Embracing the Power of the Unseen in Faith

What's up guys, thank you for joining me.

In this video, we're going to do our best. I am going to do my absolute best to just share some thoughts. If you've noticed in this series I just finished, there's a focus on the motives behind what we do, the unseen things, and we looked at Matthew chapter 6 where Jesus confronts some corrupt mindsets.

This study sparked a lot more thoughts, and I felt it necessary to bring up. I pray that this video encourages and builds us up, but also challenges us as believers, as the church, as the body of Christ.

Let's evaluate, let's always do a heart check, let's analyze what I'm doing, how am I functioning, how am I operating as the church, and even in the little things like the hidden unseen things. I pray that it comes out as uplifting and not condemning, but I pray that it course corrects us.

I want to always be someone that brings up true truth, God's word, and what He desires. Let it not condemn us, but let's course correct. Let's own our walk, but let's own our mistakes too. There's nothing better than course correcting those things. I'm just going to do my best to be real.

When it comes to people who serve in the military, there is a reality that those with rank, such as a sergeant or officer, hold a lot of power and authority. Additionally, those who have deployed overseas and been on tours hold even more weight and are elevated in respect and honor. This is something I personally observed and experienced during my time in the army.

To illustrate this, I want to share a mindset I adopted. If someone was a private but had deployed, I viewed them as higher than me, even though I was a sergeant after five years and had not deployed. This is just my personal view, but I know it is a reality in the military.

Jesus wanted his disciples to know and teach the truth that the greatest among them would be their servant. Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Jesus further explains this in Matthew 5:19, "Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven."

Jesus is emphasizing the importance of the least of these, the unseen things, the hidden things, the not so great, the not so loud, and the not so seen. He further explains this in Mark 10:42-45, "Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'"

Jesus is emphasizing the importance of servanthood and serving. He is emphasizing the importance of not just listening, hearing, and looking, but applying it and building up the church as a whole.

Jeremiah 17:10 further emphasizes this, "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve." God will search our hearts and reward us according to our deeds.

We should be careful to evaluate and examine if we are raising up people and things just because they are loud, known, popular, and seen, and not missing those who are unseen. We wouldn't want what we deserve because we're a mess.

Proverbs 20:27 says, "The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord that sheds light on one's inmost being." This thought is a good push towards what is so heavy on my mind, and I pray that this thought really provokes and does not condemn but course corrects.

What are the things that are innermost? We are the body of Christ; every Christian should be like this. We all come together with different gifts, qualities, testimonies, experiences, and life upbringings to make up the body of Christ. Jesus is the head, and we come together to make His body as we function in unity the best we possibly can.

Sometimes we miss the parts of the body that are not seen. We think it's just the hands, feet, and face, but we miss the most valuable. We think of the intestines, organs, and heart. The heart pumps blood throughout the body and brings life to the body.

We are to come together as the body of Christ, operating together, functioning together, impacting the world, and shedding light in the world. We often elevate those that are seen, but we must remember the unseen parts of the body that are just as important.

We should never miss the unseen and hidden people because God favors them. People who are not seen but drive people forward, lift them up when they're down, and are so unappreciated, are pushed to the side because they don't have a platform or presence.

We should not elevate people just because of their popularity or platform, but also recognize the value of those behind the scenes. Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and God cares about the unseen and what's happening in our hearts, desires, and motives.

We should not ignore the impact and value of those who might not be as loud or seen, but are crucial to the body of Christ. We should love and value people, and never push them aside.

Chasing these glamor and the light of popularity can be tempting, but Jesus very sternly warns us to be careful that we are not practicing our righteousness to be seen.

I pray that the church unifies and is not so driven by popularity and being seen and heard all the time. Instead, let us focus on impacting and driving close to God, and not take our eyes off of Jesus and what makes Him happy.

God sees us, values us, and maybe even favors us. Let us check our hearts and our motives behind what we do, and remember that even the unseen pieces are important.

I pray that this encourages and challenges us, and that it brings us closer to God and to the head. I'm excited for what God is doing. Amen. Catch you next time!