Category Archives: Love & Works

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October 29, 2014

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Family, Friends & Fellowship, Joy, Love & Works

BUCKETS OF LOVE IN RETURN

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. [Luke 6:38 (NLT)]

Before posting yesterday’s message about Luther (“A Disciple of Christ”), I checked to make sure I could use both his name and picture.  In getting the answer, I learned more about him and, more important, more about love. Truly, what we sow will be harvested: the more love we give, the more we will receive!

Although he lived alone with no family near, Luther was never short of people who loved him. Members of our church, the people with whom Luther shared God’s love, became his family. When the Wednesday evening Bible study started doing “brown bag” dinners before class, the official purpose was to promote church fellowship; the real purpose was to have dinner with Luther! The churchwomen always made sure that he had a place to go for every holiday meal. When Luther came home after surgery several years ago, a church friend stayed with him for a week to help. Other church members brought in meals. I never even knew his last name, but I was so moved by Luther’s outpouring of love, that the last time I saw him, I gave him a photo/prayer book I’d written. “Jesus loves you and I do, too!” was written inside. In Luther’s present residence, he doesn’t have easy access to the internet, so another church member continues to send him CDs of all of the sermons. Moreover, his church family continues to keep him in their prayers. Luther’s motive in spreading God’s love had nothing to do with getting anything in return, but God’s love continues to pour down on him in buckets!

Love is demonstrably superior to money, not only on a sentimental plane, but even on a computable basis: The more money you give away, the less you have, but the more love you give away, the more comes back to you. (Sydney J. Harris)

There is a brotherhood within the body of believers, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the common denominator. Friendship and fellowship are the legal tender among believers. [J. Vernon McGee]

And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. [1 Thessalonians 3:12 (NLT)]

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October 23, 2014

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Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works, Thanks & Praise

TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL

See, I am sending an Angel before you to lead you safely to the land I have prepared for you. Reverence him and obey all of his instruction … he is my representative—he bears my name. [Exodus 23:20-21 (TLB)]

When watching Jeopardy or playing any trivia game, I’m amazed at how much I have forgotten and how quickly the names of the rich, famous, and scandalous have left my memory. Academy award winners, Nobel Prize recipients, United Nations Secretary-Generals, Supreme Court justices, tyrants and statesmen, inventors and sports stars, popes and politicians: you name them; I’ve probably forgotten their names. There are, however, certain people I will never forget: those who have acted as God’s angels in my life, some whose names I never even knew.

Thank you, Lord, for those people who have touched my life and made it better. Thank you for the healing touch, encouraging words, spirit lifting, helpful hands, listening ears, comforting arms, excellent examples, loving acceptance and wise advice offered by your emissaries. While I may forget the famous and infamous, I will never forget the “angels” you have sent into my life.

How then can evil overtake me or any plague come near? For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will steady you with their hands to keep you from stumbling against the rocks on the trail. [Psalm 91:10-12 (TLB)]

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October 22, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Holy Spirit, Love & Works

CUTTHROAT COMPETITION

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. [Romans 12:9-10 (NLT)]

Although I enjoy the various cooking competition shows such as “Chopped,” one Food Network program troubles me: “Cutthroat Kitchen”, with its phrase, “Sabotage is back in season!” Four competitors start with $25,000 each. During the various cooking challenges, they bid on ways to handicap their opponents, such as making them cook the assigned dish on an iron, removing all their knifes or bowls, or even taking away an essential ingredient, such as sugar when the task is brownies. The host chuckles with glee as the hampered chefs struggle to complete their cooking task in the allotted time. The bidding gets fiercer and more vengeful as the show goes on. The winner isn’t necessarily the best cook; it’s the one who is most devious and underhanded. The victor only gets to keep the money that remains after he or she has paid out thousands to destroy the other chefs’ chances; often it is a just pittance.

It’s just a television program and, admittedly, it’s interesting seeing how the cooks manage to rise to the challenges. Most of the time, however, they can’t overcome the hindrances. It’s disturbing that watching people take delight in limiting other individual’s opportunities in a contest (or life) is ever considered entertainment. Unfortunately, much of “reality” television is just that. Every time we find it amusing to watch someone get hurt or humiliated, our humanity erodes just a little. We may become more willing to sabotage others to win at all costs in our own lives. Our schools talk a lot about bullying; let’s be careful that we don’t ever find bullying entertaining lest we become bullies ourselves.

Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I follow your guide to life.

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. [Romans 12:17-18 (NLT)]

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September 26, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works, Obedience

LOVE RULES

Greet each other with Christian love. [1 Peter 5:14 (NLT)]

Live in complete harmony with each other … accept each other … teach each other. [Romans 15:5,7,14 (NLT)]

So encourage each other and build each other up … Show them great respect and wholehearted love … live peacefully with each other … always try to do good to each other and to all people. [1 Thessalonians 5:11,13,15 (NLT)]

Pray for each other. [James 5:16 (NLT)]

Take an interest in others. [Philippians 2:4 (NLT)]

You must help one another every day. [Hebrews 3:13 (GNT)]

Serve one another in love … Let us not…provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. [Galatians 5:13,26 (NLT)]        

Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. [Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)]

Take delight in honoring each other … Live in harmony with each other [Romans 12:10,16 (NLT)]

Don’t grumble about each other. [James 5:9 (NLT)] 

The Bible makes it clear that love is more than a warm fuzzy feeling; it requires effort and action. We can’t simply say we love; we must do it. It is a tall order to welcome, accept, encourage, respect, live peacefully and in harmony, pray for, be interested in, help, serve, be kind and forgiving, and honor one another. It is even more difficult for some of us to refrain from complaint, deceit, temptation, conceit, anger, provocation and jealousy. But, by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can and must do it!

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. [1 John 3:18 (NLT)]

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September 19, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Holy Spirit, Love & Works, Salvation: A New You

BUSTED!

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? [James 2:14 (NLT)]

While enjoying lunch with a group of church women, the person across from me asked if I could deliver “Meals on Wheels” the following week. Knowing how busy my life has been of late, I reluctantly looked at my calendar, secretly hoping every day was booked between 11 and 2. Monday through Thursday were, but Friday was open. I wanted to say, “I’m sorry, but it just won’t work!” I was sorely tempted to do so until the Holy Spirit pointed out the irony of the situation. You see, I’d just finished writing yesterday’s message about sharing God’s love and compassion and there I was: unwilling to share even a few hours. Rather hypocritical, to say the least! Yes, I was busy, but if I had time for a “Boot Camp” class that Friday morning, I could certainly find time to deliver some meals in the afternoon. Granted, I had lots to do but so did the “Meals on Wheels” chairperson. She has a family with youngsters still at home yet, for twenty years, she’s spent countless hours lining up drivers and delivering food to shut-ins! We’re all busy, but God is never too busy when we call on Him. After that rebuke from the Holy Spirit, I cheerfully said I’d do it.

We “Christians” can be the worst hypocrites of all. We may say all of the right things, but often don’t live them. We preach forgiveness, but hold grudges. We speak of generosity, but only give our leftovers to God and those in need. We say we love, but hold prejudices. We say “judge not” but act as judge and jury when it comes to the behavior of others. We say we pray, but frequently don’t; we say we trust God, but let fear and despair lead us; and we say we read the Bible, but rarely do. Being a Christian, however, is not just talking like Christ; it is being like Him!

Father, forgive us when it’s only our words that are “Christian” and not our behavior. Fill us with your Holy Spirit, point out the errors of our ways, and transform our lives so that we carry the message of Christ in all we say and do.

Why is it that a community that talks so much about supernatural transformation shows so little of that transformation? We will have to be men and women who embody the message that we are preaching, whose lives are faithful to the claims we are making. [Ravi Zacharias]

If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. [1 John 2:4-6 (NLT)]

 

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September 2, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works

ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER

Encourage each other every day while you have the opportunity. [Hebrews 3:13a (GW)

After spending time with my youngest grands (one and three), I noticed how eager we are to offer encouragement to little ones as they learn new skills. They get positive reinforcement when they take their first steps, use the potty, don’t spill, manage the stairs or say, “Please.” As people get older, however, we’re much stingier with our words of approval and encouragement. In fact, when we fill out comment cards or make on-line comments, more often it is to criticize than to praise.

Our cars need fuel to run and people do, too. Words of encouragement help us refuel when we’re low on confidence or feeling a bit unsure of ourselves. Even those people who seem self-assured and assertive need a little refueling with encouraging words from time to time.

Some praise goes a long way in helping a tired secretary or cashier through the day. A word of thanks is always welcomed by a teacher or waitress. The sales trainee would appreciate some encouragement and your barista would value a smile or a favorable comment. A compliment is always well received by a spouse; even our pastors and worship leaders could use a boost now and then. Is there someone in your life who might be running short on fuel? Why not help them fill up with some of God’s love and encouragement?

We must also consider how to encourage each other to show love and to do good things. [Hebrews 10:24 (GW)]