Our God is a Matthew 6 God - Part 3

My stomach growls as I go on hour three. "God, please be with me in this fast. Show me what you have for me and what direction I must take." I grab my water bottle in hopes that its contents will quench my thirst and quiet my protesting stomach.

And, I'm only on hour three.

Fasting is not my favorite thing to do. I think I worry about it too much. I worry my blood sugar will drop, and I'll get dizzy. I worry that I'll be nauseous and miserable. I worry that my stomach will growl so loudly that God and everyone will hear.

Why do I bother to worry? Who knows. It's what I do.

For some reason, I feel that God didn't intend for it to be this way. Why are we predisposed to worry? To worry about everything. From what we are going to wear tomorrow to how the bills are going to be paid, no matter how big or how small, we worry. But, in Matthew 6, God so loved us that he laid it all out. An outline of how to be, of how to pray, of how to give all of cares and worries to our loving Father. He truly loves us. Oh, how He loves us!

This week, let's focus some more on fasting, and how God intended it to be.

Matthew 6: 16-18 says...

¹⁶"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.


From my study of Matthew 6, I've learned one thing about God. He created us to worship Him and truly wants it all about Him. His glory. His kingdom. He created us to worship Him and proclaim His glory to the nations. He did not put us here to crave approval from our friends or co-workers. He put us here for His glory -- that is where the reward is. He repeatedly says throughout Matthew 6 that our reward is in heaven, not on earth. He reveals to us through this chapter how to act, what to do, and what our reward will be for obedience to Him. God made it so easy. Drink in His words this week. Drink them in and invest in your future in the Kingdom of Heaven.

To be used by Him,

DMM

Our God is a Matthew 6 God - Part 2

Prayer. For some of us, it flows off the tongue shaking the foundations of heaven. But for others, we get stuck, or maybe even think too much about it. In this week's scripture, Jesus tells us exactly how to do it. How easy is that? My comments are in blue.

Let's break it down:

Matthew 6:5-15

5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

~Once again, Jesus addresses the "heart issue" behind our actions that we spoke about last week. Are you praying to touch the heart of God, or are you praying to be heard, to feel important, or to show others how smart you are?

6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

~Matthew 6:8 is one of my favorite verses. He knows my needs even before I know them. And, I need a lot. LOL Or at least I think I do. He knows my every need. He knows I need food. He knows I need shelter, and he knows what clothes I like to where. Dad is so good! And, he always knows what's in style.

The next section is the best part! It's all about prayer and Jesus lays it all out. No parables. No tests. Jesus even says "this is how you do it"! How easy is that!

9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
God is GREAT! Always praise Him first regardless of the situation.


10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
God may your will be done on earth in my life just as your will is always done in heaven.

11Give us this day our daily bread.
God, you know what I need even before I need it. Please provide for me what you feel I need.

12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Lord, please forgive me of my sins. I'm sorry. I will forgive others as you have forgiven me.

13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Lord, please keep me safe today as I resist the temptations of the enemy. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer. This is the first thing I ever memorized because it was so very important for my mom that I know it. I was three years old.

Now, let's look at the final two verses in this section:

14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Forgiveness: It's more than sayin' sorry. (Sorry, I had to throw in a movie line. :oP) I've noticed something recently about Jesus: When it's important, He repeats it.

In fact, forgiveness is so important, that it will be the subject of a future blog.

I hope Part 2 is beneficial in your faith walk. Please post any questions or observations below, especially if you are feeling the Holy Spirits leading.

To be used by Him,

DMM

Our God is a Matthew 6 God - Part 1

As some of you know, I founded a single-parent ministry called Be a Barnabas. I wrote this teaching last May for the site. I wanted to share it here with you today.

Today is the first day of a new series here at Be a Barnabas. God placed on my heart several months ago the scriptures and lessons found in Matthew 6. To me, this chapter is the foundation of our faith. In Jesus' own words I learned to be humble, how to pray and why I should give all of my worries to God.

Over the next few weeks, we will break down this chapter. Please share your thoughts and the lessons you learned by posting a comment below. I pray this time is an inspiration to you as we renew our faith in Christ Jesus. I also encourage you to read these words for yourself in your own Bible. To me, it is so much more powerful to hold God's Word in my hands. It gives it new life as I read and flip through the pages. I've provided the scriptures to our first lesson below for you as well, and I pray that God blesses you richly as you draw closer to Him and His Word.

Matthew 6:1-4

Giving to the needy.

1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

When I first read this, I was puzzled. What about those faith-based organizations that continually solicit funds, have commercials everywhere and "announce with trumpets" the good things that they are doing for the poor and needy of the world?

Is this all wrong?

It depends. God has used these people. God is using these people. But, one question stands out to me as I reflect on Matthew 6:1-4:

What is my focus?

That is what Jesus is telling us here. He is not telling us not to put the word out. He is not telling us not to show others what the needs are in our community. He is not telling us to serve the needy and keep their needs quiet.

But, He is telling us not to be boastful, not to be prideful, and to love and serve with humility. He is telling us to keep our hearts in the right place. To love and serve His children for His glory, not our own.

Proverbs 11:2 (NIV) states: When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.

Pride is an ugly thing, and it is so easy to slip into it that often we don't realize we are in it until we are steeped in a sticky mess. Where do you seek your reward? From above? Or, from man?

I pray I always seek my reward from the Father. I pray that it doesn't matter to me who sees me work, worship or my good deeds. I pray that my heart and focus are set above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:3).

If you find yourself suffering from pride today, it's okay. Just ask God for forgiveness and step forward in a new day of service. We all fall short. I've experienced pride, but the key is to know it, and to ask for forgiveness and get back in step with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus is so good and forgiving. I am nothing without Him (John 15:5). No matter how far you've stepped out of line, God is there waiting with the road map and the neon signs to get you back on track.

I pray God's blessings over you and your family this week. May He prosper you in all things for His service.

To be used by Him,
DMM

Free Geneva Bible Download - Romans

Hello, Simple Livers!

I want to share with you a Bible translation that I have only heard about. It is being re-released, and Reformation Bookstore is offering a free download of the 1599 Geneva Bible's Book of Romans. Just click here to order and download the pdf. The Geneva Bible pre-dates the King James Version and, according to the site, was the first Bible in America.

Enjoy!

DMM

It's been a long time

and, God is still good! It's a time of increase, not decrease. Of God's glory to SHINE in your life. He is good! Bless His holy name!

Simple Worship - "Draw Me Lord"

I am a worshipper. God created me in His image to love and worship Him completely. Let's worship together with one of my favorite songs by Selah.

Simply Christian Movie Making

I received an e-mail update today from The Way of the Master that I wanted to share with you.


From the e-mail:

We want to get behind a movie we previewed. It is called "The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry" and is produced by our friend Rich Christiano. It is cleverly crafted to slowly draw you in. Suddenly, what seemed ordinary becomes extraordinary, and very powerful. If you care about the lost, you will love this movie. Kirk Cameron said:

"'The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry' moved me with its message of the weight of eternity and the difference one faithful man can make in the lives of many. I recommend this inspiring movie for any family to watch together."

Please consider doing everything you can to get this into movie theaters. Go to www.SperryMovie.com and click on "Theaters" to see how you can become involved.

Simply Making a Difference

This week, I went to a place I never knew about, and it's only 10 minutes up the road.

My friend Fernando invited me to lunch at the World Hunger Farm, or "The Farm" as the locals call it. This 40-acre farm promotes sustainable living along with missions and outreach with a philosophy "to live simply, helping those who struggle to meet their basic needs by sharing and investing in others what God has given to us."

With Jesus' teachings as their guide, The Farm trains individuals in holistic ministry that equips them to work with communities in developing sustainable farming techniques. Volunteers and Interns work to educate those with an economic abundance on methods of conserving and sharing resources. And, they also participate in local and international sustainable development programs including urban farming techniques.

With live-in volunteers and interns, The Farm thrives 365 days a year providing fresh, seasonal produce, free-range eggs, a certified Grade-A Raw Goat Dairy, and pasture-raised beef, goat and chicken meat for purchase. (I didn't want to know anything about this part, so you carnivores are on your own. LOL)

With Fernando, Allan and Neal (a current intern) as my guides, I met the sweetest herd of baby goats at feeding time, which was "udder" chaos. (Ha! Ha!) They were so excited, and I had the chance to love and pray for them just in case they ended up as sausage later. :oP

I may not be a meat eater, and I definitely don't like the slaughter of animals, but I will say this: EVERYTHING serves a purpose at the World Hunger Farm. EVERYTHING. The animals are raised with love and respect and provide milk, fertilizer and meat to sustain those who work there and those needing food in the community. If you are going to raise animals for meat, please do it biblically and with purpose. Jesus did not and would not allow anything to suffer.

From composting toilets to rain water collection, I am in love with sustainable living. In fact, the main education building was built entirely using a straw and mud technique that I want to use when we build our home. If you have suggestions or Web sites for me to check out, please post a comment below.

Live simply. Live well.

DMM :o)

If you enjoyed this article, please pass it on to a friend, and sign up for alerts on the right of the screen. I try to blog once a week, so I won't bombard your inbox. :o)

***Photo from World Hunger Relief, Inc. Web site.

Simply Recycling

I found the neatest thing today in my inbox! It was a link to Treehugger showing me how to build a recycled bottle greenhouse!

Here is the link to the article:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/04/recycled-bottle-greenhouse.php

And,here is the link to the great site from a group in Scotland to show you just how to do it:

http://www.reapscotland.org.uk/reports/greenhouse%20v1.pdf

This would be a great recycling initiative for youth at a church -- we all know how many two-liters they can go through! And, with supervision, they could even build a greenhouse for their church or school and learn sustainable living, which in my opinion, is a valuable life skill!

I don't normally drink anything but water, so I'm off to find two-liter bottles! According to the REAP site, I only need 1,500! That should be easy...really.

Take care and God bless!

DMM :o)

Simple Prayer - National Day of Prayer is Tomorrow

On May 7th, our nation will come together in prayer. That is MY prayer anyway. Please spread the word to pray for our families, our president, our leaders, and our nation. And, please pray for all those serving for our country both here and abroad. May God bless them richly for the freedoms they fight for.

In prayer,

DMM

Simple Truths from Amena Brown

Simple Knowledge - The Swine Flu/H1N1

Good afternoon, Simple Livers!

With all the info and speculation about the Swine Flu going around, I wanted to post the facts about the illness.

First:

Eating bacon will not give you the swine flu/H1N1. Please, if you eat meat, support our farmers and keep on carnivoring. (I made that word up :oP)

For the most up-to-date coverage, click on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources Web site at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/swineflu/default.shtm

And, do not panic and go to the doctor if you have the sniffles. But DO go if you have a fever over 100.2, body aches and suspect that you might be infected. Please know that medications are treating H1N1 effectively. PRAISE GOD!


May God keep us all in good health and may He heal those suffering right now.

In Jesus name, Amen.

DMM

Good Friday?

I recently spoke to a five-year-old boy about Easter. What it is. What it's all about.

He told me it was when the Easter Bunny comes and we go Easter egg hunting.

This was in a church class.

He had no idea that Easter had anything to do with Jesus.

My heart melted. I realized this little boy -- who Jesus cherishes so much -- had no idea what his Savior gave up for him on the first Good Friday. The thing that made this Friday truly Good. When God gave His only Son that we -- sinful, prideful, arrogant, and undeserving -- may have everlasting life.

Without Jesus' blood shed for our sins, we would not have Christianity and we would not have a new life in Christ.

Many "gods" have been born. They've supposedly walked on the earth. They all died. But only one came back to life. Jesus Christ. Who came back and revealed himself to not only his disciples and close friends, but to more than 500 people. Wow. To be there on that day when this man, beaten, bruised and hung on a cross, who I'd seen wrapped in funeral cloths and placed in a tomb, walked among us. Spoke to us and even let me put my doubting fingers in his wounds.

That He gave His life for me.

That is what Easter, and Christianity, is all about.

Happy Easter, everyone.

DMM

The Times They are a Changin'

Over the last week, I've had a heavy burden on my heart. It took me a while to figure it out--or maybe it took a few days for me to go straight to the source and ask my Heavenly Father what the heck is going on--but I now realize where my anxiety is coming from.

I'm concerned about our nation. Not the sagging economy. I'm concerned about our well being and our salvation. In a time where hedonism seems praised, compassion is replaced with selfishness, and premarital sex is exploited (especially among teens), where do we as Christians turn?

More importantly, where do we turn when our churches meet the same criteria as society?

Ephesians 6:24 says:

Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. (My emphasis added)

In sincerity. I've noticed people talking about God. I see people going to church on Sunday. But, I've also noticed these same people ignoring the hungry, visiting bars, treating their spouses with disrespect and ignoring God's commandment of "loving your neighbor as yourself."

But you know what...

It is not too late. It is not too late to love our Father with sincerity. It is not too late to repent for all the nasty things you've done that make you feel separated from God. They are just "things." Our Father will forgive and forget them ALL. Because he loves you with sincerity.

Jesus said in Matthew 4:17:

"...Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

The time has come for us all to decide and take a stand. Are you with Him? Or, not? It is so easy and good to be with Him. Simple. Just the way I like it.:o)

To be used by Him,

DMM :o)

Today Show Promotes Green Cleaning

This morning on TODAY, Anne Curry addressed the potential of harmful chemicals in our everyday cleaning products. To read all about it, click here.

Through the article, I found GreenerChoices.org. WOW!!! What a blessing! Click here to go straight to their recipe page, and learn how to make your own "simple living" tub and tile cleaner, and a safer-alternative, all-purpose sanitizer that I just so happen to need today!

God is so good! He provides everything we need exactly when we need it! (Matthew 6:8)

So Much to Do and So Much Simple Life to Live

Welcome to 2009, everybody! And, if you're like me, you are shocked that it is already the middle of February!

So far, I've downsized yet still have more downsizing to do as I sit here at my computer mesmerized by the piles of papers, photos and memories that flood my desk. Will the piles every end? I don't know if it is even in my nature not to stack. LOL I think I totally missed the "filing" gene in my genetic makeup. I'm a stacker through and through. And, I'm proud of it.

But being a stacker makes it difficult to eliminate clutter and simplify. My new thing to work on is my overabundant love of stacking and keeping papers that serve absolutely no purpose in my life whatsoever (even if I really believe they do).

Please pray. LOL

Also, I am so excited to announce that I started my garden! It is my first attempt, and I am so excited about the possibilities. I built the framework last year and am now starting the seeds and getting everything ready. I am patiently waiting (no, not really) for the last frost to pass us by so I can finally plant my little babies in the earth.

However, I live in Texas. Need I say more? Let's just say that today's high was 80 degrees (no joke) and tonight's low is 38. All the more reason to keep my little seedlings safe and warm inside.

A friend of mine gave me the book Square Foot Gardening and it has been a lifesaver! I plan on perusing it tomorrow for tasty tidbits and insights on this new world of gardening I'm uncovering.

Plus, being a Simple Liver, I want to be simple, organic and pure in my approach. If you have any suggestions or hints to share, I would love to see them! Please comment below. Believe me. I need all the help I can get. :o)

I've learned a few techniques that I'll be sharing over the next few days, so stayed tuned for updates and photos!

I am so excited about what God is doing. He is so good. I am nothing without Him. Wow. He amazes me.

May your 2009 be as amazing as our Father is, and may He bless you through and through!

To be used by Him,

DMM :o)

A New Year a Simple You

Hello!

Wow, January 13th already. I just read through what I blogged about on December 30th, and I am pleased to announced that I have actually been doing that much-needed downsizing! I've gone through some drawers, organized all my books and have been to Goodwill three times! I even have a new load that I want to take tomorrow. God is good, and I'm being obedient!

I've also started a new thing for '09. I will read one fiction book a month this year. I love to read, but when I thought about how many books I actually read in a year, it really wasn't that many. And, when I think about reading only 12 books, that really doesn't seem like all that much. I wish I read faster and more often, but I am in Bible college and have to study, too. So, I am devoted to one book a month.

What have you planned for 2009? Goals? Dreams? Lack there of? LOL

Maybe reading one book a month is a great place to start. Good for the body, mind and spirit. My book for January is Ted Dekker's Chosen. If you've read his Lost series, let me know what you think.

May God bless you richly in 2009. I'll have more simple living info, tidbits and hints to come. I've been praying about my garden so I will be blogging about that this year as well. So much to do! And, God's in charge of it all!

Be blessed. Live Simple.

DMM :o)

Happy New Year, Simple Livers!

Well, it's almost here. I can't believe it is December 30th already. God has blessed me graciously this year in so many areas. He is so good to me. I am humbled and awe struck. Thanks, Dad.

For this new year, God has placed on my heart to downsize. So, starting on January 1, 2009, I am going through every box, every closet and every dusty hidden shelf to go full throttle "out with the old, in with the new." I need to clear the air and by getting rid of some clutter, I feel I am on my way to truly a simple life. I can't breathe in all this mess, and if I can't breathe, I can't think and I can't be all that God has for me to be. So, here I am Lord. Use me.

And, as a good steward of God's stuff, I am donating everything to charities that is still worth using. All the clothes I wish I still fit into. All the novels I've been planning to read since 1989. All of it is going to where God tells me to send it so someone else may be blessed by all that God has given to me.

Now, with more space, Dad can give me more stuff. LOL Okay, maybe that is not quite what He had in mind, but I'm am still human after all. :o)

May God bless you richly in 2009. May His desires be your desires, and may all your wildest God dreams come true and may He receive all the glory.

To be used by Him in 2009 and always,

DMM :o)

Jesus' Simple Love

Hello, Simple Livers!

A good friend of mine sent this to me today. She felt as a fellow writer, I needed a dose of encouragement. Who doesn't, right? The words are so simple, just as God's love is for us. We make it so complicated, yet He offers us peace, love and the desires of our hearts if we put our lives in His capable hands.

The passage is from the book Jesus Calling, written as though Jesus us speaking to you.

I am working on your behalf. Bring Me all your concerns, including your dreams. Talk with Me about everything, letting the Light of My Presence shine on your hopes and plans. Spend time allowing My Light to infuse your dreams with life, gradually transforming them into reality. This is a very practical way of collaborating with Me. I, the Creator of the universe, have deigned to co-create with you. Do not try to hurry this process. If you want to work with me, you have to accept My time frame. Hurry is not in My nature. Abraham and Sarah had to wait many years for the fulfillment of My promise, a son. How their long wait intensified their enjoyment of this child! Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.

I know I need a reminder that Jesus is my bestest friend, so I wanted to share this reminder with all of you. Enjoy. :o)

To be used by Him,

DMM :o)

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr, Simply Spewing

I seem to be a spewer. When I get mad or frustrated, I come unleashed. I yell, vent, and say some ugly things. And, if I don't say them, I'm most likely thinking them.

Anger is a nasty, nasty thing.

In November, our pastor spoke on the Seven Deadly Sins. And, yet again my eyes were opened to just how human and unworthy I am. I'm not writing today to get us all depressed about how grumpy we can be at times. I am writing to help us all with some little frustrations that make us less of the Simple Living Christian we try our best to be.

The Bible does not speak too highly of anger (major understatement). Ecclesiastes 7:9 states, "Don't let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools." I definitely don't want to be considered a fool. Do you?

Proverbs 14:17 explains that "Fools have quick tempers, and no one likes you if you can't be trusted." And the kicker for me:

Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish. ~ Proverbs 18:13

This one was a double-whammy Ouch! for me.

So, today we will look at some simple ways to curb our anger.

First, let's look at the frustrator. (That would make us the frustratee) :o)

For me, it's my little white puffball. Do not let his sweet little picture fool you. I tell him often, "Thank God you're cute!" He has a way of getting on my very last nerve. I've been told by numerous people throughout my life that I must have the patience of Job. But, for some reason with my sweet little doggie, I can't seem to control my temper at time. Let's just say he has a few psychological doggy issues such as barking incessantly to get my attention and flat out throwing a temper tantrum when he doesn't get a carrot fast enough. The Dog Whisperer would be utterly ashamed at how well-trained my dog has me. Sorry, Cesar. ;o)

Anyway, he gets me boiling sometimes. So, these are my new steps to turn my anger into dancing and turn my weeping into joy.

1. Pray. Simple right? But, in the midst of anger, this is the last thing I think of doing. From now on, I will turn to God first.
2. Breathe. I will take three deep breaths as I pray and tune out the barking.
3. Love. Remember how much I love my Little Man regardless of what he is doing right now.
4. Have carrots ready. LOL

At times I feel this is a dress rehearsal for when I have children. Lord, help me. LOL

So, I pray God's peace flows over all of you. That your anger is extinguished, and that God's glory can and will be seen in every situation. Even with an OCD dog, crazy drivers, or teenagers. :oP

As James puts it, "My dearly beloved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man's anger does not accomplish God's righteousness." (Chapter 1, vs. 19-20)

To be used by Him,

DMM :O)