Love Archives - Page 8 of 13

December 20, 2022December 20, 2022

Sharing the Gospel at Christmas

Sharing the Gospel at Christmas is at the top of the Christmas to-do list for most Christians. It is the ideal time both because of the season and the company. We celebrate Christmas with those we love. Many of those people need to hear the Gospel.

Presentation

Sharing the Gospel at Christmas can be daunting when celebrating with non-believing relatives and friends. Conventional Christian wisdom says we start with God as the creator of all things; we then talk about the garden, man’s fall, and Christ’s salvation. This is a complicated conversation to glide into between courses at the table. But Christmas seems to be the perfect time for this.

Romans 10:14-15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them, and how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Alternatively, we could grab everyone’s attention by telling the story of Christmas. We can start with Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection, then end with our reconciliation. Again, this might be a bit awkward to an audience that didn’t come for a performance. So how do we use this opportunity to spread the good word?

Philippians 2:7, “rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

There might be a more straightforward approach. But first, we need to recognize the players. The author of the story is God. He chooses the people for salvation (Thessalonians 1:4). The author of our salvation is Christ. He is the only one who can save (Thessalonians 1:10). There is our role; we communicate the Gospel through our words and actions (Thessalonians 1:5). There is the Holy Spirit that empowers us; it gives us the gift of effective communication (Thessalonians 1:5). And finally, there is the person you are talking to; they must be open to the message and respond to it (Thessalonians 1:6).

Matthew 20:16, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

This model is repeated throughout the Bible, not just with Paul and Thessalonians; Philip evangelized with the Ethiopian is another example. We must remember our role in evangelism; communicate the Gospel through words and actions. We cannot and should not try to orchestrate the roles of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, or others. This is the first rule to having a great Christmas with family and friends. We must accept our role versus God’s and be willing to do our part when called upon.

Adaptation

Not everyone is the same. We all have our go-to personality. Some are cognitive thinkers who want facts, evidence, and discussion. Others are Intuitive thinkers who need emotions and feelings. Then there is the concrete-relational thinker who needs practical application. Based on what personality testing you have been trained on, there are even more subdivisions of personality traits. The point is that one size does not fit all. The path to salvation has many turns and twists. This is where we have to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us. This is where I involve everyday evangelism, adapting our story to fit the needs of the person I am talking with to demonstrate Christ’s story of salvation.

I know the experiences of my life better than I know the Gospel. No one can defend the facts of my life better than I. I am an undisputed authority on how God changed me.

Realization

Because I was raised in a farming community, I like the visual that the agricultural parable provides. First, there is preparing the ground; then there is planting, followed by nurturing, and finally, the harvest. Evangelism involves in all four phases. God attracts people to Himself by preparing their hearts. We may be part of this process through the way we both model salvation and communicate it. But the ground is still barren. Next, the seed of the Gospel is planted. It may take some time before it starts to germinate. The Lodgepole Pine uses fire to germinate. That is the reasons forests come back after a great fire. Some people are this way. It takes a great fire in their life to germinate the seed of the Gospel.

Matthew 17:3-8, “Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places where they did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no roots. Other seeds fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still, other seeds fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”

Then comes nurturing the word. The word has taken hold, but what type of soil? Part of our evangelistic ministry is to nurture the seeds planted by others. Do we model the Gospel? Christmas can be chaotic, noisy, disappointing, exciting, and crazy good all at the same time. This confluence can and will create opportunity. What we say and do under stress is one of the most significant tests of our faith. It is also one of the best evangelistic tools. This is a time to nurture the non-believer, showing them the way.

Titus 1:9, “Their belief in the truth that they have been taught must be strong and steadfast so that they will be able to teach it to others and show those who disagree with them where they are wrong.”

Harvest

The harvest. Who does not love the harvest? It is a time of celebration and renewal. Very few of us truly get to see a harvest. We spend far more time working the field than harvesting. If you are privileged to be involved in the harvest, remember that someone else did a lot of the hard work.

If I could give one piece of advice regarding sharing the Gospel at Christmas, enjoy yourself. Let God do His magic through you. Understand that you are not the savior of their soul. God owns the process you are part of. He has been gracious enough to include you in His plan for another. You can’t screw it up because it isn’t your plan.

Do your part but let God do the heavy lifting.

Luke 1:37, “For every promise from God shall surely come true.”

December 13, 2022December 12, 2022

Another Christmas Story

The Birth of Christ is the greatest of all stories. Within that Christmas story, there is another story that comes to mind. This story within a story is about obedience and the ramifications of that obedience.

“Christmas is about change. It’s a time we open our hearts before we open our presents.” -Toni Sorenson.

Obedience

Acts 1:14, “Mary, the mother of Jesus.”

This time of year brings about introspection. It usually starts with me thinking about the Christmas story and Mary. It then progresses to my story, where I have been, and what I have done.

Mary was a teenager when Gabriel visited her with his alarming proclamation—alarming from the standpoint that Mary had no predisposition to believe that Gabriel would visit her. She certainly did not anticipate that he would turn her life upside down. I can’t imagine that a teenage girl would believe that the God of the Universe would choose her over members of the families of Sadducees and Pharisees, who certainly had to be more righteous. Gabriel dared to burden her with one of her culture’s biggest taboos while simultaneously stating that she would not be just an unwed mother with a child but a child who would change the world for all humanity. That had to be an overwhelming experience. Her response is priceless.

Luke 1:38, “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”

I wonder about the strength of her character, which flowed so easily into obedience. This thing that was asked of her was so foreign yet familiar. What is the biggest thing God has ever asked of you? That is one of the first questions I ask myself. Not just what does He want now, but what has He always wanted from me? Do I flow so easily into obedience?

“Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.” — Winston Churchill.

The Launch of Responsibility

Obedience requires action. No response is a response. Mary’s Christmas story only started with Gabriel. Although Mary did not initiate her new responsibility, she accepted and nourished it. Again, I picture the teenage girl looking at her newborn child, helpless and defenseless, yet knowing he is the Messiah. Did she understand the power and majesty of that little bundle? She was now tasked with raising the Son of God. She would feed him, change His diapers, and teach him to walk and talk. Yet he, at that moment, probably knew more about her than she did Him.

God has asked a lot less of me. But He does expect a response. Not because He needs me but because He wants me to be part of His plan. Mary had a physical representation of God’s will in her life. She could not and would not ignore the needs of her child. The fact that He was the Son of God made the task more urgent but not more necessary. Can I say that I respond the same way to that which He has put before me? Is it both necessary and urgent?

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” –Calvin Coolidge

Dedication to the Goal

Luke 2:19, “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

This Christmas story ended years later, but we will get to that another time. For now, let us enjoy the moment. Mary most likely knew the prophecy concerning her child. Also, like most people in her time, she might not have yet understood how the prophecy would be fulfilled. Her focus was on raising a healthy and happy child. She did not fully understand the significance of Jesus’ time on earth but knew it was world-changing. Mary spent over 10,000 days making meals, washing dirty clothes, and keeping Him safe before He revealed His ministry to the world. It was a long time of watching His every move and wondering. Thirty years is a long time to remember what Gabriel said. But, she trusted God. She never wavered.

Mark 6:3, “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.”

How dedicated am I when God’s results don’t track with my expectations; am I to forge a new path, create a new shortcut, or drop what I believe is an unproductive approach? How quick am I to give up, thinking I misunderstood the message?

Tenacity is found in hope, and hope is found in purpose. Once we understand that our only purpose in life is to delight our creator, then hope becomes a natural extension of our being. Hope in a promise made thousands of years ago. Hope is the fuel that drives the engine of obedience.

“Optimism is a wish without warrant; Christian hope is a certainty, guaranteed by God himself. Optimism reflects ignorance as to whether good things will ever actually come. Christian hope expresses knowledge that every day of his life, and every moment beyond it, the believer can say with truth, on the basis of God’s own commitment, that the best is yet to come.” – J. I. Packer

December 6, 2022December 5, 2022

Great Stories

It was once said that all great stories begin in tragedy. I understand that. Great stories need to triumph over adversity. Without adversity, the story losses its punch. We must feel the visceral response to injustice before the exhilarating happiness of victory. The more visceral the injustice, the more satisfying the victory.

A Great Story

Mohamed El Bachiri, husband of Loubna, 34, a gym teacher at a school in Schaerbeek, father to three small boys under 10. He described his wife as beautiful, always smiling, and an extraordinary mother and wife. In His Book “Een jihad Van Liefde” he made this statement after his wife was murdered during a terrorist attack in Brussels in 2016;

“I need to express a kind of anger – which is legitimate. My anger expresses itself in the struggle of love. Sharing love. That’s my way of violently responding to the terrorist.”

There are so many words in this statement that grab me. He states a “kind of anger that is legitimate” and ties it to love. He goes on to talk about violent love. It builds a vision in my head of a man so driven by love that he holds his enemy in a bear hug and won’t let go until the other relents. That he will fight for the right to love the unlovable. He will sacrifice for those who do not deserve it because it is the only way to win.

This is a story worth remembering.

The Greatest Story

Christmas is upon us. It is not one of the greatest stories, but it is the greatest story ever. A man, God in human form, was born that responded in violent love for us. He came into this world not just to die for us but to suffer for us. He took on the adversity of all our sins over the millenniums. His life of love and sacrifice ended on a cross. He holds us in a bear hug to this day.

I don’t know how many of us have a visceral reaction to the actions of our lives. How much do we hate the injustice of who we were (or still are)? How tall is that tsunami of sin that hangs over our existence? Mine brings me to tears. The harm I have done to others is almost inexhaustible.

I was reading and rereading Romans chapter 7, particularly verses 14 through 23. Paul describes me to a T.

Romans 7:15, I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.”

In his commentary on this chapter, J.D. Greear talks about turning from a battle we cannot win, overcoming sin, to a battle we cannot lose, Christ’s salvation. This is a struggle for me. How do I turn from my past and embrace my future? This is especially difficult when my present sometimes looks like my past. Paul answers that very question later on in Romans.

Our Story Continues

Romans 8:5-6, “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So, letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”

This Christmas, think about things that please the spirit. Cast away thoughts of our sinful nature and celebrate the most violent love man has ever known. Reread many of the great stories in the Bible. Celebrate the God who is.

“Many of us have merely added Christ to our lives as another interest in an already busy and otherwise overcrowded schedule. This sort of thinking has watered down the meaning of a personal relationship with Christ. The problem is that we often seek the God we want, but do not know the God who is.” – Patrick Morley, Walking with Christ in the Details of Life: 75 Devotional Readings.

November 29, 2022November 28, 2022

Transform Thanksgiving into Everyday

Now that the turkey has been stuffed and the family stories regaled, it is time to transform Thanksgiving into everyday life. How do we infuse our everyday living to become a daily Thanksgiving feast?

Romans 12:13, “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

This is the time of the year when we become introspective. Thanksgiving allows us to think of all the things we are thankful for. Christmas is the backdrop for showing love and appreciation for all who have touched our lives and those we do not know but feel compassion for their plight. New Year’s follows Christmas, a time of renewal. We commit to being a better version of ourselves. We are thankful, appreciative, and fortunate — not all of us.

This story is about the importance of dwelling on the richness of our lives. It should remind us of how important it is to share that richness with others.

Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

An Incredible Day

Atlanta has a spring art festival in Piedmont Park. It is a spectacular event both for its content and its setting. The Dogwood Art Festival is in the spring when the city is in full bloom. There are Dogwoods, Azaleas, and Bradford Pears in full bloom. Although the Dogwood Festival runs the entire weekend, I go down early Friday. I like that time; I can talk with the artist as they set up their booths before the crowds arrive. These folks are incredibly skilled. They have an absolute passion for what they do. You can see and hear their joy as they take the time to discuss their art. This passion is also reflected in the quality of their work and the prices they charge. The Dogwood Art Festival is not a mom-and-pop affair.

This particular year the weather was incredible—Azure blue skies and cumulus clouds that remind you of cotton candy. The gorgeous white and pink dogwoods are in full bloom. The temperature was almost non-existent, feeling neither cold nor warm, absolutely picturesque. The vendors were excited to show their creations. It was a joy to be alive.

A Chance Encounter

After walking around, I settled comfortably on a picnic bench not far from the vendor row to watch people. I like watching people. It fills me with curiosity. I was also growing hungry and deciding what cardiac-inducing meal to eat. Apparently, healthy food was taboo in the by-laws of art festival management.

A woman sat down on the bench across that table from me. She was in late middle age, conservatively dressed, and unremarkable in many ways, the kind of person you might see in a crowd without ever really seeing her, that perfect blend of human camouflage. She said, “I could live a year on the price of one of these things.” Without looking, I agreed.

Proverbs 19:17, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”

God has this incredible way of introducing me to the exact person He wants me to engage with. One thing led to another, and we started talking. I bought her lunch. She was living in a halfway house after being released from prison. Life had been long and hard and disappointing. That once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that could have taken her life in a different direction was always just outside her reach. The hurdle in her life was guys. They came into her life at the wrong time with mischievous intent.

There was determination and grit in her outlook. She had a vision but no plan to get there. It wasn’t a grand vision. It was a vision to become normal. You know, 40-hour workweek, home, friends, and maybe family. Everyone has a unicorn; this was hers. If anything, I am a guy with a plan. Our meeting wasn’t serendipity or coincidence; it was part of God’s plan for her.

Stepping out in Faith

We started talking about God’s plan for her life. God’s plan was for her to prosper. But she had to be willing to surrender her plan for His. He would be faithful in His promise if she would. The first step was to find a church that had good scripture-based teaching. Then she needed to join an accountability group within that church that she could trust. We talked for about 90 minutes. She was cheerful, engaged, and asked questions.

Hebrews 13:16, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

The transformation I saw was that she sat more upright. Her face softened. Her eyes were brighter, more focused. She stated that she knew her plan didn’t work. She had heard the message of Christ in prison and she felt she needed to look into it further. But she always put it off. She knew of a church that had members she knew. They came by the halfway house. She liked them; they weren’t pushy.

Others plowed the field and planted the seeds in her life; I was fertilizer (be nice; it’s a metaphor). The harvest will come.

1 Corinthians 9:10 “Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.”

Did she find her unicorn? I don’t know. I do know that God wants me to be obedient for the sake of others and share the bounty of His love for me with them.

Hebrews 6:10, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”

November 22, 2022November 21, 2022

Feeling Thankful

Does Thanksgiving leave you feeling thankful for all that has transpired in your life or just blessed for the good that has happened? Do you thank God for what didn’t happen as much as what has happened? Much of our blessings come from the things that God has spared us from.

I think back to when I was considering changing jobs because I got a great offer from a company offering more money and benefits, along with a great job title. My ego wanted to take the offer. But a voice inside my head told me to stay where I was for the time being. It was an irrational decision to turn the offer down, but I trusted the voice in my head. Six months later, the company that made me the offer went bankrupt.

Agur

Proverbs 30:7-9, “Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Agur reminds us that sometimes we are better off with little. Not getting too much can be the help we need to avoid temptation. Prosperity has its pitfalls. But do we think about that when it comes time to give thanks? Do we take the time to thank our creator for the things He did not give us?

Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

This Thanksgiving, thank God for the great blessings you have experienced in your life. Let Him know how much you appreciate all the good times. But also take the time to consider the times when you didn’t get what you wanted. Think through those disappointing moments. Where did it take you? What good ultimately came out of not getting what you expected? Maybe it was a lost love that turned out to be toxic. Maybe a job you didn’t get led you to a different company and a chance to meet your new best friend. God can use even something as traumatic as a divorce to create a new chapter in your life.

Rick Warren

“In happy moments, praise God, in difficult moments, seek God, in quiet moments, worship God. In painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.” – Rick Warren

In every moment, thank God. Rick Warren does a great job of summarizing Thanksgiving, feeling thankful for everything that comes our way because all things work for the good of those who love God.

Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

November 15, 2022November 14, 2022

Normalization

Normalization: Any process that makes something more regular typically means conforming to some regularity or rule. To cause something previously regarded as anomalous (aberrant, incongruous, abnormal) to be accepted, as usual, thereby altering the accepted norm.

I just returned from an IMED trip to India. Every trip to a new environment brings unexpected revelations. It is interesting how people normalize their environment. A person is born into or raised in an environment that becomes their ecosystem. It is all they know. They don’t see activities as abnormal. As an outsider, the same activity seems strange and out of place.

What is Normal?

When I visit Africa, they live in houses with dirt floors and no electricity or running water. They don’t go home to watch TV or surf the internet. But they dress impeccably. They are happy for the most part. They have the same concerns as most people regarding politics and the staples of living, but the scale is different.

When I travel to South America, they live by a little higher monetary standard. They have electricity and running water but must deal with the Cartel. A certain amount of money has to be paid for security. To them, it is the way it has always been and will always be.

My trip to India was noisy and chaotic. One of my friends described it as someone kicking over an ant hill. Honking horns seemed to be the primary way of steering through traffic. Crossing the street is an adventure; there is never a break.

Behavior has been normalized to all the people who live in these environments. They don’t see it. It is the way it is and will be. There are so many experiences in our lives that have become normalized. Over the years, modern society has accepted more deviant behavior as normal. Children born in this century have been raised to believe that behavior that a few decades ago was unacceptable is now standard. It is so normal that one cannot speak against it.

As outsiders, we should see it differently. It should seem strange and out of place, but does it? Have we normalized behavior that is unacceptable to God?

The Greatest Commandment

What should our response to this new normalized behavior be? The answer lies in the Book of Mark.

Mark 12:29-31, “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none another commandment greater than these.”

The first part is to love God. Jesus is quoting right out of Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

Our love for our Savior dictates our behavior. One of the most significant indicators of this love is to keep his commandments.

Joshua 22:5, “Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

In a broken world, that means not letting the new normalization creep into our lives. It is holding to a standard of behavior that pleases God. It is not compromising when the world screams for compromise. Do not go along just to get along. Loving God is holding to a single truth.

The Second Greatest Commandment.

But loving God is the first part of what Jesus had to say. He also said that we should love our neighbor as ourselves.

Leviticus 19:18, “Don’t seek vengeance. Don’t bear a grudge, but love your neighbor as yourself, for I am Jehovah.”

Compassion and grace should be the leading indicators that we are children of God. As we deal with people who do not share our Biblical perspective, we must remember who we are. Biblical doctrine and theological preference are not more important than love. We must stay steadfast to the truth but not in a way that condones loveless behavior.

You can safely assume that you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do. – Anne Lamott, on page 22 of Bird by Bird

I am uncomfortable with some of the life decisions I see being made by others. I have to remind myself that I am only responsible for the decision I make, not the decisions others make. Non-believers do not operate on the same set of standards. Before salvation their lives are given over to sin. The only way to have a meaningful dialogue is to be a person with whom they want to engage. The life of a believer must be seen as a better life than the life of a non-believer. Presenting truth must be accompanied by understanding. They don’t prescribe to what we believe. Until they see the benefit of God’s love, they will not seek change.

Love

I wrote recently about “Love’s Reaction to Anger.” In that post, I tried to present that anger over sinful behavior is Biblical, but we should guard against our reaction to that anger. Sin causes us grief; the sinner is caught under sin’s influence. Our goal is to influence the person controlled by sin to seek deliverance. That cannot be accomplished outside the umbrella of love.

You can be absolutely right in your point of view and ineffective in your communications of that view. The object is not to be right but to be effective.

1 John 4:7-10, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love. In this, the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

November 8, 2022October 22, 2022

Love’s Reaction to Anger

What is love’s reaction to anger? There is another side of love that we all experience; it is those moments when we can’t seem to avoid being angry. One of my close friends said it this way; “There are moments when we are angry because our children have sinned, but it is not an anger at them, but an anger that sin has crept into their lives.”

Ephesians 4:26 “Be angry, yet do not sin.”

Interestingly, Paul did not tell the Ephesians not to be angry; he said yet do not sin. My bible group quickly went down the path of righteous indignation as an explanation. There is some validity in that concept, but it is a slippery slope. Someone else had to bring up that in John Jesus did mention “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” How do we demonstrate love in our anger?

Some may preach that we should rid our lives of anger; I’m not sure that was God’s plan.

PHYSIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF ANGER

We have to recognize that God built into us a defense mechanism for times when we are in danger; this is the fight or flight response. How does that work? Emotions more or less begin inside two almond-shaped structures in our brains, which are called the amygdala. The amygdala is so efficient at warning us about threats that it gets us reacting before the cortex (the part of the brain responsible for thought and judgment) can check on the reasonableness of our reaction. Inside your brain, neurotransmitter chemicals known as catecholamines are released. These cause you to experience a burst of energy lasting up to several minutes. You experience this burst of energy through increased heart rate and breathing. This burst is behind the common angry desire to seek immediate protection.

James 1:14-15, “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

Although your emotions can rage out of control, the prefrontal cortex of your brain, which is located just behind your forehead, can keep your emotions in proportion. If the amygdala handles emotion, the prefrontal cortex handles judgment. God gave us balance.

BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE OF ANGER

James 1: 19-20, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

Notice that James did not say “does not become angry,” he says “slow to become angry.” The implication is that there are situations in which we may become angry. But he tells us that anger does not produce righteousness.

Psalm 37:8, “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.”

Psalm’s tell us why; anger can lead us to evil. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:27, “do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.” Uncontrolled anger is a breeding ground for sin. Nowhere that I am aware of does the bible condone anger. It accepts that it does exist and cautions us to control it.

Colossians 3:8, “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.”

We are to put them all aside, that is to say: don’t give them a voice. We need to step back and let our frontal cortex control our emotions and react in love.

ANGER ITSELF

If we look at the reasons we become angry, they fall into a few broad buckets. The first bucket is an easy one; it is genuine righteous indignation. This bucket is the easiest to recognize because it is the blatant disregard for scripture. It grows out of the evil acts of non-believers or hypocritical acts from firm believers. These do not fall into grey areas; they are black as coal.

Leviticus 19:17, “‘You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him.”

The second bucket is perceived righteous indignation. Perceived righteous anger is the devil’s playground. Perceived righteous indignation is where we feel we have the religious high ground when our motives are purely personal. The most common is that you treated me poorly, that is ungodly, and I have the right to retribution.

Romans 12:19, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord..”

The third bucket is my most dangerous bucket. This bucket is full of pride and insecurity. Pride and insecurity are where I feel little because I am misunderstood or unheard. It is where my perceived value is diminished, and I feel inferior. These moments are where I forget that God made me great and prosperous. I forget I don’t need the validation of others to achieve God’s potential in me.

Ecclesiastes 7:9, “Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger resides in the bosom of fools.”

ANGER AS A PART OF LIFE

For us fallen humans, anger is a part of our lives. Many times, it raises its ugly head before we even recognize it. The best we can do is refuse to give it a voice and seek repentance and comfort in Christ when it happens. When anger does lead to sin, go back to the aggrieved person and ask for forgiveness. The act is more about repentance than actually forgiveness.

Ephesians 4:29, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

October 25, 2022October 24, 2022

Pay it Forward

Pay it forward was a trendy movement a couple of years ago. In 2014 a major coffee chain had 750 strangers pay it forward. Each stranger paid for the coffee of the customer behind them over two days. It was heralded as “It’s truly a testament to the goodwill of our customers.” What amazing arrogance would make these people believe they had performed an act of goodwill when the only thing that happened was the first person paid for the last person. The 748 people in between paid for their coffee at a random price. This chain sold coffee for upwards of $7.00, while McDonald’s sold it for under $1.00. It was all about people with money making believe they were helping people with money.

Is that really what it means to pay it forward?

Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

PAY IT FORWARD, GREG SMITH STYLE

Over ten years ago, I was at the lowest point of my life. Because the situation involved another, I will spare the details. For my part, I was left without enough money to buy food or gas to get to work. The work was a new company I was starting that had no revenue. I was desperate, desperate enough to give up my dream of forming this new company and going to work for someone else.

This led me to a friend of mine, Greg Smith. I went to him, hat in hand, asking for a job. Greg did something unexpected. He wrote me a check and told me to return to work at my new company. The extraordinary part of this gesture was not the money but the compassion and love. It was something I had never experienced in my life. It was utterly unconditional.

Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

I had been a Christian for some time. I had seen God move in amazing ways but never experienced it. It was life-changing. It immediately changed my view of my mission. I was now more committed than ever to being fruitful. Part of that commitment would lead me to join International Micro Enterprise Development.

ENMA STYLE

Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

I met Enma in Honduras. She and her husband have a business where they make custom furniture by hand in their home. Her husband, working as a janitor, learned furniture making by watching the artisans in a furniture-making business where he worked. COVID caused them to go out on their own. They needed help—enter International Micro Enterprise Development, a Christian-based ministry that helps the underserved by teaching and funding entrepreneurship. IMED gave them a small loan to improve their business. They bought a power saw, an upholstery stapler, and a sewing machine. Here is what they produced.

The name of their company is Eliaquim. Eliaquim is derived from the Hebrew “‘Elyâqı̂ym,” meaning “God provides.” When a visitor to a house with their furniture asks where the host bought their furniture, the answer is “God Provides’.

Changed Lives.

PAY IT FORWARD, HOMESTYLE

Philippians 2:13,”For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

Pay it forward is about changing lives. It is not about feeding your ego because you did something for someone. It’s not about doing good. It is about changing lives, taking small acts of kindness that don’t paint over the pain but change a person’s perspective of their life. It demonstrates to others that God does materially love them. That God is generous in ways that they never expected.

Most of us want to be the hero of our story. That is not what God intended. God is not only the hero of our story; He is the playwright, financial backer, and producer. Next time you want to pay it forward, ask yourself if you are changing a life or making yourself feel good about who you are.

Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

September 20, 2022October 22, 2022

Turning Kingdom Intent to Kingdom Impact

1 Corinthians 4:1, “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

With all the talk of fishing in the New Testament, you would think this quote came from the Bible. But it doesn’t; it is a Chinese proverb, among many other contested theories. The critical idea we should take from this is how we help others. We are commanded to be good stewards of all God has entrusted us. We are also commended for helping others when we have the means to do so.

1 Peter 4:10, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”

We have this challenge of using what God has given us to support our families while simultaneously being obedient to God’s call. There is a visual worldly Impact of material poverty, but there is also the hidden darkness of spiritual poverty. Alleviating spiritual poverty is restoring people to express their humanity fully. It is about helping them become the person that God created. In some cases, this is helping them to fulfill their calling of glorifying God by working and supporting their families and themselves with the fruit of that work. At other times it is lifting them out of their spiritual quagmire to recognize that they were created in the image of God.

Luke 16:10, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”

Both situations require effort. Both situations require resources. The most important aspect is knowing where you fit in God’s plan for another. It is understanding the balancing act of helping to alleviate suffering while not getting in the way of God’s intended purpose.

The poor feel powerlessness and an inability to make themselves heard. – Voices of the Poor

The spiritual poor live without hope and under the yoke of silence. Because they see the world as a finite entity run by rules that favor others, they feel it is impossible to achieve true peace. This, in turn, silences their cries for help. They don’t know if God will hear them or even care about them.

Where does fishing come into play? The easiest way to solve a problem is to paint over the cracks. Most spiritual poverty is met with platitudes and shallow intentions. We give people fish to get them through the crisis they are experiencing. It alleviates their immediate pain, which makes us feel good. Sifting everything down to a project is easier than getting involved in people’s messy lives.

In the book “When Helping Hurts,” giving someone a fish falls into the category of Relief. Relief is about stopping the bleeding. It’s a bandage. It is temporary. Sometimes this is needed. But stopping at Relief eventually leaves the person right back where they started. The bandage has to be replaced, or it becomes reinfected. The next step, Rehabilitation, is about teaching someone to fish. It is about making them strong enough to survive without you.

1 Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.”

When we stop Relief, we have exercised Kingdom Intent with minimal Kingdom Impact. We’ve demonstrated compassion without expanding the Kingdom.

Telling someone that you will pray for them is giving them a fish. Teaching them to pray with you helps them learn how to fish for themselves. Demonstrating to them the power of pouring out your heart to God shows them the real possibilities of salvation. The same is true with telling them about your church instead of picking them up and taking them to church. Quoting verses from the Bible, verses teaching them to study the Bible with you. Giving a fish is always easier than teaching to fish. But giving someone a fish is short-term. Once the immediate pain is resolved, attention goes elsewhere until they are in pain again.

Titus 2:7, “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity.”

Once the bleeding stop, Rehabilitation starts. Rehabilitation is about restoration. Rehabilitation is about giving people the tools to solve their problems. It is teaching them to fish for themselves. Alleviating spiritual poverty is about creating an environment where people can experience God’s love for themselves. This takes effort. You have to see the person, not just the immediate problem. You have to want them to have the same Godly experience that you have experienced. You must be willing to invest in them for the long term.

Most of us are good at Kingdom Intent. We want to help others, but the worldly issues of family and jobs limit our impact. We are willing to contribute to the cost of a bandage, but we don’t want to invest the effort of continued healthcare.

Kingdom impact moves someone from a limited worldview to an eternal spiritual view. Long after you have gone, God will still be working in their lives.

Matthew 6:19-21

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

September 13, 2022October 22, 2022

What Are You Doing?

Haggi 1:5-7, “Here is what the Lord who rules over all says:” Think carefully about what you are doing. You have planted much but have harvested little. You eat but are never filled. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes, but they are not warm. Those who earn wages end up with holes in their money bags.”

We live busy lives. There is always something that needs our attention. In this technological age, it is almost impossible to slip your electronic leash. People can get to you anywhere, anytime, if you let them. Few of us have the self-control to limit the demands on our time. We are constantly afraid that we will miss something. Something will happen, and we will be the last to know.

Modern life isn’t about a few deep, meaningful relationships; it’s about exposure and personal branding. Being liked or friended by many strangers is more satisfying than intimacy with a few. It’s all about activity. It’s about perception. It’s about image. You have to find a way to break out of that mold.

Romans 6:16, “Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient servants, you are a servant to the one you obey, either of sin resulting to death, or service resulting in righteousness.”

Who or what are you a servant of? Who or what rules your life? Is it the demands of your job? Is it the demands of your family or friends? Do you have a political or social cause that occupies your attention? When your attention is required, do you speed up or slow down? Do you give it the attention it needs or quickly move on to the next? Are most of the things that take your time inconveniences or opportunities?

This is the challenge of the modern world. We are overwhelmed with information and distractions. It is easy to lose our purpose. We forget that we were created for God’s pleasure. We were not created to build a faster doohickey or bigger thingmabob. We were not gifted to serve worldly endeavors but to use worldly endeavors to serve God.

Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

If you struggle with peace in your life, it is most likely the byproduct of your focus. If you fragment your effort between too many conflicting interests, the result is dissatisfaction with all of them. You achieve much but are not satisfied. You are serving the wrong master.

Luke 9:25, “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”

Remember that your purpose is to please God when life seems to come at you in waves. Try to frame your current situation within the confines of how it will affect your relationship with Him. Remember that He wants nothing but good for you. The good He wants for you is not material in nature but spiritual.

Matthew 6:25, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”

The good life is not the image presented by Wall Street. It’s not titles, cars, big houses, and the trappings of success. Knowing you have found your place in the universe brings peace, tranquility, and a sense of purpose. It is the comfort of knowing God loves you unconditionally and will not allow anything to happen to you that He has not already prepared you for.

Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”

Work hard. Do well. Chase your passion. But remember whom you serve and why. Only there will you find the contentment you are looking for.