THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN?

"Welcome back, welcome back...welcome back"....to the Jesus Cafe!

We’re serving a very difficult dish this morning , so let’s ask our Father to bless it to the nourishment of our needy, hungry, hurting, helpless little souls: (By the way, it helps me to become more “real” when I pray to Father...I often talk out loud...even if it is a whisper. You don’t "have to"...it just helps folks like me to keep from playing a silly little mind game...going through the motions, etc)

"Father, we come to You...confessing our known sins (name the specific sins you know you have committed...judging others, maligning others,, worry, fears, doubts, jealousy, bitterness, lack of forgiveness, self-righteousness, sexual lust, materialism lust, approbation lust (seeking the approval of people more than God’s), dishonesty, greed, anger, Anything we have thought, said, or done...that would not be in keeping with Your Word, Oh Lord!)

Now, Father...we enter into Your throne room with thanksgiving and praise...thanking You for Your Love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, kindness, and all that You are, Oh Father God! Right now, we ask that Your Holy Spirit...reveal the Spiritual truths You have prepared for us to use all during our day. We ask that You reveal Your plan, Your, purpose, Your, pleasures, Your person...Jesus Christ...to us and that You help us apply Your Truth...not our own...to each person and situation we will face today.

Father, help motivate us to seek and please You first...not ourselves...not others! Especially...right now...speak to us as we read and meditate on this soul food that You prepared for each of us...this very day! We pray in the precious, powerful, loving Name of Your Son...our Lord Jesus Christ...amen."

Please stop right now and read Matthew 25. It is a major... major!

Jerry, Josh, Josh, Charles, Perry, Al, and Dan. If you have ever seen NEWSONG perform...you’ve heard one of the most talented groups of musicians in either the secular or Christian music world. Their singing is amazing ...their instrumentation is almost perfect...and as of right now...they have come up with 19 number ONE hits. They have been greatly blessed by God with their talents...and they are greatly acclaimed ,internationally, by many fans.

But if you’ve seen them...you’ve probably just noticed Eddie , Michael O, Matt 1 and Matt 2, Billy, Mark, or Jack. You probably didn’t notice the “other 7!” But without these ...you would never get to enjoy NEWSONG! These 7 are “ the little ones”... “the least of these”...the ones who do all the dirty , non glamorous work...and never get any public applause, appreciation, nor attention! The ones Jesus says can become the greatest in His eternal kingdom.

Not that the rest of NEWSONG can’t either...but the stage boys blessed lot in life is not easily conducive to humility...the key to true greatness. They can become great in Jesus’ eyes , too.... and let me add a great big plus for the stage boys of NEWSONG! These 7 guys are some of the nicest, most humble, musicians I have ever known or been associated with! They are , generally, the real deal when it comes to Christian musicians! They are my friends...and like all of us...if they continue to place Christ first...they will rewarded by our Father! Thanks guys for letting me tag along “wid ya!”

But as a general rule of thumb (as my earthly daddy used to say)...it is harder for one who lives in the world’s spot light to stay living in God’s light ! But it can be done. As Jesus said...

MATT 19:26-"WITH MAN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE."

MARK 10:27-"WITH MAN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT NOT WITH GOD; ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD."

But in order to do it requires an early , daily dose of God's Spirit-led Word for either group to get and remain humble. Jesus Café folks...HUMILITY is the only pass word that unlocks God’s blessing factory...under the direction of Governor Grace! God revealed this secret pass word back in Genesis...and continues to use it as the pass word into His kingdom throughout His entire Bible! It is very easy to say it...but is impossible to live it...without God first every day!

Humility is the willingness to live, moment by moment, under the leadership of God's Spirit-led Word...regardless of the facts, family, or friends screaming the opposite! It applies equally to the “least of these” as it does to the “greatest of these!” Humility doesn’t respect humans! Only God!

REAL, LASTING SATISFACTION IN LIFE GETS RIGHT DOWN TO OUR CHOOSING TO LIVE... MOMENT BY MOMENT...IN GOD’S PLAN...not ours! BY RECEIVING AND APPROPRIATING GOD’S GRACE ...moment by moment...AND THEN... GIVING IT OUT IN EVERY SINGLE CIRCUMSTANCE TO EVERY SINGEL PERSON WE MEET...ALL DAY...EVERY DAY! AND BASICALLY, THIS IS THE SUMMARY OF GOD’S ENTIRE PLAN!

GEN 6:8- "BUT NOAH RECEIVED GOD'S GRACE!" ( When confronted by God's authority, Noah chose to humbled himself rather than oppose God!) JAMES 4:6-"GOD OPPOSES THE PROUD BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."

1 PETER 5:5- YOUNG MEN, SUBMIT TO THE AUTHORITY OF THOSE OVER YOU, AND TOTALLY COVER YOURSELVES WITH HUMILITY AS YOU CONVERSE WITH ONE ANOTHER. WHY? BECAUSE GOD MAKES WAR ON THE PROUD BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."

Know this! Satan hates humility. And by the way, guess who was the most humble person who ever lived? (You got it...JESUS...Satan’s number one enemy! Read Philippians 2!) Satan’s big deal is to appeal to our PRIDE and PREJUDICE...our desire for POWER and PLEASURES! He knows that if he can appeal to “ SELF” (PRIDE)... he can usually cause us to fall into “meism”...a state of arrogance...the opposite of humility! He hits “ the little ones” (the least of these) with stuff like “poor, pitiful me” ... “this is unfair”...”no one appreciates me” ...”I’m tired of being on the bottom of the world’s totem pole” stuff!

Then, he turns right around and attacks the “rich and famous” with the “who is the greatest”...”who is the most important”...and even many of them fall prey to the “I’m still being treated unfairly!” I, personally, have lived in both “the least of these” neighborhoods...and “the greatest of these” neighborhoods! (The first seems easier to find humility in! )

But regardless of our lot in life...once we sin and fail to immediately confess it to God... PRIDE begins to rule and selfishness starts brewing ! Then, Satan, that ole goat ,knows to pours one of his most famous fuels onto the fires of self...the applause of the world! He knows how folks (who aren’t God) love to get attention, be approved, be understood, and be applauded by the world! Satan knows how to temporarily elevate each of us in our own eyes! Jesus says in Matthew 25... that the above type living is NOT how to obtain true greatness! It is NOT how to be blessed on this earth and rewarded in eternity! It is NOT the way we should attempt to live our lives down here! It is an addiction that will lead to extinction!!

KNOW THIS! If we do choose to subtlety live for self first rather than God...we will NEVER hear the following Words from His lips as we stand before Him when life on planet earth has expired....

MATT 25:23- “WELL DONE, MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT! YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL WITH A FEW THINGS; I WILL PUT YOU IN CHARGE OF MANY THINGS. COME AND SHARE YOUR MASTER'S HAPPINESS!” I want to hear these words, folks! How bout you?