“More than a few hours”

READ: Mt 20-22

Topic: lifestyle of impact

SCRIPTURE:
Mt 21:12-16 “Jesus went straight to the Temple and threw out everyone who had set up shop, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of loan sharks and the stalls of dove merchants. He quoted this text:

My house was designated a house of prayer;
You have made it a hangout for thieves.

Now there was room for the blind and crippled to get in. They came to Jesus and he healed them. When the religious leaders saw the outrageous things he was doing, and heard all the children running and shouting through the Temple, "Hosanna to David's Son!" they were up in arms and took him to task. "Do you hear what these children are saying?" Jesus said, "Yes, I hear them. And haven't you read in God's Word, 'From the mouths of children and babies I'll furnish a place of praise'?"

Mt 22:37-40 “Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."

OBSERVATION:
Throughout Matthew 20-22 God is dealing with the hearts of people. What is my heart set on? What motivates me; drives me? What are my intentions? As a leader in the church of God, will I represent Him, truly showing the world who He is! Love and compassion! Truth and Authority! God is a god who is noble and strong; pure, honest and strong as a rock. When I make room for Him, He invites the cripple, lame and blind to come to His house to be restored.
How am I furnishing His house with my mouth? Day in and day out, on stage and off stage? Am I making room for His glory in my surrounding areas on a daily basis? My influence is far more than leading worship on stage, but it’s rather a life, 24-7! How much more impact God can have through my life if I only would surrender in deed and mouth. Jesus said to love God with all my passion, prayer and intelligence and to love others as I love myself.

APPLICATION:
Seeking Him every day to have His attitude and heart flow through me to have a greater impact for Him than just the few hours of leading worship a week.

PRAYER:
“Lord, I ask forgives for my selfish attitude. Lord, I ask forgiveness for not spending time with You. Lord I pray that You would change my perception of ‘spending time with You’. Lord I thank You for Your patients with me! I thank You that the work You’ve started in me, You’ll complete it FOR YOUR GLORY! God I want to be a light on the hill for others to know that there is hope – YOU! In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”