Coffee With The Lord

I say it sadly… I have friends – Christian friends – who are more personally preoccupied with money, investments, and possessions then they ought to be… No names!!! In fact, there are times when I’m more enamored with the “stuff” of this life then I ought to be!!!

This morning I read a passage that the Holy Spirit used to confront me on that subject… and He brought to mind those friends I care so much about that I referred to as well.

The passage? The words of Jesus in Matthew 6:19-21 and verse 24. It was the passage from the Gospels for today in the “Necessary Food” Bible reading plan (Matthew 6:19-24). I’m so glad the Holy Spirit used it to confront me (and “concern me” about those I care about)!

This is what Jesus warned His followers about… “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal! Instead lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also… 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 GOD AND MONEY!”

A key issue for Christians – and by that, I mean “devoted, obedient, followers of Jesus” – is what they do with their money. Where and how do they invest? What are their priorities? How secure are their investments? What occupies their attention, their concern, their time – the cause of Christ, the Kingdom of God, the needs of others… or their own personal profit, their benefit, their “stuff?”

Don’t get me wrong, I want to wisely use principles and procedures for the management of resources God has entrusted to me – in other words I want to be a “wise steward! I do not want to waste resources in poor investments or on self-centered living. Instead, I want to prioritize the “cause of Christ” and the “Kingdom of Heaven” in any investment strategy.

I want this principle (and promise) to guide me (…just a few verses later) – I want to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (i.e. other things – essential “earthly” things) will be added to you!” (Matthew 6:33) We have His word on it!

I was watching an adventure movie at home with Sharon, my wife.  Things were not going well for the main character!  Danger at every turn, enemies that seemed bent on his destruction, one problem and adversary after another, accidents, attacks, and frustrating events piling up until there seemed little hope of survival! … Would he make it?  Would the main character prevail?  You could almost feel the despair as you identified with the plot of the story as it played itself out!  Finally, Sharon uttered what we both were feeling… “No!”  she said,  “They’re going to get him!  How can he make it!?” … And then we remembered – whoever wrote the script for the movie had planned for the main character to prevail!  It would all turn out in the end!

Well, this morning I read the Holy Spirit’s inspired script describing a Divine plot!  It involves all of us who are followers of Jesus!  It involves the attacks and evil strategies of an adversary called Satan… It includes the challenges we all face from temptation and evil inner inclinations… Suffering, frustration, weakness, and even failures are all in the plot… How will it all turn out for us who are following Jesus?  How will it turn out?! …

Here’s what the Bible says…

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 

“For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.  And having chosen them, He called them to come to Himself. And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He also gave them His glory! 

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?!  Since He did not spare even his own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?  Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for His own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself!  Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us [or appealing to God on our behalf]!  Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?

“Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? … No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.  I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love!  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord!”  (From Romans 8:28–39 NLT)

Whew!  It doesn’t matter how bad, how frightening, how terrible it seems right now… The Bible tells me how the Divine script writer has planned for it all to turn out!  And nothing… that’s right NOTHING… can keep it from turning out according to His plan… He makes everything turn out for good! … Nothing can separate us from His love!  Take heart, it’s going to turn out alright!  He’s planned it that way!  Praise the Lord!!!

When Jesus teaches on the topic of prayer we should “prick up our ears” and be listening! I mean after all, He had the Father’s ear and spoke intimately with Him regularly! Not only that, access into the Father’s presence with a “priority pass” is gained “in Jesus’ name!” He is the one that gained unhindered access for us!So when I read the advice of Jesus regarding effective prayer in my Bible this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I was compelled to pay close attention. Here’s some key advice on prayer from the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, rephrased in my own words…

First, never pray to be noticed – don’t put on “airs” or use fancy language. In fact, simply and reverently address the Living God in ordinary language.

Second, prioritize private prayer. Get to know the Heavenly Father personally! Do the bulk of your praying in “the secret place! There’s a promise that goes with that!

And third, never let prayer become simply repeating “empty phrases” over and over again… mindlessly, with a yawn. Don’t simply “put in time” when you pray, thinking that the “amount of time” or the “word count” will give you special power and privilege.

In fact, Jesus taught us to approach your Heavenly Father like this…

1. First, spend some time reverencing Him – realizing and acknowledging who He is!

2. Then tell Him you want His “Kingdom” to be fully realized (here, just as it is in heaven)!

3. And don’t be afraid to ask Him to meet your daily needs!

4. Be sure to ask for His forgiveness (and be sure to give it to others).

5. And finally, ask for Divine protection (especially from temptation and sin).

And just to be sure that you have this straight from the Lord, here it is right out of your Bible…

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (From Matthew 6:5-13 ESV)