We have been on this series for several weeks...

 ... and today we continue, “Give Us This Day”. Matthew 6:11 (NKJV) “Give us this day our daily bread.” Luke 14:16-23 (NKJV) “Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” It has been on my heart for years for Life Church to grow to one thousand plus and I still do. Sometimes dreams or visions come quickly and sometime you have to wait. But when the time is right: Habakkuk 2:3 (NKJV) ^“For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.” The vision, if it is God’s vision, will show up at the appointed time and it will be fulfilled. Though it takes some time, keep waiting for it because it will surely come. A thankful heart will trust the One Who said He would build His church.

1. To see Life Church, the Village Campus, and La Vida Church grow of Life Church grow, we must go. We must be convinced that there is an invitation from the Master, from Jesus, that is worthy enough for us to go into the highways and hedges. Plenty of streets and hedges to go into. No where do I get the idea from Jesus that His word to “Go!” is optional or just a pretty good suggestion. Mark 16:14-20 (NKJV) “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” Because we call Jesus Lord, because He has the authority in heaven and on earth, we are commanded to go. We see they obeyed…they went out and preached everywhere. Lord, help us do the same.

2. To see Life Church, the Village Campus of La Vida Church grow, we must find Jesus worthy. I don’t know about you, but I believe Jesus is worthy of us being obedient to go into our Jerusalem seeking and wanting to see saved those who are lost. Jesus is worthy of our effort, heaven is worthy of our effort, salvation is worthy of our effort, the banquet is worthy of our effort. We must go because the banquet is ready and there is room at His table.

3. To see Life Church, the Village Campus, and La Vida Church grow, we must compel them to come in. Luke 14:23 (NKJV) “Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Compel - to force or drive, especially to a course of action: to secure or bring about by force. to force to submit; subdue. To urge toward an action. What this is saying to me is this; Jesus is not playing when He tells us to compel them to come in. The Great Commission was never intended to be the great suggestion. 

With Thanksgiving this week, I thought this article...

... would be appropriate. There are many “catch phrases” that circulate through Christendom...sometimes they have great meaning and other times not so much.  One such phrase is, “It is not about me” but reality tells us that most of what we do is about us and it is for us.  Max Lucado in his book with the same title as the phrase It Is Not About Me is attempting to help us see that whatever we do should be done for the glory of God.  Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV) “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Whatever we do we should be doing for God’s glory and because we are thankful but all too many times “me” gets in the way.

Lucado says, “Our society is not wired for this kind of thinking. It’s a “me-centric” world out there, which destroys much of what should be good. Marriages are ruined because one or both partners are focused on their own happiness. Successful men and women are ruined by their own success, believing they don’t need anyone else’s input. And for some, life’s troubles are magnified because they believe life is all about them.”  The Gospel of Jesus Christ seems to be completely backward to our self-centered lifestyle here in the United States of America. We are taught and are even conditioned to believe that we have the right or entitlement to have what we want when we want it. We simply are not thankful for what we have.

I have said for years that God is not so much interested in our happiness as He is our holiness. He wants us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, follow Him and, of course, be thankful. This seems so difficult when we are so comfortable taking care of number one. Lucado says, “Our comfort is not God’s priority. If it is, something has gone awry. If we are the marquee event, how do we explain flat-earth challenges like death, disease, slumping economies, or rumbling earthquakes? If God exists to please us, then shouldn’t we always be pleased?” The truth is that God does not exist to make a big deal out of us but we should exist to make a big deal out of Him.  It is not about you and for a certainty it is not about me, it is all about Him.  Psalm 34:3 (NKJV) “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.” Let us give thanks!

As we draw near to Thanksgiving it is easier to concentrate...

... on all the things we are thankful for. In light of this series “Give Us This Day” we see in the Lord’s prayer what prayer, worship, and thanksgiving looks like. Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV) “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” We see worship as a part of prayer…Our Father, Hallowed be Your Name. Worship is definitely one of the main ways that we are thankful for all He has done. If we are thankful for His wonderful salvation and His daily provision, it will be easy to give Him thanks on a daily basis. Before we can truly pray “Lord, Give me this day” we must understand this aspect of prayer along with thanksgiving. Matthew 8:2-3 (NKJV) ^“And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. What Jesus sees in this leper.

1. Jesus sees a man not deterred by the crowd. The multitude was all around Jesus and that can be intimidating for someone who has leprosy or any of today’s societal ills. People can be reluctant to come to Jesus or church because they fear what people will think. What we should think is thank God they are coming to Jesus. They should always be welcomed at Life Church. 

2. Jesus sees a man who is willing to worship before he is healed. Batterson – “Gratitude is thanking God after He does the miracle. Faith is thanking God before He does the miracle.” True people of worship and thanksgiving do not have to see the signs and wonders to worship. They see Jesus as the object of their worship instead of what He can do for them. They know He is their source and that there is really no other help they can run to for their answer.

3. Jesus sees a man who understands the power and the authority He has. The leper came to Jesus worshiping and saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." The leper knew what many of us have forgotten…Jesus is still the answer for today. As you pray “Give Us This Day” make sure you understand Who Jesus is and what He has the authority to do. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever!