The Tree Church

Jimmy Evans, from Marriage Today, provides insight into the internal issues that inhibit intimacy so couples can remove the negatives and then understand the ethics of intimacy, so couples can work to create an atmosphere of true and lasting intimacy.

While submitting to and serving others may not come natural to us, it is the way Jesus calls us to live and that posture makes for healthier and safe relationships.

God’s math requires supernatural help. He says in marriage, 1 + 1 + 1 = 1. The only way that a marriage can work is for both parties to pursue God so that He can be the fulfiller of all their deep needs. He must heal them, set them free, forgive them, etc. Once we focus on God, we can learn how to love, serve, sacrifice, submit and lead.

All of us want and even expect life to turn out good. I think it¹s a byproduct of being raised in America. We simply expect to turn out good or get bailed out. The problem is that we don't plan and live in a way that leads toward what we really desire. Are we willing to make the commitment to live on a path that leads toward the biblical goals? Every decision we make sets our lives on a path somewhere. Will we make decisions that lead towards what God wants for our lives?

Jesus questions His audience why they would call Him, "Lord, Lord" (master or savior in this context) and yet not obey me? It's a ridiculous thing to call Him Lord and not obey. Either He is God, or He's not. Saying it but not believing it to the point of action makes no sense.

Jesus tells us that if the tree is healthy, it will produce good fruit. Jesus is telling us the proof of if we are following Jesus' desires is in our actions. We will know we are following Him when our lives produce fruit.

Jesus once again challenges the way that comes naturally to us and is modeled by all of culture. He challenges us to not judge other people. Judging is more than forming an opinion, it is including a sentence/judgment with that opinion. Jesus' challenge is to start with yourself by examining your own life. When you do this, you will see your faults and this should lead towards a reluctance to cast judgment.

In one of the most challenging passages of scripture in the Bible (Luke 6:27-36) Jesus challenges us on how we are to respond to those that hurt us.

Jesus was always challenging people to realize this earth is temporary and true wisdom and life is found in thinking about God's Kingdom over earthy treasures.

God will lead us to make decisions we would not make on our own. He will also lead us to go places we would not go on our own. When we live with an open posture, God surprises. And with God, we can learn to make wise decisions.

We live in a highly productive, highly stimulated, highly stressed culture and we all desire rest. But despite vacations, weekends, naps, hobbies and entertainment, I would contend that we never really get the rest that we are looking for. But true rest is only found in Jesus, because only He has the ability to make us ok. It was Him who stood in our place of judgment and it is Him who gives us His rightness and makes us okay. So how do we get this rest? We hide ourselves in Jesus and God sees us as He sees His Son…Perfect…Ok. No matter how much we fail, no matter how much we succeed…our hope is always Jesus.

You can’t keep living your way and follow Jesus. Jesus will not only call you to things that challenge you as a whole, anything you grip will become the focus of what He asks for. Comparing your life with the world is missing the mark of life. It’s only in living with a new message in a new system will you discover the life that Jesus has called you to.

Jesus called Levi (Matthew) from the place He finds him. He tells Levi to follow Him from where he is. Jesus never asks him to change and clean up first. The same is true for us. Jesus calls us from where we are…He never asks us to clean up our messes first. He tells us to come as we are. He does this for us and also for our friends to see. He uses us and our disfunction to reach those around us. These are opportunities for us to reach others. Where we have been called out of and redeemed, is where God uses us to touch others most powerfully.

When the tension exists between what currently is and what will be, we wait and trust Christ.

Jesus touched the untouchable leper and healed him. Jesus still touches the untouchable sinner and heals him. Culture tells the leper to avoid the clean and it also tells the sinner to avoid Jesus. Jesus shows us that He his the only way to find the healing/forgiveness that will allow us to approach God.

God blesses us with things so we will learn to trust Him. He wants us to trust Him so we will be willing to leave it all for Him. It's a spiritual mindset instead of an earthly mindset.