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.

Truly WEiRD

“Truly WEiRD”
By Zach Wood
John 14:6

This passage seems a bit narrow-minded to a lost world around us.  Jesus doesn’t say He is a way, a truth and a life that could be considered living.  He is very specific and firm in making this statement.  If anyone is to follow the true path of life, they must follow Him.  No tolerance for following another religion or any other god.  He is the only way, truth and life.  Period.

If you want to live a set apart life, then we must live in a “WEiRD” way apart from the world flow.  From the book by Craig Groeschel titled “WEiRD”, he talks about being set apart and different from the world and it’s flow.  This passage explains that following Jesus is going to definitely set us apart from the pattern of this world.  Many people probably aren’t going to be receptive when we first explain to them that Jesus is the only true way in life.  That is very narrow-minded and not tolerant.

It is easy for us to follow the wide gate that leads to destruction, but harder to follow the true way of life of Jesus and enter the narrow gate, which is much less popular and the cause of much ridicule, mockery and possibly persecution.

It’s time for us to be WEiRD and show the world there is a different way to live and it’s the only true way.  He is the ONLY Way, the ONLY Truth, and the ONLY Life.  That is truly WEiRD!

Keep It Going

“Keep It Going”
By Zach Wood
Galatians 6:9-10

 

When I read this passage on my YouVersion Bible app yesterday morning, it really hit home with me.  I don’t think there is any one of us who has not been affected by what this passage talks about.  We try to be consistent in our efforts to do our best to be good and Godly servants to others.  I think most of us would nod and agree there.  However, it can become frustrating and discouraging, after a period of time, when things don’t seem to change or progress at all in our opportunities of trying to help others and do good things to improve the life around us.

 

Being consistent can be very hard, especially when you feel worn out from doing good and you don’t see any progress.  This is our human perspective and thinking.  In these times, which most of us regularly have, we must put our faith in God and leave these situations in His hands and trust that He is working, even when we cannot see.  Paul says here that at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 

 

When we feel like giving up, it’s those times that we really must put our trust and faith in God and be strengthened through Him to continue on.  Our perspective is so limited, but He sees the whole picture.  Let us not become weary in doing good.

Is He Your True Desire?

“Is He Your True Desire?”
By Zach Wood
Psalm 73:25-26

Every one of us would agree about how our desire should be for God and not for the things of this world.  However, if we honestly took a daily look at our lives from a distance, we would most likely see a difference from what we desire and how we really live. 

It is truly my desire each day to make God number one and to serve Him with all my heart in whatever the day may bring.  Even though my honest desire is to seek Him, there are many different distractions that seem to catch my attention as I go about my day.  I find it difficult to keep my attention often on growing with God.  It is easy for me to get caught up in daily preparations that I completely miss out on just stopping for a while to see something God wants me to focus on and meditate on. 

We all experience challenges all through our day.  I hope and pray that this passage will encourage you to be strong in your daily desire to seek God with all your heart.  We are bombarded with needs and demands at work, at home and other various things we are involved with.  We must remember that our number one desire, above all other things, should be to make God priority and our heart’s desire to serve.  If anything else is more important than desiring Him, then a priority check is in order.

From the time we get up in the morning to the time we lay our head on the pillow at night, Satan is working hard to pull you away from your desire and focus in serving God in any possible way he can.  He will not stop or rest in getting you to forsake that desire.  He wants to put anything possible in your way to lure you and entice you to fall from walking with God.  However, the more we desire Him and the stronger we become in our relationship with Him, the less impact Satan has on us. 

Honestly ask yourself the question again, "Is He your true desire?"