Matthew Gaither – Page 22

Who Will Build Your House This Year?

January 1, 2014 by Matthew Gaither

“Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it” (Psalm 127:1)

I want for you to be successful. I want for your family to be well cared for and I want them to be blessed by your labors.

No matter how 2013 turned out for you and no matter what your past looks like, today is another chance and another opportunity for you to be successful. And while it is true that each day is a new beginning, at no time is that more true than on the first day of a new year.

New Year’s Resolutions exist for precisely this reason. We tell ourselves that this year, it is finally going to be different. This year, I will finally lose that weight. This year, I will finally kick that bad habit. And this year, I will definitely be a better person.

We tend to make our resolutions with the best of intentions but how many of those resolutions based on good intentions actually succeed? Can there be something better than good intentions for goal-setting and resolution making?

Or perhaps if you are like me and slightly cynical, you never plan to make New Year’s Resolutions at all. You might say, as I once did, that they are a waste of time. Why wait until January 1 to decide to be a better person if you can’t be bothered to go ahead and start today? After all, if something is worth doing then shouldn’t we be giving it our best shot right now?

This is the excuse that I have used for years and it’s worked very well until just recently. What I once thought of as a legitimate reason for staying away from New Year’s Resolutions was in fact just a fear of failure and an attitude of defeat. After all, if I never even attempt something then I can’t very well say that I have failed at it, can I?

I can now say with certainty that this is not how God would have us live. God wants bold sons and daughters who have founded their lives on the rock of His truth. He wants men and women and boys and girls who are ready to live courageously and visibly for Him.

The truth is, God loves us and desires to be intimately included in all areas of our life. And when we include Him and acknowledge Him in our plans, He blesses us and causes our plans to succeed.

The opposite is also true. When we live our lives apart from God and walk in ways that seem wise to us we will inevitably fail. We may have success for a time, or in some areas, but we will not truly be all that God desires for us unless we walk with Him.

So this year, right from January 1, I am dedicating my days to God and praying for guidance and success in all areas of my life. I have some specific goals in mind that I will write down and pray about and this year I look forward to seeing how God answers those prayers. He may change my mind about some of them and send me in a different direction altogether. That’s okay with me because I know that it will ultimately be for my benefit and His glory.

The truly wonderful thing about making a New Year’s Resolution that includes God and is based on His strength and character is that it cannot fail because He cannot fail. So this year, let us follow the advice given in Psalm 127:1 and let the Lord build our houses and not try to do it in our own strength. This is the true path of success and the only way to make a New Year’s Resolution that lasts.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: New Years Resolutions, Psalms

Friday Favorites 12/13/13

December 13, 2013 by Matthew Gaither

Friday favorites is a place where I can talk about and recommend some of my favorite things. From food to music to technology to great ideas, Friday favorites will feature them all. If you have feedback on something that’s deserving of a Friday favorite, please don’t hesitate to use the comment section or send me an email at matthew515blog@gmail.com. I want to hear about your favorites too!

My topic for today’s Friday Favorites is taking time to enjoy the real meaning of Christmas. Let me explain. Today’s post will most likely be my last for 2013. As we approach the end of the year I find that I am ready for a rest, both mentally and physically. I am already enjoying Christmas time this year much more than usual simply because of my job change and exit from retail. But I want to make sure that my focus remains on God’s love and how it was expressed with the sending of the Christ child so many years ago. This year, I have an opportunity to really experience Christmas as never before and I don’t want to miss it.

With some additional time to rest and reflect I plan to catch up on my reading, enjoy the company of my family and friends and focus on renewing my mind and body for the start of 2014. It’s been an amazing year and I remain excited and expectant about what God is going to do. He has been so good to my family and I and I must continue to proclaim His love and His mercy both with my mouth and the way that I live my life.

To all of you that are travelling this Holiday season I pray for your safe return. To all of you who are visiting places where there is tension and strife I pray that God’s love may heal and wipe away any record of past wrongs. And to every single one of you I pray that you would grow in the grace and knowledge of God and that the full weight of God’s great love would be made known to you this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas everyone, I will see you in 2014!

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: Christmas, Jesus, Rest

5 Ways You Can Bless Someone Else This Christmas

December 10, 2013 by Matthew Gaither

Christmas, at its heart, is about the love that Christ bore for us when He came to earth on His mission of salvation and deliverance from sin. We give gifts at Christmas in honor of Jesus as a baby in a manger who was God’s gift to all mankind. As you seek to love and bless others around you this Christmas, here are five ways that you can do just that.

1. Presents – This is the obvious first answer but that doesn’t mean we should overlook it or take it for granted. A gift given in thoughtfulness and careful consideration to the receiver is so much more meaningful than handing out pre-paid Visa cards to everyone on your list. (Not that pre-paid Visas aren’t useful and appreciated!) It will take more time and more care to pick out the right gift for each person but the amount of love you can show to that person is more than worth the extra effort.

2. Presence – You need to be there. Wherever your loved ones are gathering and even with the hassle of the crowds, weather and holiday rush, nothing can take your place in terms of showing love to the people you care about this Christmas. The gift of your time and attendance means a lot and giving your gifts in person whenever possible makes them all the more special. Enjoy the time that you get to spend with your family and friends this holiday and remember that it is a blessing that not everyone has. Don’t take it for granted.

3. Attitude – This is a busy time of year for everyone and it can be very easy to lose sight of why we are doing what we are doing. Christmas is about Jesus and should be a celebration of love and God’s favor towards all men. Peace on earth and good will towards men should be our motto and our goal this Christmas and that’s impossible to do that when we are stressed out, over tired and just plain cranky. Remember how very much that God loves you and remember that it’s not about the presents or parties, as nice and as fun as those things can be. Let love and thankfulness rule your heart and mind and not a bad attitude.

4. Action – Get involved. Nothing increases holiday spirit like giving of your time to a worthy cause in Jesus’ name. Whether it be Operation Christmas Child, a special Christmas pageant or signing up to be a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army, there’s nothing more precious or meaningful that you can give than yourself. You’ve only been given one life and you are not promised another Christmas time on this earth. Only the Lord knows how many days we’ve each been appointed and we need to be about doing good while we have the time to do it. I promise you that you will be blessed and enriched by the time you spend giving and working for the Lord.

5. Obedience – Is there something that the Lord has been impressing upon you to do this year and you have yet to say yes? Are you living each day in accordance with His word to the best of your ability? Have you run from God in your lifetime and are you running still? While the first four items on our list are ways that we can love other people, this last one is primarily between you and the Lord. Giving yourself to Him in humble obedience is absolutely the best thing you can do this Christmas and will be the best thing you’ve done all year. It will change your life for the better and it will have the added benefit of blessing those you come in contact with on a daily basis.

Remember, Christmas is about love and giving. Let us resolve to be the kind of givers that God would approve of this Christmas and let us love others the way that Jesus loves us. Merry Christmas!

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: blessings, Christmas, encouragement

No Matter How Much You Ask, God Will Never Give You More

December 9, 2013 by Matthew Gaither

If there’s one thing that I could use a lot more of, it’s time. If I had more time I could write more blog posts about God and the amazing things that He does. If I had more time I could get involved in an array of worthwhile causes and charities. If I had more time I could spend it with my parents, family and friends that I love as often as I wanted. More time seems to be the easy answer to much of what I view as an obstacle to God’s glory.

Of course with my very limited view and finite mind, what appears to be an obstruction to me is nothing of the sort to our Heavenly Father. He’s working and He desires to use me in His work if I will just remain humble and obedient. Can I walk day by day, in faith and at peace with God and man?

He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 NASB)

With that in mind, perhaps what I need is not more time at all. What I really need and what God really wants me to learn from all of this is just to trust him.

My perspective needs to be a Godly one. Instead of wishing for more time I should be praying for more faith, more hope and more love. And what are the tools that God uses to grow my faith? Often times they are trials, tribulations and obstacles. The very things that I say I need more time to overcome and get around are the very things that God can use to bring me closer to Him.

Is my desire to really know Him better and to see Him more clearly or is it merely to be comfortable and blessed? Honestly? I think it’s more the latter than the former, and that’s a problem. Knowing God brings blessings and God loves giving His children good gifts. But if my desire is the gift and the blessing more so than the Giver then I need to check my priorities.

I must recommit to walking by faith, day by day. I must have wisdom enough to realize that God has granted me the strength I need to make it through each day and to accomplish the work that He has given me to do. And I must not worry and fret about the trials and obstacles in my life. God is bigger than they are and perhaps through them, He is trying to teach me to rely on Him even more.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: faith, god's will, time

Friday Favorites 12/6/13

December 6, 2013 by Matthew Gaither

“I will live my life in accordance with God’s Word. I will strive for His glory”. The previous sentence is what it says on page 2 of my prayer journal. What started as just a way for me to record prayer requests and how God answered them has become something more.

I’m not really sure why I was prompted to write such a statement of faith on the 2nd page of my prayer journal except that I just felt lead to do it. What’s amazing is that every time I read through that page I pray that statement just like the rest of the prayer requests in my journal. It has become not only a statement of faith, but a supplication to God that He grant me the strength and will to live it.

It is an amazing thing to see God at work and to be a part of it. My journal has helped me focus on being a faithful prayer warrior and has helped me fulfill one of scriptures commands to believers:

“Great are the works of the Lord;
They are studied by all who delight in them.” (Psalm 111:2 NASB)

Because I take delight in seeing God work, I want to study and remember what He has done in my life and in the lives of those I am praying for. This is why I now write those things down in my prayer journal and spend time reading and praying through it several times a week. This practice has greatly enriched my prayer life and it has become a special time between the Lord and I that I always look forward to.

If you want to grow in the Lord and in your communication with Him then I heartily recommend starting a prayer journal. Grab a blank notebook, it doesn’t have to be anything ornate or expensive. Begin by writing down just 1 or 2 things that are on your heart right then and there. Through the days and weeks as you pray over these things God will bring to your mind other things to write down and pray about. Your journal will grow and along with it your trust and faith in God.

Today I am thanking God for my prayer journal and for the privilege of calling on Him. That’s why my prayer journal is today’s Friday Favorite.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: friday favorite, prayer, prayer journal

Action Hero Repentance

December 4, 2013 by Matthew Gaither

Sorry guys, but you aren’t the type of action hero I am looking for this week.

While I concede that “hero” and “repentance” aren’t words that are normally found together in a sentence, it is my position that they should be.

In fact, I believe the best, most true kind of repentance requires heroic action.

Allow me to explain.

A hero is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities”. While the commission of sin is never admirable and should never be applauded, admitting our faults and failures and taking action to turn from them most certainly should be applauded. The honest person who is most open about their failures and reliance on God is the person that God can most use for His glory. And I can certainly admire a person like that!

True repentance requires action. Sometimes it requires heroic action. True repentance isn’t just feeling bad about sin or even admitting that we have made a mistake. True repentance turns away from the sin and the mistake and moves in the completely opposite direction. Nothing shows God that we are more serious about walking with Him than when we turn away from sin and start living our lives differently.

Here is what true repentance looks like in real life: If I know that I have wronged someone I go to that person and admit that I have wrong them and ask for their forgiveness. If I know that I am tempted by lustful thoughts when viewing certain TV shows or movies, I no longer watch those TV shows or movies. If too much time spent on social media sites and internet gaming is interfering with my walk with God, then I reduce or eliminate my exposure to those things until Jesus is first in my life again.

True repentance always, always, always requires us to act differently. It may start with a realization and conviction by the Holy Spirit and it should involve confession; absolutely. But until there is a motion made by us to cease our sin and to turn away from it, our repentance is not complete.

Do you want freedom from sin and to overcome that which binds you? Then start to act differently. God has a way of taking our small, stumbling steps made in weakness and amplifying them with His strength until we are taking great, God sized strides over and through our previous mistakes.

But it must start with our first step. It must begin with a heroic effort on our part to really want to change and be different. Show the Lord that you are serious and take action. Engage yourself in action hero repentance and watch as God works a miracle in your life.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: forgiveness, repentance, Submission

The Mightiest King and the Most Humble Servant

December 2, 2013 by Matthew Gaither

In preparation for teaching Sunday School this week, I came across this passage of scripture from 2 Samuel.

18 Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord, and he said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 19 And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord God, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future. And this is the custom of man, O Lord God. 20 Again what more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Lord God! 21 For the sake of Your word, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness to let Your servant know. 22 For this reason You are great, O Lord God; forthere is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods? 24 For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and You, O Lord, have become their God. 25 Now therefore, O Lord God, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do as You have spoken,26 that Your name may be magnified forever, by saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel’; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 For You, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You. 28 Now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant. 29 Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord God, have spoken; and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.” (2 Samuel 7:18-29) NASB

I am always inspired and encouraged when I read one of David’s prayers. His honesty and sincerity touch my heart and make me want to be the man that God has called me to be.

What I find so remarkable about this passage is the how David refers to himself. “Your servant”, he says. And not just once; David refers to himself this way ten times during this prayer!

Mighty King David. Poet. Warrior. Leader. Song writer. Dancer. The greatest earthly king that the world has ever known. And yet when he comes before his God to pray, he is the humble servant.

Might I learn something from David’s attitude? Might we all?

I am reminded of another passage in the Bible that reinforces this idea.

8 Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8) NASB

Paul knew. Paul understood, just like David did so many years ago. No matter how great, wise or powerful we are on earth, we are all created beings who must acknowledge the majesty and sovereignty of the one true God. And to come before God and to seek Him is to realize that He alone is worthy and that there can be no higher calling on earth than that of servant of the Most High God.

I acknowledge myself as His servant. How about you?

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: David, humility, servant

A Letter of Thanks to My Church

November 28, 2013 by Matthew Gaither

Dear Church,

Although I am not able to be with you for this time of thanksgiving and testimony, I want you to know how much you mean to me and my family. For many years, Vicki and I have been a part of this fellowship and while she has always had the giving heart of a servant, I can’t say the same for myself.

While I tried to be content for a time with merely showing up, God had no intention of letting me remain as a bench warmer. If there is one thing that I have learned beyond any doubt in this past year, it is that trying to live the Christian life while not being fully and completely surrendered to God will make you miserable. If God has a plan for you (and He does) then He will not give you peace until His will is accomplished in your life.

As I try to love the Lord and to live for Him, I am so thankful that I have a church who loves and supports one another. I am so thankful for the prayers and encouragement given by the body of believers here in my local church.

You are my closest brothers and sisters in Christ and I see your witness for the Lord shining brightly. I see it in your smiles, in your handshakes and hugs, in your willingness to work and most of all, in your knees bent in prayer.

Prayer is powerful and prayer changes things. We are seeing that power and we are seeing things change for the Glory of God here in our church because of prayer. So keep on praying and believe me when I say that I am going to continue to pray with you and for you.

I have never been more excited to see what God has in store for this fellowship of believers than I am right now. I truly believe that if we continue to stay submitted to God and to pray and seek His face in all that we do, then He will pour out His blessings on us in a powerful and visible way. And as He does so, we will be the light to this community that it so desperately needs.

So thank you, church, for all that you do. Thank you for what you have meant to me in the past and thank you for what you mean to me right now. You are my spiritual home here on earth and I look forward to serving with you in the coming days. Bless you all.

Matthew Gaither

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: body of christ, church, thankful

The Secret to Being Thankful at All Times

November 25, 2013 by Matthew Gaither

Is it really possible to always be thankful? Can we, as imperfect beings, really practice thankfulness in all situations and at all times? I believe it is possible and, according to God’s word, it is exactly what we are commanded to do.

The topic of thankfulness is one that is found throughout the Bible, and for good reason. God is good and the ultimate expression of His goodness was revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross. This is the foundation on which our faith is based and I don’t believe that it is possible to thank God enough for this one marvelous gift.

But it doesn’t stop there. God is good in the way that He is patient with us and reveals His character from faith to faith. He spoke through the prophets and apostles that were inspired to write His words so that we could learn and be encouraged and lack for nothing. And today, His spirit is still working and revealing truth to those who listen to His still small voice.

In addition, God is a provider. It is His word that spoke this world into existence and it is His will that maintains it. He provides the air that we breathe, the water that we drink and the food that we eat. He is actively involved in the lives of His children and He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us.

Yet, as thankful as I am for all of these things, there is one piece of knowledge that I must have before I can be thankful at all times. There is one attitude that I must adopt and one truth that I must believe with every fiber of my being that makes all the difference. It can be summed up in one word: steward.

I am a steward, not an owner. I am a caretaker, not a creator. I am a conduit, not a source.

All that I have and all that I am and all that I experience and enjoy belongs to God. He made it all and He keeps it going. He provides the life, the strength, the sustenance, the gifts, and the talents and He has tasked me with feeding His sheep and walking humbly with Him.

This is the key. This is the pillar on which a life lived in thankfulness must be built. This is the secret that every man, woman and child should be taught to understand. Our thankfulness comes not from what we have been given and certainly not from what we think we are due. Our thankfulness comes from who we were created to be.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: God, stewardship, thanksgiving

Friday Favorites 11/22/13

November 22, 2013 by Matthew Gaither

Small size, big flavor!

Today’s favorite is a necessity in my house and is used in many of our favorite dishes. Being a fan of Mexican and Southwestern flavors, Vicki and I used to buy Old El Paso Taco Seasoning on a weekly basis and use it in a variety of dishes. Once we started to educate ourselves in the area of nutrition and to watch the labels on the items that we were buying, we were shocked to discover the amount of salt used in our favorite Taco seasoning: 560mg in 1/6th of a packet. That’s 23% of your daily recommended salt intake in 2 teaspoons!

Thankfully, we now have an excellent alternative that is homemade, flavorful and so much healthier than the store brands. We use this blend to flavor ground beef, chicken, refried beans, rice and even vegetables in certain dishes, one of which I will feature in a future Friday Favorites.

One final word about this blend. While it tastes delicious, if you have been acclimated to the store brand stuff then you will definitely notice the lack of salt on your taste buds the first time or two that you use it. After that, you will most likely enjoy it as much as I do and never notice the lack of salt again. And I can guarantee you that your heart and your blood pressure will thank you for making the switch!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

1/4 cup instant minced onion

2 T chili powder

2 t paprika

2 t crushed dried red pepper flakes

1 1/2 t dried oregano

1/4 t pepper

2 T corn starch

1 T instant minced garlic

1 t ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and blend thoroughly with a wire whisk. Spoon mixture into a tightly closed container and store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months. 2 T equals 1.25 oz. package of purchased taco seasoning mix.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: friday favorite, recipe, taco seasoning