"Real Wealth" - A Devotional for Thursday

Matthew 6:25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?"

I have always considered myself middle class. I was raised by two parents who lived frugally and seemingly within their means. We turned the A/C on only on weekends and as a "special treat." We rarely ever ate out and bought clothes and furniture from my uncle who was an estate buyer. People would die with no heirs... the state didn't want the stuff...my uncle would bid on their belongings and re-sell them. Some of it would end up in our house... I never knew any differently.

We weren't poor...but I always wondered what life would have been like with more. What would happen if we bought name brand jeans...or real cereal instead of generic. Why did my clothes have patches but my friend's shirt didn't. I spent a lot of my childhood wondering why I didn't have what others did....then my perception changed.

I once took a mission trip to El Salvador and spent some time with a family who was living on the city dump. Not near it...on it. I talked to one of them who spoke broken, but understandable English. You know what I discovered? Their motivation wasn't what I thought it would be. Not once in our entire conversation did anyone from the family complain or wonder what having more would be like. They had learned one of the key secrets to life: contentment. They didn't necessarily treasure eating their dinner on top of a mound of garbage, but they realized that you can have happiness wherever you are. In fact, as we were leaving the dump where they lived, they wanted to give us objects that they had found so that we would remember them... Even when they had nothing...they had joy.

Where are you today? I know the economy is terribly bad. I know that you have more month than money. Where are your thoughts on poverty? Do you see yourself as broke and struggling? Or do you see this as an opportunity to find joy in what you do have and celebrate what God has blessed you with (no matter how small). Have you stopped giving of your time and resources because you don't know if you'll have what you need when you need it? Or are you being creative in what you CAN give so that others will know the character of the God that you serve?

Poverty is very real...but I think those that are truly broke are those that have lost perspective of what real wealth means. You can have very little...yet still have what's most important.

Pastor Brian

"Picked" - Wednesday's Devotional

John 15:5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

My wife and I have a rose bush on our front porch. It isn't very big or even look very healthy, but it produces some of the most beautiful double pink roses I have ever seen (see photo above). Problem is whenever we get a big new rose, my daughter wants to pick it and give it to my wife. While that is sweet...it also marks the beginning of the dying process for the flower. While it's attached to the bush, it is being fed and has roots firmly in place to keep it safe. When picked...the withering starts and the flower never looks quite as healthy.

Look at today's verse...Jesus is speaking here and describes Himself as a vine by which we are attached. He is the root, the nutrients, and the protection that we need in order to "produce much fruit". What fruit is that you might ask? Turn in your Bible to Galatians 5:22-23

"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"

Do you ever feel like there are none of these traits in your life? Feel like you have lacked self-control lately? How about kindness and goodness? When was the last time you felt truly at peace? If you struggled to answer these questions...I would guess that somewhere along the line you pulled away from the vine...disconnected yourself from God daily...lost touch with your Creator. When was the last time you truly connected with God. Not in a "I have to do my quiet time so let's get it out of the way" type of connection...I'm talking about a sincere "Jesus, please give me a hug and let me know you're there" time.

Are you fearful today? Challenged with a lack of patience...not feeling like loving others because you yourself don't feel loved? I've got good news...we don't share ALL the characteristics of a flower... We can reconnect ourselves. If you feel like your passion for Christ has wilted from what it once was...I challenge you to re-fasten yourself to Him. Lengthen your quiet time...find a small group (Thursdays @ 7PM www.frclive.tv)...pray...fast...serve...give...journal... never give up. Christ has promised in today's passage to produce fruit in you...and He will. You are as beautiful as a rose and infinitely more valuable to God...don't let the worries of the world "pick you away" from the Vine.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian