Matt's Anthology

I am trying to teach my 1yr old daughter how to be grateful when someone gives her something. When she hands me things, I say thank you. Then I hand them back to her and say “now you say thank you”. This game to her goes back and forth several times. She is trying to say it. Sure, it doesn’t come out as clear as you and I say it but the sounds are the same. I love it when she smiles when I give her something as she is trying to get out the words.

When is the last time God gave you something and you were grateful for it? If it’s a child or a job or an opportunity or how about your first breath in the morning. I think we complicate things with God sometimes and try to fill up time with a lot of words when all He really wants to hear is a simple “Thank You”.

Posted in Biblical Lessons

This morning as I sat on the floor with my daughter and a thought came over me. She was sitting in front of me as I watched over her. I thought about God and how He must keep watch over us. She couldn’t see me behind her but every now and again she would reach back and touch me. I assume it was to make sure I was still there. It’s hard to tell what a seven month old is thinking but I imagine it is what we are all thinking. Even though I can’t see you God, I want to reach back and touch you to reassure myself you are there. I couldn’t truly know how a father feels about his children until I became one. Now I know what it feels like to have someone so fragile to protect. Now I know the blessing of children. Now I know how God must feel.

Psalm 121:8 5-8 (NIV)-

The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
 nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—
 he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
 both now and forevermore.

Posted in Biblical Lessons

This verse came to me yesterday in the midst of my day.  I felt that during this time of chaos, someone else needed to be reminded of it.

Jeremiah 29:11:  “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

One version of the Bible says “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

Either version, the Lord declares.  Declares is defined as, to say something solemn and empathetic manner.  Or acknowledge possession of.

The Lord declares.  It is a plan that He possesses and says in an empathetic manner.  It is a good plan.  A plan for welfare/prosperity, not for harm.

In this time of uncertainty for so many, believe it, declare it.  The plan is to give you a future and a hope.  It is a good plan and he possesses it.

Posted in Biblical Lessons

One day in November 2019 I was leaving home to drive to work.  As I approached the first stop sign out of the neighborhood, I got this really strong word in my Spirit.  “Wait”.  Notice I punctuated it with a . and not !.  It was not yelled at me and didn’t shake my truck.  It was a gentle “Wait”.

Let me explain.  Recently the Lord blessed me with a new job.  It is a really over the top job and something I have waited all my life for.  My place of work is quite a drive from home.  Simone and I decided to put our house on the market, for a couple of reasons… One being closer to our Dallas family and the other to be closer to work.

So with all that is going on in life, I get Wait.  Not “I am with you”, not “if you go left or right I will bless you”, not “I am with you always”, not a “will not a good Father give his children good things”, I got “Wait”. That’s all.  The Bible uses the word wait about 106 times.  Here are some of those:

Lamentations 3:25 says, ” The Lord is good to those who wait for Him.  To the person who seeks Him.”  Psalm 37:7 says, “Rest in the Lord and wait ‘patiently for Him…”  Micah 7:7 says, “But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord;  I will wait for the God of my salvation.  My God will hear me.”  Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those that wait on the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, the will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”

Psalm 27: 13-14/Isaiah 64:4/Psalm 25:24-25/Psalm 130:5/Pslam 33:20/Psalm 31:24/Psalm 62:5-6/Psalm 37:34/Isaiah 30:18/Habakkuk 2:3

Get the point?  If you hear it, do it.  Two things…We took the house off the market and I’m still waiting.

Posted in Biblical Lessons

For years now I have been dealing with my diagnosis of having Bipolar Disorder.  When I was first diagnosed in 2012 I thought I was the only one in the world dealing with this.  Initially it would remain hidden away from the word.  I was very angry.  Angry with past counselors who never recommended a doctor and angry with God for making me this way.  The anger towards God has long subsided since I realized (Psalm 139:13-16), he knew me before he formed me.  The lonely part subsided when I realized there are 7 million people in the US alone that have the same.

Many times I have thought about throwing in the towel and giving up.  Maybe many of you have had the same thoughts.  But Don’t Jump…Hear me out.   God in his infinite wisdom and love for us has a rescue plan.  That plan comes in many forms.  It can come in the form of a friend, in the form of a neighbor, in the form of a stranger, or in the form of giving you a new life after you jacked up the one you had.

I want to encourage someone out there not to jump off the edge of life.  You are valuable, you are not alone and you are loved.  Instead of asking yourself why, ask what can you do for someone else.  Ask how you can be a voice for the silent.  Ask how you can be authentic and not fear how people will view you.  Ask, and you shall receive.

Posted in Biblical Lessons

Anyone who knows me, knows I am a car guy.  I, sometimes to the demise of my finances, have owned a lot of vehicles. It’s like I always find something else I want.  Partially from discontentment, or sometimes I settle for something instead of what I really want. Some have been two-wheel drive (2wd) and some have been four-wheel drive (4wd).   That all ended December 2019, by the grace of God, I traded up and finally got something with all the things I have always wanted.

My new truck has several features that speak to me about how God has designed and equipped some of us.  I’m not saying God designed us like a truck, I just learn from analogies so stick with me.

The truck is 4wd.  That means it has the ability to send power to all 4 wheels.  Not only is it 4wd it has other features that make it more capable when needed to get through a rough trail.  It has high ground clearance which allows it to climb over things without hitting critical components.  It comes equipped with a rear locker.  What a locker does is lock the rear axle to make both rear tires spin at the same speed.  That means if one is slipping or not touching the ground the other is gripping and makes it climb out of the mess. Another feature is downhill descent control.  This allows the truck to maintain a certain speed going downhill without input from the driver.  It also has a high towing capacity which allows it to tow more than most vehicles.

A lot of people are called to greater things but they take their vehicles into territory in which the vehicle was never designed to go.  Let me explain.  Some of us have a two wheel drive faith.  That means you only have power going to 2 wheels, the other two are just along for the ride. Some of us don’t have the ground clearance to climb over certain obstacles. Some of us don’t have high ground clearance, rear lockers, downhill descent control and high towing capacity.  Nothing wrong with 2wd, it just means you can’t go some places that 4wd can go.

I would suggest that you stay off certain trails in life.  God gives us different gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4).  Many times we take our 2wd faith into 4wd territory and get stuck.    So if you get somewhere you are stuck and lack wisdom to get out, you have a couple of choices.  You can call someone with more equipment or you can remain stuck. Don’t let pride or shame speak and tell you not to call for help.  James 1:5 says “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him”.  But if you do venture out with your 2wd faith, have the humility to call someone with 4wd.

If you have 4wd faith, high ground clearance, a rear locker, downhill descent control and a high towing capacity, be willing to go out and rescue someone with 2wd.  Don’t shame them or make them feel guilty.  Remember there was a time that you were stuck and God sent someone, in the form of His Son, Jesus, for you.  If you are 2wd and needing to get into 4wd territory, ask for more faith.  Trade up so to speak.  By the grace of God, you can get what you want.

Posted in Biblical Lessons