What is your Treasure?

So, I go into church this morning sit down sing a little bit and then Jason (My Pastor) stands up and writes my blog post for me this week. How he knows what I’ve been processing before he stands up and speaks I’ll never know but this seems to happen quite a bit. However in an attempt to shorten the length of these posts I’m going to streamline. But I first had to thank Jason for giving me the verse I’m going to use.

Matthew 6:19-21
19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So what is this saying?

1. Don’t store up your treasure on Earth.
2. Do store up your treasure in Heaven.

How do we do this?

1. Take what’s important to us and use it for what’s important to God.
2. When we do the above our Hearts will follow.

Are you storing your treasure in Heaven or on Earth?
Do you want to store your treasures in Heaven?
Do you want to learn what that means?
Do you want to learn how to do this?
Do you want to do this?

Did you answer yes to any of the last 4 questions? I mentioned a new small group I’m forming a couple weeks back. This is the driving force of what we will be working on. If this is of interest to you there is still time to join we haven’t begun yet. We haven’t even chosen a night yet. Monday, Wednesday or Thursday. Let me know if you are interested and which night works best for you. I promise you will not have experienced a group like it.

Come on Gang whether or not you can join the group you can still begin storing your treasure where it belongs. Lets do it and turn this world “Upside Down!”

Food for Thought!

So, I’m reading in Leviticus today Chapter 18 and this is what I see

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'I am the LORD your God. 3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. 4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.

You must not do as they do where you’ve been living and you must not do as they do where you are going. Hmmm, It seems to me that we’ve got this “Upside Down” As I observe society today. “WE” seem to be compromising Gods desires for the worlds. “Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord” I don’t know about you but “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord” How about it Gang are we ready to stop compromising?

One of my weaknesses

As many of you know I have been involved in the Theatre for quite a few years now. I have a degree in Theatre Arts, I worked professionally in theatre for around 10 years and I continue to be involved as my schedule allows. If you’ve never been involved in putting together a production then all you probably know is what you see when you go to a show. You sit down listen to some music while waiting for the show to begin. Finally the house lights go out the stage lights come up and you see actors on a stage working effortlessly at sharing a story. You sit back enjoy the story then when it’s done go about the rest of your evening chatting with friends about the marvelous work you just saw. But for those involved in the production it wasn’t quite so simple. You see first the actor has to be taught how to act. Once they learn the art they go to auditions proving they can act better than the other guy. Once they are cast in a part they get a script and sit down at a table with the rest of the cast and read through it while talking about their character. They discuss the characters background, life, history, future, Can he walk, does he have a limp, why doe she hate talking to her neighbor? They break down the script trying to learn all they can about “Who they are playing” Then they get onstage and have a director tell them where to stand, when to move and how to speak, plus they have to memorize all those lines. The typical rehearsal process is about 6 weeks long. By the time anybody sees the show they have it all figured out and running smooth. Basically we do everything we can before you arrive to make sure it appears effortless to you. In recent years I’ve begun to realize that this has rubbed off in my life as well. If I don’t have something completely figured out I rarely talk about it. Before beginning a new project I need to know all the steps. Before initiating a conversation I like to have the first few sentences lined up. Group dance lessons FORGET IT. I need to look like my act is together. WAIT A MINUTE! I just had a thought. Maybe it’s not me? Maybe others suffer from this strange phenomena. I thought it was just us “Theatre Folk” because that’s all I was around for years. But for the last few years theatre has been a hobby not a profession. I’ve been around “Real folk” and I just realized many of you act the same way. Why is that? What is it in our nature that compels us to act this way? Do you know what else I learned? While managing a scene shop my tendency was the same. I wanted to know exactly how to build the set before starting yet there was usually at least one project that I couldn’t work out all the answers. I would have to trust what I did know, begin the project and trust the rest would fall in place IT ALWAYS DID! I’ve stood in front of an audience as an actor and experienced parts of the show for the first time with them. Talk about nervous energy. IT ALWAYS WORKED OUT! Long story short I’ve learned that we of course need to prep as best we can but despite all our preparations there comes a time to step out in faith and trust your talent, skills, instinct. I think our Christian life is the same. God calls us to do something for him yet when it comes time to walk in the calling how often do we feel prepared? How often do we say “Not yet God I still have more to learn” or “I don’t have enough money” or “I’m not a speaker”, “I’m too shy” Moses had no doubt it was God giving him the call and he said “I’m not a good speaker get someone else” Israel initially refused to enter the promised land for fear they couldn’t fight even though God promised them victory. Jephthah (Judges 11) was afraid to go to battle despite Gods calling. Can you imagine the fear of Jesus Disciples the first time he sent them out without him to preach the good news and heal the sick? But they went out experienced God personally and came back Filled with joy and excitement.

My friends we need to “GET OVER IT” we need to spend our time growing closer to God and when he gives us a calling we need to trust what he has developed in us in GET TO IT! Yes of course we need to plan, we need to think and process but don’t use that as an excuse to sit back. Don’t wait till ya have it all figured out. Last Friday night I heard someone speaking and he commented on how he was recently told he needed to get out of “Figure it out mode” I like it! Friends GET OUT OF FIGURE IT OUT MODE AND START DOING! I myself have been in this mode since returning home from my trip. I’ve found myself walking and asking God “What now” to which I keep hearing him respond “Just Do it” God this isn’t a Nike commercial it’s my life we’re talking about! “Larry just do it” JUST DO WHAT! What I’ve put on you heart. God I know what you put on my heart but I don’t know how to go about it. Larry just do it just take a step. Can you believe it? I left my job a year ago not knowing how God would provide but he did. I left on a road trip seven months ago not knowing how God would provide HE DID. I make it home not knowing how God would get me a job in this economy HE DID. Know I’m sitting not wanting to take a step because I don’t have it all figured out? HE DOES!

So here’s the thing. For the last few years I have felt that God was in some way calling me to the church. Calling me to serve his people but until recently I didn’t know what that meant. Now I believe it’s to encourage and empower his people YOU to get out there and live the life he created you for. There are so many people out there that want to step it up but don’t know how. That want to learn more of God but not sure what to do. That want to show the world his love but are afraid to risk. First things first I want to right now tell you DO IT! Just take a step and God will be there. God will ignite such a passion and excitement inside you that you’ll never want it quenched. I know sometimes it’s easier said then done. Let me put this out there for you to chew on. I plan on starting a new group a “Small Group” that is focused on doing this thing together. I don’t claim to have it all figured out that’s what makes this so exciting. My step, my “Just do it” is this group I invite you to join me. The only guarantee I offer you is that you will be challenged. WE will be challenged. This group will be different, it wont be a bible study lets call it “On The Job Training” If you are interested in joining let me know. Get back to me with when you are available and hopefully we can find a time that works for anyone interested. What do ya say? Lets figure it out together! Lets step out together! Lets risk together! Lets Love together! Together lets turn the world “Upside Down”

Help

As you no doubt have noticed Love has become the theme of our Blog Posts. Some may be thinking “When are you going to get over this and move on to something else?” The answer is… I don’t know! Maybe never. You see our goal is to help encourage others to live the life that Christ calls us to live out. At this point as far as I can see “Love” is the theme that runs through the bible. “Love the Lord your God with all your Heart Soul Mind and Strength” “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” “Love as I have loved you no greater love has man than this that he lay down his life for his friends” I challenge anyone to read through the New Testament and find one disciple that doesn’t emphasis the importance of Love. Since this is the most important emphasis is scripture it has become the most important thing for us to pursue as well. Now with that said I have to admit a bit of a little struggle I have. You see my understanding of Gods Love at the moment is growing like wildfire. The more I understand his love the more excited I am to live in it. The more I seek to live in it the more my understanding grows. The more my understanding grows the more confident I am in stepping out in faith and following what God is asking of me. My life at the moment is incredible. I love it! I love what God is doing and my biggest fear is that one day I’ll look back and ask “Why am I not trusting God like I did back then?” I have watched others move into this understanding of who God is and what he wants for us long before I moved into it. I saw it yearned for it and ultimately took steps to get it because I wanted what others had. Now I am so excited to be here and so excited to be growing that I want more than ever to bring others along for the ride. I want you (If you don’t already have it) to experience Gods Love. I want you to understand what it means to step out in faith and have God show up big time. I want you to wake up in the morning and ask God. “How are you going to show me your love today?” I want your heart to begin beating for others. I want you to be in love with the life that God has given you and to know beyond a doubt that it is God that has given it to you. I want you to understand without a doubt that this God the Creator of the Universe OUR CREATOR loves you. If you can even get a small understanding of this you will step into life without fear. You will take a chance. You will move into the life God has created you for. Because you will know that the one that controls EVERYTHING has your back. I want you to KNOW all this is true. I want it to move from your head to your HEART. A friend of mine calls that the “Holy spirit slide” I want you to understand all of this. BUT I DON’T KNOW HOW!!! So here is my question. How can I help you? What motivates and inspires?

Please don’t read this and think “Boy Larry is full of himself” I realize that many of you reading this have a better understanding of Gods Love than I do. I want you to kick in. Give your two cents worth to help motivate and inspire. We are all in process and it is our duty to lift each other up. Shoot one of the major reason I want to inspire others is so you can inspire me as well. That’s a selfishness I’m willing to admit. Please chime in. Has this blog inspired or motivated you in anyway? How? Have the weekly assignments or our Encouragement projects? What else can we do? Help a brother out here. I need you, I love you, I want the best for you and I want you to press and pull the best from me. If we learn to communicate openly, If we learn to act as a family we will turn this world “Upside Down”