Daily Huddle - Wed Aug 5, 2020 What Impresses You?

Love you all, praying for you,
 
What impresses you?  What do you value or look up to, aspire to, or wish it was you?  People are impressed by many things, most of them physical or natural.  Some people are impressed by the car someone drives, the house they live in, or the neighborhood, the job title they have, or the people they associate with – the rich and the famous.  Some people are impressed by physical appearance or ability, physical beauty or strength.  Some people are impressed by intellect, or the ability to communicate, some people are impressed by income, the accumulation of possessions.  Some people are impressed by power whether political power or economic power.  Others are impressed by accomplishment – winning games, building businesses or organizations, or by skill whether physical, mental, or financial.  Some are impressed by influence, clicks or followers.  In Christianity, some are impressed by looks, dress, the size of the building (often directly correlating to the size of the mortgage), or the size of the congregation, or following.  Some are impressed by the style of the worship, the size of the stage, the skill of the band, the number of other people also impressed by them.  So what impresses you?  And how do you know what impresses you?  You can tell what impresses someone, by what they imitate, what they emulate, what they compensate, and what they conversate.  People copy things they are impressed with, what they want to look like, act like, or be thought of - like...  They emulate what impresses them – (Emulate – to try to equal or exceed, in qualities or actions; to imitate with a view to equal or excel; to rival).  Next, people compensate what impresses them, it's a dead-giveaway.  They spend God’s money, His resources, on what impress them.  Whether tickets to watch it, money to buy it or rent it, or fees or donations to support it.  Why? Because God said, your money always indicates where your heart is. For where your money is, there will your heart be also.  That’s how you know what impresses you.   Another sure indication - people always conversate about what impresses them.  It’s all they talk about, or at least they talk about it a lot.  It's what they keep coming back to.  That’s how you know it consumes their mind and attention – the overflow of the heart – comes out of their mouth.  So what are you imitating? Or emulating (trying to equal or exceed?  What do you spend God’s money on?  What do you talk about and think about – that impresses you most?   Is that what God is impressed with?  The disciples were impressed by buildings, Jesus wasn’t.  The disciples were impressed by places of position, seats at the table, the amount of the offering, who gets the closest throne, Jesus wasn’t.  The people were impressed by miracles, Jesus wasn’t – it wasn’t the signs and wonders that He was after, although He did every one that His Heavenly Father instructed him to.  What impressed Jesus the most?  Faith.  A deeply held belief that demonstrated itself in action.  Acting like what God says is true.  A belief that was stronger than physical experience to date.   The unequivocal conviction of mind, heart, soul and spirit that whatever God said – will surely come true – in God’s appointed time.   Matthew 8:5 – When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help.  “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.”  Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.”  The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.  But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I myself am a man under authority with soldiers under me.  I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one ‘Come,’ and he comes.  I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith…  verse 13 – Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done for you just as you believed it would.”  And his servant was healed from that very hour.  Jesus wasn’t impressed by money or power or things or talent, he was impressed by faith.  The belief that God has the power and the will to do anything He said He will do.  Praying that you are impressive today.  Not to others, but to God.  Praying that you will be impressed by what God is impressed by, and leave behind the things that don’t impress him – and shouldn’t impress you.  Praying that your faith will come by hearing.  That your PiVAT is proven by your PRISM (God promised), that His Word directs you and confirms you, and encourages you – so your testimony will grow your faith and others’ too, so you overcome daily and walk in the good that He has for you – that requires faith to do it, to go there.  Praying that you will become impressive to God, because you are impressed by Him, and your faith grows, so your obedience grows, so your testimony grows, so your faith can grow, so your obedience can grow – so your fruit remains. 
 
Love you all,
dad