Hang Out Where?

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” John 15.4

Most of us are familiar with the phrase, “Hey, let’s hang out together”, meaning we want to spend some time with a friend or acquaintance. When was the last time you said to Jesus, “Let’s hang out together”? You say, “That sounds a little sacrilegious.” How so? Jesus Himself said: “Abide in me, and I in you.” Doesn’t “abide” mean the same things as “hang out”? When I say to my wife, “Let’s just hang out here at home”, what I mean is that I want to abide in the same place where she is.

There is a critical reason for these words of Jesus. “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” I don’t want to get to the end of my life and look back and think, “What a waste.” I think of the words of the song “Faces” that the gospel trio Greater Vision sings: “Then He showed me the faces of the ones who’d come because of me. Al the faces that my life had led to Calvary. All those years I thought nobody saw as I labored in lowly places. That’s when Jesus smiled and showed me all their faces.” I don’t know what the Lord will say, but I know what I want to hear. The only way my life will have any fruit is if I am willing to abide in Him and He in me. How about if you and I made the conscious decision to “hang out” with Jesus today and give Him the opportunity to bear fruit for the kingdom through us? Just my thoughts …

The Tongue – Small But Powerful!

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling symbol.” 1 Corinthians 13.1

I think all of us have heard people whose speech is flowery. Everything they say seems to come out just right. As a matter of fact, sometimes it seems too perfect. I don’t doubt that the Apostle Paul had the ability to speak “with the tongues of man and of angels … ” Not only was he well educated, but he appears to be a gifted speaker, based on what we read in the Bible. But Paul is issuing a word of caution here to the Corinthian church and to us. We need to make certain that even the difficult or hard things we say are conditioned by love.

When you and I have a firm understanding of love, then we will grasp the significance of what Paul is saying. Here is the definition of unconditional love: “No matter what you do to me, I will seek nothing but your highest good.” Paul was called upon to address an issue of immorality in the Corinthian church. In doing so, he was careful to choose his words with the thought in mind of “seeking nothing but their highest good.” We note in 2 Corinthians 1.23-24 that Paul did not want to inflict further pain on them, so he did not visit them again. That was an act of love.

I believe that you and I are called upon to examine, not only our motives, but our words, when we are speaking with fellow believers about things we believe are displeasing to God. Let’s make certain that we are not a “sounding brass, or a tinkling symbol.” Let’s ask the Lord to help us always speak the truth in love. That will glorify Him and help build His kingdom. Just my thoughts …

Shine On!

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (15) Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5.14-16

When I first wake up each morning, I reach over and turn on the lamp that is on the table beside my bed. Why do I do that? Because I want to be able to see the room around me and be able to negotiate without tripping or falling over something. That seems so simple for us to understand, but when we read the verses above, we may struggle with what Jesus is telling us. Let’s take a look.

“Ye are the light of the world.” That is probably more powerful than we realize. God saved us and left us here on this earth to be a light to this sin-darkened world. His purpose for saving us was to give us eternity with Him and to keep us out of hell. But His purpose for leaving us here is so that we could and would be “the light of the world.” I don’t see that as an option but rather as a life-style expectation. In v. 15 He explains the value of a light being in the right position, but then in v. 16 He issues a fresh challenge to you and me.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” HOW do I let my light shine? By doing good works that the Holy Spirit orchestrates in my life that will show others the reality of God at work in my life. And one of the purposes of those good works is that you and I will “glorify (our) Father which is in heaven.” I’d say we have our work cut out for us today, wouldn’t you? Just my thoughts …

Time to Go to Work!

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (13) For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2.12-13

Some verses you read and just go on by them. Other verses seem to jump off the page and grab you by the jugular. Such is the case for me with these verses. It is so easy to mis-read a verse and try to make it say something God never intended. I believe v. 12 is such a verse. How many times have you heard someone say that were working for their salvation? It was their goal to do enough good things that God would be impressed and let them into heaven. But this verse clearly states that we are to work out our salvation. In other terms, we are to display externally something that has already transpired internally. And how are we to do that? In a way that is not offensive to God and that does not do damage to the kingdom of God.

How is it possible for us to do this, i. e. work out our own salvation? V. 13 gives us the answer: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” You and I don’t have the ability to work our anything without God enabling us to do so. We are blessed to have God’s Holy Spirit living within us. He is the one who enables us to glorify God as He works through us. This whole premise of God working in us and through us boils down to our willingness to allow God’s Holy Spirit to be in control of our lives daily. You choose. God never forces us to yield or serve Him. It is always our choice. Just my thoughts …

He IS Coming!

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (2) In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14.1-3

In this passage Jesus is doing what He can to prepare His followers for the time when He is no longer with them. They had walked with Him for three years, and in a matter of days He would be gone back to heaven.

Have you ever wondered what heaven is going to be like? I know I have. Jesus reinforces the truth that He is God and says: “ye believe in God, believe also in me.” And then He begins to describe something of what heaven will be like: “In my Father’s house are many mansions (rooms) … ” I cannot fathom how many “rooms” heaven will need to house all of God’s children, but it will be a lot. One of those “rooms” has your name on it. It is a place prepared especially for you. When I think of the kinds of houses men are capable of building down here, I cannot imagine the kind of place that Jesus has prepared for us.

I think the key to what Jesus has said is found in verse 3: “ … if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Here is my question to you and me … WHEN is He coming back? Since none of us knows the answer to THAT question, it behooves us to live in such a way that if He came back TODAY, we would be ready. I WANT to be ready! I pray that you do too! Just my thoughts …

We Don’t Have to Do This Alone!

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (2) Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6.1-2

You may read these verses and think, “That would never happen to me,” but the truth of the matter is that it happens to most of us at one time or another. How many times have we been “overtaken in a fault” and said to ourselves, “How do I get out of THIS mess?” We need someone who is “spiritual” (meaning has spiritual depth, not just thinks themselves spiritual) who is willing to come alongside us and say the hard things necessary to get us back on track. It is difficult to HEAR words of correction and it is difficult to SPEAK words of correction, but the Holy Spirit knows how to condition our hearts to hear and the wisdom of another to speak to our situation.

Let’s focus for a moment on v. 2: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” What is one of the things Christ came to do? He came to bear the burdens of His followers. His example calls us to be willing to get close enough to someone who is hurting to allow them to SHARE their burden with us and for us to be WILLING to help shoulder that burden with them. We are often reluctant to share our heart with another, for fear that they may tell others, but God is able to help us know WHO can be trusted and who is willing to help carry our burden and not add to it. Take a moment to reread these verses and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to someone today that you can help “bear” their burden with them. Just my thoughts …

Can I – Will I Do That?

“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Galatians 5.14

Pretty powerful statement here: “all the law … ” In Matthew 22.36-40 we find these words: “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? (37) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (38) This the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (40) On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Jesus said that when we love go as we should, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, then the next step is possible because of our love for Him. So, what does it mean to love my neighbor as myself? How do you love yourself? Loving ourselves means that we seek to meet the daily needs that we have such as food, shelter, and all the other necessities that are part of our daily living. Most of us living in neighborhoods where the houses are as good as ours and perhaps better. The car across the street is as new as or newer than mind. You get the idea. So where do we fit in this equation with our neighbors? Let’s cut to the chase and ask this question: “Do my neighbors have the same hope for eternity that I have?”

If your neighborhood is like mine, I seldom see my neighbors to be able to converse with them. So, what does that mean to me? It means that I must be deliberate in my attempts to engage them first, on a friendship level, and then, on a spiritual level. I can’t make assumptions about my neighbors based on what I see happening on Sunday morning. I need to intentionally engage them one-on-one to ask the all-important question: “Tell me about your relationship with God.” I am asking God to help me take the necessary deliberate steps to “love my neighbor as myself” this Spring and Summer. I want to do what Jesus and Paul have said … love my neighbor as myself. How about you? Just my thoughts …

God Sings!

“The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” Zephaniah 3.17

I read this verse this morning in my devotional time and was overwhelmed with how God is characterized in His relationship with me. It is such an intimate relationship that I fear most of us overlook.

First, God is in the midst of us – He is right where we are – and He is mighty. To me, this speaks of more than a knowledge of His omnipresence. It speaks of His desire to let me know that He wants to be with me right where I am and He is there in all His might. In saving me, He will rejoice over me with joy. God did not save me because He was forced to do so. He saved me because He wanted to rejoice over His relationship with me and that rejoicing is because I get to spend eternity with Him.

In one translation this next phrase reads: “ … he will quiet you by his love … ” The simple truth that God loves me will bring quietness to my soul and spirit in almost any situation. His love is such that He does not forsake me when the going gets tough. He stays with me, assures me of His presence and His might, and walks me through whatever my situation is.

Finally, “ … he will joy over thee with singing.” God sings over me. That is absolutely overwhelming. When you and I sing, it is usually an expression of the joy that is in our hearts. Why does God sing over me? Could it be that it is an expression of joy in His heart because of me? That is what I would like to think. How about you? Just my thoughts …

 

 

The Day IS Approaching!

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (24) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10.23-25

As believers, we are called to be an encouragement and help to our brothers and sisters in Christ. The author of Hebrews notes several important elements for us: (1) hold fast to what we believe, (2) provoke (encourage) each other to love and good works, (3) remain faithful in our assembling together as members of the body of Christ, and (4) exhorting (encouraging) one another as we see the return of Christ drawing near.

These may not be the kinds of things that we think about every day with regards to our brothers and sisters in Christ, but we should. It is critical that we remain steadfast in our beliefs. The Bible speaks about those who are “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3.7) KNOW what you believe and hold on to it. There will be times when a fellow believer needs someone to come alongside him and help him with loving another believer or to encourage him to some good work that needs to be done. When that occurs, be diligent about it.

The matter of meeting with others believers in Christ may seem like something that is arbitrary – maybe I do it or maybe I don’t. the truth of the matter is this, we NEED to do it for a number of reasons. We need to do it because WE need it. We need to do it because OTHERS need us. We need to do it because THE Bible tells us to do it. Those are enough reasons to do it. Finally, as the return of Christ draws near, we need to encourage each other in the daily struggle we have in walking with the Lord. I need to hear from you and you need to hear from me. It is that simple. These are just my thoughts …

It’s Time to Snuggle!

“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” John 15.2

I remember the second house that we bought. It had an apple tree in the back yard. It didn’t look like much. It hadn’t been cared for by the previous owner. I thought to myself, “I don’t want to lose this tree. What should I do?” Then someone told me I needed to prune it – cut away the bad stuff so the good stuff could grow. You know what? It worked!

A careful look at the words of this verse will help us understand what God really wants for us. The words “taketh away” literally mean “to lift up.” When you and I are not bearing fruit, the Father gently reaches down and lifts us up to Himself – can you envision sitting on His lap – and “snuggles” us and says, “You’re going to make it. Let’s do this together.”

We don’t like to think of purging as something positive, but without purging, we get bogged down with the worthless and can’t go on to the priceless. The life that God offers us IS priceless. There is nothing you can do to buy it. You can only live it as He enables you and the must come at the price of pruning. The purpose of pruning, as I discovered with my apple tree, is to increase productivity. God wants more for me that I want for myself. He wants more for you than you want for yourself. Why not let Him do what HE wants, the way He wants, to accomplish in us the goal He wants? Just my thoughts …