Is Your Love for Others Complete?

 ¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷ This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:15-18

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, if anyone testifies that Jesus is the Son of God, if anyone witnesses that Jesus is the Son of God, if anyone confidently shares to others that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 

  

What did John the Baptist do?  Jesus said this of John, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Mt 11:11)  What did the greatest person ever born of women do?  He cried in the wilderness, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Mt 3:2)  He prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance.  The Spirit of God was in him and he preached repentance as his life’s purpose and work.

How did God love people?  He sent His Son so that people could believe in Him.  People can confess their sins and accept the perfect sacrifice of Jesus for their sins. 

How then is our love for others demonstrated?  We testify about Jesus.  We tell others that if they will repent there is salvation.  Verse 17 says that this is how love is made complete among us … in this world we are like Jesus.  The famous quote from the book In His Steps, written by Charles Sheldon in 1897, of “What Would Jesus Do” is a good way of considering our actions.  But truthfully, if our action isn’t one that testifies about the purpose of Jesus or that leads someone to know Him better, then it probably isn’t what He would do.  Every action of Jesus was a moment of teaching or it was a moment to reveal the salvation of man.

What is the statement of fear about?  Why did the writer John put a statement about fear just after a statement of being like Jesus?

Have you ever felt the tug of the Holy Spirit within you at some moment in time to describe or testify about something of God, but has failed to do so because of ... fear?  I feel pretty assured everyone has.  At that moment, we allowed fear of rejection, fear of being despised, fear of losing friends, fear of a change in our lifestyle, fear of sounding stupid, fear of not knowing enough, or some other fear, prevent us from following the love that God wanted to show to someone through revelation of Himself.  At that moment, our love was not perfect.  If we had truly loved that person like God does, we would have been compelled to testify about God, rather than fear anything in this world.

Today, let your love be completed and be willing to be like Jesus, ready to answer about the reality of who God is and what He has done.

Another Day Older ...

My son said, “Happy Birthday Dad” to me this morning before he left for school.  “How do you feel?” he asked.  I responded as I often do with the first thing that comes to mind, “another day older and deeper in debt.”  A line taken from Tennessee Ford’s song Sixteen Tons, something my son would have never heard or even been aware.

When you have kids, their growth is a constant reminder to you that time is passing.  But, once they start getting grown, birthdays become that reminder.  Time, as we understand it, is passing one day at a time, one month at a time, and one year at a time.  That is, it passes if we’re lucky.  Or, blessed, since luck is kind of a superstitious thing. 

I can easily reflect on those around me that aren’t enjoying the passing of days right now.  One has bone cancer and has spent 25+ days in the hospital since December.  Another had their dog killed by a neighbor’s dog and the PTSD dog owner neighbor threatened to kill him and his wife; his daughters spent the night in a friend’s condo because they were too scared to stay there.  Another has had prostate cancer come back after having radioactive treatment seven or so years ago and is having to take drugs that essentially castrate him.  Another lost her son just after his 15^th birthday. 

And time continues to pass for everyone.  Yet, Jesus said “The time has come, the kingdom of God has come near.  Repent and believe the good news!” (Mk 1:15)  That time never passes, but always exists.  It is always the right time to believe in the Christ.  That time is always now.

I personally believe that time is a physical thing for us living in the physical world.  I often use the example of the old slide projectors as an illustration.  For us, we can only see one slide at a time.  The button is pressed and the projector lifts up, rotates a little, then shows the next slide.  However, God sees all the slides at once, the ones before and the ones after.  None are hidden.  Remarkably, Einstein discussed this in theory regarding time travel and described how someone could see time before and after the present based on their position in the universe.  While, I’m not sure if he was trying to prove God’s existent or not, my consideration is that God’s unique position allows Him to see it all, not one day at a time.

God standing at the center of all time declares to man that “now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2)!  Consider that you could stand and see all time for all men.  What would you tell men if you could tell them one thing that would make their life right?  God says that message is believe in Him and be saved from yourself, your natural sinful self.  This is the message of every day that exists for all men.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

The truth is, I gave my son the wrong response.  I have no debt, Jesus paid for it.  Today is another blessed day of salvation as Jesus is the perfect sacrifice.  My sins are forgiven continually forever.  Praise God for the beauty of time, where every day can be a day of praise to Him for His gift.

His Ways

I was asked to write a devotion for our church's Lenten devotional.  The text was Isaiah 55:8-11 and there was a specific method to the writing.  The result is below.

Read Isaiah 55:8-11

A person drowning in water cannot save himself.  He must have a lifeguard.  If he could save himself then he would be the lifeguard and could save others who were drowning.  One downhome preacher declared, “You can call out to God smelling like a pig.  There you are, standing in slop, stinking as bad as you will ever stink, and you can call out to God, and He will answer.” 

We can’t possibly conceive the significance and complete purpose of God’s ways.  If we could, God would be too small – we’d be the lifeguard; we wouldn’t need to be clean.  Yet, we question why continually.  Why are we here?  Why did that happen?  Why doesn’t God do this or that?  The real question is, why do we think we’re qualified to even ask?  That’s pretty audacious.  God spoke in a very determined response to Job in this regard (Job 38).

Were the eternal up to me, or any other person, born in the natural state of sin, there would be no salvation for the world.   Who among us would purposely, without the character of God, subject ourselves to ridicule, suffering, and death for the single possibility that one person might, not will, but might come to know you?  There is no way any person without God would ever reason that as a proper action.  Yet, God saw this as necessary from the beginning.  He loved us first and gave.

Thank the Lord and blessed are we that His ways are not our ways. Thank the Lord that His thoughts are not our thoughts.  Thank the Lord that His ways and thoughts are higher than ours.  If not, we have no hope.  “Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us!” (1 Jn 3:1) 

Lord, forgive us when we question you in our ignorance.  Help us in our unbelief.  Guide our understanding.  Lead us to walk in Your ways and plant Your thoughts over our own.  Lead us into willful obedience and a determined faith knowing there is only You, the one true Living God, and You alone are Creator and Lord of all.  Amen.

Is This World Your Home?

The song "This World Is Not My Home" by Jim Reeves has the following lyrics:

(Verse 1) This world is not my home
I'm just a-passing through
My treasures are laid up
Somewhere beyond the blue.

The angels beckon me
From heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore.

(Verse 2) I have a loving mother
Just up in Gloryland
And I don't expect to stop
Until I shake her hand.

She's waiting now for me
In heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore.

(Verse 3) Just over in Gloryland
We'll live eternally
The saints on every hand
Are shouting victory.

Their songs of sweetest praise
Drift back from heaven's shore
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore.

(Chorus) Oh Lord, you know
I have no friend like you
If heaven's not my home
Then Lord what will I do.

The angels beckon me
From heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore...

“I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”  All Christians should have a longing for the Promised Land.  Sure, the Promised Land is the land for the Israelites, but just the same, the Promised Land is the eternal home being prepared by God for everyone who believes in Jesus.  Jesus Himself said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.”  There is a destination, a permanent home for the living.

I like to go camp for brief periods of time, like over a weekend, but if it takes much more than about five days, I start getting ready to get back to the “real” home.  There are lots of amenities that I like, but I like the security of its permanence and familiarity most.  It's where I belong.  Yet, the reality of our existence is all that we see, hear, and touch is temporary.  We “camp” all the days of our lives and are not in our eternal home.  We rest on an assortment of campsites, some are hard and rocky, some leafy and soft, some weather is stormy and other times it’s nice, some sites have beautiful vistas and some are so horrible we never want to remember them.  But all are temporary and a part of our journey to the Promised Land, our eternal home, our heaven of existence with Jesus eternally.

There also comes a point for those who have been married for a time, where "home" is being with their spouse.  Without them, home anywhere just isn't home.  I don't think there is a way to describe this except to live it.  In the same way, we should grow as we live in our temporary camps in this physical life so that our "home" is the fellowship we have every moment with our God, with His Spirit.  It is there and only there that we'll find security and rest.

Do you feel at home in this world?  Or is there a longing for more, for that eternal place where God resides?  Jesus said to “Seek and you shall find”, "Knock and it shall be opened".  Seek Him today and find home.

Don't Slander

Matt Ayers has this writing in his Tea in Solitude site called Implications of the Image of God: Don’t Slander written on Feb. 1st.

It is also copied below.

 IMPLICATIONS OF THE IMAGE OF GOD: DON’T SLANDER

It’s really hard to be courteous to everyone always. Actually, it seems impossible.

Not long ago I wrote a Saturday Sermon about a text in the New Testament that commands Christians to be courteous to all people (Titus 3:2). I wrote that sermon because there was a lot (I mean a LOT) of negative talk about presidential candidates going on among Christians.

Interestingly enough, the verse just before that verse about being courteous to all people reads, “Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good” (Titus 3:1, NLT). Then verse 2 reads, “They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone” (Titus 3:2, NLT).

I think the most important part of that verse in light of recent events is “They [read “we”] must not slander anyone…”. As hard as this command is for many, are we ready to obey it? Is it even possible?

Jesus raises the bar even higher than the text from Titus. He says, “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell” (Matt. 5:21–22). Really? I can’t even call someone an idiot if I’m a Christian? Yes, that’s correct.

One of the reasons it seems so impossible to live up to this New Testament standard is because it seems like slander is such a common, natural thing (especially in political conversations). Its hard to swim against that current. When all the conversations around us seem to be slanderous, it becomes the norm. It becomes natural. Thankfully, we have the Holy Spirit to convict us and empower us to not simply follow the trends. Christians, we are to be set a part.

So, why is it so important that we don’t slander? Why is it so important that we don’t hate others? The answer is simple. It’s because all people (yes ALL) are made in the image of God. This has serious implications for how he think about people, talk about people, and treat people—especially people who aren’t like us. When we slander, hate, and name call, it proves that we’ve forgotten this core biblical truth that is intended to orient all of our human relationships.

There are (at least) three major implications of the fact that all people are made in the image of God. First, because all humans are made in the image of God, we are all eternal beings (not eternally pre-existent, but our souls live on forever once created). Second, because we’re made in the image of God, we are all unique. No two people are the same because God is involved with the creation of all people. His precious fingerprint is on every human being. Third, because we’re all made in the image of God, we’re all equal. All barriers, whether it be economic, racial, religious, or gender, do not determine the value of a person. All people are equal because we’re all made in God’s image (this doesn’t mean that all are saved, by the way).

Lastly, while it seems impossible, the Holy Spirit is here to help us. He not only reminds us of Jesus’s teaching, but also sustains us with his abiding power. Let’s cooperate with the Holy Spirit by setting trends within our areas of influence of being courteous to all people. Let’s not do this simply because it’s the “right” thing to do, but let’s do it because all people are made in God’s image.

This is an excellent message.  Except for Christians purposefully being mindful of this character and refusing to take part in the worldly efforts in slander, there will be no influence to respect the life of people as simply being God’s Creation.  The culture attacks all life and everything of God.  An easy way to stand apart today is to refuse to slander.  Maybe that stand alone will provide the way for witness for Jesus.

The Guilt Offering

We most often only consider that Jesus was the sin offering for man.  We don’t consider that He was also the guilt offering.  In Leviticus, it describes a sin offering and a guilt offering.  Both were to atone for sins committed knowingly or through ignorance.  The sin offering was to cover the root of the sin, the natural man’s inclination to do the sin.  The guilt offering was to cover the fruit of the sin. 

What is the fruit of sin?  Sin produces obvious consequences in the lives of many people which an offering is not going to immediately correct.  However, there is fruit in a person that sin produces that is an obstruction to their living the way God intended.  Guilt is a fruit of sin.  Many people who have turned from their sin and repented carry the guilt of a sin for the rest of their lives.  They are always under the weight of that sin even after they accept forgiveness.  The guilt offering is for the purpose of removing the burden of the guilt.  However, in the traditional Hebrew there is more to this offering.  It involves money to the offended of some percent.  But we’re discussing the personal guilt portion.

Isaiah tell us that Christ is the guilt offering.  The Hebrew word for guilt is asham and it is used in 53:10.  “The Lord makes His life (soul) an [asham] offering for sin”.  Therefore, Christ was the perfect sacrifice.  He bore our sins on the cross and He bore our guilt also.  There is no purpose for any Christian to live under the heavy burden of guilt once they have fully repented of their sin.  There is no purpose for any Christian to live under the burden of guilt if any wrongful deed has been done to them. 

Maybe you have asked yourself, how can someone do such-and-such sin and then go along as though they have done nothing?  If they are a Christian and have turned from their sin and repented, their proper course of life is to accept the perfect sacrifice of Jesus as their sin and guilt offering.  They not only should believe their sin is forgiven, but that their guilt is removed also.  They are to live freely and victorious with confidence that Jesus has defeated both completely for them.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father has given unto us!” – 1 John 3:1

Because of Christ, I am convinced that Christians should not live under any weight of guilt or sin, but free and victorious through the blessed love of God’s Son Jesus’ perfect work.  Accept God’s free gift and live as God intended today.

Roads

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” – Matthew 7:13

We are easily distracted by what is going on in our lives day-to-day and we do not see our destination.  In The Book of Mysteries by Jonathan Cain, there is the story of the teacher taking him on a wilderness path.  At different times the teacher would ask what the student would name the road.  His answers would be “the rocky road”, “the sandy road”, “the winding road”, “the valley road”, “the dark road”, “the open road”, "the treacherous road", etc.  

Then the teacher commented, “every time I asked what to name the road, you answered based on how the road looked or felt.  In the Holy Land, the most famous roads are based on destinations, such as the Road to Bethlehem, the Damascus Road, the Emmaus Road, or the Jericho Road. … In the journey of life, you will find the road to be at times rocky, smooth, harder, easier, dangerous, pleasant, unbearable or joyful.  But you must never make the mistake of judging your road or your life by what it looks or feels like.  A pleasant road may lead to a cliff.  And a hard and rocky road may lead to a Holy City.  A pleasant way may lead to hell, and a hard way may lead to blessing and eternal life.  Always look to the end of your course, to where it’s taking you.  And if you’re on the right road, don’t get discouraged by the terrain.  Don’t give up.  Keep going forward to your destination because it is the end that matters most.  The journey of your life will not be known by its terrain, but by the place it brought you.”

Why do we continue to believe even when it seems life is falling apart?  We trust God.  We trust that no matter what the road is like at that time, the end is so much better and the journey is for the best either in us or in those who may witness Him in it.

What Am I Holding Onto?

From The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (movie 2002), book series by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.

Sam: I know.  It's all wrong.  By rights we shouldn't even be here.  But we are.  It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo.  The ones that really mattered.  Full of darkness and danger, they were.  And sometimes you didn't want to know the end.  Because how could the end be happy?  How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?  But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow.  Even darkness must pass.  A new day will come.  And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer.  Those were the stories that stayed with you.  That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why.  But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand.  I know now.  Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't.  They kept going.  Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?

Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for.

Dear Christian, what are you holding onto?  What got you out of bed this morning: obligation, habit, responsibility – or something better – joy, peace, thankful for just being alive?  Somewhere in it there has to be a purpose.  People without a purpose have a hard time getting up in the morning and negotiating difficult days.  So, as I asked before … what are you holding onto?

I have personally struggled with this at different times in my life.  Why get up, again, just to be hated, judged, to lose the efforts trying to succeed, to be beaten down, to make another mistake, to say the wrong thing again?  Why dream a dream that might be impossible to reach?  (Actually, when did I stop dreaming?  It just sort of happens.)  Why endure in a world that rejects what you believe, opposes you when you try to love in accountability, and runs your name and worth into the ground as worthless when you strive to care?  … Why bother?  Why not just float along and not bother anyone with any real desire or effort and no strong opinions or beliefs?

What am I holding onto?

That there's some good in this world ... and it's worth fighting for.

Ah.  Truly there is only one good.  Jesus answered those who said He was good saying, “Why do you call Me good?  No one is good except God alone.” (Mark 10:18)  What am I holding onto?  The only good that exists.  There is only one true living God and He is.  There simply isn’t another thing, aspect, perception, concept, religion, or standard worth holding onto.  Everything, everything, everything, everything, everything, everything else … got it? … Everything else fades away.  Everything else dies.  Everything else perishes. 

Do I need to fight for God?  That statement is laughable.  What can I possibly do?  God doesn’t need me to fight for Him, but He does need me to believe in Him with my whole heart with no doubt - to trust Him completely.  The Bible is full of stories of God waiting to fight for men until men learned to depend upon God and God alone.  God wants to fight for us and does relentlessly.  My fight is to purposely make choices that agree with God’s will.  My fight is to seek Him continuously.  My fight is to know He is is alive and have no doubt.  “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Hold onto God today and fight for Him to dominate your life.  The world, that same world that burns your dreams and purposely seeks your destruction, is defeated.  The king has His hand out ready for you to join Him.  Hold onto Him.