In the US we practice our faith in relative safety and peace. Sure it may cost us a ‘friend’ here or there or an invite to the ‘big’ party. But it is pretty unlikely that we’ll see scores of girls kidnapped from the local Christian school or that militiamen will attack our church one Sunday morning. Yet many around the world face these or similar dangers and still practice their faith because they know the ultimate reward that God has in store.
Could we live such a brave faith? Willing in any and all circumstances to do what God is calling us to do? Could we bravely walk into the cafeteria or break room and share our faith with whoever is sitting there? Could we give a little more than is comfortable to help a person in need? Yes we can and great is our reward too. Through our actions and words we can bring hope. We can be the light and love the world so desperately needs.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “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.”. We can both live out from these words and help others to come to know the truth of these words in their lives. May we live a brave faith.
Tag Archives: love
Peaceful Trust
What is the largest crowd you have ever actually been a part of? Was it at a big arena concert or maybe at a game? For me it was several years ago in Washington, DC, when I went to be a part of Promise Keeper’s ‘Million Man March’. I was just one of about a million people gathered there that day. It was incredible to look out at the sea of humanity and to realize that I was just one part of it. When I think about that huge group, it pales in comparison to how many people inhabit the earth. There are now 7,000 people for every one of those million men gathered that day in DC.
Yet God knows, cares for, and loves each of those 7 billion people on the earth. Do they all love Him back? No, but that doesn’t matter to God. He loves them all equally because they are all His creation. He loves them all.
It is hard to fathom that despite the fact that we are each just one of seven billion, God loves each and every one of us. Yes He does! What a mighty God we serve.
It is because of this great love that we can trust Him with our lives. His plan for us is so much better than any plan we could muster. Because God’s steadfast love endures forever, we can trust Him to always have the best in mind for us. Because His love never fails, we can trust that He will see us through the valleys and will bring us up the other side. We can trust into God and into Jesus’ words: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)
The Reality of Eternity
Jesus told His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” He also told them that no one comes to God except through the Son. Just as these words are meant to encourage and strengthen the disciples, He meant the same for us. Jesus wanted all to know that the path to eternity led through him. For the disciples, soon Jesus would die and He wanted them to trust in His continuing presence. He was going on ahead of them to prepare a place for them – a heavenly home. As they continued the work that He had begun, He wanted them to work in the peace and comfort of the reality of eternity.
Jesus knew, as He spoke these words, that His disciples – both the 12 and us today – would face trials and would be asked to go into uncomfortable situations and places. He asks us to trust into His “everlasting fellowship”. The earthly Jesus is now the eternal Jesus, calling us to know Him more and more through how we engage Him in study and Word and prayer and in how we participate in His mission in the world. His call is today and every day, in the here and now. To know is to love, To love is to serve. To serve is to know.
As we continue to grow in this cycle that Jesus calls us to, we step closer to that reality of eternity. For some of us, we are a part of bringing the new creation to this place where we dwell. Some may see the new creation come right before their earthly eyes. For others, while we share in the building of the kingdom here on earth, we are bringing ourselves closer to our eternal glory. We will be a part of the coming of the new creation. It matters not. We are all part of the same plan. Thank you Jesus!
Faithful and True
Have you ever done something or ventured somewhere with a guide or expert that you never would have alone? If I were to go white-water rafting or skydiving or up Mount Everest, I would want a pretty skilled guide right there with me, leading and showing the way. Imagine stepping to the door or the airplane and hearing your guide say, “Hope I packed the parachutes right, today was my first time packing a chute.”
In your walk of faith have you ever stepped outside of your comfort zone or made a ‘leap of faith’? When we do these things we do so with the confidence that He is right there with us. He walks right alongside of us – ready to catch us when we stumble, ready to show us the way when we feel a little lost, ready to whisper in our ear just what needs to be said, ready to give us courage when we begin to have doubts. He is our rock, our comforter, our expert guide.
Knowing He is always by our side gives us the confidence and knowledge to step up or out for Him. He will never leave us, He will never forsake us. May we walk boldly, for He is faithful and true.
At the Gate
Jesus is often known as the ‘Good Shepherd’. On one level it is an odd choice – in Jesus’ day it was one of the lowliest jobs you could have. It was hard work. It was lonely work. It was thankless work. It was dangerous work. Your sheep were in almost constant need of care and protection. You lived outside with them day in night, in the cold, in the rain, in the wind, in the scorching sun.
Yet in many ways the analogy makes perfect sense. Tending to a fellow Christian can be hard and lonely work. In parts of the world it can be dangerous. Some people require lots of care. You may have to go out in the middle of the night or during a snowstorm to be with them.
Yet I have a feeling that none of this would have even slightly bothered Jesus. Anytime, anywhere, anyplace is His motto – He loves us that much. His love is so great that He would lie down His life for us – again and again and again. Like a shepherd lying down before the gate each day to keep his sheep safe, Jesus lays down at the door to our heart each day and says, ‘Satan, you shall not enter. This one is mine’. And safe and secure, we say ‘Thank you Jesus!’
Just One Step Past
What a wonderful image of the early church – gathering daily to hear the Word proclaimed, to worship, to fellowship to break bread. They gave freely to one anther as there was need. In Jesus’ name miracles were occurring and each day others were drawn into their community of believers. When I think about the early church, the word ‘family’ comes to mind.
Then I thought, is this the word we would each use to describe our own church? Or is it only a ‘church’ – a group that gathers once a week on Sunday mornings? A nice time to worship, to hear the Word proclaimed, to enjoy a little casual fellowship. Or are there ‘families’ that some are involved in? Do some dive in and become a part of a small group, a covenant group, a life group, an accountability group? It is to this small group that an extra commitment is required. It is one step past Sunday morning.
Yet when one chooses to take that extra step one usually finds the loving support, the personal encouragement, the heartfelt concern, the genuine fellowship, that we all need and crave. If you haven’t taken that extra step, please do. I know it is one more thing to fit into your busy schedule. But it is worth the step.
Calling All Sheep!!
The church I serve is the downtown area of a small city in a rural state. We are in and amongst some sheep that are not like our ‘average’ sheep. Most of the flock comes from neighborhoods where they must drive to church. The body is made up of many loving sheep from lots of the different pastures around town. But when we come together we form one body. Gathered there and when apart, we all strive to listen to the same One voice of Jesus. In His voice we find nurture and protection, guidance and conviction, strength and comfort, love.
Occasionally ‘another’ sheep wanders into our enclosure on a Sunday morning or on a Wednesday night. Sometimes, to the casual observer, they are hard to identify as not being of our flock. In other cases, it is easy to see they are not part of the regular flock. But do we realize that almost all of these sheep are seeking to hear the same One voice we are there to hear? On Wednesdays some of these ‘other’ sheep are there trying to find a warm meal and to be in a safe places for a little while.
As the Good Shepherd, his voice calls out to us all. Not just to some – to all! As we find ourselves next to a sheep that is different from ‘us’, may we NOT look them over with the “What are you doing here?” look in our eyes. Instead, may we show them the same love we would show our own spouse or son or daughter. He is calling them too. There is no one Jesus wants to see outside the fold. Why should we?
God Always Present
Psalm 23 is one the best known psalms. It is a psalm many know by heart. It is a passage that assures us of God’s grace and love for us. It is a passage that speaks of God’s constant and steady hand upon us as we walk on our journey of faith. It is a passage that speaks of God blessing us and a promise of His goodness and mercy as we live with God in our hearts. It is a psalm of thanksgiving.
Yet it is also a psalm that brings great comfort and peace. It is a psalm that reminds us that God is present beside the still waters and in the green pasture. It is also a passage that assures us that in our dark and sad times, God is there too. In the dark valleys we need him more than ever, as He is always there.
For all of these things, His presence in both the good and in the bad, we give thanks. Romans 15:13 reads: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him; so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy spirit.” Hope does not disappoint, for God is always near.
From the Heart
What one word would you use to sum up who Jesus was and is? Would it be messiah or savior or healer or king? True, He is all of these. For me, the word would be love.
What are the keys to our faith? Is it worship, giving our tithe, serving on a committee, maybe helping with the Youth program? Certainly all of these are means to growing in our faith, but according to Peter, the key is to love one another and to love God.
What if each day we evaluated our faith journey through the question: ‘Am I loving God and neighbor more deeply from the heart?’ Sometimes this is hard to evaluate on a daily basis, but I think if we spent some time thinking on this question, we will find the little ways in which we did love more deeply from the heart.
If we spend hours reading and studying our Bible, are faithful in attending worship and in our giving, and if we serve here or there – we can please God and we may grow in our faith. But if we are doing these things out of duty or obligation but not out of love, we are lost. We are lost because although we may grow in our faith, the love doesn’t spill out for God and into other people’s lives. We must lovingly give ourselves away to truly grow deeper in our faith.
More Than Enough for Me
In times of pain or sorrow, stress or anger, we like to have someone to go to, to talk with. Life just seems better when we have someone to bear and share our burdens with. Often times this is with a friend or a couple of friends, but God wants in on the conversation too!
Reading Psalm 116 this morning, I am reminded of the song “More Than Enough for Me.” It speaks of God being in our every moment and knowing all of our needs and emotions. The psalmist cried out to God and just knows that because of His great love for her, He will hear her cry. And like the psalmist, we too can know God in this way.
And what then is our response? Out of our recognition of and in response to His great love for us, out of ourselves we offer praise, worship, service, and sacrifice. When we are loved our natural response is to love back. That great love of God flowing into us in turn becomes love flowing out of us into other’s lives. The chorus from that song goes, “Jesus you’re all I need, You are more than enough for me.” He is all we need. He is more than enough. So let’s share a little!
pastorjohnb 