Posted by: Matt | June 30, 2009

The Great Diluter

I’ve come to realize that Satan’s main objective in my life is to make me ineffective. He knows Christ has my life and he just wants to keep me from using my influence to see that others make the same choice. He does this by attempting to get me off task. The tool he uses most with me is what I now call “the great diluter”. What is “the great diluter”? It’s worry!!

I am a worrier. I worry about everything. I let every little detail get in my crawl and I spent countless moments mulling over all the various scenarios. I worry, and it waters down my life. It waters down my focus. It waters down my passion. It waters down my excitement. It dilutes my life from being as potent as it could be for Jesus.

To be more potent I have to find a way to remove the worry. There are two passages in scripture that are motivating me to crush the worry.

25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:25-36 (NIV)

What is the definition of sin? If it is defined as a deliberate act of disobedience to a command of God, then these verses tell me that worry is indeed a sin!! Very clearly Jesus says, “do not worry”. Therefore if I choose to worry (and I do believe it is a choice), then I disobey a direct order from my Lord.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Jason Austin, our Discipleship Pastor at Vintage, brought an amazing message from this passage on Sunday. He really challenged me. This verse wrecks me big time. To be “certain of what I don’t see” is so hard for me. I worry because the things I hope for aren’t always visible in a timetable that suits me. I do so because I lack the kind of faith Jason spoke about. No more Jack! I hope for big things and refuse to shrink when I do not see them.

Don’t let worry dilute your life. Be the potent Christ-follower this world needs!

1 Comment

Posted in random reflections

Posted by: Matt | June 29, 2009

Back

I just got back from a great week of vacation. It was awesome. We laid on the beach, rested, and ate like crazy! I love the beach, I love all the fun stuff, but I’m so glad to be home! During my vacation God put a variety of blog topics on my heart. Starting tomorrow they will flow. I will begin with “The Great Diluter”.

Stay tuned!

Leave a Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Matt | June 15, 2009

Killers Part 2: Poor Stewardship

“Wasteful spending” is a term we’ve heard a lot in the news these days. It’s a term that can too often be applied to church leaders. We waste time, money, and energy on things that do not support or drive our vision. We don’t spend enough days focused on the right things. We don’t equip others to use their gifts effectively. We spend too much money on junk we don’t need. When we misuse our resources things don’t get done. Good leaders know how to manage what God has given them. If we are going to accomplish what God is calling us to, we have to be better stewards. We have to maximize all our resources. There is no room for laziness and wasteful spending.

So, be strategical and intentional about how you spend (your time, energy, money, thoughts, prayers, training, facilities, everything!!).

Leave a Comment

Posted in leadership

Posted by: Matt | June 13, 2009

Mythbusters Finale

It’s the end of another busy Saturday. I’m both excited and a bit sad about tomorrow’s worship gathering at Vintage. Tomorrow we wrap “Mythbusters”. It has been such a fun series to teach. I hope the it has had the impact on our people that is has had on me. We have covered some great topics and conclude with yet another tomorrow. We’ll be exploring the topic of “missions”. Get ready to leave with some throbbing toes!!

Leave a Comment

Posted in church

Posted by: Matt | June 12, 2009

12 Months

Last Thursday Aidan and Leah turned 1! Wow! It’s amazing how fast 12 months have gone by. Many of you read our journey to getting them here. It was a long hard road. From the multiple miscarriages, to the months of strict bed rest, to the 35 day stay in the hospital, it was an interesting ride. Then adjusting to life with two infants was a sleepless adventure. So, 12 months later, was it worth it? Abso-freaking-lutley! They have brought more joy to our lives than words could express. They have taught us so much about ourselves. They have especially taught us a lesson in unconditional love. It’s now hard to imagine life without them!

100_0120100_0112

Leave a Comment

Posted in family

Older Posts »

Categories