July 16, 2019

Who Do You Worship?

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” – Matthew 4:10

Some think Donald Trump can do no wrong. They are quick to defend his every word and action, regardless of facts. They clamor to attend Trump rallies. They see him as a fine Christian man who is a victim of the heathens determined to undermine God’s Word. Truth gets lost in their idolization.

Pick a major sports figure. Or choose instead your favorite actor or singer. Maybe you hold up a television evangelist or some other powerful figure as being above reproach and worthy of our utmost awe and respect.

Maybe your god of choice is the stock market you monitor closely, the job you devote all your time to, or the golf passion you can’t seem to live without. Maybe you “need” alcohol or drugs. Maybe you live for your children or grandchildren.

Idols are those things we hold dearest to us. We worship where we focus our time and attention. We cannot worship God and everyone and everything else. When we see Trump, or any other popular person, as the one to save us, we have lost focus. When we assume that enough money, power or prestige will carry us, we have lost our direction.

We have one Lord, one Savior, one God. Everything and everyone else come below Him. Be careful. Satan would love to convince you that you’re doing God’s will by following someone or something else.

September 20, 2018

Who Do You Worship?

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the LORD your God, and serve him only.’” – Matthew 4:10

Do you remember when Jesus said this? It was when He was in the wilderness being tempted by Satan. The devil had offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and all of their splendor. He promised it to Jesus if He would only do one thing: worship Satan.

Of course, we’re to worship God first. We know that. It’s one of the Ten Commandments. We would never bow down and worship another god. That’s what we say anyway. But are you sure?

There are many types of gods in our lives, whether we acknowledge them as such or not. For some, their god becomes the volunteer work they’re committed to. It becomes their life and everything else revolves around it. Volunteer work is a good thing. Surely, it is. Until it becomes more important that God.

Another common god is money. There are those who will do anything, sacrifice anything, to earn more and more money. They are never satisfied. Every dollar seems to fuel a need for ten more. It’s what they think about constantly. Money has replaced God in their hearts.

Or consider the children in your life. They are gifts from God and, surely, we are to prize them above all else. Except how often do we opt out of time with God because the kids’ activities interfere with it? How often do we miss church because of a sporting event? How often do we forgo tithing because that new pageant dress or tech toy that all the other kids have is really more than we can afford? We want our kids to be the best and have the best – even if that means God gets less and less and less.

Is any of this making sense yet? Whatever you focus your time and attention on the most is what you worship. It is your idol. It is what you value more than God.

Don’t get me wrong. None of the things I’ve mentioned, nor any of the many others I could have mentioned, are bad. They aren’t. It’s good to volunteer. It’s good to work hard. It’s good to give and do for your children. It’s when it reaches an extreme that it starts to edge deeper into your heart, pulling you farther and farther away from God.

God wants your heart. He wants all of you, but He understands that it’s our heart that determines how the rest of us will go. God made us with a thirst that only He can quench. One pastor called it a worship chip. It’s the only thing that will fill us up and make us whole.

When we try to shove all the other things of our lives into that hole, it only pulls us away from God and makes us miserably unhappy. We are made to worship God first and nothing else will ever satisfy us.

So, the next time you find your focus pulling away from God stop and consider your priorities. The next time you make a choice that puts something or someone before God, take a moment to really think about why you are making that choice. The slope away from God is slippery. Satan makes sure of that. Don’t let him lead you someplace you never intended to go by worshipping an idol you never intended to worship.

February 20, 2018

Stay Alert

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. – Matthew 4:1

Satan is a sore loser. Even though he has already lost, he continues to plague God’s people. We are temped again and again but we have the power within us to resist the devil. If we use it.

Jesus gave us a perfect example to follow. Of course, we aren’t perfect people. Still, it is a lesson all of us should consider, especially on the tough days. The devil waited until Jesus was at his most vulnerable to tempt Him. Satan does the same with us.

Jesus was hungry. He’d fasted for forty days and nights. Can you imagine? And that is where the first temptation came.

“If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loves of bread.” – Matthew 4:3

Don’t miss the word “if”. That’s one of Satan’s most powerful words. He wants to make us doubt who we are as God’s children.

Jesus was ready with Scripture. Are you? Can you, will you, confront Satan’s lies with God’s Word?

But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” – Matthew 4:4

Satan wasn’t finished. He never really is. Satan will continue to attack us, again and again. The one thing the devil doesn’t want is for God’s children to walk by faith.

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” – Matthew 4:6

Do you ever challenge God? Do you test His love for you? Do you ask God again and again to prove His love by giving you the desires of your flesh?

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” – Matthew 4:7

The devil’s attack continued. Just like with us. Have you ever gone through a season where you wondered where God was and why He was allowing the repeated attacks against you? (Read Job for a good lesson on this.) Most of us have been there. The closer we come to God, the more intense the attacks from Satan.

And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” – Matthew 4:9

Oh, we would never worship the devil. Would we? What do you value most in your life? Your home? Your job? Your status? Your bank account? A good test: What would you give up for Jesus? Ah. That’s a different story. We’re all about Jesus until He asks us to sacrifice something we really, really want.

“Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” – Matthew 4:10

Who do you serve? What do you worship? Satan will continue to prowl this earth and seek to destroy God’s children until Jesus returns and finishes him off forever. In the meantime, remain alert. Call upon God’s Word. We are in a war that, thankfully, Jesus has already won.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Things Will Never Fill Us Up

Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

-- Matthew 4:8-10

What are you craving right now? Are you lusting after a giant piece of chocolate cake? Do you want a new car? Or maybe those designer boots you saw online? Maybe more than anything else you’d like two tickets to a major college football game?

Whatever it is that you want, you’re just following that American dream. It’s what we’re programmed for at birth. To want bigger and better. To have more than we’ve ever dreamed of having and certainly more than we could possibly ever use. It’s no wonder that the storage building business is booming.

Pastor Danny recently told us about the worship chip each of us have inside our bodies. God created us with something akin to a homing devise so that we’ll always be seeking Him. The thing is, only God can fill us up inside. But that doesn’t stop us from trying every other way we can to make it happen.

That desperate attempt to satisfy the worship chip leads to two awful conditions: Affluenza and Credititus. Those two conditions frequently go together. Either is enough to send us into a downward financial spiral from which we might not recover.

It all goes back to that American dream and what society tells us we have to have to be happy. It’s isn’t enough to have a nice house in a safe neighborhood. We’ve got to want a better house in an affluent neighborhood. We’ve got to have a new car even when the old one runs just fine. We’ve got to go on a fabulous vacation when a trip to the beach a short drive away would be just as enjoyable.

Unfortunately, the only way to afford all that stuff that society tells us we have to have leads to using credit cards again and again. We don’t think too much about it. Pulling out a piece of plastic just doesn’t have the same impact as paying with cash. It lets us forget, at least for a little while, that we’re digging a hole for ourselves and for our future.

Satan tempted Jesus, promising Him everything the world offered. And Jesus said no. Jesus understood that no amount of things could ever replace God when it comes to filling us up inside.

It is possible to just say no. It is possible to walk away. To be content with what you have. To give a little more to those in need. To spend more time with Jesus and less with the world and its ridiculous demands. To fill yourself up with God’s love and know that you are complete right where you are.

Sunday, October 31, 2011

Show The World Your Light

“You are the light of the world -- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” -- Matthew 4:14-16

He didn’t need any help. He could drive himself. He could cook. He could take care of his wife. Except his pain was so intense that he broke out in a sweat and his body hunched over. And his wife could barely maneuver with her injured leg and hand.

He didn’t understand. We all wanted to help. It wasn’t about obligation. It was about love and kindness and caring. It was about wanting to do something for people who needed help. It was about knowing they would do the same if the situation was reversed.

The Deep South is known for taking food on every occasion. We take food when someone is sick or injured. We take food when a baby is born or when a loved one goes home. We take food to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. Sometimes we take food to the church and sometimes to the home. But we always take food.

A friend once explained that whether someone is hurting or celebrating, we want to do something. Taking food is that something. We don’t know what else to do. It’s how we were raised. It’s what we do.

Not that we don’t show up at other times. Put out the call and someone will respond. My cousin recently built a ramp at the home of a friend who is dying. A youth group did yard work at a deployed soldier’s home. A pastor stayed in the emergency room with someone who never attends church because she didn’t want him to be there alone.

We show up because we can. We show up because deep inside the Holy Spirit reminds us that Jesus always shows up when someone is in need. And, yes, when someone is celebrating too. We are His church, His body, His representatives on this earth. Whether we talk about it or not, we know.

A friend said recently that she’d chosen her church because of the caring people. She looked around and saw love and kindness and compassion. Not just for those who were longtime members but for everyone. That matters. It’s what the world sees when we go out and do the tasks that Jesus calls us to do.

So we take food and drive people to doctor appointments. We mow the lawn and scrub the tub. We show people that Jesus’ light still shines in a world that sometimes seems so incredibly dark. We remind those who doubt that Jesus lives in us, giving hope to all people. They see Him in us every time we do something for someone else just because we can

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Follow Means Action

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." -- Matthew 4:19

Fishermen abound in this part of the country. It is a way of life. Some folks fish on the Gulf. Some take to the creeks. Others prefer ponds. Some diehards don't care where they fish. It's the thrill of bringing in the catch.

For Peter and Andrew it was a way of life. Pastor Meghan pointed out Sunday that these two brothers had likely missed the rabbi train. At age 12 Jewish boys were selected, or rejected, to become rabbis. Acceptance meant years of learning and training. Instead, Andrew and Peter became fishermen. Not exactly a glamorous occupation, especially in those days before ice and refrigeration.

Jesus offered them a different way of life and they took it. They left everything -- their boats, families, friends -- for an unknown path. It's the path Jesus offers us today. He holds out His hand and offers us a different way. A journey. A path into the unknown. Except we want all the benefits of the journey (eternal life with God) without all the sacrifices that following Jesus entails.

"Follow me," Jesus said. He didn't say, "Accept me as Savior and stay right where you are." Nope. He said that accepting Him as Lord means changing your plans. Setting out on a new path. Heading into the unknown. Following the light.

Ah. The light. Jesus is the light. Jesus goes into some pretty dark places. He seeks out sinners. He reaches out to those who have fallen in disgrace. He emerges in places of great grief. He is the faint light that appears to those who have lost all hope.

"The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." -- Matthew 4:16 and Isaiah 9:2

 Are you willing to walk into the darkness with Jesus? Pastor Meghan asked that uncomfortable question. And it does make most people squirm. Will you befriend the co-worker everyone hates? Will you tutor kids from the "wrong side of town?" Will you leave your comfort zone and do what you most fear because Jesus beckons you forward? Uncomfortable questions. Darkness into light. An unknown path. Blessed Redeemer. Yes or no?