Don't Shut the Door

I live in a semi-rural community. It is a popular community because it is only about 20 minutes outside of a metropolitan area; but because it is not in that area property is cheaper, lots are bigger and crime is lower. Because of that, many want to move from the city to what was once a rural area. Now it is only semi-rural, because of all the "come-here" folks, as they are called. The community has experienced lots of growth because of the come-heres.

Funny thing about the come-heres. They move into the area, and then they shout, "Stop the growth!" They try to pass laws keeping farmers from subdividing their property into housing developments. They want to keep it rural...once they get here. Although they don't mind that their new home is on what was once a farm too.

Sometimes in the Christian community, we too can want to come in, and shut the door behind us. Once we are saved and walk away from our past life of sin, we get comfortable in our upstanding Christian community. Then when the "sinner" comes to our church, we don't want their kind there. We yell "Stop the growth!" or "Shut the door!"

To read the rest of this post, come over to Titus 2 in Action (by clicking the icon below) where I am a guest contributor every other Wednesday.

We are Family (I got all my sisters with me!)

"We are family, I got all my sisters with me."
We Are Family, Sister Sledge, 1979

Family relations. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize they are not all they’re cracked up to be. Unfortunately, many of us have a Norman Rockwell picture of what family relations should look like, and when our family doesn’t match it, we get depressed.

Whether you have an unfortunate relationship with your parents, siblings, spouse or children, you feel like everyone else in the world must have a perfect relationship with theirs. Yet your own family seems dysfunctional. Think you’re alone?

Even Jesus, God’s perfect son, had issues with his own family. In Luke 11:27, a woman called out to Jesus "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." But in verse 28 Jesus replies, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

In Mark 3:21, Jesus’ family try to take charge of him saying ‘He is out of his mind.” I’m sure I’ve thought that about my own family members from time to time. They may have even thought it about me. In Jesus’ case, his family is unable to get to him because of the crowd. So the crowd tells Jesus his mother and brothers are outside. “’Who are my mother and my brothers?’ Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.’” (V. 33-35)

If you relationship with your family is not what you had hoped it to be, look around at your family of Christian believers. If you don’t have a family of believers, now it the time to join a church, Bible study or other Christian support group. Then regardless of your own personal family relationship, you can still say “We are family, I got all my sisters…(and brothers)…with me.”

Musical Musings:
1. Do you ever feel like your family is dysfunctional?
2. Does it matter as much now that you realize that even Jesus had family issues?
3. If you don’t have a church family, why not start looking for one today.

Karaoke:
Dear Lord, thank you for being a perfect parent, my heavenly father. Please help me in my relationship with family members to be loving and forgiving. Thank you for the examples of tough relationships in Jesus life, so I can know that you really understand. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock On: Read about Jesus’ family issues in Mark 3:20-34 and Mark 6:1-6.

Are You A Drip?

Do you ever feel like sharing God and his Word with someone, but chicken out? You want to share His joy, but Heaven knows (pun intended), you don’t want to be branded a “religious fanatic.” However Matthew 5:11-12 says “Blessed are you when people insult you...because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.” So when someone calls you a “Jesus Freak” they are richly blessing you. Still most people are turned off by outspoken expressions of faith, so what can you do?

Don’t pour it heavy, just “Drip!” Drip is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as “a gradual, but constant flow.” So start Monday when someone asks about your weekend. After filling them in on your fun filled Saturday night, throw in “and Sunday I went to church, and we had a terrific sermon.” Drip!

I purchased a “fish” pin (the symbol of Christianity) and wore it to work. When I greeted a visitor in the lobby, he asked me where I went to church. He said he noticed my pin, and that opened up a conversation where I could openly express my faith at work. The pin was a Drip!

When I overheard an acquaintance complain about her months of infertility and explain she was angry that God hadn’t answered her prayers, I told her I didn’t think she was giving God a fair chance. I followed up with a card in the mail with a devotion on patience. Several months later I learned she was pregnant and she confided that she conceived the same month she received my card. Drip.

While listening to a Christian radio station, I was asked “Is that a Christian station you’re listening to?” I had no idea the person was a Christian, but that question opened the door for conversation between us on our churches and beliefs. Drip!

While reading a devotional book during lunch a woman asked “What are you reading that’s so good?” What an opportunity to tell her! Drip.

When God does something wonderful in your life, share it! The reason I became a drip is because I was dripped on. A friend was bold enough to bring God up in conversation and dripped on me until I was so saturated I started dripping on others.

When you drip on others you drip on yourself. When your ears hear your lips talking about God, it reinforces your faith to you. Since I’ve been dripping on others my faith has never been stronger. My life is far from perfect, but I have the faith in God to know whatever happens, He is there to carry me through. And through my Baptism (drip, drip, drip) I am saved, and no longer have to pay the price of my sins.

A simple expression of faith, a quick note in the mail, the ability to mention God’s name in conversation is all it takes. And soon all the little drips will add up to a waterfall of salvation.

Love Hurts

Love Hurts. Love scars, Love wounds Love mars.
Love Hurts, Nazareth, 1975.

Everyone has experienced a wound in love. It doesn't have to be romantic love either. There can be great pain in the relationship with parents, children,in-laws or friends. We have the expectation of what love means, and when our expectations are not met...Love hurts!

God is love. His love is perfect and never fails. How does this translate in this world we live in, where love hurts? It is incomprehensible that we can realize what this means...God is love. Jesus, however, realizes exactly what love hurts means.

The muscial group Nazareth sang "Love hurts, love scars, love wounds and mars." In Jesus case this is true. He loved us so much, he died on the cross, wounded and marred. After his resurrection, he showed his nail-scarred hands to his disciple, Thomas.

The Bible tells us the true definition of love. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

Love doesn’t need to hurt. You only need to look to God to find true love.

Musical Musings:
1. What emotional wounds have you experienced in love?
2. What does it mean to you to know that Jesus experienced physical wounds because of his love for you?
3. Thank God for loving you so much that he sent his son to die for your sins.

Karaoke: Dear God, thank you for sending your son to die for me! You loved me with a perfect love that never hurts. Help me to be loving in my relationship with others, so I don’t hurt them. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock On: Read about true love in 1 John 3.

Love Hurts Video:

Just Do It

"Do as I say, not as I do" was a common quote my mom used when I was growing up. She smoked several packs of cigarettes each day, all the while detailing the dangers of smoking to us kids. "But mom, you smoke," we'd point out. Then she'd quote that infamous line to us. She knew what she should do, but for whatever reason she didn't do it.

Many of us are still like that today. Consider all the plans, pills and patches on the market for weight loss. We all know the two things need to lose weight: Eat less and move (or exercise) more. Yet we spend millions of dollars each year for gimmicks because although we know what we should do,w e just don't do it.

Nike, the famous athletic apparel company, coined the phrase "Just do it." But it's not that easy. The apostle Paul was more on target when he said, "What I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing." (Rom 7:19) So we keep on smoking or overeating or failing to do what we know we should.

The Bible gives us a summary of what we must do to put feet to our faith....

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Signs

"Sign, Sign, Everywhere a sign, blocking out the scenery breaking my mind,

do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?"
Signs, Five Man Electrical Band, 1971

As a Christian, I tend to look for signs (from God) everywhere. Having a real and relevant heavenly Father means that I believe nothing happens by coincidence. Yet do I sometimes put too much credence into "signs?" For instance, when I lost the Bible study book I was thinking of doing for my study group was that a sign from God to select another book? Or simply a sign of my lack of organization?

In the book of Judges, there is a man named Gideon. The Lord sent Gideon out to save Israel. Gideon was afraid, so he asked God for a sign. Not only does Gideon ask for one sign, but he then asks for confirmation of that with another sign. God provided Gideon all the signs he needed.

However, in the New Testament Jesus says, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign!" when the Pharisees were trying to test in Matthew 12. Is it wrong to look for a sign?

I believe the difference is Gideon looked for a sign in faith. He wanted to make sure his step in faith was the correct step in following God. (And yes, I think he was a bit scared too). The Pharisees on the other hand, we not asking for signs because of their faith, but their lack of faith. They were hoping to prove that Jesus was not the Son of God.

We also have to be careful to test our signs. Jesus goes on in Matthew 24 saying, "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible."

There are signs, signs, everywhere signs. We just need to make sure we're reading them the right way.


Musical Musings:
1. What happenings in your life do you need to seek answers about from God?
2. What are some ways you can judge whether something is a sign from God?
3. Prayerfully ask God to show you the way.

Karaoke: Dear Lord, sometimes I’m confused as to what to do in my life. Thank you for providing answers in the Bible. Thank you that I can pray to you for direction. Help me follow the right signs. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock On: Read the story of Gideon found in Judges 6 and 7.

Signs Song:

Depression Hurts

Depression is an oft ignored subject of Christians. Or worse, we get the "good news" that if we just had more faith, we wouldn't be depressed. That as Christians we should only feel joy. That isn't what Jesus said. No, in fact He says "In this world you WILL have trouble." (John 16:33, emphasis mine).

The prophet Elijah had every reason to be joyful. He had overcome all the false prophets of Bael, (450 of them!) and God had proved through a ball of fire that Elijah was the true prophet of God. (1 Kings 18). Yet, Elijah felt very much alone. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. Depressed? Perhaps so.

The pressure of life can lead to depression. We respond in many ways. In Elijah's case he ran away and wanted to die. He just lay and slept. Yet God sent an angel with food and drink for Elijah. God wants us to take care of our basic needs.

Elijah tells God how alone he feels. He says "I am the only one left." twice, in verses 10 and 14. Don't we feel all alone when depressed? Yet God tells Elijah of the 7,000 on His side in verse 18. God knows we need a system of support.

If you are facing depression, I urge you to get help. Talk to a trusted friend, pastor or counselor. Pray. Take care of your basic needs. Find your support system.

If you suffer from depression or know someone that does, listen to this sermon by my pastor Rick Raines, along with the testimony of my friend Tracy Thomas who overcame depression. (If you are short of time, Tracy's testimony begins at minute 2:45 of the recording.) This post is derived from Rick Raine's sermon with permission, but he & Tracy are so much more eloquent that I am.

Who does depression hurt? Everyone. If you don't suffer from depression, praise the Lord. Then be an "ACE" (Ask/Care/Escort) to someone who does:

Ask your buddy if they are depressed.
Care for your buddy and their basic needs.
Escort your buddy to the appropriate help.



John 16:33 -- In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

1 Peter 5:7 -- Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.