'The Other' John 3:16

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.  1 John 3:16

It is far better to give than to receive.  That was something my mom taught me when I was little.  As I look back, I reflected on those times that made me the happiest.  It was usually around birthdays.  My favorite childhood birthday was when I turned seven.  We were in San Francisco for my mom’s job, and her and some colleagues took me to an old-fashioned Italian restaurant.  I’m guessing my affinity for Olive Garden must have started there, but I digress.  We were done with dinner, and our server brings out a little birthday cake.  She begins to sing ‘Happy Birthday.’  But she was not the only one.  The tables around us began to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ as well.  Before I know it, the restaurant has become the Mormon Tabernacle Choir because everyone (I’m not kidding … everyone!) began to sing.  Tough act to follow for a seventh birthday.  My mom marvels that I remembered that day because to her, it was just part of being my mom.  To me, it meant the world, and it still does today.  However, it brings joy to my mother’s face that I remembered it.

As a Christian, I remember watching the Passion of The Christ for the first time.  I understood what Jesus had done for us, but that moment in the theater changed my trajectory.  Seeing the graphic nature of what Christ went through leading up to the crucifixion was simply at times unbearable to watch.  It was so painful (spoiler alert 😊) that I barely remember Him walking out from the tomb on the third day at the end of the movie.  While it is true that the depiction of His crucifixion was somewhat off, the concept one could get of what He went through was deeply impactful.  I can still remember it to this day.  It centers me whenever I wander too far from course.  It keeps my faith grounded on the solid foundation He made for me.  He went through all of that for us.

Real love is always about giving.  Not receiving.  Most of us focus on John 3:16, which says, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”  Today’s John 3:16 (1^st John, that is) speaks very similarly of the sacrifice Jesus made.  However, while one spoke of the gift God gave to us through His Son the other commissions us to give as Jesus gave.  Now this is not to say we are to lay down our life throwing caution to the wind.  However, it requires us to have a selfless love for others.  We are to give of ourselves so that others can know the love of the one true living God.  If you think of the one moment you truly knew God was real, what would you give for someone else to have that moment?  Couldn’t your selfless act be the one that either makes a difference in another’s life or helps someone recognize God truly at work?  My pastor understood this as he quoted from Philippians 2:4 saying, “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

There is truly no greater love one can have for another than to give their lives for them.  My wife gives me the greatest amount of joy in my life.  It’s not because of what she does for me.  It is because when I do something for her and she smiles, nothing can ruin my day.  That is the kind of love today’s verse speaks of.  Jesus too spoke of this saying, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)  Whether it be for a child, a significant other, a parent, or someone in need, let us renew our commitment to God by committing to give more to others.  Where are you reserving space that God wants more from you?  How can we give more of us for our brothers and sisters?  My prayer is that while we find comfort the words of John 3:16, we act remembering ‘The Other John 3:16.’  Amen.

Serve humbly

Galatians 5:13-14

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.  For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  

America’s view of freedom seems to have gotten out of control.  We often hear comments about having freedom of speech and freedom to do whatever we want.  The time in which Paul wrote Galatians seems to not be all that different than how the world is becoming now.  He gave them, and us, a warning.  While we are called to be free, that does not mean we should misuse our freedom.  We are warned not to use our freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

So what does this look like for you?  It might mean that instead of going and buying yourself something, that when you see a person in need, you help them out.  Maybe it’s that single mom next door that is struggling to give her kids the best she can while trying to work two jobs to pay the bills.  Maybe you can show her love by mowing her lawn or helping with the kids.  Maybe even dropping a gift card to the local grocery store in her mailbox.

This week I want to challenge you to serve one another humbly in love.  Since I know that sometimes people can struggle with ideas on how to do this, I want to invite anyone who reads this to leave a comment on a way that you have been served humbly in love by someone else.  Read through the comments and see if something that you see gives you an idea for how you can serve someone else.  Let’s spread the Love of Christ this week to those we come in contact with.      

 

Positive Influence

“I thank God . . . when I call to remembrance

the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt

first in your grandmother Lois and your mother

Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

     2 Timothy 1:3, 5 (NKJV)

Children are a blessing from God and as Christians, we have a special responsibility in raising them. Mothers (as well as fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.) play an important role in helping to "bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." (Eph. 6:4, NKJV)

I think we’d all like to know that our children are walking with the Lord, but that doesn't come just by virtue of having a Christian upbringing. This is a personal decision that everyone needs to make for themselves.  Our children have free will and they have to choose to accept Christ or not.  However, we do have some important tools that we can use to have a positive influence on our children:

Power of our words:  The words we use have great power---to build up or tear down, to encourage or to dishearten others.  At times, we all say things rashly or idly that we wish we could take back, but once said, they can’t be retracted. However, we can apologize and that is a wonderful teachable moment for our children.

Power of our prayers:  Committing our children to the Lord in prayer on a daily basis is one of the most important things we can do.  Interceding on behalf of them, entrusting our petitions for them to God is powerful.  And letting our children know that we pray for them is also a way to strengthen them and help them realize the importance of prayer.

Power of our walk:   How we act is just as important as what we say, and of course, we should strive for consistency between the two. Demonstrating grace, mercy, forgiveness, charity, obedience, etc. to our children speaks volumes. And we should not be afraid to admit when we make mistakes, to show how we get back on track with God and our Christian walk.

I want to wish a special Mother’s Day blessing on all the mothers here and encourage you to leave a legacy of faith with your children.  Keep praying that they will "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." (2 Peter 3:18, NKJV) 

Thursday Devotional - Chasing after the Wind of Pleasure

As we saw last week, Solomon didn’t find satisfaction from chasing after wisdom and wealth, apart from God’s plans. He found it meaningless, so he tried chasing after pleasure.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-3    I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. ² “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” ³ I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

Solomon found chasing after pleasure meaningless, too. It is temporal and unsatisfying. However, chasing after God’s plans is eternal, has meaning and is satisfying.

Ecclesiastes 2:24-25           A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God,²⁵ for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?

Without a relationship with God and following Him, nothing will ever satisfy. Where are you and I chasing after an earthly temporal pleasure more than God’s plans for us? Staying up late watching TV, playing video games, reading/posting on social media, or logging another exotic vacation doesn’t provide lasting satisfaction.

God asked me to join an international ministry over 14 years ago that takes 15 or more hours of my time each week. It is far more rewarding than I expected. I wouldn’t trade it for all the exotic vacations in the world!!!

Similar to what Kent talked about yesterday, God can give us true joy in being content in what He’s given us to do and experience.

Alice

Chasing The Unicorn

Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.”

He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.  Luke 22:39-43

Each month, I have set goals that help me measure what I am trying to achieve for the year.  Things like meeting with my manager and team members come to mind, and discussing both their and my progress throughout the year is very helpful.  Then I have family and personal goals that are set to ensure things done.  These goals over the course of life have changed quite dramatically.  Today, things like, “Love my wife better today than I did yesterday,” and “complete repair of screen window,” are what occupy my thoughts.  When I was younger, my goals were on more materialistic or things that I wanted to get for the wrong reasons.  You might know some of these phrases behind them:  “It gives me status.” “This makes me look better, and it shows I have arrived.”  Sometimes, those are not bad things, but the motives often are.  It’s not that we should not want things, but we should always ask ourselves, “At what expense?”  There is this expression called ‘Chasing the Unicorn,’ which in essence means running after something that does not exist.  We often do this in life wanting to gain something we do not have hoping it will fill a void that materially cannot be filled.

As followers of Christ, we should always know that only He can fill the voids that matter in our lives.  I chose these verses as an example of what we should aspire to in our walk of faith.  My original thought was that verse 42 (take this cup of suffering away from me) was enough.  However, the prior verses give it context.  Reading it a few times, it feels that Jesus is giving a pep talk not only for His followers but maybe even Himself.  I know!  Jesus needs no pep talk!  However, we all have that inner voice that chimes in to try to talk ourselves out of doing something because no one will notice.  Don't have that second piece of cake.  Do not spend the extra $50 a month on the car.  Keep God in that part of your life.  Feel free to insert that indulgence that you fight to avoid a pattern of poor judgment and behavior.  I have been there, and struggled in those moments.  That is why what Jesus says has such resonance in the context of these verses.  It’s not about what I (Jesus) want.  It’s about what you (Heavenly Father, Your will to be done) want.  Whenever we face something albeit literal or spiritual, we must pray that our minds, hearts, and spirit focus on God and not just our own wants in the process.  That was what Jesus did at the Mount of Olives.

God wants what is best for us.  There are times we will openly question Him.  We say, “Why not that, and why not now?”  However, over time we have learned not just through His word but also personally that He has always delivered.  For those of you newer in your journey, think of when God first came into your life.  You knew He was real then.  Trust that He will be that same God to you today as when you first committed to Him, and as time passes, your life will be as in Jeremiah 31:12; “They will come home and sing songs of joy on the heights of Jerusalem. They will be radiant because of the Lord’s good gifts— the abundant crops of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and the healthy flocks and herds. Their life will be like a watered garden, and all their sorrows will be gone.”  Trust in God’s will and timing, and all things will work out right.  What anxieties are you experiencing today?  Where are you challenged to trust God’s timing over your own?  My prayer is that we know God will always provide, and let us not give in to ‘Chasing the Unicorn.’  Amen.

Dash

Revelation 1:8

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

THE DASH

by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning… to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars… the house… the cash. What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard; are there things you’d like to change? For you never know how much time is left that still can be rearranged.

To be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile… remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash?

We have all heard and read how the Lord God is the Alpha and the Omega.  He is the beginning and the end.  But what is in between?  In between is the dash, the life that we live.  While “The Dash” never mentions God, the things it does say we should do to live our dash the best all goes along with how the Bible tells us to live.  How we are to love one another and be slow to anger. 

Today I wanted to encourage you to make sure you are living a dash that is worthy of beginning and ending with Christ.  We are Christ on earth to those that we come in contact with.  Live your dash for Christ today and always.

God of the Impossible

“Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying,

‘Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there

anything too hard for Me?’”

   Jeremiah 32:26-27 (NKJV)

"'For with God nothing will be impossible.'"

     Luke 1:37 (NKJV)

We serve an amazing God!  He is the God of the impossible.  Nothing is too hard for Him.  No situation is beyond His reach. 

Even if it feels as though God has forgotten about you and your situation, the truth is He has not.  Don’t let Satan bring doubt to your mind--resist and don’t let your faith be shaken.  Stand firm on God’s promises and His faithfulness. 

Also, don’t limit God’s ability to work in ways that we can’t even imagine.  No matter how complicated your situation is, God can turn things around. Trust that He is working behind the scenes to bring about change in accordance with His plans.

There’s one promise in particular that God laid on my heart years ago and I’m still waiting for it to be fulfilled.  Waiting is often hard but I trust that He will fulfill it.  I've done all I can do in the situation and it's in His hands.  Although it seems by all earthly means that it could never work out, I know that He can make a way where there seems to be no way. 

What situation in your life needs God’s handiwork?  Entrust it into His hands, commit it to prayer, wait and watch Him work.  Is there a promise from God’s word that speaks to your heart?  Stand firm on it, believe and trust Him to bring it to pass.  For He is faithful and loves to do the impossible!

Thursday Devotional - Chasing after the Wind

My family is in our last week studying Joshua through Solomon (through Bible Study Fellowship). It was an excellent study with lots of ways to personally apply lessons learned. Ending with Solomon, it was sad to see him waste so much of the wisdom God generously and graciously gave him. We studied some of the Proverbs he wrote. He knew and taught great wisdom, but often didn’t use it in his personal life. This week I’ve been studying Ecclesiastes, now that I have a fresh understanding of Solomon (who wrote it).

Ecclesiastes 1:1-3 & 12-14 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

² “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
    says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
    Everything is meaningless.”

³ What do people gain from all their labors
    at which they toil under the sun?

¹² I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³ I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! ¹⁴ I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

I think Solomon realized that life is temporary and satisfaction is fleeting. All of our hard efforts don’t result in anything lasting. He had all the wisdom and wealth anyone could imagine and it didn’t satisfy. That is so true, outside of God’s purposes. 

Solomon even said in Ecclesiastes 2:25 “for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?” Without a relationship with God and following Him, nothing will ever satisfy. It will never be enough.

What are you and I chasing after? Position, wealth, possessions, fitness, education? God may direct us to pursue several things for His glory, but we need to daily make sure we’re aligning with His will. Then it won’t be chasing after the wind, and will be rewarding!  

Alice

Application Over Education

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.  James 1:22-25 NLT

I love reading the word.  I love how it takes me places mentally I wouldn’t have gone before, and when it challenges a thought I had, it makes me shift my momentum.  I love it when I must rewrite a devotion because when I actually read God’s word, I come up with a different conclusion.  I love the conflict and chaos that it creates in my life, and is such a disruptive force that it frustrates the daylight out of me.  You are probably reading this and asking yourself, “What the heck is wrong with Kent today?!?!?”  Rest assured everything is fine.  You see, a vibrant growing Christian faith sounds like this.  However, this is only half the equation.

You see, loving the word means nothing unless I am actually willing to apply it.  The fact it expands my mind forces me to utilize it sometimes in the exact same way I previously had to see how different it is today. It makes me stop running one way, and now I must crawl, walk, then run the other way.  It balances my writing like Proverbs 27:17 (As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend).  It makes for constant thought and debate in my mind and heart.  However, the best thing about application of the word is when those things come out of me, and it actually changes others.  It attracts them not to me but to God.  This is the application of those things I have learned.

One can only love God’s law by using it actively.  The Book of James is filled with lots of great words that challenge our beliefs in a healthy way (ex. Faith by works is dead – see James 2:17).  In reading today’s verses, James makes the straightforward case of applying God’s law into our lives.  I felt a personal gut punch reading to “see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.”  That is both humbling and convicting as I must acknowledge that I am not quite the man God would want me to be.  Yet, it is also motivating as I strive to be better in my walk of faith, and with each step, God rewards me for my using what He has instilled in me.  We have all heard the saying, “I can’t hear you because your actions speak so loud.”  This is what we as Christians must always aspire to do.  Our actions will always be a bigger indicator of our faithfulness to God.  Thus, while reading the word is paramount, it means little if we are not able to translate into tangible change in our lives.  Furthermore, it must be seen not for others to observe but for God to bless our each and every step that shows both submittal to His will and love for His teachings.

Jesus is the ultimate applicator.  There can be no doubt of how great a teacher Jesus is, and even those who studied the laws of the Bible acknowledged Him as such.  However, He at numerous times chose to apply His teachings in a way that showed a clear example for us to live a life devoted to Him.  There was His telling the people without sin to cast the first stone to the adulterer.  Then Jesus Himself as the only one who could have stoned her forgave her (John 8:3-11).  Or what about when Jesus said to His disciples, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13). Then He allowed Himself to be put on the cross so that we could have eternal life.  So, what are we to take from all this?  Quite simply, my prayer is that we take Christ’s example and focus on application over education.  Amen

Replacement part

Late last night my husband found that we had water all over in the sub-pump room of our basement.  We quickly discovered that there was a hole in the connector and it was spraying water.  It was just a small hole so we put some plumbers putty on it and that seemed to hold it until we’d be able to get it fixed today.  By the time we woke up this morning, the small patched hole was now a larger hole and it was spraying pretty good.  Thankfully we had put towels all around so the we didn’t end up with flooding however it was clear that we needed to get something done quickly. 

I started thinking about how this is kind of like sin in our lives.  Sometimes sin can seem like something so small.  We might try to “patch” our sin but if we don’t do a full repair, all it will do is later give way and become an even bigger sin.

I John 1:8-10

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

We ended up having to replace a part on the sub pump.  It was not something that could simply be patched. 

In our lives, Christ has offered us the “replacement” part of himself to fix the leak of our sin.  Each of us needs to be looking for those areas that sin takes over and needs the replacement of Christ in our lives.