Put Away Childish Ways

God is Love! Do you really believe this? Do you spend your day with him and linger in conversation? or Do you still try to shape God into becoming your own personal genie who will grant you 3 wishes (e.g., health, wealth and happiness)?

As a child I acted out of selfishness and rebelled from God's ways. At the end of the school day I ran to the television; I didn't run to God. I loved the television show "I Dream of Genie" and exchanged truth for a lie. I also spoke like a child, "Give me, give me, give me!" I also listened to familiar voices tell me, "What's so wrong with wanting good things for yourself, family, friends, and the neighbor next door?". . . except for the truth that wishful thinking is not the same as faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.

4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 7

See the whole of 1 Corinthians 13. The message is clear. There is nothing selfish about love.

• Love is self-less.
• Love is described as the laying down of one's life for another (see Matthew 20: 24 - 28).
  
• Love willingly places others before oneself.
  
• Love is self-sacrificial; making the love of Christ known through any (and all) physical act of tending to the needs of others.

Therefore, since we are sinners in need of a Savior, let us look to Jesus Christ. For he has shown us how to live and how to die. Jesus continually sought God the Father for all things including his direction, words and strength. Jesus prayed this prayer, "Thy will be done."

Ah! This is costly. A precious jewel. He is Love.

Lord, Please help me! I am in need of Savior. I have failed by every measure. Please show me how to live and what to do. On this very day I want to learn to love like you. Grant me strength to put away those childish ways that solely seek to please myself. Forgive me too for treating you like an earthen idol. I now choose to turn this day. "Thy will be done" in my life. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Entrust

1 Peter 4: 12 - 19

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or even as a mischief maker. 16 Yet if any of you suffers as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name. 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And

"If it is hard for the righteous
to be saved,
what will become of the
ungodly and the sinners?"

19 Therefore, let those suffering in accordance with God's will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator, while continuing to do good (emphasis mine).

To entrust implies a deliberate and continuous form of trusting. For example, to entrust implies that one is actively committed to trust. To entrust means that an individual has chosen to place his (or her) full confidence in the one deemed trustworthy.

Go ahead. Confide in Him. God himself is Faithful and True.

Numbers 23: 19
God is not a human being, that he should lie,
or a mortal, that he should change his mind.
Has he promised, and will he not do it?
Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

At His Feet & Waiting

Mary knew to sit at the feet of Jesus. She set aside the busyness of the day (e.g., waiting on the guests) and listened to the truth. She waited on God.

Mary also knelt at Jesus’ feet and wept. She knew the truth. Her only hope was in Jesus Christ – the way, the truth and the light.

How do you wait on God?

• Are you sitting on a rush seat sitting at your kitchen table with dirty dishes and the newspaper nearby?
• Or do you linger and weep for him, placing your whole trust in him?

You too have touched His feet you seek to lavish Him with your love in spite of the cost.

Remember this about Mary: although she was scorned by one who was in the fold but of the world (i.e., Judas), she was undeterred in her pursuit of intimacy with the Lord . . . and the Lord approved!

Luke 10: 38 - 42

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." 41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her" (emphasis mine).

John 11: 32

32 When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

John 12: 1 - 8

1 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served , and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keept it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

At His Feet

At the end of the age, at his feet we will be. No one, not a single person will be left standing. For every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Isaiah 45: 23; Philippians 2: 9-11; Romans14: 11). The Bible is clear that Jesus Christ is to receive honor and glory and power . . . and the twenty four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing (Revelation 4: 10 -11).

To what extent do you grasp the true meaning of these actions? In the context of our American culture we have no comparable experience. We only understand in part. In theory we understand that when one goes before an emperor or king there is a protocol to be followed, but we don’t have an emperor or king. We also say the words that “honor is due” to those in authority over us, but we retain the right to argue with them. So how do we begin to learn to show true honor to our Coming King of Glory?

Christian Dalits of India can help teach us by their example. From the very beginning, at their moment of birth, these Dalit people are not considered worthy of being touched. Their fellow countrymen will not even place them in a human caste system and as their name suggests they are labeled “untouchables.” In fact, the mere touching of an “untouchable” has been prohibited over the centuries and every human dignity has been denied them. But by the grace of God, those Dalits who experience new birth through Jesus Christ are now learning what it means to give honor and respect. How? By the touching of feet. They do not go around touching everybody’s feet, but the feet of one’s elders (as in the leaders of the church) and those whom one genuinely respects. It is a deliberate act and within their faith community they find opportunities to provide believers and leaders with this dignity.

Do you personally find opportunities to show outward signs of your respect to the Coming King? Are you able to humble yourself? Do you get down low enough? (e.g. on your knees) Will you touch the foot of another? Jesus did. Read John 13: 1 – 11. Jesus not only got on his knees but he also washed the feet of his disciples. He did this in a manner of servitude, showing by example, and thereby prepared his disciples to do the same.

Will you touch the feet of the Coming King? Will you give him the honor and respect that is due? Will you humble yourself and touch the feet of Christ through a washing of the feet of your brother or sister in Christ? Don’t you see? Christ lives in them, and what you do to one of them you do for him (see Matthew 25: 31 – 46).

Now go forth treasuring these words in your heart: But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves (James 1: 22).

Before I was humbled I went astray,

but now I keep your word.

Psalm 119: 67

Paul-like Song

While driving to work yesterday I heard this new song on the radio. It really captures the wonder and praise which flows out from your lips when you of fall in love with Jesus. . . head over heels, face down in the dust like Paul.

Click here to listen to "You Found Me" by Big Daddy Weave.

Be more like Paul in Christ

This is the Word of the Lord:

Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.

Hebrews 13: 7

True leaders are tested and proven to be imitators of Christ.

I have thoughts of Paul.

1. Paul: an apostle.
2. Paul: a father in the faith.
3. Paul: a new testament writer.
4. Paul: an imitator of Christ.

Interesting. . .Invigorating. . .Sobering

Take note of Paul's simple beginnings. Paul began to experience true life while blinded, talking to God and down on his knees (see Acts 9).

It's that simple. Paul began his life praying.

So it really does not matter if you are a religious person, scholar, blind man, persecutor, prisoner, person in need, or one who is beaten-up. . . begin again!

Truth Restorers
are people who pray;
filled with his spirit,
you plead not in vain.

Peter - Are you willing?

Are you willing to obey?

Read John 21: 15 – 23. It is in this passage that Peter was challenged to obey no matter what happens (i.e., no conditions) by the transforming love of God.

21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus ,"Lord, what about him? " 22 Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" 23 So the rumor spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"

John 21: 15 - 23

Do you hear the call? God wants YOU.

He's saying, "Don't look to your neighbor. Don't look to your right or to your left. Don't turn off the path . . You, you follow me!"

Are you willing to obey and to forgive?

Peter was faced with the truth of God’s unrelenting love, upon the resurrection of Christ and following his denial of Christ three times over. Even while he was yet a sinner, in grievous sin, Jesus Christ still pursued him. Jesus loved Peter, and still loves him. Jesus went to where he was. Jesus sought to restore him. Jesus forgave him. And Jesus chose him to build his church and bestow kingdom authority upon him.

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." 16 A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." 17 He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep."

John 21: 15 - 17

In a fresh way:

Peter, are you willing to love me?

Peter, are you willing to love me?

Peter, are you willing to love me?

Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, Yes Lord!

Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, Yes Lord!

Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, Yes Lord! Amen.

Then do as I do. . .

Feed my lambs.

Tend my sheep.

Feed my sheep.

. . .I have forgiven you!