The key to people's heart

People are God's point. He determines for us to have the most healthy and fruitful relationships Reading Matt 7 Jesus makes it clear that about making judgments in relating to people. The golden rule treat others the way you want to be treated. Win the lost at any cost because people last forever.

Consequences will follow your actions. Actions must include right motives in all that we do towards others. It's not enough to hold a high standard of God's law, God's word or His principles. All of that can be fruitless if we allow pride to control our motives.

We desperately need God's help because we have messed up, sinned. God gets us on a path of consistently reading His word, praying and giving Him glory. We begin to see our lives as becoming more successful, more fruitful. The real proving ground is how we then relate to people. That why Jesus teaches us in Matt 6: to get into the habit of giving to the needy, going the second mile, having a servants approach to all others. It helps us to empathize with people, feel their pain? This shows us clearly all gifts even the gifts that operate in us out of spiritual habit are given to us by God. As Job said God give and He takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Please be careful to judge others, and be in a position to speak of God's goodness and blessings to their benefit. But with a humble heart knowing the purpose of God is to redeem all to Himself. It's our job to walk with God and walk with others to that end.

Spiritual accomplishments mean nothing to God without the right motives of the heart accompanying them.  Vs 21-23, 1 Samuel 16:7

Blessed

Matt 6:13-16 God gives us instructions about what a blessed individual looks like in the previous text. A person is blessed if they have the characteristics described. This is what a blessed person looks like. This instruction is getting on with following God, reading His word, seeking His face. Earnestly look to follow Gods way.  Once we have been convinced and you taken ownership over this new way of thinking, vs 13 what do we do? Step one; to God. Step two; bring Him to the world. The point is not exactly, specifically what to do. But it is part of my core to do, available to do small things at any moment. ("let it so shine") Like a small candle, a small flame. Light the flame you have, and let it shine to the world. I want to focus on the smallness of my flame. It truly is small and insignificant. But God has taken small flames in ages gone by, and lit the world engulfed in a fire of His power. Don't under estimate Gods intentions  and through whom He chooses. 

Big Blessing The challenging most difficult circumstances have within them; the greatest victory and blessing. Blessing is something that we learn over time and experience what it really is. The building of faith in God is the point. Building a faithful people that have a ongoing lifestyle and are accustomed to God coming through in time of crisis. God wants to stretch his people to be a great people, called to do great things for him. Jim 1: 1-7.  I am facing this in many different ways. These circumstances are unreal, unusual even freakish. The human interpretation of this is typically; why me, what did I do wrong, God must be angry with me. A victim instead of victory. God's plan is to make us victorious in all we do. But to have a victory there must be a battle, we must fight for doing what is right.  Many times we make wrong turns. Seeking God and getting the right directions the right tools, and getting on the right path is the point.  My wife Wendy and I went down to the HB pier this morning to bring hot breakfast burritos in shrink  wrap, to the small homeless group that congregate there in the morning. I looked around and saw one man laying on the concrete steps. I approached him and said "have you had breakfast? Do you want a hot breakfast burrito?" Sure! He then began to eat the burrito with the plastic. I said whoo! "take the wrap off the burrito." Then I ask him if he could hand out some burritos to his friends and he said yeh, but could you bring me back a soda? I said sure, after church will you be here? Yeh, I'll be here.  I told Wendy service with a smile. We talk about how important obeying with this task God has given us.

Why worry, be happy as the song goes. I've got really, really important roles and goals.  We get ourselves all worked up into a frenzy over our current responsibilities. We are just trying to survive is our excuse for getting ourselves worked up. I believe it's true that stress is the leading cause of all kinds of physical and mental disease. To be healthy; need to be happy, to be happy; you need to not worry.  In Matt 6:25-34 the key to not worrying is seeking first His kingdom. I interpret that as being self focused but God focused. Looking into the purpose that God created us for. Looking around and seeing where I am placing my investments of my resources. Like my time, my work, my relationships. Being at rest, being at peace Is what the world looks for. Letting go a little bit and letting God do in us what He intended for us to do. It's on paper, His word. To change course for the disciples was leaving there nets. For change to take place action is necessary. Invest more in God's kingdom and less in your own, like; prayer, reading the bible, helping your neighbor, being kind to a stranger, giving to someone that isn't expecting it. Open your heart to God's purposes in our world more and the change necessary to be a peace will be yours.  Vs 33b all these things(Love, Joy,& peace) will be given to you as well.

Matt 6:1-24 is all about the art of ninja, operating in the shadows the difference is that we are commissioned as believers to help our nieghbors is such a way that the light of good deads done are not shining on us. This produces a lot less energy. The process is doing and not looking for the credit because we believe it's God who see's and we are not worried about what man see's. God promises that if you do it in secret you will be rewarded openly. Matt 25:31- says that God's people are in the process of doing in the shadows to your nieghbors.

Last year our mens team studied God's people Israel being delivered from Egypt and lead to the promised land, flowing with milk and honey. Sounds good, sounds easy. God's plan, God's purposes are always blessed, not easy. The place; the wilderness, the desert. God always has a plan and has a purpose. It was not a mistake that God's people had a necessity for this place. I include all who believe. When life gets difficult, what is the point? what is the purpose? We can look at our circumstances and ask the question is it chance, or is it providence that I find myself where I am in this predicament, this dilemma we find ourselves in. Our heart starts to pound, why o' why me. There is only one clear answer; because He has called you and has great and precious promises for us. The process is the point. Some say the journey. It's really boot camp for an elite fighting force. If a young man is selected for special forces training, or an athlete selected for Olympic training, it's an honor. The more difficult the more honor. Jm 1:2 "count it all joy my brothers when you face trials of many kinds for you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature, and complete, not lacking anything." It's how you deal with, or accept our current circumstance that will prepare and propel us to the purposes that God determined for us before we were born. Doing my job what ever it is with all my heart, all my mind and all my strength. Which defines our faith in, love for God. Gratitude is at the heart of you attitude towards your circumstance, and towards God. Thanks Lord for this day you have made I will rejoice and be glad in it. Like a lunatic. Willing to be unique, Willing to to face the hard work, Willing to to be molded into the warrior for God, strength of an athlete. Created to do the good work. We can do it. His kingdom will come!

Neighbors Helping Neighbor Project:
Jean Volkoff; Age 92, legally blind, living alone at;  365 Cleveland St, Orange, CA
The City of Orange had been assessing fines against her property because she didn't have the means to keep the property. We got together some volunteers to repair the damaged dry rott around the house and then paint it. Very simple. The project brought people together to do something for a neighbor, a sweet, kind grateful woman. Hard work, allot of fun, and several pizza's help us to complete the project in about 6 hours. I believe it did allot more for us, in regards to opening our hearts to one another. We were truly blessed!