Where to Go When Depressed

Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way. When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. Now David's two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strenghtened himself in the LORD his God.
~1 Samuel 30:1-6

One thing no Christian is immune from is depression. Due to living in a fallen world, circumstances and situations inevitably seek to rob us of joy. Even the greatest "heroes of the faith" underwent boughts of depression. Job, Jonah, and Elijah at different points pleaded that God would take their lives while Jeremiah spent much time lamenting over the judgment that would befall his people. Timothy appears to be a discouraged young minister who might have even contemplated giving up the ministry due to growing opposition and persecution. One cannot read some of David's psalms and overlook periods of depression which the king after God's own heart experienced.

One such period of depression for the king occurred upon his return to Ziklag to find the city in ashes and all of the women and children carried off by the Amalekites. This included his two wives at the time. The response of David and his people is typical and expected. They lifted their voices and wept. In fact, their weeping was so great that the author explained that they did not cease until there was no strength in them to weep. Not only was this enough to depress the king, the people also turned against him. They were so embittered, literally bitter in soul, that they talked about stoning him! These were his men. The very ones who had supported hiim and fought right alongside him. This understandably made David greatly distressed. He must have felt like Job, having lost everything he held dear to and being left with those who seemed to make the situation worse (remember the lack of comfort and compassion shown to Job by his wife and "couselors").

Many of us find ourselves in similar situations sometimes. We suffer the pain of losing something we hold dear, a severed relationship, or being dismissed from a job in a steep economic time. We have relatives or family members once close confidents turn on us and become bitter enemies. Much of which make us weep with all of our strength and become greatly distressed. However, notice how David dealt with these depressing situations. He strengthened himself in the LORD his God. The situation looked bleak but the king did not give up and instead looked to God for his strength. David may have strengthened himself here similarly to that in which he did in Psalm 27. He would not be afraid of his enemies because he recognized that God was defense of [his] life (Ps. 27:1). He looked to be in the LORD' s presence where he would be protected in the day of trouble (Ps. 27:4-6). His army had now forsaken him just as his parents so he may have reminded himself that the LORD will take me up (Ps. 27:9). Through it all, what may have kept the king going in such a trying time was the consistent faith that I would see the goodness of the LORD / In the land of the living (Ps. 27:13). He found his comfort in God alone. He focused on the One who can provide joy in the midst of the darkest valley or deepest pain. He focused on the One who gives hope in what seems to be a hopeless situation. Sometimes the greatest comfort we need can come from redirecting our focus from the terrible situation we're in to the terrific God in control of such a situation and the knowledge that He is working through it for our good and for His glory.

David did not run away from the circumstances but sought the strength which only God could give to deal with them and move forward. He did not pick up the latest self-help book which outlines "12 Steps to Overcome Depression" but went to God. Interestingly, this seems to be the last place we often go in times of depression where it should be our first. In fact, it was the LORD who provided David with the guidance of how to handle these specific depressing circumstances.

After finding his strength or encouragement in the LORD, David asked for the Ephod from the priest Abiathar and asked God whether he should pursue them (v. 7-8), receiving an affirmative from God. Then through further provision of an Egyptian servant of an Amalekite, God led David to those who had burned the city and captured its residents and he received all that was lost. Where would the king have been if he allowed the depression to cripple him to the point of giving up or had attempted to strengthen himself elsewhere?

I don't know what you may be struggling with currently or the events and circumstances depressing you but I do know that there is One you can call out to during this time who can provide strength amidst the feebleness and weakness which has resulted. Like David may we find our strength in the God of all comfort when faced with the depression which comes from the pain and trials life brings!

In Christ,
Lee
Soli Deo Gloria

Famine in the Land: A Review

"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord GOD,
"When I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water,
But rather for hearing the words of the LORD.
People will stagger from sea to sea
And from the north even to the east;
They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD,
But they will not find it.
In that day the beautiful virgins
And the young men will faint from thirst.
As for those who swear by the guilt of Samaria,
Who say, 'As your god lives, O Dan,'
And, 'As the way of Beersheba lives,'
They will fall and not rise again."
~Amos 8:11-14

I normally don't do book reviews unless necessary for a class but have been so blessed with a book I have just read I feel I must share this with others in hopes that God may use it to teach and remind them of the importance and necessity of His Word being proclaimed and preached powerfully for His namesake and glory.

In conjuction with a class I am currently taking on homiletics (basically the art and science of preaching), I have been reading several books regarding preaching. Some of these books are required for the class while many are supplimants as I personally seek to faithfully exposit the Word of God. Out of all of the books I have perused the past couple of months, the best book (not counting the Bible of course!) I have found concerning expository preaching has been Steven J. Lawson's Famine in the Land: A Passionate Call for Expository Preaching.

Lawson's book is based on Amos 8:11-14 which speaks of the coming judgment on Israel for her rebellion and many sins against the Lord. Part of the divine judgment on the nation is a spiritual famine where the people will not be able to hear the words of the LORD. They will travel all over in an attempt to hear God's word but not be able to find it. Even those youthful will faint from not being quinched by God's Word and those who place their trust in other gods will fall and not rise again. Lawson argues that such a famine has fallen upon us today. While preaching is not hard to find with several orators and televangelists, most pulpits lack true biblical preaching. This book is a plea for pastors to return to true expository preaching. As he states in his introduction: Indeed, we are living in such days of drought, a time when many forces are suffocating biblical preaching. Now more than ever, pastors must return to their highest calling, the divine summons to "Preach the word" (2 Tim 4:2) (17-18).

In calling pastors back to expository preaching, Lawson discusses the Priority of biblical preaching, the Power of biblical preaching, the Pattern of biblical preaching, and the Passion of biblical preaching. To help communicate the importance and centrality of biblical preaching, he has found some of the most powerful quotes and statements from some of the greatest expositors in history such as John Calvin, Martin Luther, Charles H. Spurgeon, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Merrill Unger, and John MacArthur. I have much of their quotes highlighted and am considering compiling them as a constant reminder of the weight of teaching and preaching God's very own divine Word.

Not only does Lawson explain expository preaching, but models it as well. Each chapter has one focus and is an exposition of a passage of Scripture. For instance, the Priority of biblical preaching is an exposition of Acts 2:42-47 while its Power is demonstrated from Jonah 3:1-10, its Pattern seen from Ezra 7:10; Nehemiah 8:1-18, and its Passion taught from Paul's words to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:13-16. Basically, Lawson shows what Scripture itself says about the importance, necessity, and centrality of its proclamation and exhortation. This sets the book apart from most other preaching books which give a lot of the author's suggestions on how to reach the congregation or maintain the listeners attention. This focuses on the role of preaching in the life of a church and the need of strong expositors behind the pulpit to feed flocks of sheep which are hungering and thirsting for the richness of God's Word.

John Piper once made a comment concerning recommending books that one should never say that a book is a "must read" as only one book fits that description so I will refrain from making such a comment. However, I would highly encourage anyone called into the ministry of the Word to read this book. I am considering rereading this book every year to serve as a reminder of the importance that teaching and preaching God's Word will play in the ministry the Lord will bless me with. May God raise up more expositors seeking to accurately handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15)during this Famine in the Land.

In Christ,
Lee
Soli Deo Gloria!!!

Steven J. Lawson. Famine in the Land: A Passionate Call for Expository Preaching. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2003.

Ten Reasons Why You Should Study Theology

A comment I hear quite often which greatly disturbs me is: "I hate theology." Even more unfortunate is that I hear several Bible College and Seminary students utter such words. I honestly do not believe that any Christian truly believes such a statement. They may hate "theological systems," which I myself am not a fan of (I have yet to find such a system I can completely agree with or place myself in. Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology both have problems biblically). The word "theology" comes from the words "theos" meaning "God" and "logos" meaning "word," in essence being "words about God" or "the study of God." And every born-again Christian should have an inner desire to learn more about who their wonderful, magnificent, awesome God is! If they do not, then there is a serious problem. In order to study about this great God, there is only one place we can go; to His written Word where He has revealed Himself. In addition to my brief argument of why theology is important and why every Christian should love it, here are ten additional well-put reasons why it is important to study theology. I have to admit that there were some I have never thought of prior to reading this.

http://cal.vini.st/2009/02/five-reasons-you-need-to-study-theology/
http://cal.vini.st/2009/03/another-five-reasons-you-need-to-study-theology/

May these encourage you, especially if you are one of those who falsely make the aformentioned statement in the first sentence of this note, to continue to study God's Word to learn about Who He is, what He has done, what He is currently doing in the Church, and what His perfect plans for the future are! May your study of the One in which there is none greater be enriching to you and most important, glorifying to Him!

In Christ,
Lee
Soli Deo Gloria!!!

The Mission of the Church

The Mission
*Matthew 28:19-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them all that I have commanded you. And, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Jesus’ last words to the apostles before His ascension, commonly known as “The Great Commission,” are the mission of the Church which was born shortly afterward. The Church’s role is to go out and make disciples or followers of all the nations through baptizing them and teaching them the doctrines which Christ richly expounded during His earthly ministry as well as the very Word of God. The word "disciple" basically means "learner." We are to go out and extend God's call to people to be students of Christ, learning from Him and walk alongside them, constantly directing them to Him. Such a mission closed with the wonderful promise that the Church is not alone in this task as Christ will continually be with us.

*Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

This short statement communicates Jesus’ very purpose in coming to earth. His role was to seek out those who were lost in sin and to save them from both the guilt and the bondage of those sins. In continuing Jesus’ work on earth, the Church should also have this as their primary goal; to evangelize to the lost. Notice that Christ took the initiative and went to sinners and did not wait for them to “seek” Him as they have ran the other way like sheep (Romans 3:10-12). He goes after the sheep who went astray (Matthew 18:12-14). Thus, the Church needs to go out and deliver the Gospel to the nations full of the lost, praying that God would use His Word to draw individuals into a relationship with Him.

The Message of the Mission
*2 Corinthians 5:21
He made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

This statement communicates the message of the mission of the Church to evangelize the lost. The message is the fact that God loved the world so much that He made a way to maintain His justice in punishing sin and also pardoning many who place their trust in Christ. In order for such a pardon to be made, God provided a perfect substitute in Christ whom though Himself was guilty of no sin, was credited as having committing our sins, and thus experiencing God’s wrath by dying in our place. The purpose in this imputation or crediting of our sins to Christ’s account was for God then to credit Christ’s righteousness to the account of those who believe in Him. Therefore, on the cross, God viewed Christ as a rebellious sinner and now views the redeemed as perfect and sinless. Without such a substitute, there would be no salvation. The message of salvation must include Christ’s substitutionary atoning death. Our mission is not complete if this is missing in the message.

The Means of the Mission
*Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes; the Jew first and also to the Greek.

This is a powerful verse which reveals the means of the mission. God in His grace has granted Christians the privilege of participating in His work of redemption. While Christians are entrusted with the responsibility of delivering the message of the mission, the means of drawing people to Christ comes through the Word itself and not the messengers. Paul states that his reason for not being ashamed of the gospel is because it is the “power of God for salvation.” The Holy Spirit uses the gospel to bring people to faith. In Romans 10:17, Paul states that faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God. The ability to hear the gospel comes from the gospel itself. Faith results from hearing which results from God’s Word. Taking God’s Word out of this equation eliminates faith out of the solution. In the book of Acts, Luke demonstrates this truth as he portrays the apostles’ preaching and a response following of people being “pierced to the heart” and “many being added to their number.” No amount of pleading or persuading which we may do can work such an inner change in one’s life. Since God sovereignly uses His Word to change lives, the main task of the evangelist is to work fervently to get the message right and leave the results of his or her evangelism in the Lord’s hands to do His work.

The Mobilizing for the Mission
*2 Corinthians 3:4-6
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate of ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy comes from God, who has also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The truth of the matter is that we cannot serve God in the task He has given apart from His help. We are not “adequate” to do the task. This means that we do not have the courage or the right words to minister on our own. The mobilization comes in God making us “adequate” for the task. We are not able to do it on our own but only through the equipping and power of God. This means that where we lack, God’s strength is made perfect in our weaknesses as His grace is sufficient. Since God provides us with what we need in order to get done what He has called us to do, we have the mobilization needed to proclaim God’s Word with boldness, knowing that it is He who is enabling and working within us. Without Him and His work, we would remain static.

Why Evangelize?

A friend of mine showed me this video from youtube and it cracked me up. If you need a good laugh today, make sure to watch it. I especially love the commentator with the glasses.

While this video provided me with a good laugh, I believe that it made a strong point about the fact that many Christians in the American church are very lax about sharing the gospel of Christ. As a former pastor of mine put it: so many of us Christians are so excited that we have our place at the table that we just sit there content and do not bother to go out and invite others also. This got me thinking about what should motivate us to go out and evangelize more (in addition to the "Evangelism Linebacker" who may be lurking around to "blow you up!").

Here are six things I have thought of that should motivate us to share our faith:

1) CHRIST COMMANDS US TO

Jesus' final words to His disciples were: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). One thing that should motivate us to go out and share the good news is the fact that Christ commanded us to do so. Jesus also states "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15). If we are serious about our love for the Lord and our desire to live His commandments, we will want to uphold and live out this important commandment to honor Christ and bring God glory.

2) SHARING THE JOY WHICH IS OURS

The joy of having a relationship with Jesus Christ is so great that we should have no problem sharing that joy with others. It should make such a difference in our lives that we would not be able to not share. After all, why would we not want to share about how Christ, while we were still yet sinners and enemies of God due to these sins, took our sins upon Himself, the innocent being viewed as guilty, and suffered God's wrath on the cross, the separation from God which we were due to experience for all eternity? All so that we would be considered righteous instead of the guilty sinners which we are. Not only that but after having defeated sin, rising three days later to defeat death and give us assurance that all those who place their trust in Him will be raised to eternal life with God. This is wonderful news that should be easier to share than who won American Idol last night or the latest gossip in the neighborhood. Peter and John are wonderful examples of those who could not keep their joy to themselves. Upon being commanded by the Sanhedrin to no longer teach or preach in the name of Jesus, they respond, "we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). They could not keep quiet about Jesus! Being placed in jail a few times did not damper their zeal to share their joy. The same joy that propelled them to talk so much about Jesus should also lead us to evangelize more.

3) OUR LOVE FOR OTHERS

Take a moment and think about your family members and closest friends who do not know the Lord. Do you realize that without repentance and giving their life to Christ that they will go to Hell as punishment for their sins? You will not have the pleasure of seeing them in eternity if they do not accept Christ. Our love for our unsaved family and friends should propel us to pray for God to open up their hearts to receive the gospel and give us opportunities to tell them about Christ. Paul had a great love for his fellow Jews and longed for their salvation. "Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation" (Romans 10:1). In fact, it was this desire and concern for the Jews that led him to increase his ministry to the Gentiles, knowing that God had opened salvation to them in order to spur the Jews to jealousy. "But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them" (Romans 11:13-14). You never know. God may have chosen to use you to deliver the gospel message to someone in your family for Him to bring to faith.

4) THE MERCY AND GRACE IN EVANGELISM

A big motivation for evangelism should be the simple fact that evangelism is a privilege. We do not deserve to share in any part of God's work. God does not need us to tell others about Him but He chooses to use us. In many ways, God would probably get things accomplished faster if He did not choose to use us. One of the biggest blessings we have as a believer is the ability to serve God in different ways. Out of gratitude to be granted to be the ones whose feet "bring good news of good things" (Romans 10:15), we should go out and gladly do the privilege of our job to evangelize.

5) CHRIST GOES WITH US

One part of the "Great Commission" we usually forget about is Jesus' last statement: "and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). We are not evangelizing on our own but Christ goes with us. If you are nervous about sharing your faith in Christ, don't fear but trust God and seek Him for the words in which you are to say. This is what the apostles did. At the start of the persecution of the early church, they gathered together and prayed that God would "grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence" (Acts 4:29). The Lord answered their prayer as vs. 31 points out and the rest of the narrative in Acts demonstrates. God granted them the boldness to go all over "Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the remotest part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). God gave them the confidence that they needed to proclaim the word unto death (Stephen) and through more imprisonments (Peter).

6) THE RESULTS ARE UP TO GOD AND NOT TO US

It is important to understand that we are only responsible for delivering the message of the gospel and not for its reception or rejection. Scripture is clear that God is the One who works in a sinner's heart to "draw" them to Christ (John 6:44). He is the One who shines the "Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" in people's hearts (2 Corinthians 4:6) and makes those dead in their trespasses alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5). Paul preached the message in Philippi but the Lord was the one who opened Lydia's heart "to respond to the things spoken by Paul" (Acts 16:14). We are to be those messengers to bring the good news (Romans 10:13-15) to all of those we come in contact with, realizing that the Holy Spirit is the One who uses the message to "pierce" people's hearts (Acts 2:37), draw them to Christ (John 6:44), and bring them to repentance (Romans 2:4; 2 Timothy 2:25).
How is this an important motivation? Recognizing this truth lets us know that we do not have to be perfect in our presentation of the message or that we have to persuade one to come to Christ. God can use the simplest presentations of the gospel to impact one's heart and change their life. We don't need to worry about persuading one because God is the One who opens their hearts to hear the message and changes their hearts, bringing about their conversion. Realizing the fact that it is not based on our ability, we can focus more on getting the truth of the message right, knowing that the gospel is "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). God uses the gospel which we are to preach to penetrate the hard hearts of unbelievers. While we will not be held accountable for the results of our evangelizing, I do believe that God will hold us accountable for those opportunities He gave us to share His good news that we did not take. We just need to be faithful to God by following His leading for the opportunities He provides and to faithfully communicate the message.

I pray that you will examine your own life to see how well you are doing in sharing your faith in Christ with others. If you realize that you have been lax in this area, take some time to see which of these motivations might be missing in your life. May God motivate all of us to go out and have the privilege to live out His "Great Commission."

In Christ,
Lee
Soli Deo Gloria!

A Question for the Weary Worrier: Why?

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
~Matthew 6:24-34

Disclaimer: The author of this brief commentary can be, and has been, described as a "weary worrier" or a "worrywart." This is a self-description which has been confirmed by others in his circle of friends and family.

One sin that most Christians (including myself) commit everyday is worrying. Jesus clearly commands us not to worry: do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on . Taken in context, Jesus is dealing with where one places their trust. The issue is one of security. He gives this command right after stating that You cannot serve God and wealth . We are much like the Pharisees and attempt to find our security in wealth and not God. How many times do we feel that we need a raise or a higher paying job in order to make it through life? We falsely believe that money is the answer to our problems. This has become even more apparent in our society with the current economic trouble we are in. However, a look at Hollywood should quickly dispel these views as obviously money seems to cause more problems for many than solving them.

Jesus' point is that we do not need to place our security in money. Look at His examples. The "birds of the air" do not work to store their food in barns. Instead God cares for them and provides food for them. I love Jesus' point in vs. 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? Worry does not profit at all. If anything, it may take away days of your life instead of changing anything. Also, the "lilies of the field" do not "toil" or "spin" and yet God has clothed them with more splendor than Solomon himself. Surely birds and flowers do not worry about having enough money to eat or clothe themselves. In fact, this should encourage us not to worry because if God takes care of birds and flowers, why would He not take care of those whom He has chosen to be His children. After all, God is not going to give one of His children a brick when He asks for bread (Matthew 7:9-11) and He knows what we need (vs. 32) and will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Luke's record of Jesus' sermon includes a statement that warms my heart: Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom (12:32). If God has gladly decided to give us salvation through His Son when we were His enemies and dead in our sins, then why would He not take care of providing for our everyday necessities of food and clothing? We sadly can be described just as the disciples as being "of little faith" and just like the pagan Gentiles who are concerned about such things.

Instead of worrying, Jesus commands us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (vs. 33). As always, Jesus redirects us from an earthly focus to a heavenly one. He did this earlier when He urged His followers to store up for yourselves treasures in heaven in contrast to treasures on earth (vs. 19-20). Our job is to seek God and trust that He will take care of the rest. The all these things refers to "eating" and "clothing" as well as other material things. Therefore, instead of worrying about tomorrow (this is not saying to not be prepared for the future but only to not be anxious about it) rest in the only place which one can be secure: God. He will care for tomorrow as well as the troubles of today. Praise God that we have a loving God who cares for us and will provide for us!

Snickers asks "why wait?" but Jesus asks "why worry?"

In Christ,
Lee
Soli Deo Gloria

The Difference in Living for the Glory of God

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
~I Corinthians 10:31

The past couple of days I have been thinking and spending some time mediating on this verse. I wonder how much any of us really take it seriously. I am firmly convicted that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. In the context of this verse, Paul has just dealt with the issue of the Gentile meat which was offered to idols and those Gentile converts who could not get past this idea when they were offered meat in the market. While everything clearly is from God (I Corinthians 10:25-26), Paul does speak of being careful not to lead one into stumbling who may not be able to get past the fact that this meat would have been offered to pagan gods, which are not gods at all, of course (vs. 28-29). Instead Paul points out that the real issue is one of one's attitude and not what they eat. The attitude that one should have should be to do everything for the glory of God. It does not matter so much what you eat or where you got it from, just whether you are eating for God's glory. If you are concerned about living for God's glory, you will make sure not to offend anyone and would be seeking to profit others and not yourself (vs. 32-33).

The question is, what is our attitude? Jesus pointed out that it is not what we eat that defiles us but what we say since the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile a man (Matthew 15:18). I took some time to think about my attitude this week to see if I lived out this verse of having an attitude of glorifying God in everything which I did. Unfortunately I found myself lacking in many areas. Think back the past week and recall how much of your lunch or dinner conversations were glorifying to God. Would He be pleased at what you looked at on the computer or what you watched on the TV? What about the words in which you said while sitting in rush hour traffic or at that stoplight that would not seem to ever change? So many times we let pride creep in and we fall into the trap of glorifying ourselves and not God. We could even be doing something we say is for God but instead be desiring to draw attention to ourselves. We need to live out Galatians 2:20 and crucify ourselves with Christ and live for Him and not ourselves.

Think about the difference living for God's glory in everything you do would make in your life. How different would things be if you imagined Jesus physically sitting at the dinner table with your friends or family? Would you still be able to tell that crude joke or gossip about a neighbor? What about if Jesus was sitting next to you in the midst of traffic? Could you still yell the harsh words out the window? Would you be able to watch the terrible TV show with Jesus right beside you? Well Jesus is not physically with us, but His Holy Spirit does indwell us and we are told not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). If our focus was on doing things for God's glory, we would be more mindful of others and seeking to benefit them as vs. 33 points out. We would be living a life more pleasing to God because we are seeking to please Him and not ourselves. I want to encourage you to live out this statement. Before you do anything or even while you are doing something, ask yourself the question about whether or not it brings glory to God. If it does not, that should be an indication that you should not be doing it. Let us make Christ the center of everything and go out and live for His glory!!!

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. ~Colossians 3:17

In Christ,
Lee
Soli Deo Gloria!