Sunday, November 2, 2008

God and Man's Concerns

Please read Jonah 4 for background understanding.

Does God REALLY know about your concerns? Really? What does He do about them? Ever really wonder if He does? Is it just FATE that drives us along? Is it deeper than that?

Look at what God did in the life of our Hero Jonah. Father God provided for everything. EVERYTHING!

In Matthew 6:19~29, Jesus teaches us about how to view real life from His point of view. With His heart and understanding. What we find there does not sound like the way man has been viewing life nor his heart or with human understanding. He speaks about two areas of 'concern.'

Treasures in Heaven.
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Do Not Worry.
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

God provided:
In the book of Jonah, we can see that Father God provided all things for Jonah--even things that he did not appreciate nor want. Even things that went against his belief system.

God provided:
Message to carry to Nineveh.
Ship to carry Jonah.
Fish to hold Jonah.
Mission to Nineveh.
Open hearts of the people.
Compassion for the lost.
Answers to Jonah.
A vine.
A worm.
A wind.
An answer.
Mercy.

With Man, and with most of us (meaning those other people who are reading this blog--not you...) have some things in our lives that take up our time and energy. Things that drive us. Could be a video game, or education, advancement in the work place, a relationship. Some, in themselves, are not so bad. Indeed, we need certain things to move us to advance and help others along the way. The problem is when they get out of balance.

As surely as the compass needle follows north, your heart will follow your treasure.

Now, that is one side of the same coin. On the other side, we find something that is personal. That being:

Man’s Concern:

What are some things that people concern themselves with? Think of any? Try this list of concerns. MAybe you will find your compass needle in there somewhere.

Comfort. Money.
Answers. Health.
Little pressure. Power.

When it come right down to the truth, we might understand that our concerns are as the vine VS God’s plan to reach out to the lost of the World.

Jesus said: "Consider the lilies of the field..."
Jesus said: "Consider the birds of the air…"

All these 'things' are common things that are covered…by His Grace+
They are not any effort at all by our side.

Now ---
Consider the needs/wants/desires of our heart.
Is Jesus enough?

Yes! No! Don’t know!?! .

And with those three answers, there are a lot of room for movement one way or another.
Tight relationship with Jesus.
Loose relationship.

What concerns God with our approach? We need to KNOW that His love for you is eternal. He does not love one more than another. There are no favorite sons or daughters with God. His LOVE is FULL and it is ready to experience.

Just open your heart to accept it!
In balance with what God wants/has for us.
All these concerns are covered by being IN JESUS.

2 Corinthians 7:10~12 (NIV)
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. Things were made right! Repented! So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.

Philippians 4:18~20 (NIV)
I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

•Here’s something to Praise God for!•

He will meet all your needs—according to His Glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Are you in Christ?
Then He is yours!