How to trade depression for joy!

Matthew 6:31-34 ESV

³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.³⁴ “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Is it possible for a politician to inspire our vote for the actions and impact of past results in America? Why do they feel the need to sell anxiety? Jesus referred to a Godless society (Gentiles) that seek in priority, anxiety and fear. He then challenged us, sons and daughters, to put in place a priority in our life, seeking the kingdom of God.

We see this across America, even in our churches, where anxiety is sold. If you were motivated by anxiety as a child and trained in fear, then it is highly likely you are motivated by fear as an adult. “Don’t give ten percent and your finances are under a curse”, the church leader might say. When Godly teaching might say “Trust God to be generous with one hundred percent of your finances and your Father’s kingdom will grow and be blessed”. See the difference? If you don’t understand the difference, then it is possible you were trained as a child to be motivated by anxiety. “Wait, Jesus, what about my kingdom? Can’t you promise me that my investment and seeking will double or triple my daily return?” Orphan mentalities spend their priorities worrying about their daily provision, sons and daughter of the king think daily of His kingdom.

Faith for a return in our Father’s kingdom is stepping into spiritual maturity and saying “no” to anxiety. “What if we don’t have money to give?”, you might be asking. First off money is merely a tool in the earth. When it becomes “loved and the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10)” is when it becomes a priority over God’s kingdom. Like a hammer, a tool needed to build, it can be found and made in many places. The Holy Spirit can give us wisdom to find the tools. Our time is also an important tool for the kingdom of God and no it is not only the few hours in the church building. The priority of investing in the kingdom looks like investing in people, it often happens in our homes, work and yes we can include the church in this.

1 Corinthians 3:7-8 NKJ

⁷ So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Paul said there are those who plant seeds and those who water. He is speaking of the kingdom of God. Many times planting seeds happens in the workplace and in relationship. Watering is needed often long term and can include a community. What if the reward is the kingdom of God (field) increasing its harvest and not your kingdom? This is where Heaven’s joy is found…….Are you okay with that? If you are a farmer, you know which expense and sacrifice is more in time and resources and yet both are absolutely necessary. Let’s encourage our marriage, family, and work to prioritize God’s kingdom without anxiety. Jesus promised that our earthly, daily needs are met when we seek first the Kingdom of God. What if watering others meant sharing what we had received from Jesus with them? What if watering meant we had to be in proximity of others?

John 7:38 NKJ

³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.

Equipping Disciples of Jesus to Receive, Give and Serve In Grace,

Brandon Pollard

http://www.graceforeternity.com

Eternal Insecurity?

When I was six years old I gave my life to Jesus and was baptized in the Pacific ocean in Papua New Guinea. The confidence I had in Jesus was the absolute definition of child-like faith. Moving back to America, I began to hear teachings that questioned whether I would go to Heaven or Hell. The sermon’s packed the aisles with believers who needed to rededicate their life because of “sin” that was separating them from fellowship with God. Of course I was first in line each time with the hundreds of others and even was baptized more than twice in case I had some sin left that needed cleansing. The man who led me to the Lord and baptized me as a child, left our home and my mother when I was teenager. I had believed sub-consciously that God would do the same because of my behavior and I was drawn to ministries that taught this verse as you may not be truly saved.

 Matthew 7:22-23 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

The context of this scripture is about performance and not faith in Jesus’ performance and yet teacher after teacher would point to the works of Christians and tell them, you may never know if the Lord will say He never knew you so get your life right with Jesus today. Ministries would have a box to check, I rededicate my life to Jesus so that we could try and do better. Please hear me that I am for good works and performance because we were created for them, not sin. I am not for good works to get closer to God or re-saved because when we were born again, the one and only time, Jesus places us in Him and seated us in Heavenly places. He seals us with the Holy Spirit. We can’t get any closer but we can grow in our knowledge of Him and His love for us. Needless to say “re-dedication” is not Biblical but “repentance” is.

Re-dedication was a fancy word for saying, “salvation didn’t work the first time because you obviously weren’t sincere or your works would show it.” So round and round the ministries went, feeling good about the evangelistic rededicate approach to Sunday mornings. In 2010-2011 the Holy Spirit led me to get off the merry -go- round of religion to study and believe the good news that it worked the first time in my life. You see if we don’t share it was powerful enough to work the first time for us then we will never give away a gospel that is powerful enough to work for other people.

Equipping Disciples of Jesus To Receive, Give and Serve In Grace,

Brandon Pollard

http://www.graceforeternity.com