Do not be afraid to love one another

“Greet each other with a sacred kiss.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭13:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

https://www.bible.com/116/2co.13.12.nlt

“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

https://www.bible.com/116/heb.10.25.nlt

Immunity is built by exposure. God’s way always works best. COVID-19 May be a new cold virus on the planet but it is merely a cold virus. The world has been exposed to it and humans will all have to get used to it, developing what immunity we will. Exposure, and therefore immunity, comes from group unity. 

True, the frail may earn their graduation to glory by meeting this new cold virus, but no more than with the flu, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or an oncoming car. Christ’s bride needs to set an example of faith over fear, loving one another as we were called to “especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

How does verbally thrashing someone for saying “Happy holidays” keep Christ in Christmas?

As a Christ worshiper and ambassador of Heaven, I am grieved to see well-meaning Christians do harm to others, rob themselves of joy, and sully the reputation of the collective body of Christ when they respond with passionate disgust or even anger at the use of holiday greetings other than their favorite. Allow me to admit my hypocrisy. I am recovering from a long history of bigotry toward secularists. As one called to rescue the perishing, I do recognize the urgency for sharing the Gospel of Jesus with a dying world. To my shame and regret I have often attempted the blunt approach with exactly two predictable outcomes: I was left exhausted and embittered, and my prospects were wounded and repelled by my assault. To which would a drowning person more enthusiastically respond – an outreached hand or a sharp and jagged firebrand?

Jesus Christ gently extended himself to outsiders. The only ones with whom he was aggressive were those religious elite who, abusing their authority, made coming to God difficult for the common men and women of that day. Christ gently caressed the untouchable leper. He sat and talked with the shunned Samaritan adulteress. He welcomed the children, fed the hungry, healed the sick, and loved the hopeless. He went out of his way to save and serve, even crossing realms to pluck you and me out of the mire we were in. Shall I say nothing of the Passion of Christ, who accepted abuse and tolerated torture for a world of soiled sinners? Who are we to sling mud now?

“Happy holidays!” does not exclude Christmas. Considering how one might come to a decision to utter those words rather than the seasonal ear candy of our own palette, we would recognize that those in the retail industry are, by necessity, trained to broaden their appeal to be welcoming and inclusive of all their patrons. Standing in the shoes of a retailer, we might see every N^th patron awkwardly squirm at our preferred greeting until one bold enough finally explained how excluded it made them feel. None of us who have the Spirit of Christ want to purposefully wound another, and most of us who have associates of other faiths truly do want them to enjoy the holiday of their preference. If someone entered our store wearing a sweater adorned with a menorah and stars, we would likely employ our deductive skills or divine discernment to wish that visitor a “Happy Chanukah!” feeling triumphant for having avoided an awkward conflict. Why then do we stammer and stomp when the more generalized blessing is given to us as though it was a dagger to our egos? Why do we cringe when someone outside the retail industry seeks to avoid those same conflicts?

Jesus taught that we should pray in his Name boldly with reverence before God, but was discreet about promoting it himself. Under the blanket of American religious freedom, there is no reason to be timid about Christ, and I do not mean to excuse the religious coward. John’s epistles, however, make it clear that the first identifying characteristic of a Christian is love, not the type on their greeting card, the decal on their bumper, or the print on their T-shirt. Love. How are we dying to self and living to Christ if we bristle when others choose a phrase not our own? What does it say about our discipleship to do unto others as we would have them do unto us when we turn the pruning hooks and plow shares entrusted to us into spears and swords to pierce the ones Christ died to save?

This year, when your ear is pricked by the alien ring of “Happy holidays,” remember that among peace, joy, and love, the greatest is love. Ask yourself which response would bring the most glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, goodwill toward men. Recall the prayer of our brother, Francis of Assisi:

“O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.”

Consider responding warmly when the chill of this Winter is pierced by an off-pitch greeting, a misfired blessing, or an imperfect gesture. The greatest gift of Christmas is a perfect Savior for those of us who don’t deserve Him.

No one is a hero who tries to beat God to their appointment with death.

It is hard not to be critical when I hear Big Media and even some of my friends applauding the so-called “bravery” of a girl who committed suicide because she was diagnosed with a terminal disease. Newsflash, folks: we are all going to die eventually! We were each born with a terminal condition called “Humanity.” Some people might develop symptoms that indicate to medical professionals approximately how many months remain but the truth is none of us knows if today is our graduation day. No one is a hero who tries to beat God to their appointment with death. There is a choice concerning death, but it is not in the terms of departure. The choice is in the post-mortem destination.

Two concerns emerge here. First is the horrific idea of “freedom of choice” being applied to mortality. No one has the right to choose death; not their neighbor’s, not their spouse’s, not their own, not their unborn child’s. Murder is wrong every day, always. The second is that if we permit people to self-terminate because of a medical condition, what is to stop us tomorrow from permitting the termination of life for less permanent diagnoses? Or non-medical ones? What next? Organized suicide parties like Carousel in Logan’s Run? This cultural generation that has made Walking Dead the number one show on-air is being programmed to believe that it is okay to kill anything that deviates from a pattern that benefits them.

I have been strongly affected by the suicides and suicide attempts of others. Any notion that suicide affects only the one whose life is terminated is ludicrous. Though the main loss is the surrender of the practitioner’s spiritual outcome, every life is connected to other lives, and every broken connection represents a loss. It is the eternal, irrevocable equivalent of taking your ball and going home just because you don’t like the projected outcome of the game. Anyone who would kill themselves just to keep from dying another way has at least one more day’s worth of growing up to do.

‪#‎suicideprevention‬ ‪#‎chooselife‬

Esther's example of self-denial

Esther, an Old Testament typical representation of the bride of Christ -- the Church, took into the bridal chamber only that which was recommended by the counselor. Sister, brother, are you carrying baggage into the bridal chamber, or are you going equipped only with that which would appeal to the Groom? Self denial means putting away everything that we might want in preference for the King's will. The Holy Spirit is faithful to advise us and help us prepare to please our Bridegroom if we will ask and submit.

Reference, Esther 2:15,17 NIV:
[15] When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.
[17] Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Other references:
John 14:16, 26 (Holy Spirit's advocacy)
Revelation 19:7 (the Bride's readiness)
Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23 (self-denial commanded)
Romans 12:1 (worship through self sacrifice)

Why does it hurt so much?

Have you experienced the loss of a loved one? Wept in the agony of a life taken away? Agonized over the chasm between Heaven and Earth through which we may not reach except through prayer to God who oversees it? Perhaps you’ve even blamed God for keeping careful watch over the one you so regret losing to the separation of death. The Giver of Life is not the one who steals, kills and destroys (John 10:10), but our Maker has appointed the way of things, and for each of us to die at some point (Hebrews 9:27). If we are careful to learn the lesson of our pain, we find that it is separation that hurts us. Even in the case of those we mourn whose hope of Heaven is assured, we wince and wail at the thought that our prized one is there and not here. Our certainty of their happiness in Heaven only partly assuages the grief that results from our selfish nature. We want them to be where we can see, touch, and hear them. Pain is not without purpose; it serves to direct our attention to some real need. So to what is the pain of our bereavement directing our awareness? The Father has long been bereaved of union with His created children, and the agony of this estrangement would be an alien emotion to mortal man were it not for the occasional parting of our fellows or family members. Every instance of mortality serves as a reminder that we are not where we belong, and that our home is in the presence of the Father.

“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Sin is separation, a falling away from God. The contract of Eden was that when Man ate of the forbidden fruit they would surely die (Genesis 3:3). Man rebelled against the one law of Eden’s covenant and was removed from God’s presence, a separation our selfish nature tends to make us forget. The consequence of sin is death – the inescapable result of choosing separation from God was we got our wish. Now, physically separated from God, our souls’ reunion with Him comes at the cost of separation with mortal (literally “death-sentenced”) men. So we who are left behind endure a deep longing for nearness to the one we have lost – to remind us of the deep longing the One who has lost us has had from the beginning. 

Thankfully, God has not left us to suffer without cause or without benefit. As we come to recognize the great empty chasm between us and God, we find ourselves drawn to the remedy for it. The awareness of our predicament comes by the Spirit of the One who bridged the gap by His own sacrifice. The common thread between Eden’s Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant (the Law and the Ten Commandments), and the New Covenant (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) is that sin requires a death (Hebrews 9:22). It is by no accident or miscalculation that we all feel unworthy to come to God; none of us is. But the unattainable price of our sin-bounty was paid by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God Himself in human form (Romans 3:25). 

The lie Eve and Adam bought was that this life is all there is – that “you shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4) was their reality. We, as their descendants, risk believing that same lie when we live as though this temporary separation is all there is. When we fail to recognize that Earth is a nursery, training academy, and proving ground for what we will become, and embrace it as though our existence will not go on beyond this world, we stand in pre-sentenced judgment and are granted our wish – eternal destruction. But if the pain of our separation serves its purpose, and makes us long for home enough to lean into it even now; if we more than just believe in Christ but believe on Him enough to live out that faith (John 3:18), we have the assurance that we are among His beloved children (Ephesians 5:1), and He will never really leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Our tie to the eternal realm from Earth is prayer (Psalm 102:17, Revelation 8:4). God’s people communicate with Him, and He with them, through prayer. It is as simple as talking to a friend. Won’t you reach across the great divide with the one tool we have to do so, and end the separation that so grieves the heart of God, our loving Father? When you do, you may find that you become the answer to the question, “Why does it hurt so much?”

See also: The Death of a Friend: Permission to Weep

The Human Vehicle - Driven by God to Serve His Children

When has abundance ever been enough? When have I ever been satisfied with more? Has "plenty" ever been plenty? No, never, not to my satisfaction. I have never been content, no matter what I had. So why do I celebrate the extra I have or withhold from those in need? Why does part of me still crave the forbidden morsel when so many of God’s children are starving? What part of me makes me want brownies though they will not contribute to my wellness or strength? Rebellion? Self-will? Why does this part of me have to keep being put in its cage, "crucified daily" as it were? I believe it is because I am made out of meat, and am, by nature, prone to rottenness. This meat of my humanness or "flesh" has to be put in its place before I can assume my proper role as spiritual occupant of the vehicle. The flesh is the vehicle, and as such, it has no business driving! I choose to put my vehicle under my will, and my Higher Power over it where He belongs, in the driver's seat.

“I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Declaring Independence

The weight of our past drags on our present like a burdensome yoke, and haunts our future with the insecurities that are the ghosts of our resentments. On this Independence Day may we find the Grace of God to declare independence from our past, and to live between the forgiveness with which He has addressed our history and the providence He has for our future, living fully connected in our momentary present to Him in His eternity. In the name of Jesus Christ, who paid to make this possible, Amen!

~tl

Bought at the Cross to be Freed by the Cross

"He bequeaths us his manger, from which to learn how God came down to man; and his Cross to teach us how man may go up to God."

Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, "June 18th" (A.M.) entry reminds me that Christ went willingly to the cross on our behalf not only to pay for our sin, but also to demonstrate the spiritual posture I must take to escape from its hold on me. Unless I die to the cravings of my natural self, I am doomed to live in and for them. But thanks be to God that I can now say with humility and confidence the words of Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loves me and gave himself up for me." I have been freed from my sin!

~TL

TL’s Spiritual To-Do List

Getting started in the day is often difficult for me to do. Even more important than getting my body going is firing up my spirit for a connected, empowered day. Here is my* "Spiritual To Do List" of directives, to help me keep my spirit in tune throughout the day. I hope in sharing mine, you may get some ideas for your own spiritual dialogue that helps you to, "continue steadfastly in prayer."

IN THE MORNING
Get grateful – Before you even rise from bed, thank God for life, breath, and another opportunity to live as His representative here on Earth. “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

Get up – Stretch and breathe, affirming that God’s Spirit has been breathed into you. “The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7)

Get breakfast – Thank God for the provision to get you through your day, and for the ability to bypass all the unnecessary luxuries and delicacies that others want, but you recognize you do not need. “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” (Proverbs 30:8)

Get wise – Read the chapter of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Thank God for wisdom. “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7) “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)

Get clean – While in the shower, visualize the washing of water and blood of Christ that saves you. Ask for a fresh outpouring of His Spirit to empower you through your day. Acknowledge that His compassions are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:23) “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. …Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm 51:7, 10-12)

Get anointed – As you pour on your creams, lotions, or potions, give thanks to God for His ancient decree, “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.” (Psalm 105:15) Recall your own baptism and remember that, “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

Get dressed – As you put on your clothes, reaffirm that you are clothed in righteousness, “…for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12)

THROUGH THE DAY
Get going – Look for God to guide you and be willing to follow His lead. “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11)

Get committed – Make sure God is a part of every activity of your day. “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3) “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17)

Get productive – Make the most of your day, remembering that each contact and every obstacle is an opportunity to demonstrate your faithfulness. “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.” (Titus 3:14) “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” (James 1:2-3)

IN THE EVENING
Get forgiving – Make sure you leave whatever grudges and disappointments at the bedside before you retire. “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13) “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:15) “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry…” (Ephesians 4:26)

Get introspective – Before concluding your day, look back and judge yourself. Commit to God your failures, and leave them for Him to deal with. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24) “But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.” (1 Corinthians 11:31)

Get repentant – Confess your sin and return your life, your energy, your very being back over to God, and commit to Him all that you are. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) “Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.” (Psalm 31:5)


*Note
I wrote this list of directives for myself, and later decided to share it online. It occurred to me that since it appears in directive format, this lends itself to a superior, instructing tone that was never intended. Please remember this is a personal "To-Do" list for me.

Let Go and Let God!

I was recently asked for advice by someone struggling to surrender control of their situation to God, and to overcome stumbling blocks to their faith. I was humbled at the request, since I too struggle with issues involving control. God spoke to me through my response to this dear lady, and I wanted to share it with you:

The most important tool in affecting change in ourselves (or anything for that matter) is prayer. I know of one particular prayer, prayed directly in the face of Jesus Christ, when He confronted the father of an afflicted child about his faith. The parent said, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24) This prayer reminds me that, even when we believe, we can always believe more. To say what the fearful parent said is not the contradiction it appears to be. His previous actions give clarification. He brought his son to Jesus, demonstrating his faith. But then he said, "If you can…" as a lead-in to his request of Jesus. I think building the kind of faith that knows God will move instead of wishing He will takes prayer (talking to Him) and Bible reading (allowing Him to talk to you).

What has helped me build my faith is to reflect on the Scriptural examples of the faithful. Hebrews 11 has often been called "the Hall of Fame of Faith." Since you are looking for ideas, I recommend reading that chapter, then looking up the stories of each name listed there, and reflecting on each one, comparing their example to your own life. (Online tools like www.BibleGateway.com make such searches easier.)

God bless you as you turn loose of control and surrender your situation to God. It is only when He has free rein and total reign that He can make the most out of us. It is because of His power that we can, "Be still and know that I am God..." (Psalm 46:10a)

Clay Pots

We are all are clay pots, formed of dust and inspired to live by God's own breath.1 Since that moment, we have done all we can to try to fill those pots with all sorts of things that separate us from the Creator who made us.2 We adorn ourselves with all sorts of material possessions and false cheerfulness on the outside, to try and hide the fact that we are made out of dirt. Meanwhile, we try to fill ourselves with pride, arrogance, and self-indulgence, until our insides are coated with a bitter glaze that anesthetizes us against the warm wind of the Creator's living breath inside us.3

Living Water, the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, has the ability to fill us so completely if we let it that we will not only overflow Spirit Water, but the glaze within and without us will dissolve away, our very material will saturate, and our whole lives will permeate the Living Water of God.4 Then we will be useless to contain anything but Him,5 and we will constantly seep Spirit Love everywhere we go and onto everyone with whom we have contact.6

As that begins to happen, the fruits of the Spirit will begin to grow in, on, and around us.7 At the hands of the Master Vinedresser8 and in the true light of Jesus Christ,9 we will become a lush garden of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, not by our power, but His.10

Notes:
1. Genesis 2:7
2. Isaiah 53:6
3. Isaiah 59:2
4. John 7:38
5. Jeremiah 2:13
6. Galatians 5:14
7. 2 Corinthians 3:18
8. John 15:1
9. John 8:12, 1 John 1:7
10. John 15:5, John 15:8

A Missionary's Graduation to Glory

Christian Missionary Matt Boden recently lost his ministry partner when his wife, Kaylee, died giving birth to their newest of four children. The following posting and photo were taken from the website of Matt and Kylee Boden’s Ministry. Matt and Kylee served the University of Central Florida until they began their work in the Global Outreach Center of New Mission Systems International, in Fort Myers, Florida.

Wednesday, March 17, Kylee Boden, pregnant in week 35, was rushed to the emergency room with a condition we now know was eclampsia. Doctors performed a Cesarean section and delivered Caleb Boden, who is healthy and well. Kylee experienced some intracranial bleeding and other complications, and she did not recover through the day. She met her Savior shortly before 6:00 that evening. Matt and Kylee have ministered at the Center for Global Outreach in various counseling, mentoring and training roles. Kylee's unexpected death touches as many lives as her great love did. They have four children: twins Seth and Lydia (5), Sarai (2 1/2), and Caleb.

Please pray for Matt and his family, and consider what God would have you do for them.

From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday

On "Palm Sunday," five days before Christ's crucifixion, he entered Jerusalem on a donkey colt to the sound of cheering crowds hailing, "Hosanna!" (a word that means, "save us now"). "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" and, "Blessed is the king of Israel!" was on the lips of those who pushed in to see the celebrity. They laid palm branches in his path to demonstrate honor they would soon betray. (This is how "Palm Sunday" got its name.) This fifteen minutes of fame on Palm Sunday was a glimpse of the glory that was to come to Jesus. It was a preview of what was revealed to John and recorded in Chapters 19 and 21 of Revelation.

"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean." (Revelation 19:11-14; see also vs.1-16, and 21:1-2, 6-7.)

-

The Jewish day traditionally begins and ends at sunset. Four days after Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as the sun set, beginning of the Feast of Passover, Jesus gave his disciples an important lesson. Because of this very special lesson, that evening would become known as, "Maunday Thursday," which means, "Service Thursday."

"It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. 'I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.' 'A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.'" (John 13:1,15,34)

-

The following day, Crucifixion Day, is referred to by many as, "Good Friday." It fell on the Jewish holiday of Passover, a day to commemorate God's protection from the death angel who was unleashed to plague the Egyptians who had enslaved the Israelites hundreds of years before. That great miracle of God required every household of Israel to kill a lamb and sprinkle its blood on the doorposts and lentils of each home. To spare each family's eldest son from certain death, God demanded the blood of a sacrificial lamb.

"Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. 'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life---only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, ...but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.'" (John 10:6,11,17-18,27-28)

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1:18-19)

-

For three days, Jesus' body lay in a freshly cut tomb in a garden near where Jesus was slain. The funeral was paid for by a wealthy follower of Jesus named Joseph, but his private tomb was sealed and guarded by the command of Pilate, the Roman governor. Earlier in his ministry, Jesus had prophesied, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40) Jonah wasn't the only allegorical foreshadow of Jesus' stay in the tomb. Joseph, the favored son of Jacob, the father of all Israel, was cast into a pit, and the blood of a goat was smeared on his coat to cover his sale to the slave traders, but he was ultimately promoted to second in command of Egypt. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were hurled into a furnace because of their righteousness, but were seen walking around inside with a radiant fourth man, until the king released them and promoted them within the province. Daniel was sealed in a lion's den, but was spared death, protected by the angel of God, and later prospered with the kings blessing. Lazarus, the friend of Jesus himself, was mummified and placed in a grave for four days before the Christ called him forth.

-

Resurrection Day is remembered as Easter Sunday. This is the day that makes all of Christianity matter. Had it not been for Christ's resurrection, there would have been no cause to celebrate his death, and even less purpose in commemorating his birth, for he would have been proven just a man. Jesus Christ was and is God. He was made man, faced and conquered death, and is now returned to God the Father, where he sits as God the Son, enthroned as King, forever. He sent his Spirit to be with us, guide us and teach us. He remains in the hearts of any who invite him in. Hallelujah! He is alive!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5)

Sunday's Comin'!

The Late Dr. Bob Cook and "Walk With The King" Radio Broadcast

The 10-minute radio broadcast I listen to every weekday morning is now going online! 

 

Dr. Robert A. Cook is my broadcasting hero.  Today, I have discovered that the residual ministry of this wonderful encourager, who himself has graduated to Glory, will be expanding its web presence in April, 2010. I could not be more excited! If you have ever wished you could hear a bit of warm, caring, Christian encouragement in the mornings, I encourage you to get to know Dr. Bob's voice of loving instruction by visiting this website and by tuning into Family Radio in your area weekdays at 7:00 am, for his brief, but always uplifting exercise in encouragement. "Walk with the King today...and be a blessing!"

 

http://www.walkwiththeking.org/inner.html  shows a video about the upcoming website improvements.

 

~tl 

Waiting on God

Are you struggling to accept God's timing? In our heads, we know that God's timing is perfect, but there is often a gap between the knowledge that God will provide and the peace of feeling that truth in our souls. If you find yourself feeling impatient while you wait for God's hand to move, I encourage you to do what David did in Psalm 62:

⁵Wait in silence for God only,
For my hope is from Him.
⁶He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
⁷On God my salvation and my glory rest;
The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.

I love Southern Gospel music. Karen Peck and New River sing a song by Sharon Husarik called, "Right on Time." I don't expect you to listen through the song just to humor me, but here are the words:

The news came to Jesus please come fast.
Lazarus is sick and without Your help he will not last.
Mary and Martha watched their brother die
They waited for Jesus- He didn't come.
They wondered why.
The death watch was over; buried four days.
Somebody said He'll soon be here
The Lord's on His way.
Martha ran to Him and then she cried
"Lord if You had been here- You could have healed him. He'd still be alive.
But You're four days late; and all hope is gone.
Lord we don't understand why You've waited so long."
But His way is God's way.
It's not yours or mine
But isn't it great when He's four days late- He's still on time!
Jesus said, "Martha, show Me the grave."
But she said, "Lord You don't understand- he's been there four days!""
The grave stone was rolled back.
Then Jesus cried, "Lazarus! Come forth!"
Then somebody said, "He's ALIVE! He's ALIVE!"
Right now you may be fighting a battle of fear
You've cried to the Lord "I need You now!" But He has not appeared.
My friend don't be discouraged
Cause He's still the same.
He'll be right here and He'll roll back your stone and He'll call out your name!
When He's four days late and all hope is gone
Lord we don't understand why You've waited so long.
But His way is God's way it's not yours or mine
But isn't it great when He's four days late- He's still on time!
Oh my God it's great when He's four days late- He's still on time!!!

If you have taken Christ's name, and have clothed yourself in His grace, you have made a powerful commitment to God, and Satan has heard of you. God has declared that you are worth fighting over, and even though Christ has won you, Satan is still struggling to sift you. At this present time, the devil is trying to make waiting painful for you. It won't be the last time. Waiting can often pierce the heart in ways that feel as real as a spear, but things worth fighting for are also worth the wounds. Put on the full armor, remember His power to provide, and stand.

LORD, I pray for the hearts of those who read this. May your peace come through this humble vessel and find the soul in need. Give us the strength to stand firm until your perfect timing is fulfilled. In Jesus' precious name, Amen!

~tl

The Balance of Hope

The life of condemnation teeters out of balance on fear, between the regrets of yesterday and the anxieties of tomorrow, crippling us with guilt and worry. In contrast, the gift of God is the life of hope built on a fulcrum of grace, that allows us to find forgiveness for our yesterdays and provision for an eternity of tomorrows. This hope empowers us to live this moment as a reflection of His grace to all those around us, here and now, to His glory for ever and ever. Amen!

~tl

Full Spectrum Ministry

The full spectrum of visible light is evident in, and even defined by, the rainbow. From violet to red, and every mixture in between, the promise of God's tolerant mercy on sinful man is the reference point for all variations of color. Just as the sun casts its prismatic light in a demonstration of God's loving kindness, so God's Church is to be a multi-spectrum reflection of His love. Paul taught, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18) The global Church of Christ Jesus is the reflection of God's glory, and the appearance of His likeness on Earth.

Too often, we in the Christian community look to our own monochromatic understanding of God's love, and we exclude all other varieties. Whether the differences are in understandings of spiritual gifts and their application, or in styles of worship, or the never-ending theological debates over Biblical semantics, we hamstring God's body by dissociating our group from others. Even though we are warned not to forget we are parts of a bigger body, we still try to be the single-cell organism that can do it all, and knows it all. Paul cautioned the Corinthians not to forget their unity with the Body. "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) Jesus prayed, "that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (John 17:22-23)

A full-spectrum Christian is not bound to one congregational denomination just as God's love is not bound to one frequency of light. The truth is that we tend to settle into that little pattern with which we have become comfortable, and stop growing or exploring. One of the points Paul is making in 2 Corinthians 3:18 is that we, who reflect His glory, are being transformed with ever-increasing glory, into His likeness. Transformation and increase both are types of change. We cannot become more if we refuse to change, and we cannot see the other colors of His rainbow if we tune out all but our own hue. When we escape from our comfort zone and reach out to Christians under other denominational standards, we find that our family is that much bigger, and our potential for outreach that much wider. The Bible teaches that we are one Body. Science teaches that a body is made up of organs, bones, connective tissue, each of those consisting of still smaller parts, called cells. Cellular structure itself demonstrates a need for each molecule, atom and electron to be working in unison. The world is simply too big, and the enemy's battle rages too fierce, for a Church with an amoeba mindset. In order to stand and matter against a society that is so quickly sweeping toward a unanimous evil, there must be unity in God's Church. The time for bickering over such things as the use of electric guitars or communion cups is over.

"God has combined the members of the body ... so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." From the ultraviolet of the Catholics through the vivid ranges of the Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Churches of Christ, the Independents, Baptists, Methodists, all the way to the infrared of the Pentecostal and Charismatic congregations, every one of us exists to support the Body of Christ. Any internal growth that hinders the body rather than help it is mere disease, and the Great Physician is faithful to tend to diseased growth in his body. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." (John 15:1-4)

Ezekiel's revelation of the exile (and the shadow of our current wait for the Lord), began with, "Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people." (Ezekiel 12:2) According to the voice of the Lord, rebellion is what clouds the eyes and clogs the ears from receiving the full spectrum of God's truth for us. Rebellion. Sin. Going the wrong way. Even if we find ourselves on the "right track," saved and bound for eternity with Him, we still may miss the full opportunity we had on earth to be our part of the bigger picture. Heaven will have no boundaries to separate the included. There will just be eternity with Jesus, and eternity without. No "1st Congregation of Saved Believers of 4th Street South," or "Missionary Messianic Church of the Sitting Tack in Christ," just plain old "IN" and "OUT." That's all.

Most denominational walls are built on the disputable matters described in Paul's instruction to accept one another. "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters." (Romans 14:1) That passage continues as Paul quotes Isaiah 45:23, "You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written: " 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.' " (Romans 14:10-11) The style of worship, the frequency of the communion sacrament, the nature and use of spiritual gifts, and the method of baptism are important matters, but are not critical in the survival of the Body of Christ. While every point deserves study, most of these serve to segregate rather than to unify. As Christians we do not have the luxury of seeing perfectly eye-to-eye on every subject. We are called to remember that we are all parts of the same Body. Just because one may not feel he is exactly the same as the Christians near him, his makeup, experiences and personal relationship with Christ make him a critically important asset to the whole. How strange a white blood cell must feel when traveling along the vessel with all the red. But when infection comes, the value of the white cell is in its healing power, a trait the red cells do not carry. As Paul said, "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body." (1 Corinthians 12:12-13a)

Oddly, the Christian community tends to organize in a backward fashion. A large congregational institution, already broken off from the Church Body by denomination and its own walls, breaks into small fellowship groups. This is a formula for regression, not progression, and more closely resembles decomposition than growth. Fellowship groups themselves are a healthy idea, and help to keep the Church alive, but their formation is reversed from the natural order. The early Church of Christ Jesus followed more of a natural pattern, developing like any other complex organism: beginning with the cell, grouping with similar cells into organs, and finally celebrating cooperation with other organizations in the ministerial function of the whole body. The starting point is supposed to be the cell. At the end of the Book of Acts, we read that Paul made a ministry out of opening his home to boldly preach the Gospel to anyone who would come with an interest. (Acts 28:28-31) We each need to be doing the same, opening our homes to all who will come, teaching them to do likewise, and sending them to repeat the cycle. Especially in days to come, as persecution becomes more and more real, and organized congregational church institutions find themselves under attack, the cellular structure of Christ's body will be key to its survival. As long as Christians can find other Christians and continue to celebrate unity in abiding in Him, as He instructed in the 15th chapter of John, the Church Body will last through whatever comes our way, and remain a living, breathing, growing force on Earth. It all starts in the home of the Christian.

Heavenly Father, grant us eyes to see the full spectrum of your loving care, unbound by the carnal walls of our comfort zones. Help us to be an accurate, indiscriminate reflection of that love, shining on all with whom we come in contact. In Jesus' precious name, Amen!