The God who provides

 

John 6:12-14

Jehovah-jireh 

The God who provides

This year, for lack of a better term, has sucked. I know I’m not supposed to say that. I know that offended some of you and for that I apologize. However, if you can thank for a less offensive more accurate word to describe 2020 please let me know and we’ll get Todd to dub that one in or something on the rebroadcast.

I don’t have to get into it because the news and social media has that incredibly well covered and then some. There’s a couple of sayings in my house, “More responsibilities = more privileges”, “If you say you are going to do it then do it”, “ Fear makes bad decisions.”

I’d say the majority of our decision making in the last 6 months has been fear based. Now if you just thought “Yes! That is what the people who disagree with me are doing!” Then congratulations your part of the problem. Whether you are for masks or against them, you want to open everything back up at once, or want to shut everything down, left or right, liberal or conservative. Fear has been driving us.

Every news article, every campaign ad, has been about making a fear based response. Fear about what happens if we open, fear about what happens if we don’t. Vote for me because if the other side gets elected, “They are going to kill you!”

Fear is what takes root in our heart when we make a god out of comfort and safety. When we forget where our provision actually comes from. Tonights message is entitled Jehova-Jireh, The God who provides.

 

So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” ¹³ Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. ¹⁴ Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

I told you there would be at least two sermons out of this! There’s just to much gold here to only dig once. Last time Jesus fed the 5000! Which we discussed by the time you factored in for women and children it was around 10-15k! Enough people to fill Charlotte Motor Speedway. This is a tremendous miracle. In fact, this is the only story from Jesus ministry that made it across all four gospels that was not related to his ministry beginning in Galilee or His death, burial and resurrection.

Why this story? There are so many! There are things that He did that we don’t even know about! Yet, God, in His Infinite Wisdom chooses this instance to be repeated four times. Therefore, we should pay special attention to what it has to tell us.

Verse 12 starts innocently enough “when they were filled.” We don’t think much of this we equate it to “When they were done eating.” We don’t really have a concept of unintentionally leaving a meal not full. At least not these days. As Americans it’s estimated we throw/discard around 40% of our food supply annually. While tonight roughly 1 Billion children worldwide will go to bed hungry. Even at the height of resource restriction his year Food Lion still had more food in it than pretty much any store I went into overseas. We saw a handful of barren shelves and freaked out. We don’t know or remember what it’s like to truly be hungry.

These are people that food was a daily struggle for them. If they had one meal a day they were doing good. To have food at all was exciting to them, to eat until they were full! That’s a special occasion for them! For many I’m sure it was a once in a lifetime event! When you are full at the restaurant but still have food leftover what do you do? You take it home! I guarantee you some leftover bread and fish were stuffed in pockets or wrapped up in linen and carried home.

Once they had stuffed themselves and their pockets there was still an abundance on the ground! This is unheard of; this is an embarrassment of riches! The disciples were then told to gather everything up! Don’t waste any of it. There’s more people that can eat!

How much leftovers do you picture? Typically leftovers for us is lunch the next day. I worked at the homestead as a teenager. I was a busboy/dishwasher. I spent my weekends for years cleaning up after people once they were done eating. The busiest night was whenever valentine’s day fell on a Saturday. We probably had 1400 people come through there in about 5 hours. That was a lot of leftovers! I can’t even imagine cleaning up after 15K though with only 12 people. I remind you of this to illustrate a point in verse 13.

It says that they filled 12 baskets! What do you picture with the word basket? A small wicker basket? Maybe something the size of a picnic basket? 12 Picnic baskets full of food would feed a lot of people. The Greek word for basket in this verse is kophinos. Do you know what English word we get from kophinos? Any guesses? Coffin. Changes your perspective on the size of the baskets doesn’t it? Regardless of how much the point is, it was a lot. In fact, I’m willing to bet that it was more than 200 denarii of food, possibly per basket! Poor Phillip, spending the whole day watching how wrong He was. It was a lesson that he never forgot.

Phillip would give his life preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. He would spread it across Greece, Syria and Phyrgia (Frigya, Turkey) whether he met his death likely by crucifixion (or possibly beheading) either way he used his last breath to continue to preach the Gospel.

John makes sure to remind us in verse 13, that all this came from 5 small barley biscuits and a 2 sardines. So much abundance came from so little offered in faith. It doesn’t matter if it’s two widow mites or 200 denarii, offered to God in faith God will do great things with it.

I waste so much time trying to solve problems in my own power. Me and Pastor Dave have had our fair share of arguments and disagreements as far as ministry goes. When you’ve worked with someone multiple times a week for 20+ years that is going to happen. Yet, every disagreement we’ve had comes down to one of us, or usually both of us, trying to do ministry in our strength. It’s impossible which is the lesson Phillip, and by proxy us, is being taught.

In Zechariah 4, God is talking to the prophet Zechariah. A man by the name of Zerubbabel , had been tasked with rebuilding of God’s temple. The work had stalled and Zerubbael had tried everything and gotten nowhere. God has Zechariah remind Zerubbabel of the following in Zechairah 4:3 “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” the worked continued once Zerubbael remembered where his provision came from.

"O churches! take heed lest ye trust in yourselves; take heed lest ye say, 'We are a respectable body,' 'We are a mighty number,' 'We are a potent people;' take heed lest ye begin to glory in your own strength; for when that is done, 'Ichabod' shall be written on your walls and your glory shall depart from you. Remember, that he who was with us when we were but few, must be with us now we are many, or else we must fail; and he who strengthened us when we were but as 'little in Israel,' must be with us, now that we are like 'the thousands of Manasseh,' or else it is all over with us and our day is past." (Spurgeon)

The people see God’s abundant provision and proclaim Him as the prophet who has come into the world! Now this isn’t a saving admission of Christ identity. It’s more than likely a reference to Deut 8 where Moses foretells of a prophet to come that will be like Him. After all Jesus just miraculously feed everyone like Moses did in the wilderness. Yet, it is a step in the right direction.

As I said earlier this year has been a challenge. This is the longest ministry trial I’ve personally experienced. There are no good decisions, there is no clear cut direction, and almost any and every plan made becomes irrelevant in roughly a weeks time. Every decision made is just the particular bad decision we chose and we are under constant attack from other people who are very defensive of their own bad decision. In the midst of all this we must constantly remind ourselves where our help comes from, where our provision comes from, the one whom we can offer a little in faith and He can return it 1500 fold.

I just want you guys to know that I love you and I love serving here. As you go out this week show a little more grace to those you interact with. That you might be able to point them to Jehovah-Jireh the God who provides.

Time to eat

 

John 6:1-14

Time to eat!

Tonight’s message is entitled time to eat. Admit it! Most of you got a little excited when I said the title just now. You are already thinking about what you are going to eat when you get home or your thinking Oh, I’m still full from “fill in the blank.” Look at this picture from back in the day. Now look at this belly, this is my cheese baby. I regret nothing, the end.

Food is why we go on vacations as adults. Hey, let us eat something and then go get something to eat. Then we can go see the thing, I bet it has a snack bar. Food is how you get people to help you move furniture! Dad once needed help moving a heavy couch when I was first in the youth here. I asked my buddies in the youth group after church one night “ Hey guys. My dad needs help moving a big heavy couch on Friday.” Everyone was busy! Then I added “Dad will buy you lunch from wherever you want if you help.” Then Jared Compton perks up and says “My schedule has suddenly opened!”

 Food and the promise of it is a highly motivating factor! Food and the pursuit of it is a global historical constant. Tonight, we discuss one of the more famous stories in the gospels, the feeding of the multitudes.

After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. ² Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.^[a] 3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

The gospel of John ends with the following verses in John 20:30-31 “ And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

This means we don’t have the whole picture Jesus life, nor do we even have the whole picture of His roughly three years of public ministry. This means we need to pay special attention to the things that are included in the gospels. The feeding of the multitudes is one of only 10 things that happened in Jesus life that is spread across all 4 gospels.

8 of those 10 events deal directly with the Crucifixion. One of those is mentioning the fact that His ministry began in Galilee. That means that in three years of ministry, with all that was said and done, this is the one event that made it into all 4 gospels. If God says something once, it is important. If God says something 4 times, listen up.

This takes place sometime after John 5. I’m pretty sure it’s a short time frame day more so than weeks or months since John 5 ends with people wanting to kill Jesus. He decides to go to the next thing. A great multitude follows Him.

Fantastic we think! All these people following Jesus. We know it’s a big number also roughly 5000 people. When we factor in women and children as only men were part of the headcount back then the number could easily be between 10-15K. Let me give you some perspective on that number. That means they could fill every single seat at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Why are they following Him? Because they heard his words and were convicted? Because they saw the miracles and realized This man is the son of God? No. They saw the healing and wanted to get in on it. I don’t blame them.

I’m 41. I’m on three different long term prescription meds, my right twitches uncontrollably and requires multiple shots to my face 4 times a year. Which is not as much fun as it sounds. This is all related to a piece of my skull I had to have removed in 2001. If there was a person standing outside that could permanently make all that go away with just a touch or a word. I’m interested.

Have you ever wondered about the people that Jesus didn’t heal? He didn’t heal every single person He came into contact with. He could have. Why? I wrestled with this for years and then came to the conclusion that I was being selfish. Jesus wasn’t crucified to heal us physically, to improve our physical condition and circumstances. If that is all you want from Jesus you will end up disappointed and disillusioned. Jesus, as we discussed at length in John 5, is here by the Will of the Father, to the Glory of the Father.  We are going to see this pan out as we go through this chapter.

⁴ Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. ⁵ Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” ⁶ But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. ⁷ Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”

Poor Phillip! Jesus is picking on him! He already knew what He was going to do and how. He wanted to see how Phillip would respond. Phillip had seen the miracles and the healings. Phillip would have known the stories of how God provided of Israel in the wilderness with Manna from Heaven, and water from a rock. How does He respond?

He had already done the math! He saw it was impossible! We don’t have the money Jesus! Even if we did who around here is going to have that much bread to sell? There was no Costco back then folks. We read this and we know how this story ends. We think sad silly Phillip! Don’t you know God Incarnate is standing right next to you! He brought all of creation into existence with a few words and you are worried about bread? How foolish!

How are we any different? We see tasks set before us, often by the Lord and we think this is an impossible task. We don’t even start before we make that declaration. We have this huge list of reasons why it will never work. The Lord asks both great and small things of us and our response is almost always “Two Hundred Denarii isn’t enough.”

That’s true. We don’t have the resources or the ability. We have something better. The Lord. Phillip’s response (and ours) should be “I don’t know how you are going to do it, but I know you can. Just tell me what you where you want me to go and what you want me to do.”

⁸ One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, ⁹ “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

Andrew shows up bringing another person to Jesus. This little boy has some food. He has roughly enough for his lunch. Each item described here would have been smaller than my hand. It’s enough for one person, maybe two.

¹⁰ Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. ¹¹ And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them ^[b]to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. ¹² So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” ¹³ Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. ¹⁴ Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.

Look at how much Jesus does with so little! Can you imagine the perspective of the disciples? Of Phillip especially? How many loaves was He given? 5! How many disciples were there? 12! Even if he broke them in half there’s still two disciples without. The miracle starts right then! He divided 5 tiny biscuits and two small fish among 12 men and said hey go pass those out! I have zero proof of this, but I feel it’s in line with how Jesus does things. I bet as Jesus was dividing out the food between the disciples Phillip was last in line. There in the back doing the calculations wondering why they didn’t run out of food 5 disciples earlier.  If that’s me I’m thinking “Well this won’t take long.” Expecting to run out at any moment, then it never happens.

Only Jesus can do Multiplication by Division and Addition by Subtraction!

One of the problems we've had in 2020 is this. We have been full for so long that we have forgotten what it's like to hunger, to do without. To not have everything we wanted immediately available to us. To have to decide between being with the people we love, and keeping them and ourselves safe/healthy. These are not easy decisions with a clear cut answer. We can only trust in the one who provides our every need in Christ Jesus. 

 

Can I get a witness?

 

John 5:31-47

Can I get a witness?!?!

Tonight’s message is entitled “Can I get a witness?”

Anyone that’s even been to a good ol fashioned tent revival knows this phrase well. In between preachers and sometimes in the middle of a sermon the speaker would pause what he was doing to say “Can I get a witness?” Opening the floor to all those that were present. Then a witness would come forth, and to the altar and testify about something the Lord has done for them in their lives. They are presenting themselves as a witness, someone who has personally experienced the blessings of the Lord and wants to share them with as many people as possible. What do we bear witness to? Our lives, our words, our actions all bear witness but to what exactly?

³¹ “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not ^[e]true. ³² There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. ³³ You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. ³⁴ Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.

Jesus has gotten into a theological debate with the Pharisees & Sadducees. They were accusing Him of violating the Sabbath. They have been scrambling for something to accuse Him with so they can get rid of Him. They respond with wanting to kill Him. Jesus responds with the Gospel. The last few sermons we have seen Christ explain to us Who He is, as the only begotten son of the Father. He is the way, the truth and the life and no man comes to the Father except through Him.

There next retort to this would have been “You’re just saying this about yourself. It doesn’t count.” He counters that before they can even respond with “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.” Jesus being the Logos, the living embodiment of truth, could easily bear witness of Himself. Jewish legal practice at the time, a person’s testimony about himself was not accepted in court.

Deut 19: 35 ““A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established”

You’ve already seen a witness! John the Baptist came as a witness to me and you ignored him. Jesus then says a verse that seems a bit tricky at first. I don’t receive testimony from man.

I know you’ve heard all manner of sermons that boil down to “God needs you to do this, that, or the other. “ You’ve seen all manner of preachers that say “God needs your money, time, resources.”

I’m here to tell you, as well intentioned as some of that might be. It’s complete poppycock! God needs nothing from you, NOTHING! He spoke the whole of creation into existence. Every breathe of take is an act of mercy overflowing from His sustaining grace. What possession do you own, what ability have you so perfected, that Almighty God somehow is unable to do so Himself? It is nothing but filthy soul condemning pride that makes us consider, even for a moment, there is something God needs of us.

What’s His motivation then? That people might be saved! This should be our motivation as well!

 ³⁵ He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. ³⁶ But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. ³⁷ And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. ³⁸ But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. ³⁹ You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. ⁴⁰ But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

He goes to call out their treatment of John. You enjoy Him for a moment but then once you were convicted you were done with Him. It’s a lot of people like that these days. That’s us, that’s me. There are certain preachers I don’t like to listen to because I know I’m going to be convicted by their sermons. Yet, I am always grateful in the long run that I did.

Jesus says you ignored John’s message and John’s testimony of me. Yet, don’t you remember what happened when I was baptized? The Father Himself spoke and said “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”  The Father Himself spoke of me! Gave testimony to Me. Yet, you ignored that also! You could not hear Him. You could not see Him. Why is that? Because you do not know the scriptures!

That’s an accusation that could be made to many of us in the church these days and it’s valid. Our Biblical knowledge is not what it should be due to the lack of time we spend in God’s Word.

However, these guys, the Pharisees and Sadducees were considered masters of the law. There entire lives revolved around the scriptures, knowing them, memorizing them, copying them and being experts in them. They could quote them backwards and forwards!

This is before google, the printing press, and neatly aligned chapters and verses with study aids. Here Jesus is telling them their life’s work has been nothing but a waist of time. One the greatest tragedies I have witnessed time and time again are people who know what The Bible says but don’t know the one who wrote it.

The Bible is our source for knowledge about God. There’s enough in the Bible revealed about Jesus for people to come to salvation. The Bible is a book about Jesus. When I was in the youth David sent us on a Biblical scavenger hunt. We had to find Jesus in every book of the Bible. Now, in the Gospels and the NT in general this was easy. Yet, as I went through the OT I found Jesus every where I looked as well. Start to finish the Bible is first and foremost a book about finding Salvation in Jesus. They knew all this knowledge about God yet they did not know God.

⁴¹ “I do not receive honor from men. ⁴² But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. ⁴³ I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. ⁴⁴ How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? ⁴⁵ Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. ⁴⁶ For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. ⁴⁷ But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

Jesus is now wrapping things up. If you had listened to John you would believe He tells them. If you had understood Moses you would believe. Two earthly witnesses. If you had listened to the scriptures you would believe. If you had listened to the Father you would believe. Two irrefutable spiritual witnesses. That’s double the requirement of the law. Not only did He provided multiple witnesses but ones of the highest caliber as well.

Charles Spurgeon preached a message on John 5:44 (Why Men Cannot Believe in Christ) and in that sermon he looked at how fame, honor, and celebrity hinder true faith. Here are a few quotes from that sermon.

· “When a man gets to feel that he ought to be honored, he is in extreme danger.”

· “Always receiving this undeserved honor, they deceived themselves into believing that they deserved it.”

· “Dear friends, it is very difficult to receive honor and to expect it, and yet to keep your eyesight; for men’s eyes gradually grow dull through the smoke of the incense which is burned before them.”

· “the praise of men generally turns the receivers of it into great cowards.”

· “But, oh, how many live on the breath of their fellow men; to be approved — to be applauded — that is their heaven; but to be despised, to be sneered at, to be called fool, to have some nickname applied to them; oh no, they would sooner go to hell than bear that.”

The stumbling block of the scribes and Pharisees was their pride. They lived and thrived on each other’s praise. Constantly tearing each other down while trying to present themselves in the best light possible. Sound familiar? There’s nothing new under the sun. To acknowledge Christ was to deny themselves. They chose to forfeit their souls instead of their standing with each themselves and others.

What kind of witness do we give? If those closest to us gave testimony to our lives what would it look like? What would it sound like? Would it glorify God or ourselves?

1 Cor 10:31 “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”

 

Yolo

 

John 5:24-30

YOLO

Circa 2011 Canadian Rap Superstar Drake popularized the phrase YOLO. Standing for you, you only live once, in line with Carpe Diem, Seize the Day,  and other slogans through out history that encourage us to live our best lives now. However, YOLO grew an added twist with encouraging and even embracing risky and dangerous behavior. This made the news with the tragic death of aspiring rapper Ervin McKinness just prior to his death, tweeted the phrase while driving 120 MPH while drunk.

Many of us spend life playing as safe as possible waiting for all the stars to align and our the situation to be perfect before we being our lives. Some of us live recklessly as if tomorrow will never come and there will be little to no long term consequences for the choices we make today. However, we choose to live or not live our lives there is truth in the saying YOLO in that we only have this one life and what we do it is of the utmost importance!

 

²⁴ “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

Jesus is having a discussion with the religious leadership of Israel. Jesus healed a man on the sabbath and the pharisees see this not as a miracle from the Lord but an opportunity to attack Jesus. Jesus saw this as an opportunity to teach the teachers and explain His relationship with God the Father.

He is painstakingly clear here in verse 24. He who hears my word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment. There’s an entire series of sermons here but I feel they have been covered pretty well in previous sermons and will be covered pretty well in future sermons. Jesus is the way the truth and the life and no man comes to father expect through him.

Acts 4:12 “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

 

 ²⁵ Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, ²⁷ and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. ²⁸ Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice ²⁹ and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. 

Jesus warns the Pharisees that there time is limited. That now they have a chance to listen to His words and receive life or continue on dead in their sin. If they reject Him as Savior now they will face Him as Judge later. Not only as a Judge who renders a verdict but carries it out as well. In effect Jesus is Judge, Jury and Executioner that we all must face one day.

Don’t be surprised by this He says! Everyone alive and dead will one day face this judgment. Let’s pause on that for a minute. We all have had friends, and family pass on. We have all visited graveyards and funeral homes. There are presently 7 Billion people alive on the planet but how many have been buried or passed since Genesis 3? Conservative estimates put that number in excess of 100 Billion that’s 15-30 people dead for everyone 1 that’s living today. This is a number we can’t even wrap our brains around. Yet, our Lord tells us that a day is coming in which all those who are in graves will hear His voice. This is an astounding thing to contemplate!

We think we are something! With our modern technology we can put something on the internet and if it goes viral thousands possibly millions can view it in 24-48 hours. Within a few years it could have billions of views like the music video for Despacito by Luis whatshisname. Jesus speaks and the whole of creation past, present and future hear it and respond. This! This is what we are told NOT to marvel at!

One day, everyone, stands for the Lord and gives account some will walk into Eternity with the Son in Heaven others will walk into eternity without the Son in Hell. What we do and how we do it in this life matters.

 

 ³⁰ I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

What is God’s will? We talk a lot about God’s will. I’m trying to do God’s will. I am seeking God’s will. I believe many of us, and my self included, have at times had this huge misunderstanding about the will of God. We view it as this grand complicated mystery. Are the ways of God mysterious? Yes of course. Do we always understand what He is doing and why? When we are truthful no probably not. Can we easily know the will of God for our lives? Yes absolutely!

The problem comes in how we look at the will of God, how we picture it! Do you picture it as a target? As a multiple choice test? For the longest time I did. David started as Senior Pastor at Antioch in 2003. The first book he preached out of was 1 Peter. 1 Peter is about our living hope in Christ, our call to holiness and the importance of seeking God’s will in our lives.

At that time, I was 23 and I would do my grocery shopping on Sunday afternoons after church. The sermon concerning the will of God was rattling around in my head while I was on the cereal aisle. As I reached for a box of cereal I hesitated wondering if it was God’s will for me to buy this particular cereal. There was also a lot of change and adult decisions that I was having to make then. I deeply desired the will of God in those decisions which did not have a clear yes or no to them. It all became too much and I just froze. I stood there for I do not know how long having a quarter life crisis over a box of cereal.

I wish I could say I had a huge spiritual epiphany at that time, but I did not. I did however buy Honeynut Cheerios that day for what that is worth. A lot of us view God’s will as as Yes or No thing. As we are presented with A, B, C, or D and one of them is clearly the answer and the other three are clearly wrong. In all fairness, there are times where that is the case. Does God want me to commit adultery, Idolatry, or murder? No, those are very clearly explained in the 10 commandments. Yet, there are times where choosing between A, B, C, or D is as clear as mud. What do we do? Just freeze like I did in that cereal aisle?

Matthew 23 Jesus is calling out the Pharisses & Sadducess “Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” He accuses them of straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel. What does God want you to do? What’s God’s will for your life? Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. After all you only live once.