If you've never heard that Gospel or you Gospel sucks feel free to jump in with us in discovering King Jesus and how He is moving on the earth.
Hope thanksgiving was lit in your world - the week has been a success in team Hoxie as we vacationed well...i still had plenty of working, we got some christmas lights up and are now realizing school is in tomorrow and our kids have been generally awake at 1030pm most nights this last week...
John 14-17 has been the filter this week and in that I have been trying to notice God, notice Him at work not just in my life but around me. making effort to delight in His reality...its brought a thought out thats helping put some clarity out in the concept of faith.
To measure faith is always vague. Galatians 5 has been helpful for me in understanding that a life of faith will grow the fruit of the spirit of God, but this week it's been what does faith look like in my work.
This has been a combination of working at a pizza joint/handyman work, taking care of my home, and scheduling out Church for the next 6 months. All great things that I am putting my hand too, and in all of them I have an internal measuring stick of success. With my house; is it put together and working, with the Church; are people growing in God and with the pizza place it's am i making money.
Nothing wrong with any of these, however, as I have been noticing God, Im finding that in my work, I seem to be my own measuring stick of "good" work. Which makes me the standard of faith. Which makes my life of faith maybe not really faith at all...
Think about Matthew 6. To seek first His Kingdom and all the things will be added...what are all the things? They are the things that I would measure success by. Go back and read it...The command of seeking first the Kingdom I would define as a lifestyle of faith where success is not only noticing God, but doing what He is doing. Matthew 6 walks though all the things we desire, provision, reputation, food etc. These are all things that are promised as we seek the Kingdom as opposed to the things themselves.
Waiting tables is "success" when someone tips you 30%. A good contractor has several weeks of work scheduled out. A good Church has lots of people etc...when I am the standard of success.
But to seek the Kingdom in my work is to seek/notice God and do what He is doing. It has to look like something.
Im being challenged in my lifestyle as a disciple to be clear with my pursuit of the Kingdom of heaven at work. It's messing with my measurement of success in regards to work. Waiting tables last night it was rejecting the complaining, encouraging my co-workers, and genuinely caring for my tables...hard at moments, but when practicing everyone gets to interact with Christ in me...seems like a better concept of success then a $10 tip...
It has to look like something...ask Holy Spirit to define faith in your work
Holy Spirit will you help me, help us live in pursuit of the Kingdom in our work...
I’ll drop some pics of the house later
Be vigorous and aware of your connection to heaven
#readirbible
Mark 4 on tap for my soul
Reading proverbs 17.3 this morning. My hearts motives will get put out before the Lord to be judged...someday? Sure sure we will all stand before a judgement seat - in the meantime we exist in the today.
Just how much do we really want our motives to be seen and known? To a degree, we can add some churchy language to situations in our lives and make everything seem dandy - try and manage or control the externals around us so that people around us have the idea that we have great lives. And we will all see just how long we can hold that up...
But really whats the driver in your soul. And how will that end? Is it monies? health? reputation? Trying to work out the grind of life so that I feel secure, satisfying my internal need for whatever the thing is.
A free heart has no need for external validation, no need to be proven, it experiences the fire of life and is out on display come what may. Its proof of trust in a God that is in control.
Check proverbs 17.3
Then check out Phil 2. ...
a pretty good indicator of your thoughts and attitudes getting the day going.
That first thing, first word could be to a family member, a text, an email, a co worker, the coffee barista...irregardless take a moment and look at it.
Most of us, myself included have some sort of routine greeting informed by our experiences, culture, friends around us - its generally trite, creating minimal connection, and continues us on our day.
My invitation is to spend that moment with intention and allow Hebrews 3:1-14 to guide you. That first word could be so much more...
The author is giving a recount of the Israelites allowing their hardness to be. He runs the hardening through the redemption of hope in Christ, and then challenges us to understand we are no different than the Israelites apart from Christ.
And then verse 13...the solid therefore. take a moment and read it.
The exhortation is not a trite you can do it, but a calling of the reminder of the hope in the Cross, the person of Jesus, the ...
