ENABLING GOD

Lately it seems the entire world battles some form or degree of anxiety and depression. The demands of our society, the complexity of relationships, the opinions, needs and actions of the people around all us all contribute to the reason why so many struggle with so much. To escape the pressure and desperation we do not need to actually step back; we do not need to step aside. We need to step into the grace God outlined for us. God anticipated that we would battle these emotional, societal, familial and physical pressures. We need only look into scripture to discover how He prepares us to endure them, to evade them even.

This sermon comprises just two verses: Acts of the Apostles 2:46-47

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

For within these two verses, the apostles exemplified for us what it means to live with day-to-day purpose, contentment and happiness. Although there were many elements of life the apostles experienced that we likely never will, the nature of life was the same. They experienced fear and vulnerability, pressure and demand, weakness and fear, injustice and disruption. Yet they persevered; they lived and loved and changed the landscape of their generation and our own. Here's how they did it.

• CONTINUED DAILY WITH ONE ACCORD

Determine and establish your values and principles and pursue them exclusively. Let your every decision and behavior reflect what you have chosen. It isn't always easy to remain adhered to specific ideals but steadfast effort will prevent the down-spiral that results in emotional chaos and spiritual turmoil.

The apostles woke up everyday with a mission; to uphold their faith and to establish it in the world. God distributed different gifts and assignments to each of His children; you may not be an apostle but whatever your field is, do it well, consistently. Perhaps you're thinking: "that's well and good for the apostles, they knew what they wanted, that at least makes it easier to pursue." But essentially their mission was widely open-ended. There we no clear or ordered steps to follow. Like us, they had to strip their overall purpose down to something daily achievable. Stripped down, their purpose in life was to live each day learning to love people well. No matter what our job or profession is, a child of God has that same baseline: to learn to love people well. With our words, with our work and with our will. 

• HOUSE TO HOUSE EATING BREAD WITH GLADNESS

No matter what house they were in, they disciples were consuming bread. Think not of literal bread but of the bread of life: the word of God, the life of Jesus. Think not of a literal house, no matter what roof your are under, bring your faith into that place. Bring your gratitude for the people within in, for the God surrounding it. 

Every relationship, friendship, and encounter with another person is a house, a place to break bread. A place to unite faith and life. God's word teaches us how to cultivate the conditions of life we hope to live within. The apostles ate bread with gladness everywhere they went not for the sake of eating but for the purpose of exercising their faith everywhere they went. No matter where they were or who they with, they invited God and subsequently His grace into that space. 

They were glad because they traveled daily within the spirit of God. God's presence in a place changes the whole atmosphere. God's will in a relationship changes its trajectory. God's authority over a situation changes its outcome. So the apostles brought that bread, gladly, from house to house. 

Whenever we find ourselves in a distressing emotional state, we must ask ourselves whether we are consuming the bread or neglecting it. Because the bread of life is hope. The bread of life is peace. The bread of life sustains us, perseveres us, strengthens us. Sometimes it doesn't change the place or situation but it always changes us. It always changes how to look at it, how we deal with it. It always shifts the balance of power to our side. 

• SIMPLICITY OF HEART

Discover the value in the simple but fundamental elements of life. Your relationship with God is itself a marvel. A blessing. A reason for elation and wonder and peace. Focus your effort on the acquisition of compassion and love, wisdom and honesty. Pursue perspective rather than power, for perspective is power. Pursue wisdom rather than wealth, for wisdom is wealth. 

Life is riddled with jewels others ignore and pass by in order to obtain lesser things. The apostles had simplicity of heart; their pursuit was one of obtainable things: friendship, encouragement, compassion. A simple heart is a good heart, a fair heart, a free heart. The complications of life come when the heart is no longer simple; the complications arrive then the heart desires things not good or right or meant for it. Complications arise when the heart plots and hates and hurts. 

Life really is as simple as trusting God. He leads, we follow. He plans, we allow those plans to unfold in our life. He decides and our lives benefit from His decisions. The simple hearts knows that God is working the details into its favor, and it therefore stresses not.

• PRAISING GOD

We actually are the ones who benefit most from consistent acknowledgement of the majesty of God. He is present and active in every minute of our lives but we must take the time to perceive that. If we do not designate time to perceive Him, that time passes by ignorant of His presence, of His instruction specific that that time. What occurs during those times are consequently affected by the absence of our faith and exultation of our Father. 

So much of life distracts us from the most important relationship of our lives: our relationship with God. We pass right over Him; we remain ignorant of His instruction, opinion and comfort if we focus constantly on external things. Material things. Societal things. We give our attention and awe to things and people, objects of our desire or hate. But that time and attention can be devoted to God; the one who deserves it. With our life and mind focused on Him, on righteousness and spirit, we build a new framework for our day. A more constructive framework. We set up the kingdom within that day. 

• FAVOR WITH ALL PEOPLE

Of all that the disciples exemplified, this is likely the most difficult. It's easy if people seem to deserve our favor. But when people are harsh or unfair, we have to rely on God to settle that score. Your attention serves better elsewhere. Hebrews 10:30 reiterates the statement God made in Deuteronomy, He is the avenger. Our avenger. 

The apostles lived with an effort to relate to people, to understand people, to appreciate people. God wants each of us to endeavor to do the same. Even-temperament is a process; our emotions are not invulnerable to meanness and therefore our reactions will never be perfect. But it changes a life to wake up each day within that life with a valiant effort to be kind. 

People hurt us, sometimes. It is not God's command that we surround ourselves with hurtful people; but it is His hope that we will not succumb to their behavior. Sometimes the favor we give the people who've hurt us the most is to resist the urge to retaliate. We are not commanded to associate with people who have corrupt principles (indeed separate from evil!); we are not commanded to trust everyone... but we are commanded not to be like them when their behavior is cruel.

• ENABLING GOD

The most important decision we can make each day is to decide to enable God throughout each of those 24 hours. In every interaction, conversation, action, and thought enable God. Volunteer yourself to be an instrument of His will that day; in prayerful conversation invite Him to position you in situations where you can serve. Enable God to reach and gather with your arms and your hands, through your compassion.

Do you believe in God? Do you love God? If so, you must realize that you are not subject to anxiety and depression. They have no permanent hold on you. No claim on your life. You belong to God; His power is your power over fear and sadness. He has a daily plan to draw you out of darkness and ever deeper into the light. Proclaim God's authority over whatever evil thinks it has a hold on you. 

7 THINGS GOD HATES

The 10 Commandments are instructions God has given us to live a good life. Proverbs 6:16-19 gives us the further, sharpened, information we need to live as good people. This study begins with verse sixteen: 

These six things the Lord hates, yes seven are an abomination to Him. 

When God hates something, it is because that thing harms His children. God does not only hate it when we harm someone else, it bothers him when we harm ourselves too. Cruel behavior traumatizes, and harmfully rewires the brain of the doer and the victim.

With His wisdom and experience with humanity, He knows that the following behavior is toxic. Not only to the poisoned but to the poisoner. For while kindness proliferates, unkindness festers. God hates to see us live in festering chaos and evil because he loves us. Therefore receive these seven things he hates as fatherly discipline.

1. A Proud Look: Arrogance is ignorance. Ignorance is neglect. Neglect is wasteful. God does not want us to waste our lives. We each have the potential and the opportunity to make an impact on the people and thus world around us. Arrogance obscures reality; it disallows us to see life at is actually is. When we have a distorted view of the world, how we behave and respond does not match how we should.

Our placement is specific. All around us and within us lie the materials we need to work God will into the world. God has provided, and continues to uncover those supplies, abilities and opportunities as we seek them out. God would much prefer to spend his time and effort exalting us. But when we waste our time exalting ourselves, we cause Him to become busy trying to humble us. For God works tirelessly to restore balance in our lives. If we are willing to discipline ourselves in humility, God ensures that we are rewarded.  

Luke 14:11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

A prideful look dismisses another person's value. As God intricately, emphatically loves each of His children, He hates it when one of those children is disrespected. God has claimed humanity, each individual, even though He is fully aware of our proclivity for selfish behavior. To Him, it is nonsensical that we would dismiss a person because of a deficiency they have. Because we all have deficiencies, all except for Him, and He never dismisses anyone. 

A proud look does not acknowledge its tenuous grasp on that which it is so prideful about. Only faith secures blessing in our lives. Beauty, power, wealth are all useless but a proud man refuses to realize that until he is forced to. Until he is forced to realize that contentment, happiness, security never came from manipulative, self-motivated efforts.

2. A Lying Tongue: God instructs us to be honest and straightforward. If we adhere to the truth, it encourages us to live in a way we will not be ashamed to admit. If we have righteous intentions every time we act, justice will always defend our cause (even if no one else does).

Not only is lying a distortion, it is also ineffectual. A proper solution cannot come from a delusion. A problem cannot be tackled unless it is identified and captured whole. God wants us to have a clear and stable foundation whenever we begin something, especially a righteous life, because a house divided cannot stand, Mark 3:25. We cannot expect truth from others, or to have true, meaningful relationships if 

Lying inhibits the growth of a person, a relationship, a family, a community. 

3. Hands That Shed Innocent Blood: God has a gentle, yet fierce heart. He loves His children so much that when they are harmed, His indignation explodes. God has decided the tremendous value of innocent people; He has devoted His whole self to them. No person, institution, ideology or force should be so arrogant as to believe that they have a right to harm what He has claimed. 

4. A Heart That Devises Wicked Plans: God provides each individual purpose and potential while on earth. Those blessings should not be squandered away with useless, regressive, destructive wickedness. We can be productive here, impactful. God does not want us to waste our time and ability on ruining things and people. 

5. Feet That Are Swift in Running to Evil: We must never be eager to choose the deceptive choice, the greedy choice, or the cruel choice. Children of God understand that patience and humility generate blessings into their lives inevitably.

6. A False Witness Who Speaks Lies: God outlines the entire, detailed truth for us, Mark 13:23. If our Father sees no benefit to lying, why do we? We must never condemn others with untrue words. Communication is essential, and therefore out ability to communicate wisely and earnestly is one of our best tools and weapons to survive the world.

The seventh thing is an abomination to God.

7. One Who Sows Discord Among Brethren: The perpetuation of discord is regressive and foolish. The creation of discord is cruel. Peace on earth is tender and precious. In many places, it is rare. God considers it an abomination to create discord in the place of peace. The destruction of a loving relationship, friendship or opportunity deeply angers God. We must respect what is delicate and good, humanity's well-being depends on our ability to be respect sowers of harmony.

MILK + MEAT

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work."

God is a provider, a provider with a mission. The mission of the kingdom of God is the proliferation of blessing. Our lives are stocked by God with grace so that we become storehouses for those that would benefit from the blessings we have been given. Every blessing comes stamped with a name and God has a plan for the deliverance of that package to become your purpose. The verse above, 2 Corinthians 9:8, reminds us of that fact. God ensures that grace abounds toward us, not so that we can stockpile it, but so that we have sufficient product for our every good work. So that our ability to distribute is a net that can be cast far and wide.

So, if God is our provider, and provides with purpose, what does He provide? 

Milk and meat.

It would be easy to extract only half of the message from the above verse; in it, we learn that God will provide abundantly. That message, would be the milk of the verse, so to speak. But the meat of the message is the culmination of the verse; the meat is that we are given to... in order that we may give. 

Eventually, we must graduate from the elementary stage of faith; We must not nurse forever as infants, novices, when we should be advancing in faith. Every piece of scripture is like the opening verse in that it has deeper meaning, and is packed with purpose God plans for us to claim and fulfill. Meat He intends for us to eat after the preliminary provision of milk.

NEWBORN

At the beginning of our journey of faith, we are newly born to a lifestyle. "As newborns", 1 Peter 2:2 implores us, "desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow...". God provides milk for the newly born to faith; He grows us as if infants, sustained exclusively on His philosophy. For as newborns in the faith, we have cut off our former source: the philosophy of the world. 

For God's philosophy is entirely opposite the world's. Therefore everything is new:  new concepts, new character, new methods, new values. Scripture was designed for that newness; we read of the lives of many in the Bible who undertook that journey as well. Steadily, we learn about trust and perseverance and how messy that journey can be from people like Sarah and Joseph. We learn about hope and courage from people like Abraham and Moses who had to learn it too with no reference point beyond the milk, the word of God.

1 Peter 2:5 states that God is building us up like a house; His provision is meant not just to sustain but to build, to grow. We are taught His philosophy not simply so that we know it but so that we can apply it. The milk will set you up, but the meat will send you out.

MILK VERSUS MEAT

In 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 Paul explained that he had to alter his preaching; he preached to the newly born in faith, though they were not new, rather than to spiritual people fed by the meat of scripture. Paul was dismayed that he had to do so, dismayed that so many refused to live beyond the elementary principles. They were not engaged or focused or in alignment with this one philosophy, this distinctive philosophy of God.

Surely the milk of scripture is a comfort that cannot be compared, but the meat of scripture is a duty that cannot be neglected. The milk grows us, but the meat is given so that we may grow others. The milk is an introduction to the spirit in which we live, but the meat is the spirit through which we work. With the milk we change ourselves but with the meat we change our world.

Once God's provision constructs us, we must recognize that we were made to house. We are made strong for a purpose. We are stocked to provide. We are made a shelter so that we can stand in the rain with the soaking and make them dry. The meat is meant to sustain us through more spiritually rugged terrain. With milk God fixes what needs reparation inside of us so that with meat we are to fix what needs reparation outside of us, surrounding us. 

GRADUATION 

At a certain point, God should not have to teach us to play nice anymore. That should be a given. He should not have to prove His promises to us. He should not have to work for our trust, He should have it. He should not have to remind of His commandments, we should know them and follow them. At a certain point, scripture should evolve from lesson to directive. We should evolve from apprentices to fellow-workers with God. God does not teach us so that we can watch Him, He teaches us so that we can join Him.

Paul wrote a letter, Hebrews 5:12-14, in which he admonished the people who were unwilling to graduate from milk to meat.

"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Are you unskilled in the word of righteousness? If so, it is not through any fault of God. Scripture has been divinely commissioned, written and organized to exercise you into skillfulness. It is time to graduate from milk to meat. Ephesians 6:12 tells us that our battle is against powers and principalities, and how can we fight such things without the meat God provides? We would be too weak, too undernourished to ever stand. It is time to bulk up because that abundance of strength and power, courage and faith has purpose to fulfill. 

You would not feed a newborn meat; they could not handle it. Neither could a full grown adult subsist merely on milk. To do so would be to expect too much of the former and not enough of the latter. So if you are reading scripture merely for yourself, you are neglecting your potential and purpose. God has provided hardier fuel so that your life has the power, the energy, the provision to extend beyond itself.