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The Locusts #4: The Bags of Silver

Matthew 25:14-30

1. How do you see God?

 Do I tithe on the gross amount from my paycheck, or the net?  The thing is…to ask that question, sure, for some it’s just about trying to be the most obedient, but I think USUALLY it’s about what’s the least I can get away with and still be “tithing”...

2. How are you managing God's stuff?

The bible calls us STEWARDS.  Stewardship is the job of supervising or taking care of something, such as an organization or property.

Spiritual Growth Questions:

  1. How are you growing in your relationship with God?

  2. …with people?

  3. …with your influence with outsiders?

  4. …in handling your resources?

3. How do you see blessings?

Rest is a once a week discipline. The sabbath day is a SEVERE rest discipline. Taking SERIOUS rest once a week, every single week, is the Biblical precedent. (And also taking LONG holiday vacations throughout the year to observe religious feasts and fasts and sacrifices…there were LOTS of holidays and rest days peppered throughout the Jewish calendar. It’s not just 52 sabbaths a year, but much more than that.) There are rhythms of rest in the Word.

“It is the duty of a man to render himself beneficial to those around him; to a great number if possible; but if this is denied him, to a few; to his intimate connections; or, at least, to himself.”

If you can’t take care of even yourSELF–how can God use you for more? If you can’t take care of your checkbook, your home, your children, your spouse, your body—why would God give you more?? Blessings are also responsibilities.

“7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7

Did you know even your body is a resource for you? And how you treat it matters to God too

Notice, in this parable, we’re each given to accordingly to our abilities, but EACH servant was given something. It’s what we DID with it, that determined what else we were given.  

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The Locusts #3: The Best Portion

Leviticus 23:10

Proverbs 3:9

Honor the Lord with your wealth…

Not the leftovers

Ezekiel 44:30

Turn back to God in gratitude

Genesis 4:3-5

James 1:17

Romans 11:16

  1. Pray

  2. Prepare

  3. Prioritize

  4. Give

  5. Repeat

9 WAYS TO PRAY FOR ISRAEL

• Pray for the peace of Israel, and for the preservation of life -- both Jews and Arabs
• Pray for Israel's Defense Force as they respond to the surprise attack.
• Pray for the protection of friends and families who have been called into the Reserves and who are preparing for a ground operation in Gaza.

• Pray for those who have been taken hostage, that they would be kept safe and rescued speedily.
• Pray that the barrage of rockets would stop and that the Lord would supernaturally protect Israel from missle attacks.
• Pray for those in the border communities around Gaza that are still in lockdown hiding from terrorists in their communities.

• Pray that hatred and incitement would cease and that the power of God's love would minister to hears and minds across Israel and Gaza.
• Pray that the body of Believers would find opportunities to provide hope to those who are suffering.
• Pray that God would shine His Light in the midst of a dark situation.

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The Locusts #2: Where Is Your Treasure?

Passage: Luke 12:22-32 (NLT)

Filling the dirt back in to some treasure pits that we’ve dug

We all can have a divided heart. Even good things can become idols.

“Don’t be anxious!” We need to adopt Christ’s value system.

1. Do not worry about your life

     - You are valuable to God

     - We see OUR true value when we realign what we value.

     - It’s hard to find our value in Kingdom things when we can’t see the value Christ sees in us.

We often forget that God is God and He loves us. We’re too busy and get distracted to easily!! Make sure you take a proper Sabbath!!

Our perception of who God is can sometimes shape what we think of God’s provisions for us. Anything can be an idol and take the place of the Kingdom in our hearts.

There is no spiritual Switzerland. We are not the only missionaries out there! We are being pursued by other things.

2. It is your Father's great pleasure to give you the Kingdom

 Our THINGS possess our heart. When tragedy comes, do I think of THINGS or do I stand firm in Christ?

   - Our prayer has to be: God, I want to be remade - heal me of the sickness of idolatry, pride, greed, and divided heart. IT IS THE REALIGNMENT of focus in our approach to Jesus.

Getting your hearts deepest desire is often the worst thing that can happen to us. “God will give them over to their heart’s desires.” Where are the desires of your heart leading you?

Jesus taught more on greed than lust. None of us should assume we don’t have a greed problem.

We think God’s withholding the keys to the kingdom for us, when in reality we’re rejecting those keys and following other empty things.

3. Sell your possessions and give. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven.

     From generous hearts, generosity flows. We don’t get generosity from keeping our fists clenched and our arms crossed. Christ pours His blessings into pipes, not pots. It’s not a give-to-get, it’s a give-to-grow! “When you leave this earth, you can only take with you what you’ve GIVEN!”

- When we surrender our lives to Christ’s authority, we can’t lose 

Surrendering doesn’t always work out in our favor…but good! Our idea of favor is usually way off base.

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live

I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee
My blessed Savior
I surrender all

All to Jesus I surrender
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit
Truly knowing that Thou art mine

I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee
My blessed Savior
I surrender all (ooh)

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The Waymaker #7: Testimony Weekend

1. Yatciri Cruz

2. Johnny & Cookie Steiner

3. Sandra Garcia

4. Yaritza Salazar

5. Brian & Sara Roth

6. Rosie Ashby

7. Lori Doudrick

8. Tim Edwards

9. Rich Randall

10.Regenia Yates & Brittany Smith

Matthew 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

I know God is real because ___.
I know God is GOOD because _____.
And I know He loves me so much because _____.

What are your answers? If someone asked you how you know those things, what would be your response?

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The Waymaker #5: The Wine at the Wedding

John 2:1-11

Drunkenness Passages:

  • Proverbs 20:1 - Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

  • Ephesians 5:18 - And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.

  • Romans 13:13 - Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

  • Galatians 5:21 - Envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

What did Mary do here, that we can learn from?

  1. She presented her need to Jesus.

  2. She put ALL her hope in Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

He responded with LOVE.

Matthew 4:23 “Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.”  

John 2:23 “Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him.”

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The Waymaker #4: The Pouty Prophet

1. God's heart is ALWAYS about redemption.

2. When we pray, God responds.

3. He makes a way for the repentant.

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The Waymaker #3: The Dry Ground

So what do I want you to see today:

  1. God sometimes seems to lead us to a dead end. But He knows what He's doing.

    1. When you’re in slavery, you think everyone is either a slave or a master. But there’s a third option. Being a son or a daughter of the master. We are all out there trying to be KING, instead of sons and daughters of the king.  We’re still in a slavery mindset…instead of a FAMILY mindset.  A KINGDOM mindset. 

  2. If you can trust and obey…

    1. Simple obedience, not more spirituality, is what God is asking of you.

  3. He will fight your battles

    1. He is the Waymaker, but you have to be doing your part.

    2. Do you trust Him enough to be led to a dead end, if He asked you to…

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The Waymaker #2: The Valley of Blessing

2 Chronicles 20

Things Jehosphaphat did right:

  1. He acknowledged the problem & the source.

  2. He acknowledged his own limitations.

  3. He obeyed and got to work.

  4. He sang.

Things he did wrong:

  1. He made compromises & didn't fully surrender.

Job 2:10, “But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.”

Worship is often just declaring WHO God is!

Provider, Deliverer, Comforter, Healer, The Way, The Truth, The Light, The Life

  1. Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide

  2. Jehovah Nissi- The Lord is our banner (deliverer)

  3. Jehovah Shalom - The Lord sends peace (comfort)

  4. Jehovah Rapha - The God who heals

  5. Jehovah Ra’ah - The Lord is the Way, my shepherd

  6. Jehovah Tsidkenu (Sid-ken-ew)- The Lord is our righteousness

  7. Jehovah Shammah - The Lord is our light, ever present

In our brokenness--he is strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 New Living Translation (NLT), “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Job said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD!”

2 corinthians 4:8-9, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

  1. Situation:

    1. Hard pressed

    2. Perplexed

    3. Persecuted

    4. Struck down

  2. Revelation:

    1. Not crushed

    2. Not in despair

    3. Not abandoned

    4. Not destroyed

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The Waymaker #1: The Lion's Den

Daniel 6

Daniel had a REGULAR prayer life.  It wasn’t just in crisis. 
Daniel had a FAITH FILLED prayer life. He knew who His source was.

Job: “Though He slay me, yet I will trust Him.” 
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego:“Our God will deliver us, but EVEN IF HE DOESN’T!!!”
Jesus: “Let this cup pass from me, but your will be done.” 
Man asking Jesus for a miracle: “I believe, but help my unbelief..”

“the necessary ignorance of man”...there are some things that are NOT for you to know. More knowledge does not always equal more obedience.

Faith can look like:
Trusting God even when you don’t a little bit…
Obeying even when there’s nothing in it for you.

The faith of a mustard seed is so powerful, because it just believes. There may not be any show-boating or loud declarations or preaching about it…it just shows up at the bottom of the mountain with a shovel, knowing that eventually, if it keeps showing up with a shovel, the mountain will be moved!

And what I have learned about the character of God is…when we’re praying for a mountain to be moved, He’s the one handing us the shovel.


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Summer in the Psalms #7: Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord

JESUS quoted the Psalms more than any other book. There are 10 quotations or allusions in Matthew, 9 in John, 5 in Luke, and 4 in Mark.  That’s 29 total!

The majority of these quotations are in the context of Jesus’ kingship, his messiah-ship, his royalty, like

  • Psalm 110, “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool“ (110:1);

  • Psalm 118, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner” (118:22);

  • “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD” (118:26).

…but there’s also a lot of them that are in the context of his suffering and death.

1.) Matthew 27:46

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

This question comes straight from Psalm 22:1.

It’s the LIVING EMBODIMENT of “even if He doesn’t” faith…Our God WILL rescue us, but EVEN IF HE DOESN’T we will never bow down and worship you. (Shadrach…)

It’s the LIVING EMBODIMENT of “Though he slay me, yet I will trust Him” from the mouth of Job. 

2.) Luke 23:46

Even his very LAST WORDS (I learned this week) were a direct quotation from the book of Psalms!! Luke 23:46 says that Jesus said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”...WHICH IS ALMOST A VERBATIM QUOTE OF PSALM 31:5 (depending on what version you’re reading)!! “I entrust my spirit into your hand.”

Psalm 119:11 "Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee." 

Psalm 37:31 "The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide."

When we face temptations to sin…when we come up against crisis…what comes OUT of your spirit, is often a direct result of what GOES INTO your spirit!

If Jesus could trust the Psalms to help him articulate what He was feeling in his heart and soul…so can I.

3.) John 13:18

But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’

This phrase comes from Psalm 41:9, “Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.“

Jesus knew that the entire Bible was about Him.

4.) Matthew 23:39

For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

This phrase comes from Psalm 118:26, “Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

    We bless you from the house of the Lord.”

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Summer in the Psalms #6: Oh, The Joy of Those Who Confess

The Joy of the Guiltless

Psalms 32:1-2 A Psalm of David. A Maskil
1 Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

  • Oh the joy of the guiltless!

  • Every single believer has experienced this!

  • Because this is what happens when you repent and ask him into our hearts!

  • The new understanding, that there is a personal God who loves me and who has forgiven me of all the things i've done wrong

  • The joy of a new life! A new beginning, and a fresh slate

  • Our sins have been placed out of God’s sight! Our guilt, removed…

  • Until its not, because you sin again

  • But this time you’ve hidden it

  • You create distance between yourself and God

  • And now that Joy, you don't feel it anymore, it’s gone. Everyone has been here.

The Price of Hidden Sin

And David of course was no different!
Psalm 32:3
3 When I refused to confess my sin, 
my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long.

  • Many have kept their sins hidden for days, weeks, months or even years

  • You feel the toll it has taken on you, you feel it every single day

  • David described it as his body was wasting away

  • And that's exactly what it's like

  • The joy of the Lord removed from your life, the light that was once there now its darkness

  • Life has become a chore, every day is a slog because of the sin that you choose to keep carrying around with you.

  • You pray, you read his word, seek him out, you know he is the answer

  • You're doing all these things because you know it's what you should be doing… but you still have things you refuse to bring into the open

  • You do all this to try to mend your relationship with him but its not working because there is a barrier

  • Your relationship with God is at a standstill until that barrier is removed.

  • Non-Believers struggle with the sin they hold onto as well!

Romans 2:14-15
14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.

  • Our conscience, the knowledge of right and wrong that has been given to all of us by God

  • And every time it’s violated, every sin adds heaviness to our lives and our bodies waste away.

  • But there is good news, this weight, the heaviness of our mistakes, its not necessarily a bad thing

Psalms 32:4
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

  • What you are experiencing is the God ordained effects of hidden sinfulness

  • It's there to show you that something isn't right. It's there as a wake up call.

  • So it's not a bad thing, this is God’s mercy, he is trying to draw you to himself because he is the only one who can fix your life.

  • Hiding sin from God creates a barrier. He’s trying to get you to tear it down, to confess your sin to him so you can receive the forgiveness that's rightfully yours

  • The forgiveness that you've been keeping from yourself. Because God’s already forgiven you, that's been assured on the cross. You're just not experiencing it because you've refused to confess your sin.

  • He's trying to get you to let it go.

Hebrews 12:11
11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

The Restoration of Confession

Psalms 32:5
5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

  • Oh, the Joy of those who confess!

  • Your guilt can be removed, the weight removed, your body restored! You can receive forgiveness!

Psalms 32:6
6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time., that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

  • Now this is in the Old Testament

  • Let me give you the New Testament adaptation of this verse

    • Therefore, let all the Heathens, all the thieves, all the liars, all the adulterers, all the buddhists, all the muslims, all the murderers, all the hopeless, all the guilty and all the Godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

  • We can all pray to God to seek the removal of sin because of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross

  • Jesus Christ has died for the sins you've hidden away and hold onto

  • And God’s word can be believed in 1 John 1:9 when it says:
    9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

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Summer in the Psalms #4/5: The 6 Choices of Psalm 23

Psalm 23:1-6

1  The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

1. Choose your shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2. Choose your peace

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3. Choose the truth

He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.

4. Choose faith

Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5. Choose joy

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.

6. Choose community

Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

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Summer in the Psalms #3: High Praise

The Pulse of Praise

Psalms 57: 7-10
7 My heart is confident in you, O God;
    my heart is confident.
    No wonder I can sing your praises!
8 Wake up, my heart!
    Wake up, O lyre and harp!
    I will wake the dawn with my song.
9 I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.
    I will sing your praises among the nations.
10 For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.
    Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

The Perspective of Praise

Psalms 57: 4-6
4 I am surrounded by fierce lions
    who greedily devour human prey—
whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows,
    and whose tongues cut like swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens!
    May your glory shine over all the earth.

6 My enemies have set a trap for me.
    I am weary from distress.
They have dug a deep pit in my path,
    but they themselves have fallen into it.

The Position of Praise

Psalms 57: 1-3
1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
    I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
    until the danger passes by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
3 He will send help from heaven to rescue me,
    disgracing those who hound me. Interlude
My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.

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Summer in the Psalms #2: Testimonies from Tanzania

Psalm 117
1 Praise the Lord, all you nations;
extol (praise enthusiastically) him, all you peoples.
2 For great is his love toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

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Summer in the Psalms #1: Safe & Secure

  1. The Psalms teach us how to worship. How to acknowledge God even when things are tough. 

  2. The Psalms teach us how to be real.  How to be honest with God and honest with ourselves even while acknowledging our faith.

“Psalms: The prayerbook of God’s people who are striving to be faithful to the Torah and waiting for the Messianic Kingdom.” - The Bible Project

I feel so seen in the book of Psalms.  So…normalized. 

As Dr. Dharius Daniels says, “Not everything in the Bible is intended to revolutionize, some of it is intended to normalize.”

I believe much of the Psalms do this too. Normalize my emotions and behavior. My prayers and complaints. My fear and my doom loops.  But not only does it show me that those things are normal— it also gives me a way out!  Songs of LAMENT and songs of ASCENT. We see the good, the bad, and the ugly in the book of Psalms.

Psalm 89 is called “Will you reject us forever?” (Ethan the Ezrahite) drama, drama
Psalm 83 is called “God, don’t be silent.” (Asaph)
Psalm 60 is called “Has God forgotten us?” (David, for instruction)
Psalm 55 is simply titled, “Betrayed” (David, for instruction)

Psalm 91

I will rescue those who LOVE ME

I protect those who trust in my name.

When they call on me, I will answer!

Jehovah Jireh (provider)
Jehovah Nissi (banner)
Jehovah Shalom (peace)
Jehovah Rapha (healer)

You don’t have to know all the answers--because HE does.

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Fasting & Feasting #5: The Timing

Esther 4:7-16

Esther’s resolve...her courage...her sense of purpose is inspiring here. She moves from ‘I’m scared’ to ‘let’s do this’, very quickly.. But there’s a couple of things that go into that, that we must take note of:


1. She has PASSION FOR HIS PURPOSES.

2. SACRIFICIAL SELFLESSNESS. God is looking for people who are willing to say, use me!

3. She also had a FOUNDATION OF FAITH and so, when faced with something difficult, that she knew she had to do, she asked for help.

4. RESOLUTE RESOLVE. “And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”

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Fasting & Feasting #4: The Good Shepherd

Psalm 23

1. The Table

We can celebrate even when the enemies are lurking at our door. 

God prepares a table before us in the PRESENCE of our enemies.  Not in the absence of them. 

Most of us are eating with the enemy. 

2. The Oil

If the table speaks of new strength, the oil speaks of new purpose.

Anointing usually comes based on past obedience, but it’s not usually an indicator of present ability!

3. The Cup

Psalms says that with the Lord there is plenteous redemption (Psa 130:7). Paul speaks not just of the riches but of the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph 3:8). Jesus speaks about giving us life abundantly (John 10:10).

Here’s the AMAZING thing about this. As I was studying this, this time around, all I could see was THE LORD doing all the work.  YOU prepare a table before me…my cup overflows (but HE’s the one doing the pouring)...HE renews my strength…HE guides…he protects and comforts…

The only action taken by the sheep is WALKING!  Which means, all we have to do is trust Him, listen to Him, LET HIM guide us.  It’s almost passive, this following thing.  We’d actually have to work HARDER to go off the path that our shepherd lays out for us.  

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