Above All Things! Wow!

“And above all things have fervent charity (love) among yourselves: for charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4.8

I don’t think Peter is the kind of person to use words lightly. I also understand these words were given to him by the Holy Spirit. So, when I read the words, “above all things”, I must understand that what is about to follow is of the utmost importance. What is SO important? Here it is: “ … have fervent charity (love) among yourselves … ” Above ALL THINGS, love each other. After 60 years of ministry, I think I have heard a few excuses as to why it is difficult to love some people. The number one phrase I have heard is this: “But you don’t understand what they did.” No, I don’t but IF I understand the words given above, it doesn’t MATTER what they did. “above all things” doesn’t leave anything out. The issue here is not what someone did, but how we chose to respond to what they did. If you are a parent, I’m sure you have been hurt by something one of your children said or did. That didn’t cause you to stop loving them. You chose to forgive them because of the relationship you have with them. That is the same principle Peter is espousing here. The phrase “among yourselves” tells us Peter is talking to the church and those who are members of that church.

His concluding statement is so powerful: “ … for charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins.” Love allows us to lay aside hurt, pain, disappointment, or whatever else is causing trouble, and say, “I love you too much to let this destroy our relationship.” That’s how we keep loving our children, our spouse, and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Just my thoughts …

Way to Go Mom!

“Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” Proverbs 31.31

Happy Mother’s Day! How many times have you heard that or read that today? Wikipedia gives us this information about mother’s day: “Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the months of March or May. It complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Father’s Day, Siblings Day, and Grandparents Day. The modern Mother’s Day began in the United States, at the initiative of Anna Jarvis in the early 20th century.” It is certainly appropriate to recognize mothers and all they do to bring such enrichment to life. I have always been moved by Abraham Lincoln’s statement about his mother: “All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel mother.”

Every mother wants “the fruit of her hands” to be a testimony to the time, energy, and effort she invested in her children. No one can count the hours that a mother puts into loving, training, encouraging, and shaping her children. The key is not the number of hours spent, but the number of hours invested in the life of each child. I am thankful for the hours that my mother invested in me, even though she was taken from me when I was 11 years old in a car accident. Her love for God, her example of devotion to God, and her intentional teaching changed my life forever. I pray that my life will “let her own works praise her in the gates.” Just my thoughts …

What’s This Love Thing?

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, ⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; ⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;” 1 Corinthians 13.4-6

We are all aware that the word charity here means love, so I am going to use that term in this article. I want us to notice the characteristics of love in a way we never have before. So often the world describes love as the warm fuzzies you get when you walk into a room and see someone attractive and you “fall in love.” That is not what Paul is talking about here. This love is the God-kind of love that says, “No matter what you do to me, I will seek nothing but your highest good.”

This love (1) suffers long (puts up with a lot), (2) is kind (as opposed to being unkind). (3) This love does not envy (anyone or anything), nor does it (4) vaunt itself (boast about itself). This love (5) is not puffed up (proud), nor does it (6) behave itself unseemly (does not act out of character), (7) seeks not her own way, nor is she (8) easily provoked (wow) and (9) and does not think evil thoughts. Now notice these last two: (10) rejoices not in iniquity (is not glad when sin abounds, either in their life or the life of another), but (11) rejoices in the truth. Do you get it? Real love wants TRUTH to abound, not be hidden. I can’t improve on what Paul has said or how he said it. Let’s just believe it. Just my thoughts …

A Pretty Good Deal!

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” 1 Corinthians 13.4

When you read the phrase. “Love suffers long”, what does that say to you? That’s another way of saying that love puts up with a lot. You say, “Well, that’s just not me. It doesn’t take much to tick me off. That’s just the way I am.” Is that “just the way you are” or is that “just the way you choose to be”? You see, the kind of love that Paul is talking about here is agape love or unconditional love. Simply put, unconditional love says, “No matter what you do to me, I will seek nothing but you highest good.” Do you think that kind of love could save a lot of arguments? Maybe a lot of marriages? On this Valentines Day, when love is in the air, why can’t we display genuine, Christ-like love to the ones we say we love the most?

Paul says several other things about love: (1) love is kind; (2) love doesn’t envy (other things or other people); (3) love does not push itself to the forefront, nor is it arrogant. By this definition, love is a wonderful thing, wouldn’t you agree? Why don’t we ask the Lord to teach us HOW to love like this? If we could not only love our families like this, but also love others in the family of God with this kind of love, maybe the world would see something desirable in how we live and want what we have. Just a thought. Just my thoughts …

What Is Man?

“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; ⁴ What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” Psalm 8.3-4

Follow the psalmist’s logic here. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars …   ” He is saying when he considers all that God has done in creating the heavens, the moon and strs, and whatever else His hands have created, what is man? How does man compare to all of the other creative things God has done? When you think of the miracle that our bodies are, and the brain that God has placed within us … the healing power contained in the human body, the ability to reason through things to find a solution, and myriads of other abilities that we possess, and the psalmist says, “What is man?”

The question seems to be, why would God even take notice of man? And the answer is that man is the only one of God’s creation that love God back. The heavens can’t, the stars and the moon cans, the trees can’t, none of the animals that God has created have the capacity to express love to this Almighty God. God didn’t just MAKE man, He chose to well with him in the person of His Son, Jesus. That’s what we celebrated yesterday. Let there be no mistake. Man IS the crowning act of God’s creation. And God placed within us the capacity to express love. Now here is my question. Have YOU told God that you love Him? You say, “God knows everything. He knows that I love Him.” Have you told your wife or husband or children more than once that you love them? Why waste your breath if you told them once? The answer is that you want them to be sure they KNOW that you love them. God created you with the capacity to love. Express that love to Him. Just my thoughts …

Our Real Need – a Savior!

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2.11

A Savior, a Son, a sinner, and a saint. “ … unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour … ” A savior implies that there is someone in need of saving. The truth of the matter is that the whole world is in need of a savior, and God the Father knew He was the only One who could do anything about it. Jesus, His Son, knew He was the only perfect sacrifice. The NEED for a savior is an impossible situation unless there is someone who is willing and able to be that savior and meets the qualifications necessary to BE that savior.

A perfect Savior and a willing Son came to this earth to address a need that the sinner never knew he had. Mankind knew his condition was one of great need, and he knew that he could not meet that need for himself. But he did not know HOW that need could and would be met. Then God said: “ … unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour … ” If I can use modern vernacular, God said, “I’ve got this!” God’s answer to man’s need for a savior was “Christ the Lord.” He was the ONLY One who could meet the need.

Finally, how does a sinner become a saint? He realizes who the Savior is and he willing accepts Christ the Lord to be his savior. Sounds simple doesn’t it? And it is. But the sinner needs to know that he needs a savior and that Jesus is the only Savior and accept the truth that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” That is where you and I come into the picture. Let’s close out this year and enter the year of 2020 with a renewed passion to share the message of the Savior, God’s Son, who came to save sinners and make them saints for eternity. Just my thoughts …

Let’s Love Him Genuinely!

“We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4.19

How many times have you read something in the Scriptures and said to yourself, “I believe that but I sure don’t understand it”? This verse is one of those occasions. I know God loves me and I know that I love Him, but I certainly don’t understand WHY He loved me first.

When God created Adam and Eve, we know He loved them. We also know that even after they sinned, He loved them. What we don’t understand is WHY. If I say to you that God loves us because He chooses to love us, does that speak to your heart? It certainly does to mine.

When I consider that God looks at me, knows all about me, not only the things that I do, but the things of which I am capable of doing, and He chooses to love me, I confess that I am overwhelmed by the nature of this God. God’s love is not based upon my ability to do anything that would cause Him to love me. Quite the contrary, there are so many things that I do in ignorance that would cause God NOT to love me (at least in my own mind). But because He is a God of love, He chooses to love us FIRST. 1 John 4.10: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” May God help us display our love for Him in such a powerful way that others will come to love Him too. Just my thoughts …

Where Did Fear Go?

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4.18

It’s probably a good idea to read the verse again. Why is there no fear in love? Because “perfect love casteth out fear … ” OK, so what is perfect love and  how can it be so powerful? Perfect love is a love that is NOT affected by its circumstances. How is that possible? This kind of love says, “No matter what you do to me, I will seek nothing but your highest good.” In light of this definition, no circumstance has the power to change love. It is a “no matter what” kind of love! You are probably wondering, “Well, how does that kind of love cast out fear?” What is our GREATEST fear? Isn’t it the fear of NOT being loved? We think to ourselves, “If you knew the real me, you wouldn’t love me.” God knows the real you and loves you anyway. He loves you because He chooses to love you.

I think we all agree that fear produces torment. But look at this last statement: “He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” Do you understand what John just said? John is telling us that when we live with fear, our love is not mature (perfect). How does one’s love mature? It matures as we exercise it unconditionally. If the only time I ever express love toward someone is when they have done something to make me feel good, or I have been able to manipulate them into doing what I want, I have never expressed unconditional love. How about if you and I set out today to express love to someone who can give us nothing in return, or someone who isn’t making us FEEL happy at the moment? Try it! You’ll like it! Just my thoughts …

Bless The Lord!

“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. (2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. (3) Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; (4) Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; (5) Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103.1-5

Every time I read this Psalm, my heart is filled with gratitude because of who our God is. look at the reminders of who this God is: (1) forget not all his benefits. When was the last time you tried to number the benefits that God gives you? (2) He forgives all our iniquities. That alone is a staggering reminder of God’s grace, mercy, and love for us. (3) He heals our diseases. You say, “But pastor, I am sick, or I know loved ones and family members who are sick. Where is the healing?” I can’t answer that question. I wish I could. There is MUCH healing in our world, and we know God has all power. I cannot explain why some are healed down here and some are not. But this I know, we will spend eternity is a place where there is no sickness or disease.

(4) He redeems our life from destruction. You and I will never know this side of eternity all that God has done to preserve our lives. But we can thank Him for what we do know. (5) He crowns US with lovingkindness and tender mercies. We are not worthy of either, but because of His great love for us, we are the recipients of His lovingkindness and tender mercies. Praise His holy name! (6) He satisfies our mouth with good things – why – so that our youth is renewed like that of an eagle. The daily renewal of strength that God provides is unexplainable but is also such an ongoing blessing. You and I must give God the praise He is due for all these things He does for us. “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Just my thoughts on this Labor Day!

Friend – Real Friend!

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15.13

Jesus speaks these words in the midst of a conversation with His disciples about the need for them to love one another. Let’s go back in our minds, if we can, to observe this conversation. “Greater love hath no man than this … ” Jesus is just days away from Gethsemane, the cross, the garden tomb, and the resurrection. It won’t be long before He lays down His life for the sins of the world (I John 2.2), which includes His friends. This will be the greatest demonstration of love ever known to mankind. One of my earliest recollections of a memorized verse is John 3.16: “For God so loved the world … ” Having known this verse now for well over 70 years, I am still amazed at the magnitude of this statement: “God so love the world … ”

Let’s examine the words in this second phrase: “ … a man lay down his life … ” There was no force involved here. No coercion. This was an act of His will – something that He chose to do – for you and me. If I can draw a parallel here for us to consider, in exchange for His laying down His life for us, is it asking too much for us to lay down our lives in service to Him? His sacrifice cost Him EVERYTHING. What does our living for Him cost us? Probably not very much. If you consider Jesus your friend as well as your Savior, will you CONSIDER laying down a portion of your life for Him? Consider what He wants and what you are willing to give and say to the Lord, “Here am I. Send Me!” Just my thoughts …