Blessed in the Mess

  Have you ever considered  how God blessed you last year in the middle of all the mess that surrounded you?
 

  It was all around you: in your family, at work, at home, in your relationship; it was everywhere.

  Mess.

  Yet, in the middle of that mess God blessed you anyway.

  Luke 6:8 details an instance where a man with a withered hand sat in the midst of many people who called themselves religious, but no one did anything to help him. In that time many believed that withered limbs, leprosy and other abnormal conditions were caused by sin; the victims brought it on themselves. So, no one helped the man with the withered hand, but there were probably many opinions about the cause of his problem.

  In the middle of all of that mess Jesus appeared and told the man to “rise up and stand forth in the midst.” Right there in the middle of the mess that added to the misery of his life, Christ healed him.
  
  He was blessed while still in the middle of his mess.

   Today, we have the same witness. In the middle of our mess, God raises up believers and blesses them right in front of those who doubt our faith.

   Today, as you step forward into the mess the world has created for you, prepare to be blessed!

Let the Haters Talk

Does it bother you that many people watch you every day?

Whether you know it or know there are many people who watch you. Some watch you because they admire you and the keep track of your every move. There are many who track the movements of movie stars and recording artists; they know all about them.  They study them and know them very well. You are not a star, but they track you for the same reason.

However, there are some who watch you for different reasons; they are trying to find a reason to criticize or tear you down.

That’s what is happening in Luke 6:7. The religious leaders were watching Jesus to find a reason to criticize him. They looked for anything they could find to accuse him of wrong doing, even if he healed the sick on the Sabbath.

Jesus was always aware that people watched all he did, so he chose his words carefully, but remained true to his calling.

We should remember that we can’t stop people from watching us, but we can control what they see. Let’s follow Jesus’ example and choose our words carefully and act responsibly, so when our critics report our activities or “hate” on us they won’t have anything embarrassing truths to report.

Jesus’ attitude was simple, let the haters talk, but don’t let their talk stop you from doing God’s will.