Did You Have A Nice Christmas?

As all the Merry Christmas', Happy Holidays and New Years wishes slowly fade away and die the death of yesterday, they are silently and seamlessly being replaced by “did you have a nice Christmas?”

The response is universally the same, “Great! and how about you?” which is then lobbed back like a toss of the football on Christmas Day, with perhaps a thank you or two thrown in, just so we won't seem impolite and can get the last word in, creating the impression that we are one of the most caring human beings living on this earth.

Call me twisted or weird, but have you ever wondered whether we are just being polite and couldn't really care any less how the other persons Christmas really went, or are we conditioned by our culture to offer this automatic response? Either choice disturbs me.

Maybe you never thought about it, but perhaps I just worry about the condition of my spiritual guts too much. I want to know because I seriously want to care deeply about my neighbor without needing some phony, contrived and under duress greeting to prove what's not really true.

Have you ever offered a nice greeting, fully realizing that you could really care less?

I have. Generally speaking I think most of us do care and not only want to seem genuine but actually be genuine. But as the Apostle Paul once said “how to perform, we find not”.

I believe God will honor our honesty and our struggle for true care, concern and compassion for our fellow humans. I believe this to be a life-changer. If we try and just force ourselves to change, nothing much gets done. We try and we try and the harder we try the weirder and meaner we get. But, if we will offer up to God our fears and failures, His all consuming fire will consume these weaknesses like so much kindling, bringing a pleasing aroma up before Him. The result will be our own mount of transfiguration, and our light shining as we were created to, transforming the environment and world around as we have new eyes to see and new ears to hear.

I have now spent some time at Starbucks drinking a latte and musing about this idea and typing these words. Pretty darn comfortable, I know. But this is how I work best and I get to meet all kinds of different people. I find everybody is extremely interesting if you take the time to find out about them.

Just now a bright light of a stranger came walking through the door, looked at me, in the eye and brightly said “the Lord is King!”. Imagine that if you would. He just stepped into this story. The Lord definitely is King. He moved along and ordered his drink, on his way out he stopped by and illustrated this story for me. He stopped and asked me if I was a preacher, and I warily responded “yes” while wondering what manner of greeting this was. He didn't ask me how I was doing or even say Happy New Year. Neal told me he prayed for preachers and he was going to pray for me. He said his mission (my word) was to pray for preachers and has been doing just that for five years. Because he was genuinely concerned about me, it wasn't necessary for him to tell me he cared. Just a few words, the look in his eye and the expression on his face told me his concern was more than heartfelt.

The only way I found out more about him was to ask. Neal used to “cook” Meth with the Hell's angels but got saved and since then has been praying for preachers. Imagine that from drug manufacturer to praying for preachers. Neal was changing the world around him through his genuine concern, care and prayer. I was going to end here but........

Then Joseph (no kidding) walked into my story. Joseph was inconvenient and wanted to tell me all this stuff about the computer I was typing on and I was thinking “I hope he stops before he gets to the flying saucers” I wanted him to stop, he was inconvenient. But he had walked into this story too. I gave myself to him and silently asked God to think and pray through me for Joseph. I listened to his stories until he moved on and I genuinely hope that helped his day and his head.

(Mark 9:42-43) "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—

2011, I want to care more and change the world. How about you?

I “sincerely” wish you all a happy and prosperous new year.

Mike Matheson

Are You Paying Attention?

 Do ever have difficulty paying attention, staying on task and not getting distracted. Do you start for the garage dreading to begin that chore that was put off for the last decade and halfway there stop to check your email? Before you know it eight o'clock has turned to twelve and it is time for lunch. I never seem to get distracted from that. A familiar story to way too many of us.

One of those all too common traits that seems to afflict all of us North American human beings. When it comes to car keys, chores and groceries, those O' so very, very necessary elements of our life, that reminds me, Facebook, we seem to work overtime to stay on task, and when we stray it grieves us. But when it comes to the things of God, prayer, quiet time, fellowship etc. they often seem to be left without great concern. It's a matter of what we are paying attention to.

I believe every one of us humans have an attention deficit when it comes to the things of God.We become distracted by a million and one things screaming for our attention, they seem important at the time, but if left undone our life really wouldn't change that much. All the while, there in the background is a “still small voice” jumping up and down in the back row, saying “pick me, pick me”. The still small voice of our conscious, spirit, God Almighty, whatever you choose to call Him, trying to get our attention on the things that really make our life, our soul and the things that will last forever. How is it that we “consistently” fail to pay attention to these eternal things.

I believe we become unwilling to pay the price of admission. I did call it PAY attention.

We really do PAY for what we PAY attention to,we will also be PAID for we PAY attention to. There are tangible and intangible benefits to what we PAY attention to, for the good or the bad.

What are you paying attention to?

There are lots of things provided by God for humans to do all day long, like "sleeping, eating, drinking, making love, playing, praying, working." But, to focus on these "second things" and neglect "first things" such as worshiping and loving God is to be "too easily pleased."

Let me make a statement, since I can't figure out the transition.

Everything is worship.

Everything has to do with worship.
Some ignore that idea, or never thought of it before, but I dare you to dispute it, or propose something that is not related to worship. Changing your tire is worship if you can do it without cussing and throwing the jack handle across the street.
1Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
“do all to the glory of God.”

The Greek word for worship means to kiss towards. What we kiss towards is where our true affections lay, and it reveals what we are worshiping. What we focus our attentions on is what we are worshiping.

Everything is worship.
.....(Jesus said to Satan) 'you shall worship the LORD your GOD,

and HIM only you shall serve.' "Matthew 4:10

You are PAYING attention here, but are you letting attention pay you...??

John Donne (1656) said we are tenants and renters here but it is God who pays us... His grace mercy and benefits are poured out on each one of us that draws breath. The more attention we pay the more we will be paid for our attention. The things of God will be poured into our life to the degree that we seek them, or pay attention to them.

I am trying to pay attention to the eternal things but there are so many distractions. Even worrying about paying attention and the lack of it in my life is a distraction.

The more I pay attention to God's things, the more it will PAY me.

Galatians 6:7 says: No matter what you believe... You reap what you sow.

NEWS FLASH- Paul the APOSTLE had a hard time paying attention

He blogged about it in Romans

7:12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

GOOD Thing? Agreed??

V13Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not!

MMV (Mike Matheson Version)- It's(the law) just trying to get you to PAY ATTENTION

BUT SIN.....

See also V8,11 Sin tricked him into thinking that the forbidden fruit wasn't so bad after all, that it would bring happiness, and that he could get away with it.

Sin took his attention away from the more profitable things.

It's New Years Eve now- Everyone is making resolutions, few are kept....

Drives me crazy---- How about you?

Welcome to the human race!

By now, if you are listening, you're probably feeling the weight of PAYING attention...

It's easy to start paying attention, much harder to keep it going...

Desire to start isn't the problem...

Desire is merely the catalyst

Desire is synonymous with vision...

We get it! We know what we ought to be, but how to perform we find not (Romans 7:18)

Doing what is right ties me up in knots every day.

I just wanna go play instead of clean my room. You know?

But I like a clean room.

The big QUESTION is, will we yield our life to the LORD? Will we worship with our life?

Everyone wants too, but we think the cost to PAY is too high, so very high we don't even want to think about it, so we ignore the nagging voice and hope it goes away. The cost of ignoring (or ignorance) is much, much higher, and one day at the last judgment, we may all see what could have been if only we would have been willing to pay attention.

1Corinthians 3:13 ....each one's work will become clear; Won't it?

Easy to say, we will yield our life to the Lord, much harder to perform.... Isn't it?

Good News!!!!

The struggle is part of the process to make us into what we should be.

The fight to yield our stubborn wills to God is what builds our faith, fiber and character.

Don't just say I'm going to read more, pray more, go to church more.

Change your desire to I am going to know Him more....

(Matthew 9:21) For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

V22 be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

She didn't say I better be or do this, she said I have to touch Him

If you don't desire, if desire is dead, pray in desperation that you would........

Psalm 37 in a nutshell says

Do what is right.

Believe that God is faithful.

Be amazed and delighted by everything GOD is and does, even if He seems distant...

Commit to this...

You will fail often but He never will. He will stay after it till we are perfected.

Cling to Christ's work not yours,

THEN

^{(Psalm 37:6)} He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.

We can have a Year End Bonus IF we will PAY attention,
We will PAY for what we PAY attention to,

but we will also be PAID for what we PAY attention to.

Could be scary or delightful?

Sheep or a Lion?

Would you rather be a sheep or a lion?

It’s in our nature to want to be lions, especially men.

Who would want to be a sheep, with dirty fur and herded around by a shepherd and snipped at by a dog directing our every action? But then again being protected from the lion and the wolf and being lead to food and green pasture is pretty appealing.

I am torn between the two, I want to be a bad a** lion kicking butt and taking names but I want the safety and green grass of the sheep. Although, way too often I get tired of eating vegetables/grass and I just want to tear apart some meat.

The bible speaks of us as the sheep of His pasture ^{Psalm 79:13}  giving thanks and praise for the Shepherd of our souls. But it also speaks of His anger against His sheep ^{Psalm 74:1} for going astray ^{Isaiah 53:6}, and for that God laid all our sin on Jesus at the cross, just to get us back in His pasture, to keep us safe and fed and not feed for wolves and lions.

Throughout the scriptures lions tear and rend and take prey. As a man, I  surely like the prospect of that a lot better than a dirty little lamb. That is what is deep down in my soul, I want to be strong tough and victorious. I want to take prey and not be prey. I want to conquer and not be conquered. I want to win and not lose.

Something in me wants to be my own lion or perhaps my own god and king of my own life. Here is where we can win or lose this game of life. Life is an internal thing lived on the outside. We need to be a sheep on the inside and a lion on the outside, not the reverse which is purely playacting.

There are only two parts of scripture that speak of us and lions in a positive light.  Proverbs 28:1 states that the “righteous” are as bold as a lion. I think if we walk in right relationship with God then we are that tough and bold because we are clean and have no guilt before God. The other is also in Proverbs 30:30 and says that the walk of a lion is majestic.

The key I believe is to have the walk of a lion and the heart of a sheep before God.

Solomon said that a living dog is better than a dead lion ^{Ecclesiastes 9:24}.

Back to the man thing, I don’t want to be a dog either but if that is what it takes to win at this life, bow wow!

Here is the thing where us men screw up, living the life of a lion on the inside and a sheep on the outside. we need to flip that script….. 1 Peter 2:25 (we)… were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. We ultimately need to believe that Jesus has our best interests at heart.

Hebrews 3:10 says we (like sheep) always go astray in our hearts.

Our hearts cry should be the cry of the psalmist in Psalm 119:176 I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commands.

Funny thing about the words of God, once they have gotten down in our souls they are very hard to shake.

So would you rather be a living dog and a sheep or a dead lion? If I am going to be lead to peace and pasture and live my life for the King and Shepherd of my soul, I say “bow wow” and bahhhh.

Make me the sheep of Your pasture and seek me when I stray.

All the lions in scripture ended up torn apart and dead. Make me a sheep hearted, bold lion for Jesus and then and only then will I get the desires of my heart ^{Psalm 37:3-6}.

I want to want be God’s lamb with the roar and boldness of a lion. I must keep bringing my straying heart back again to the Shepherd of my soul.

Are You Winning The Game Of Life?

Look down deep in your soul and ask the question, am I winning the game of life?

Many of us live in defeat simply because we have not taken the Prize of Life from the nail scarred hands of Jesus. He tells us He will give us the Victors Crown of Life if we are faithful and endure ^{James 1:12, Revelation 2:10}.

On that cruel wooden cross on Calvary’s hill He has already won the Crown. He went to the “Place of the Skull” ^{Matthew 27:33} and let Himself be brutally tortured, punished and ultimately allowed Himself to be murdered as a sacrifice for our sins. Three days later He rose triumphant from the grave ^{Matthew 28:6} having conquered death, hell and the grave having won the Crown of Life by His faithfulness to the Father and His endurance over 33 years of his life here. He won the Crown, and His intention is that we would wear it living daily in this truth. If we would only wear the crown, we would be happy and at peace, this is winning the game of life.

Why do so many of us continue to live in defeat day after day?

When the truth of the matter is….

When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive—right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, ¹⁴ the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ's Cross. ¹⁵ He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets. ^{Colossians 2:13-17 (MSG)}

The truth of the matter is that only the truth will get you across the finish line.

You can tell yourself as many nice sayings, and read all the books on winning you want,

but in the end, only truth will get you home…..

John 8:32 (NLT) And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Nice saying and many quote it, but we must look at things in context. The verse before it V31 says “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.”

IF you remain faithful to my teachings. You will KNOW

No one has perfectly adhered to the teachings of Christ, In fact no one can. It’s even hopeless to think that we can “perfectly” adhere to them.

Because of our inability to do this for ourselves Jesus died, so he could drag your stinking, sin-sick carcass’ across the finish line. Then He says you are more than a conqueror ^{Romans 8:37}. A conqueror wins the race through his endurance, training and skill. But, we are more than conquerors even though full of doubts, questions and failings often we can reach out, grab this truth and make it ours.

We will win the game of life if we are persuaded that He is able through His actions and grace alone to make us winners here and now. ^{2 Timothy 1:12}

It’s not some grit your teeth, keep your chin down punch it out life that He intended. But to stand and keep standing, head held high in uncompromising faith in the Champion of our faith and His victory.

…not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. ^{Col 1:11 (MSG)}

….that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ's Cross. ¹⁵ He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross ^{Colossians 2:14,15}

That old arrest warrant was all the rules, regulations, laws and religious expectations that we could never live up to. Nailed to the cross, cancelled. You shall know the truth and it will make you free! The sham authority the devil uses very effectively to keep God’s saints down and ineffective. He can’t steal your salvation, but if satan can keep you down and ineffective he has been very effective. He has made you sterile, impotent and incapable of reproducing if you won’t wear the Crown of Life that has already been won and is being handed to you for the taking.

With our focus on our failures, foibles and fits, our focus is now off Christ and the Cross where it really belongs.

But, if we could take our focus and place it on Jesus ^{Hebrews 12:2} and grasp this truth, we could stop living in defeat and win this game of life that so many seem to be losing. Everyone dreams of being a winner. Jesus makes the dream come alive.