Son.

He sent Christ to die on the cross for my sin

To suffer my anguish my pardon to win.

Amazing it is, when I stop to regard,

That God would consent to an anguish so hard,

Surrend'ring His Son unto mayhem and death,

To torturous writhing 'til His final breath.

'Why does God forsake Me?' alone Jesus cried;

Yet God left Him hanging until He had died.

That Jesus was willing His life to lay down,

Be scourged and insulted and wear thorny crown

For one such as I who had spited God so,

Amazes and blesses and makes me to know

That greater a lover is no man than He,

Who laid down His life for a sinner like me.

[...]

Now when my time came and to Jesus I cried,

He gave me the pardon for which I had sighed,

He cleansed me completely from wrongs I had done,

Released me from bondage to sins, ev'ry one.

He shattered sin's chains which had held me before,

And thus made me free not to sin anymore.

A child of the Father He made me to be

And gave me the Spirit as His guarantee

That, being God's child, I will one day obtain 

A heavenly treasure that never will wane.

While in me, the Spirit gives power and love

And sweet premonitions of glory above.

In saving, God also did justify me,

Accounting me righteous by His own decree,

Declaring me guiltless of all of my sin,

And bringing His wrath against me to an end.

This wrath Christ appeased in full brunt on the Tree,

When, bearing my sin, He endured it for me.

So now God relates to me only with grace --

The former wrath banished without any trace!

And each day I'm made a bit more as I should,

His grace using all things to render me good.

Yes, even in trials God's grace abounds too

And does me the good He assigns it to do.

And when I am sinning, God's grace does abound,
Insuring my justified status is sound.
No wrath is awakened in God at my sin,
Because Christ appeased it -- to say so again.
God's heart pulses only with passionate grace,
Which jealously wants me back in His embrace.
God does not require even that I confess,
Before He desires His forgiveness to press.
Forgiveness has been in His heart all along;
And when I approach Him to make right my wrong,
He runs up to greet me and draws to me near,
Embracing and kissing and ready to clear.

God does see my sins and He grieves at them so,
For when I am sinning, His love I don't know.
He even will send me some heart-rending pain,
So I'll learn new ways and His holiness gain.
His disciplines always are with love imbued,
A love that seeks ever my ultimate good.
So this is my story; ongoing it is.
How shall I thank God for this gospel of His?
A gift that keeps giving, the gospel confers
The bounty of heaven each time I rehearse.
Deserve it?  I don't on my holiest day;
But this is salvation, and herein I'll stay.

The Secret to Gospel-Centered Change According to Tim Chester

So it has definitely been a just a brief, little while since Linds and I last posted, and much has transpired over the course of the past few months!  We have high hopes to finish our 7 F's series, but in the mean time...  This is for those of you who have ever felt stuck or hopeless to overcome negative emotions or habitual sin patterns in your life.  First and foremost, know you're not alone.  I for one am right there with you.  I often feel as though I'm frequently aware of my sin.  Though at times it feels as though I'm being bombarded by my faults and shortcomings, the reality is my sin runs so much deeper than I could ever imagine.  While it is often difficult to come to grips with our own darkness, it is truly such a mark of the Lord's love for us because as we are reminded of our sin, we're constantly reminded of our need for Jesus.  That being said, I recently started reading a book that the Lord is already using to convict my heart and transform my mind about change and being conformed into the image of Jesus.  Thus I'd love to share with y'all a few
excerpts from chapters one and two of 

"You Can Change" by Tim Chester

(It comes highly recommended, and two chapters in, I'm already loving it myself!)

"Jesus is the perfect person, the true image of God, the glory of the Father.  And God's agenda for change is for us to become like Jesus.

In Romans 8, Paul says that God uses everything that happens to make us like Jesus, both the good and the bad.  Indeed, the bad things become in some sense good for us because they make us like Jesus.  In themselves they may be evil, but God uses them for the good of those who love him, and that good is that we become more like Jesus.  This isn't a letdown.  We shouldn't be disappointed that the promise of good things turns out to be conformity to Christ.  It's not like offering a child a meal deal from McDonald's and then giving them a McSalad.  We know salad is good for us, but we'd rather enjoy a Big Mac.  Jesus isn't just good for us -- he is good itself.  He defines good.  The secret of gospel change is being convinced that Jesus is the good life and the fountain of all joy.  Any alternative we might choose would be the letdown.

[...]  God is in the business of change.  He's interested in making us like Jesus.  He's restoring his image in us so that we can know him, rule with him, and reflect his glory.  [...]

Change takes place in our lives as we turn to see the glory of God in Jesus.  We 'see' the glory of Christ as we 'hear' the gospel of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).  Moral effort, fear of judgment, and sets of rules can't bring lasting change.  But amazing things happen when we 'turn to the Lord.'

[...]  You will cleanse no sin from your life that you have not first recognized as being pardoned through the cross.  This is because holiness always starts in the heart.  The essence of holiness is not new behavior, activity, or disciplines.  Holiness is new affections, new desires, and new motives that then lead to new behavior.  If you don't see your sin as completely pardoned, then your affections, desires, and motives will be wrong.  You will aim to prove yourself.  Your focus will be the consequences of your sin rather than hating the sin itself and desiring God in its place.

Many people change their behavior, but their motives and desires are still wrong; so their behavior is no more pleasing to God than their old behavior.  Consider an alcoholic who gives up drink because he fears social stigma or wants to save his marriage or doesn't want to end up in the gutter.  It's good that he's given up drink, but he isn't more holy in God's sight because he's still motivated by selfish desires that exclude God.  Or consider a Christian who goes to a prayer meeting to impress people or feel good about herself or avoid a Christian friend's rebuke.  Her behavior has changed, but her motives and desires and unchanged.  This isn't holiness (though it may be that praying with other Christians contributes to a change of affections).  John Piper says, 'Conversion is the creation of new desires, not just new duties; new delights, not just new deeds; new treasures, not just new tasks.

The great nineteenth-century preacher Charles Spurgeon illustrates this point with the story of a humble gardener who presents a bunch of carrots to his king because he so esteems and loves his sovereign.  The king rewards his love with a plot of land so he can continue to bless his kingdom.  A courtier sees this and thinks, 'An acre of land for a bunch of carrots -- what a deal!'  So the next day the courtier presents the king with a magnificent horse.  The wise king, discerning his heart, simply accepts the gift with a 'thank you.'  When the courtier is disconsolate, the king explains, 'The gardener gave me the carrots, but you have given yourself the horse.  You gave not for love of me but for love of yourself in the hope of a reward.'  Are you feeding the hungry or are you feeding yourself?  asks Spurgeon.  Are you clothing the naked or are you seeking your own reward?  Are you serving God or serving yourself?  The Bible talks often of reward, but that reward is God himself -- the joy of knowing and pleasing the God we love and in whom we delight.

We don't change so we can prove ourselves to God.  We're accepted by God so we can change, God gives us a new identity, and this new identity is the motive and basis for our change."

*

Lord Jesus, as we embark on this new week, this new year, we are filled with both hope and fear.  We want to believe you desire to change us, but so often we're are plagued with the weariness of our past faults and failures.  We want to change, Lord, but so often we feel so trapped in our own inabilities to change.  But thank you, Jesus, that you did not leave us to change ourselves, but you have committed to changing us until we are faultless, blameless, and fully transformed into the image of Christ.

It is my prayer that as we meet with you this year, we would be honest before you about the countless ways we fall short and the seemingly endless list of things we so often consider "better" than you.  Holy Spirit, I pray that you would examine our hearts, and that by your grace, you would reveal to us our sin.  I confess that I am so quick to treasure and idolize and just plain want things more than I desire you -- consistency, stability, control, freedom, health, food, the perfect exercise regimen, the perfect body, perfection in general, my reputation, the approval and opinions of others, marriage, dating, my own effectiveness and productivity, the dream house, the Kendra Scott earrings, heck the list goes on...  Gosh, Lord, to think that you love us while knowing full well the depth of depravity within our hearts...  We admit that we don't fully understand how deeply our sin grieves your heart, but Lord, we pray that you would help us to comprehend that in our moments of sin, we are not receiving the fullness of your love for us.  

Thank you for your forgiveness, Lord.  Jesus, thank you that you were willing to bear the weight of our sin, so that we might know you and experience your love and plan for our lives.  I pray that we would love you deeply and above all things --
that you would be our prized and priceless treasure.  

I pray that we would see you as the good life and the fountain of all joy!  I pray that you would fill us with faith to believe that you created us for so much more than what we're often content to settle for.  I pray that you would fill us with HOPE to believe that you not only can change us, but it is your will, your delight to conform us into the image of Jesus.  May we believe that you are good, that you are at work, and that you are the one who changes us.  Thank you that ultimately all our human, fleshly efforts to change and sanctify ourselves apart from you are in vain, as our efforts only further reveal that you alone set free.  You alone give life.  You alone reconcile, redeem, restore, and fill our hearts with hope.  

Father, truthfully, in the midst of pain, sin, despair, and difficulty, it can be almost impossible at times to believe you truly do desire to heal us, change us, and make all things new.  But Lord, I pray that in our moments of doubt, you would remind us of Jesus, whose life was not free from pain or hardship, and yet He is your beloved -- the image of the invisible God and literally God in the flesh.  Remind us of Jesus who bore all of your wrath, endured all of our shame, and went to the cross for your glory and our good.  May we receive suffering and pain as your good and gracious gift for us, knowing that you work all things together for the good of those who love you and are called according to your purpose.  May we have hearts and minds that are humble, open, and willing to see each moment, each hour, and each day as an opportunity to grow in your likeness, to experience depth and intimacy with you, and to know you as the Father who loves us, the Father who did not leave us as orphans but came for us.  

May our hearts continually sing your praises.  May our songs not waver based upon the circumstances of our daily bread, but may they be as steadfast and constant as your character.  For though our circumstances are constantly in flux, you never change.  You are good and holy and true, and you deserve all the glory and praise forever and ever.  Thank you for initiating with us when we wanted nothing to do with you, that we might know your love, love you back, and spend eternity delighting in, enjoying, and glorifying you.  We love you, Jesus.

2015, let's do this.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." 
-2 Corinthians 3:17-18

"Money On My Mind"

Lord Jesus, thank you for being the provider of all that we could ever ask or hope for in giving us Jesus.  You have given us life, breath, the ability to run, move, dance, sing, and play outside.  You continually fill our hearts with your peace, grace, and unconditional love.  And yet you know us.  You see us in our weakest hours.  I confess that this week alone you have seen me when I have been literally unable to calm down because I've been so anxious about finances.  You've seen me as I've spent money on things I don't need, and you've seen me as I've disdained money as something awful from the enemy -- neither of which was good...!  And instead of looking at me with disappointment and disgust, you lovingly remind me that you are completely satisfied with me not because of my performance but because of Christ's perfect performance on my behalf.  You are far too good to us, Lord.  I ask that you would fill me with the Holy Spirit and speak through me.  You know I lack so much wisdom and discipline in the area of finances, but I trust that you are all-powerful, Lord, and that somehow your power is made perfect in our weakness.  I pray that I wouldn't write what I want to be true but that I would write what your Word says is true.  May your glory and honor be manifest in my simple words this evening, Father.  Amen.

*

A few months ago, I was driving through one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Oklahoma City with two of my best friends.  I have driven through that area so many times, but this particular evening, the sun was setting so beautifully that everything from the trees to the rooftops seemed to sparkle.  As we drove along, I envisioned each home with its perfect, little inhabitants -- wearing all J. Crew, praying over their meals, processing through their days as a family, lounging on beautiful Pottery Barn couches after dinner.  Even though I know that is not reality, it's so easy to imagine, "They have everything they could ever want.  They have to be happy."  

I remember the thought running through my head, "Wow.  If I ever get to live here one day...!"  I pictured a life of peace, comfort, and ease -- five mile runs every morning, the perfect marriage, angelic children, cookies always in the oven, rocking chairs on the front porch, every room always clean, every piece of silver always shined and sparkling, the whole nine yards.  Again definitely not reality, but you know how the imagination works.

About the time I was drifting far off into dreamland, one of my friends began to describe a John Piper sermon he had listened to in college.  In the sermon, Piper spoke about how as humans, we are quick to desire for ourselves kingdoms here on earth and forget that our true kingdom -- our forever home -- is in heaven.  So we do everything we can to fill our lives with peace and comfort and ease and security and beauty.  Some days that looks like a new set of dishes from William Sonoma and other days it looks like a fabulous new outfit from Nordstrom Rack (I mean it was on sale, right?!).  But the reality is that every single thing on this earth except for the souls of men will one day pass away completely.  Every lamp, every pillow, every blouse, every iPhone, every candlestick will one day be gone.

Whether it is a big, white house with navy shutters and beautiful flowerbeds or the newest dress from Anthropologie, I see that my fleshly tendency is to lust after the things of this world, thinking that if and when I get those things, my heart will be more satisfied.  I will be one step closer to the future, better version of myself I hope to become.  I know that for me personally, my high (misplaced) value of money isn't so much about the money itself but about what it can buy, what I think it will give me.

For example, I find that when I'm struggling with deeply desiring the approval of others, I want others to think that I'm pretty and stylish.  So I spend any extra money I get on new clothes or getting a manicure or pedicure.  Are clothes and manicures bad?  Absolutely not!  In fact, I think that when done with the right motives and heart attitude, shopping and pedicures can be so relaxing and the sweetest treats!  But admittedly, so often my motives are not pure.  Usually I find that even my purest desires can be somewhat tainted with the desire to build a kingdom for myself.  I want others to think highly of me.  I want others to affirm and validate me.  It's all about me.  

Y'all there is this idol of image that I am so quick to serve.  I want to be seen as the fashionable one.  I want to be known as having expensive taste and good style.  I enjoy eating at nice restaurants.  I want to live in a beautiful, inviting home with fresh flowers on the kitchen counter and a volcano candle burning on the coffee table.

And honestly, sometimes there is absolutely nothing wrong with those things.  There is nothing wrong with wanting to wear a cute outfit or buying a nice dress or going out for a fancy dinner.  I truly don't see anything wrong with creating homey, beautiful spaces and environments where people feel comfortable, relaxed, and at ease.  But I know that often my motives are mixed.  A new dress can just be so fun and such a sweet blessing.  Or it can become something I want to wear to impress other people or to be seen as the one who is "put-together" and pretty.  An inviting home can be a wonderful place for people to come together in community and have fun and be known and safe, but I can also look to nice things to provide me with the comfort and security I should be looking for in Jesus.  Our lives can be all about ourselves.  Or they can be all about Jesus.  We can use the things of this world to try and create heaven on earth, or the things of this world can point us to heaven.

"For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come." ~Hebrews 13:14

We can enjoy a great party, a beautiful dress, an inviting home and think to ourselves, "Wow.  What a great day.  My life rocks."  Or we can enjoy those things with the perspective that no matter how enjoyable the things of this world may be, they are only a mere shadow of the kingdom that is to come -- the kingdom of heaven, where death will be no more.  All the sad things will come undone.  We will be perfectly united to our Father, worshipping and enjoying Him for all of our days.  Our hearts will be fully and completely satisfied.  We will have absolutely no lack, no desire, no want for anything more.  

"Behold!  I tell you a mystery.  We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall all be changed.  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'  O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?'  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory in our Lord Jesus Christ." ~1 Corinthians 15:51-57

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.  And He who is seated on the throne said, 'Behold I am making all things new.'  Also he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'  And He said to me, 'It is done!  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment." ~Revelation 21:1-6

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also." ~Matthew 6:19-21

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up.  Then in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." ~Matthew 13:44

The things of this world can be so appealing, and they can seem as though they'll meet our deepest needs and desires.  But the truth is, have you ever bought a new purse and thought, "I love this so much!  I will never need a new purse again as long as I live!"  Only to find that a few months later, the Kate Spade outlet is having an incredible sale and... "Oh my gosh.  This bag is perfect.  If I get this, I will never need another new bag again as long as I live."  I'm laughing.  I use that example because it's true, as in I've so been that person.  The treasures we think we can store up for ourselves on this earth, which will make us more valuable or important or worthy of love, will be here today and gone tomorrow.  And even if they're still here tomorrow, chances are we'll be tired of them and onto desiring something else.

But there is a treasure that lasts forever.  There is a gift that we can never lose, that will never end, and that is a relationship with Jesus.  It's incredible that God loved us so much that even when we wanted nothing to do with Him whatsoever, He made a way for us to know Him.  He initiated with us.  He pursued us in sending Jesus, who though He was the King of the universe came to earth with absolute humility, bravery, and love.  He came so that we could know God, so that we could see what He is like -- hear His voice, see His actions, experience His love, grace, power, and healing.  He came to restore us back into a relationship with God.  In the beginning when sin entered the world, relationship between God and humans was destroyed -- not because God didn't love us, but because we chose to go our own way apart from Him.  We chose sin instead of God.  We chose our own kingdoms instead of God's kingdom.  But God loved us so much that He didn't leave us to destroy ourselves.  He sent Jesus, who came so that we might be saved from our sins.  He came so that we might have LIFE and have it to the fullest!

Jesus lived the life we never could.  Though He was perfect and didn't deserve death, He died in our place.  And in doing so, He took on our sins and gave us His righteousness.  Everything good Jesus ever did is now attributed to those who call upon Him as Savior and Lord.  He forgives us of all of our sins -- past, present, and future.  And He gives us the gift of salvation, of knowing God intimately and personally -- who though He sees the darkest things about us, loves us more than we could ever imagine.  Jesus is the true treasure, the lasting treasure who changes everything now and for eternity.

"But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into run and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.  It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." ~1 Timothy 6:6-10

Consider a few of these questions to help you process where you're at in your journey with Jesus in regard to money...

Every dollar in your bank account -- where did it come from?

I once heard that if you want to know where your treasure is, look at your bank statement.
On what do you spend your money?  Your heart will be close by.

Are you storing up your treasures on earth?  Or in heaven?

How are you stewarding what God has given you?

For what purposes do you spend your money?

In what ways do you seek glory for yourself?

What does the idolized "future, better version of yourself" look like?

How are you using money to serve that idol?

Have you sat down and spent time working through your budget with the Lord?
Would you consider sitting down with someone who is older and wiser and asking for help with your budgeting, giving, saving, and spending?
Who could you ask?

Are you giving to the kingdom of heaven?

How can you trust the Lord with your finances?
What is most valuable to you?

How does the fact that this world is not your permanent home affect how you spend your money?

I'm not going to lie.  These questions are SO convicting to me.  It is true that sometimes I can get so stressed out about the money itself.  Do I have enough for gas this month?  Am I putting enough in savings?  Am I giving enough to the church?  How much should I spend on coffee?  Should I never have coffee again?  Is it okay to buy flowers?  When is it alright to buy a new pair of shoes?  How much is too much to spend?   But amidst any anxiety, we can have peace because of who our God is!  When we trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He gives us the Holy Spirit to come and live inside our hearts.  Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit came, that He would guide us into all truth.  We have the incredible blessing and privilege as believers to have direct access to the Lord through Christ and the Holy Spirit.  God does not want us to be controlled by our finances or the things of this world, so I truly believe that when we ask Him for His wisdom and guidance in our spending, saving, and giving, He will lead us in the way He would have us go.  I know that for me, however, so often I just don't ask Him.  I am impatient and want an immediate answer.  I often think I know best and choose what is right in my own eyes, rather than asking for the Lord's direction.  But I know that He knows best, and so many times in life, things would be so much less painful in the long-term, if I would simply ask Jesus and wait for Him to answer in the short-term.  

Just yesterday, the Lord reminded me of when He called Matthew (aka Levi) to come and be one of His disciples.  Levi was sitting in his tax booth, working for the Roman government, basically cheating the Jewish people out of tons of money. Everyone hated him.  He was despised by pretty much the whole of society.  And while he was in the middle of his extortion, his loneliness, his shame, Jesus called to him and said, "Follow me."  And leaving everything, Levi rose and followed Him.  Jesus knows that we are far from perfect.  He sees all of the ways we look to the things of this world to satisfy us instead of looking to Him.  He sees us in the midst of our filth and sin and countless mistakes and invites us to follow Him.  He loves us not because of what we've done or haven't done, but He loves us because He made us.  And by His grace, when we trust Him to be the Lord of our lives, He is committed to us forever.  He will never leave us or forsake us.  He delights in us and will continue to show us mercy, grace, and unconditional love until we meet Him in the best embrace of our lives in the kingdom that is to come.

*

Lord, we just confess that we are quick to hoard and store up things on this earth that have no eternal value whatsoever.  All of our stuff will one day be burned up, but what will last forever is our relationship with you.  Help us to see you in your glory and desire you above all else.  We cannot change on our own, Lord.  We don't just need to revise our budgets.  We need new hearts.  And in order to receive new hearts, we need you.  Lord, we place ourselves, our money, our misplaced desires for value and status, and all our stuff in your hands.  All we have is yours.  Help us to steward the money you have entrusted to us in such a way that is honoring to you.  Help us to be cheerful givers.  Help us to see all spending in this world in light of eternity.  We need your wisdom, Lord.  We need your grace.  Help us to take steps of faith to trust you in the area of finances.  You are our good and perfect provider, Lord.  Thank you for convicting us of our sin and taking such good care of us.  Thank you that because of Jesus, our identities are not found in the size of our homes or the things in our closets but in the fact that we are deeply loved by the Creator of the Universe.  We don't deserve you, Jesus, but we are so thankful for you.  We love you forever!

Bigger…Better…More

"How big your God is

 directly effects how

 little and worthless

 your idols are."

We have constant access to MORE, BETTER & BIGGER things. No wonder so many people fall into the trap of making an idol out of possessions and wealth.
 Our culture screams at us that we are
     NOT ENOUGH if you don't have ENOUGH nice things.

"I loved owning certain things even when I didn't actually need it. However, by me possessing it-it began to possess me."

-(Organized Heart)

There have been times in my life where money and having excess have become an idol. Here is a Truth that is brought to my heart every time these things tend to come before God in my life:

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:24 NIV)

I have been learning how our relationship with our money and possessions have 3 phases:

1. Acquisition: when we OBTAIN it
2. Ownership: when we USE or STORE things we have obtained
3. Relinquishment: when we get RID of the things we owned

Now, each of these phases can have healthy and unhealthy manifestations.
-UNHEALTHY-We hoard money/things and we want more than we need. Our possessions become an idol.
-HEALTHY-We exhibit biblical stewardship.

 Now with our sinful, selfish nature it can be hard to give of our possessions and money with a cheerful heart. However, I have realized that one of the best ways to protect myself from the love of money and idolizing possessions is by GIVING. So, how do we give and where do we give? My husband and I are currently learning about how to prioritize where our money is spent and here is what we are trying to implement:

1. Giving to OBLIGATIONS:

-take care of your family first
-2nd, give to your teachers (church, pastors, mentors, etc.)

"Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor." (‭Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬ NIV)

"Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." (‭1 Timothy‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ NIV)

2. Giving to OPPORTUNITIES:

-Give to opportunities that arise in your life where you feel God is wanting to use you.
-Give to those especially in the faith.

"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (‭Galatians‬ 6:10 NIV)

"But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving." (‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭8‬:‭7‬ NIV)

A truth that enables me to give is that

WE DON'T ACTUALLY OWN WHAT WE OWN!

This reality keeps me from idolatry and finding happiness in money and possessions.

 The more we love this life's rewards (leisure, power, popularity, financial security), the more we will discover

 HOW EMPTY THEY REALLY ARE.  

The best way to enjoy life, therefore, is to loosen our greedy grasp on earthly rewards so that we can be free to follow Christ.  In doing so, we will inherit eternal life and begin at once to experience the benefits of following Christ.

"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it."

(1 Timothy 6:7 NIV)

So now that we know WHO to give to, let's explore HOW giving should be:

1. Periodic:
-regular intervals out of your income (e.g. tithing)

2. Personal:
-each person should give, no matter the finances of the church, because you are really giving to God, not to an organization.

3. Planned:
-God loves a cheerful giver

"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭7‬ NIV)

4. Progressive:
-in keeping with your income

5. Plentiful

6. Private:
-our Father sees our giving

"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭3-4‬ NIV)

Here are a few things I have learned about God & money below...

-Our dependence for anything should be on God. He gives and takes away and we are only stewards of what we have been given:

"The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts."(1 Samuel 2:7 NIV)

"The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers." (Leviticus 25:23 NIV)

-God sets the terms for how we can use wealth:

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV)

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

Invest in real, eternal value today!

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." (‭Matthew 6:19 NIV)

"The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin. Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil." (Proverbs 15:6, 16 NIV)

"Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her." (Proverbs 8:10, 11 NIV)

YOU WORSHIP WHAT YOU WORRY ABOUT!!!

The only thing that lasts into Heaven are God's Word and peoples' souls.  Are you investing in these or things that will be left behind after you die?
Invest in eternity and not in this world where things do not last.   Give in such a way that you honor God every time you spend your money.