The FEC Daily

Matt 7:13-14 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

This is a straight and clear word the Lord gives us today. It requires a little longer post than I normally make. Christ’s words are summed up in four thoughts as follows.

Jesus tells us there are two gates…one narrow and one wide. Don’t just admire and ponder the gate. Enter the gate. Many people respect and compliment Jesus but never receive Him as Lord and Savior. Because they never receive Jesus and enter the gate of His kingdom they will be as separated from Him one day as any atheist or wicked living person.

Jesus tells us there are two ways…one narrow and one broad. Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through me.” We don’t preach and share this because it suits our background and tradition. We share this narrow gospel because it is the revelation of God. Acts 4:12 declares “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Jesus tells us something else here we do not focus on much. He says the narrow way is difficult. It is the way of self-denial and the cross. The person who says yes to Christ must say no to the things of the world. Christ knows in contrast the broad way is easy, attractive, inclusive, permissive and focuses on pleasing self. Sin is tolerated and truth is moderated. It is the way of going downstream in this world with little opposition. It is the “way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Prov 14:12).

Jesus tells us there are two destinations…one to life and one to destruction. Christ reminds us that following Him leads to life. Abundant life here and now and eternal life forever. Praise the Lord! It does not get any better than this. The broad way leads to destruction. Not annihilation, but, to hell and everlasting torment.

Jesus tells us there are two groups…the few and the many. It is sobering to be reminded that those who go through the wide gate and travel the broad way to hell are many. They are from every people group and corner of this world. Beware of following the crowd. Jesus tells us in this passage that many are on the road to hell and you do not want to follow them there. Believers are not few in number because the gate is too narrow or too small to accommodate more. There is no limit to the number that can be saved. God’s grace is boundless and heaven’s dwellings are limitless. God earnestly desires “for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

The way is narrow, but, thank God He made a way! That way is through Jesus Christ and you are blessed if you have found it and are walking in it. If you are not sure about your salvation, I encourage you to reach out to me, Taylor, Tyler, the pastoral staff at your church or someone you know who walks with the Lord.

Tim

Matthew 7:7-11- “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Good morning!
The more important the person, the odds of being able to communicate with them drastically decreases. I’m willing to go out on a limb and assume none of you have a direct line to the President. If we were to call today and ask the President for a simple request, it’s just not happening… I think it’s fair to say that it would be difficult to do the same with other high-ranking officials… Vice President, Speaker of the House, Governor, and etc. If you make a call, well…. you’re just not getting through to them. (Though I have seen where Macon’s Mayor does interact with the public regularly on Facebook…. Thanks, Lester!)

Here Jesus tells His followers that we have access to the most powerful being in all the universe. The Alpha and the Omega… The Great I am…. wants us to experience His goodness through prayer. I would even suggest that the use of “ask,” “seek,” and “knock” is more of a command than just a desire. The truth that we are allowed to approach the Almighty in prayer should bring humility, gratitude and encouragement to our souls!

This passage is indeed an encouragement, but if I’m completely honest, it can be a bit perplexing as well… I’m sure you’re like me and have asked God for something in prayer and did not receive what you asked. Maybe this passage has been a struggle for you… Maybe you’ve questioned whether this is a promise we can trust and lean into…I believe the answer to our confusion lies in verses 9-11 which points to the goodness of our Father in heaven!
My children have a way of always asking for something… and I have to say, I love being able to give them things when I can, especially the gifts that are good! However, sometimes they do ask for things that are not best for them, in which case, I tell them no. There’s no way I would hand over a “serpent” when they ask for a “fish” or a “stone” when they ask for “bread.” And here’s the reality- I don’t always know what is best! But… Our Father in heaven does!

Here is what Jesus is teaching us: you have a Father in heaven who always knows what is best for you! So, when you ask of Him, you can be confident that He stands ready to give everything that is good for you, everything that is best for you. When I ask for fish, He doesn’t give a serpent. Because of this, I can trust His goodness, even when He doesn’t respond in the way I would hope to my prayers.

Here’s my encouragement as we begin our week together- let’s be fervent in our asking, seeking and our pleading before God…… Let’s approach God with confidence and faith that He hears us and that He will respond to our prayers. But let’s also believe that His response is driven by His wisdom more than our desires and believe that however He responds, He will respond in the overflow of a good Father who loves His children.

-Taylor

Matthew 7:1-5- “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Good morning! The passage we’re studying today discusses our concern for others, and Jesus challenges us to examine our hearts to ensure we are in the right place to do so!

As should any Christian, I have a deep concern for people who do not know Jesus. I can imagine everyone reading this has someone in their life who needs to get things in the right place with the Lord. How we share the gospel and point others toward Christ is vital, and it should be done in love, not in judgmental finger-pointing.

I recently had to attend an event where some people around me needed the light of Jesus in their lives. Of course, I was known as a pastor and the guy who always talks about Jesus. Rather than taking the opportunity to point out sins, I did my best to walk in a manner that did not judge but showed love, praying that God would use me to draw others to his truth.
If the body of Christ as a whole implemented this passage, churches would have fewer empty seats during service. This is because, oftentimes, we want to judge and point out what others have going on in their lives in a subconscious attempt to make ourselves feel better about what we have going on in our struggles in this life. However, when people are faced with “holier than thou” Christians who are quick to point a finger and judge someone, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of the accuser and a hurtful wound that would not draw anyone closer to God but push them away. This judgmental behavior not only fails to bring others closer to God but also creates a barrier between them and the church. We must remember that we are not called to judge and point fingers at others in an attempt to guide them; rather, we are called to direct others toward Jesus in a manner of Love just as Jesus would do.

Sometimes, you are the only bible anyone will ever read; exhibit love when you get the chance, not judgment.

• Tyler

Matt 6:31-34 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Good morning!

This is the fourth blog passage in a row where Jesus challenged those listening and us today to not worry. God knows our hearts can get anxious and He truly wants us to trust Him to meet every need we have.

The Greek word for worry, Merimnao, stems from the verb, Merizo, which means divide and Nous which translates as mind. This gives us a great picture of what worrying does. Worry divides the mind. Splitting thoughts between today and tomorrow. Today stands no chance against worry. Fretting over tomorrow’s problems today siphons strength you and I need for whatever the current day holds

Corrie Ten Boom said “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.” A number of years ago one of our sweet senior ladies who had a banking background shared this thought with me, “Worry is the interest you pay on a loan you never take out.” If worrying is captivating our heart it makes true the saying that goes “today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday.”

Jesus tells us to seek God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to us. In essence, our heavenly Father knows what we need and will be sure to meet our every need as we seek Him.

Notice, Jesus said seek God FIRST. This is the best way to live life here on this earth. I have been blessed to serve as a pastor for many years and have never met anyone who told me they regretted putting God first in their life. I have talked with many who regretted putting other people and things first in their life prior to coming to know the Lord, but, have never talked with anyone who had second thoughts about putting God first. I encourage each of you to put God first above all else. You will never regret doing so in this life and the life to come.

Tim

Matthew 6:28-30 “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

Good morning!

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend! As we begin this week’s devotions, I want to begin with a question: Has worrying about something ever benefited you? In other words, when you get on the other side of the issue, are you glad you spent a crazy amount of time stressing and worrying about it? I assume not… however, the truth is most of us spend a lot of time worrying about what is to come. Worry doesn’t always seem dangerous to us…. I think we underestimate worry because we believe there is a lot worse we could be doing with our time…. right? But the reality of worry is that it weakens us and keeps us from experiencing the freedom that Jesus came to bring while leaving us enslaved to its chains! And as you can see from the past few passages we’ve dissected, Jesus is very much aware of the chains of worry…

In speaking on the worry about clothing, Jesus tells his followers to “consider the lilies, of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin.”

This may come as a shock to some, but I love flowers. Amanda and I plant tons of flowers, 20k zinnias to be exact, each year. We’re often scanning the clearance aisles, making new flower beds, getting cuttings from hydrangeas, and so on… again, we love flowers! The zinnias always amaze me because they get the least attention of all our plants, and even in this Georgia heat, they come up and display their beauty… it really is amazing!

Over the years, here’s what they’ve taught me. They are willing to be overlooked… They endure being trampled on by our boys after a backyard wiffle ball game as they hunt for their foul balls… yet they are consistent in their contribution of filling vases on our counter or creating bouquets for friends…. Content in sun or rain…. And not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these….

In this verse, Jesus isn’t saying “don’t work hard and don’t get dressed.” Rather, He is asking us to take in the lesson of creation… To see how even the most fragile among us rely on God’s provision and are dressed in just the way that gives Him glory. We see His design for us as we look towards creation. His heart is for us to flourish by being rooted in faith while resting in His promises!

As we begin this week, my hope is that we can put our trust in Jesus and “cast our cares on Him!” Whatever you may face in the days ahead, you don’t have to face it alone. As Bill Gaither reminds us, “Because He lives I can face tomorrow. Because He lives all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future. And life is worth the living, just because He lives!”

– Taylor

Good morning!

We will not be posting our weekly blogs this week. We will pick back up next Monday!

See you then!

-Taylor

Matthew 6:26-27-  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life?

“Worry is like a rocking chair: It gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere” – Erma Bombeck

Worry is another way the enemy attempts to divert our focus from Jesus, our true provider. But in every situation where the opportunity to worry arises, remember, you can choose to trust God instead and place it in his hands. He is the ultimate provider, and he will transform your worry into peace and provide as he always has!

Writing this Blog Post challenged me to look back to a time when I was worried, and God provided and made a way. I remember the first time I preached on a Sunday morning just over a year ago. In the week leading up to it, I prepared and prayed, but the fear of not delivering the message well or stumbling over my words in a nervous fit constantly ran through my mind. As the moment came, I remember waking up that early Sunday morning and doing something I should have done the moment worry arose. I laid down my worries and concerns at the altar and spent time looking to Jesus to provide me peace and strength so that God would use me. That morning, the peace and confidence that God granted me was hard to put into words, and I knew that if he called me to it, he would equip me and see me through it, and that is exactly what he did.

God will do the same thing for you in the calling he has on your life; if you are in a season of worry and doubt about what the future holds, don’t waste time worrying when that time should be spent laying it at the feet of Jesus. Aren’t you much more valuable than the birds in the air, as God’s word says? God knows what you’re going through, what you are feeling, and what you are facing. Worrying gets you nowhere, just as Erma Bobeck said; on the other hand, looking to Jesus for peace of mind will help you move forward with confidence, knowing that he can provide when there seems to be no way. That’s who our God is!

Don’t let worry steal your focus away from the one who can provide and give you peace in this life. Take it to Jesus and trust that he will provide as he always does. If God has called you to a situation, he will provide and equip you to see you through it. When you walk in this trust, you can be confident that God’s provision is always there for you.

• Tyler

Matt 6:25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

All of my life I have enjoyed eating and have never had to worry about where my next meal would come from. I realize this means I have been and still am very blessed. Glenn Lyles and I used to joke in our early years of ministry here at FEC that preachers don’t get to do a lot of things, but, one thing we can do is eat and eating is something we have always enjoyed. One of my favorites places to go for a meal back in the day was the Shakey’s Pizza on Mercer University. Their lunch buffet was the best around. It included different kinds of pizza and fried chicken. It will not surprise those who know me well that my favorite item on their buffet was the cinnamon rolls. They were legendary…so big and so good!

Many people in our country and around the world are not as blessed as we are when it comes to having the essentials like food and clothing. Having access to food and clothing is a challenge for them, especially, in war torn places like Gaza. The video of our group’s mission trip to the orphanage in Honduras reminded me of all my mission trips to Mexico over the years. You realize as soon as you cross the border how blessed we are in this country. God tells us not to worry about these things. He will move on the hearts of His people who will then see that people have food, clothing and other essentials.

This passage reminds us that God wants us to trust Him to provide the everyday life essentials like food and clothing. I hope you are like me and have experienced just how faithful God has been and still is to see that our needs are met. God is so good to us and that is why we are at our best when we always pause and thank Him for each meal.

One person well said, “Worry gives small problems big shadows”. I remember when I was little boy walking on my neighborhood street at night when the streetlights were on. Those streetlights could cast some long shadows as us little guys walked under them. That is what worrying does. It makes things seem much bigger than they really are.

I encourage you today as you eat your meals and get dressed for whatever the day holds to be reminded how faithful God has been and still is to provide food and clothing for you. May this help you to trust Him to meet the bigger needs you have on your heart at this time. Please know for sure that God is able for whatever you are facing.

Tim

Matthew 6:24- No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Good morning!

In my opinion, we live in the greatest country in the world, and I’m proud to be an American. Year after year, people from other countries leave their homes in hopes to come and live in the USA. Living in America offers a better life for so many, and people flee to our country to live the “American dream.”

If you have ever been on a foreign mission trip, you often see how blessed we are. Just a few weeks ago, I led a group of 27 to Honduras to serve at an Orphanage. It was a “trip of a lifetime” as we were able to take our two boys on their first foreign mission trip with us. One of the days we were there, I made a point to take Brantley off site so he could see the “real world” of Honduras. The orphanage doesn’t always portray the rest of the country very well… and I wanted him to see how blessed he is to live where he does and have the things he has.

Though I wanted him to see how blessed he is, I also didn’t want him to think that he is “better” than those that don’t have what he has. I think this is where we have faulty thinking as Americans… we think we’re more blessed spiritually because of the material possessions… I personally believe this mentality leads us to be enslaved by wealth and possessions… In other words, it leads us to “serve money,” and wealth becomes our master.

If wealth is our master, we will lust for it and be devoted to its demands. We will be consumed by the pursuit of hoarding it. The lust for wealth is a master that is never satisfied. This principle is stated clearly in the Old Testament: “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). The lust for wealth is at direct odds with God and His kingdom.

By telling His disciples “You cannot serve God and wealth,” Jesus is asking them: which of these two masters are you going to love? Which will you despise? Which will you serve? This reminds me of the verse in Joshua 24:15, “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…” In other words, what defines you?

The truth of the matter is this, wealth is not sinful. However, the pursuit of wealth over the purist of God leads to destruction. Our goal as followers of Jesus should not be to obtain the “American dream” but to honor God in whatever way He chooses to bless us.

-Taylor

Matthew 6:22-23- The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

Amanda and I are in the stage of life where our boys are beginning to play sports. Both love baseball, and we have spent our fair share of time at the ballpark the last couple of years. If you have ever coached little league or had a child participate, you’ve probably heard some of these common phrases: keep your eye on the ball, good eye, focus on the target and etc… whether you’re a “baseball person” or not, I’m sure you understand the vital role one’s eyes play in sports. You simply can’t hit or catch what you can’t see…

This past weekend Brantley and his team played in Roswell, Ga. One of the highlights of the day was getting to meet former Atlanta Brave, Dan Uggla. He was a coach and dad for one of the opposing teams. He was great with the boys and spent a good bit of time answering questions from our star struck 7 year olds…

Dan Uggla had a great career, especially the first part. As many of you know, he broke onto the scene with the Florida Marlins and always destroyed the Braves at the plate when they played, so the Braves ended up signing him to a long-term deal. Uggla did great with the Braves for several years until he began to have eye trouble. He would eventually undergo corrective surgery, but it never fixed his issue. Uggla went from hitting 30 plus homers a year to not being able to play anymore. I think we can all agree, the eye is an important component to how our physical bodies respond.

The eye is the organ of sight. It functions as a lamp for the body it serves. As a lamp sheds light to see our surroundings, the eye allows us to perceive physical reality, and is the primary instrument the body has for seeing what actions and reactions it should undertake to accomplish the goal for the body. If the eye functions properly and is clear, it guides the whole body to safety according to the light it sees.

But on the contrary, if your eye is bad and can’t see well, your whole body will be full of darkness. It won’t properly perceive the environment surrounding it… The body will have spotty details, no information, or even false information that guides its steps and will be unlikely to pursue the best course of action. If your eye is bad, your whole body will be in the dark, or as Jesus says, “full of darkness”.

The warning of Jesus is this: If we spend our lives focusing on the kingdoms and powers of this world, our eye is bad. Subsequently, our whole body will be full of darkness, because we will invest our treasures and exhaust ourselves in the vain pursuit of sad rewards—earthly glory and praise from men.

But if our eye is good…. It will lead to living a life that has the rewards and fulfillment, both in this life as well as the next! Here’s my encouragement- Keep your eye on the prize!

-Taylor