Led By His Word

“Led By His Word”

By Zach Wood

1 Corinthians 2:1-2

So often we get caught up in the trap of thinking we need more wisdom to share with others.  We come to feel often that we need more training to share God’s love with other people in the right ways.  Yes, we do need wisdom and education in many ways, but when we are sharing God with others through our loving and kind words, God works through that and uses us in ways we would never expect.  As long as we are keeping our passion alive in knowing God and sharing Him with others, the Holy Spirit will work through us to impact people’s lives. 

Many times, it’s not even our words that impact, as much as our actions do.  When we walk that talk, then people really see Christ through us.  Words are good, but as I’ve learned so much through ministry, it’s often the times that I’m not speaking that really shows the most love.  God wants to use us in ways that words will never satisfy.

As much appreciation that I have for my college education, I have learned so much more just by going through and experiencing life as it happens and learning as I continue to grow in walk with Christ.  That education is more than I think I would have ever learned through a textbook of any kind.  My greatest education continues and should always continue to be from reading God’s Word and following what He tells me to do.

When we are around other people, the greatest thing we can do is share God’s love with them, whether by our actions or through conversations of encouragement.    

A Love For Forever

“A Love For Forever”

By Zach Wood

Psalm 136:1

Many of you may be familiar with the song by Chris Tomlin called “Forever”.  The words talk about this psalm and how no matter what is going on in life, that God is good and is working through all things in life.  His love endures forever, no matter what situations we may find ourselves dealing with. 

I am daily reminded of God’s faithfulness and how very much He loves me.  I hope that you all as well are reminded daily of His great love.  As we come closer to Thanksgiving season, I am also reminded that I not only need to thank Him for what He has given me this time of year, but to be thankful every single day of my life. 

It brings me so much peace to know that God’s love will endure forever.  He cares about me and wants the best for my life.  When the world tosses me around and leaves me hurting, God is always there to promise His unending love.  I hope and pray that you feel the same in your relationship with Him as well.

Give thanks to Him, for He is so good.  And…His love definitely endures forever!

First And Foremost

“First And Foremost”

By Zach Wood

Psalm 63:1

For the past six weeks, we have been doing the sermon series “gods at war”, by Kyle Idleman, at our church.  It has been one of the best series I’ve ever gone through and it has been very challenging and convicting. 

Today, as we closed with the last sermon, I shared this passage as David has a psalm of prayer sharing his deepest desire to seek God first and foremost.  So, what does that look like to seek God first and foremost?  What does it require?  What changes would that mean in your life?

What we have been looking at in this series is how we need to get rid of the gods and idols that have taken over the throne of our heart and turn that back over to God Almighty to be there instead. 

To long and thirst for God means to be intentional each and every day in our journey to be a devoted servant.  It requires much effort and making a daily choice to choose to serve Him over the false gods that try to wage war in our heart. 

I am very encouraged by David’s sincere prayer of crying out to God. David wants to seek Him and he longs to thirst for Him instead of longing for and thirsting for what the world offers.  You and I would have to admit that we do really enjoy chasing after the fleshly desires of this world.  They are tempting and look wonderful many times to us. They promise fulfillment, but then only to leave us wanting more and desiring more. There’s never fulfillment from what the world offers.  Temporary fulfillment?  Yes.  Eternal fulfillment?  No. 

Just as Jesus encountered the Samaritan women at the well and offered her living water that the world could not supply, Jesus also offers us fulfillment only found in Him.  True peace, joy, and comfort found in nothing else but Him.

As David did, do you earnestly seek Him?  Does your soul thirst for Him?  Does your body long for Him?  Are you ready for true fulfillment?

If we seek Him, first and foremost, we will then find true fulfillment.

A Different "Want" List

“A Different ‘Want’ List”
By Zach Wood
Philippians 4:11-13

 

Like any human being in this world, I have things that I want. It’s been hard through the years to determine sometimes what should be a want and what should be considered a true need.

I’d like to share with you a different type of “want” list.  These are true desires from my heart and I would like to show the list to you.

 

I want…to be a better servant devoted to God.

I want…to be a better, devoted husband to my wife.

I want…to be a better, Godly father to my kids.

I want…to be more devoted to reading God’s Word.

I want…to be more disciplined in my prayer life.

I want...to be a better leader everyday in my ministry.

 

I share this with you to say that it’s good when we focus on wanting to be better about things in our relationships with other people and our ultimate relationship with Jesus Christ.  We want so many things in life and when we talk about “wants” it’s usually in the negative sense as in wanting earthly things.

The Apostle Paul was a human being, just like we are.  He had to learn to be content and see what needs he truly had from his wants.  He did truly become a man who desired and “wanted” to be, more than anything else, a man dedicated to the work of God’s Kingdom. 

I encourage you to create your own “want” list and ask God to help you to grow in those areas in which you “want” to be a better servant.  Our ultimate desire should always be to further God’s Kingdom and not our own.

How can we “want” Godly traits more than anything?  When we allow Him to work in us and through us to truly meet our needs and when our desires line up in serving Him.

What are you going to put on your “want” list?

Learning to Be Content

“Learning To Be Content”

By Zach Wood

Philippians 4:11-12

 

I really appreciate what the Apostle Paul shares here from his heart.  The key word here is “learned”.  It’s obvious that being content is not something natural for us.  We have to indeed learn to be content.  We all deal with many situations in which we must choose to be content or to be in want.  Now, wanting things is not necessarily wrong, but when we become so focused on the wants, it’s quite easy to forget and neglect the needs that God has given to us and has blessed us with. 

 

Every time I come across this passage, it reminds me how I need to be thankful and appreciative for all that God has given to me.  Many times I try to make my wants become needs.  I’m sure many of you probably have struggled with that in your life as well.

 

The Apostle Paul really did learn what it means to be content.  He went through a lot of struggles and hardships.  He went through more than most of us would probably ever endure.  I’m always amazed to read his life experiences and about how he learned to be strong in the Lord and become content with what God gave him.  It’s truly a lesson for all of us to learn and to keep learning each day of our lives.  Let us never stop learning and strive to be content with what we have.

 

Only His Way

“Only His Way”
By Zach Wood
Proverbs 16:25

 

As I’ve studied some of the Proverbs for my sermons and also for personal devotional times, this passage has always stuck out to me.  Why?  Because I see myself practicing this problem daily.  It’s not that I intentionally try to go my own way.  I don’t start my prayer time with God each day and say, “Okay Lord, I’m gonna do my own thing, so step out of the way, please!” 

 

We would probably think that ridiculous to pray like that and tell God we’re gonna live life the way we want to.  I think we would all truly desire to live the way God wants us to live.  However, we are human flesh and we fall to temptations every single day.  I know my day is full of temptations.  I have temptations to divert my attention away from work that needs to be done each day. I have temptations to focus my attention on things other than family when they need me.

 

There’s not one of us who doesn’t struggle each day with being distracted.  If we didn’t deal with distractions and temptations, we wouldn’t be human. 

 

I think my problem is that I have ideas and ways that I think will go well and, many times, I don’t ask God for His direction and I just go about my merry little way.  I look at something or a situation and ideas start running through my mind.  Sometimes, I don’t see things in a clear way and I just think I do.  I want to do my own thing and go my own way as I see fit.  In a way, I’m telling God, “Alright, Lord, I got this one!  I’ll consult You on the next round!” 

 

We would be very wise to heed God’s direction in everything we do. This proverb is important for us to take notice of.  There is a way that seems right to us, but we must be wise and go to God and allow Him to lead our way, even if our way seems right.  We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  We desperately need His way to be shown to us, not our own way. 

 

Only through His way will we really succeed.  Through our own ways and understanding, we could very well eventually be led to our own death.  We would be wise to heed His direction.  A lot of ways “seem” right to us, but God sees the bigger picture.     

No Degree Required

“No Degree Required”
By Zach Wood
Acts 4:13

So often, we are told we need certain certifications in order to do a job.  Granted, you do need this and would be a great idea to have the proper certifications in order to do certain jobs that you apply for.  You definitely wouldn’t want me working on an aircraft because I don’t have that training.  And, you wouldn’t want me working underneath your car because I don’t have ASE certification either. 

It makes sense that in order to do certain jobs that we could apply for, we would need the proper schooling, education and training.  It just makes sense in order to do the job right.  Sometimes, this happens in our thought process when we are sharing the love of Christ and the Gospel to others.  We think we just need more education, more training and more preparation before we can really share His Word with others. 

This is not to say that bible college and seminary education is wrong by any means, but sometimes we rely way too much on book knowledge and don’t just ask God to give us the words and direction we need when sharing with others.  If we have Christ in our lives, we have the Holy Spirit and He will guide us and lead us in the way we need to go.  I really like here how Peter and John were both unschooled and very ordinary men who were on fire and passionate about spreading the Good News.  They didn’t have a college or seminary degree, they just had a love and passion for Jesus Christ.  Wow, how simplified that is!

Be assured that if you love Jesus Christ and are passionate about telling others about Him, the Holy Spirit will guide and lead you.  Rely always on His guidance, realizing that we not always need the proper training as we would in a normal job setting.  Let God use you and the Holy Spirit move through you.

To serve God and share the Gospel, there is no degree required, just a willingness to be used by Him.