Tag: LoveOneAnother

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Withhold Judgement

This past weekend our campground was full. Lots of campers from different towns and backgrounds. Some were first time campers and others have been doing it for years.

There are times I judge people by their outward appearance without seeing who Jesus sees. Just being honest with you folks. I did some that this weekend and I’m not proud of my actions.

I thought, if I had been with Jesus when he was preaching and teaching would I have been accepting of the woman in adultery, would I have been willing to eat dinner with Zacchaeus, would I have even talked to the woman at the well long enough to find out that she needed a friend or a Savior?

In Romans 15, Paul teaches us how to handle differences without judging. Look at what he says.

“And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope. 5 God is the one who makes us patient and cheerful. I pray that he will help you live at peace with each other, as you follow Christ. 6 Then all of you together will praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Honor God by accepting each other, as Christ has accepted you. 8 I tell you that Christ came as a servant of the Jews to show that God has kept the promises he made to their famous ancestors. Christ also came, 9 so that the Gentiles would praise God for being kind to them…13 I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.” Romans 15:4-13 CEV

We are always going to have different opinions over politics, money, education, appearance, lifestyle, doctrines but those differences should never stop us from loving those whom God created.

Now lest you think that I am condoning sin, I’m not but we need to have the same mind as Christ in this. He hated sin so much that He died to pay the price for atonement but He loved the sinner so much that He willing went to the cross.

“My children, I will be with you for a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won’t find me. I tell you just as I told the people, ‘You cannot go where I am going.’ 34 But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. 35 If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.” John 13:33-35 CEV

Get to know people. Look for their God-given qualities and withhold judgement.

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A Perfect Heart

Years ago we learned a song in church that still rings in my heart.

“Bless the Lord Who reigns with beauty
Bless the Lord Who reigns with wisdom and with power
Bless the Lord Who reigns my life with so much love
He can make a perfect heart“

No matter how hard we try, we can’t make our heart perfect. It’s beyond our ability but in Christ, we have been made a new creature and with that we are given God’s DNA (divine nature ability).

Our life in Christ gives us His righteousness as an exchange for our sin.

“But Christ offered only one sacrifice for sins, and that sacrifice is good for all time. Then he sat down at the right side of God. 13 And now Christ waits there for his enemies to be put under his power. 14 With one sacrifice Christ made his people perfect forever.” Hebrews 10:12-14

A perfect heart. A heart filled with love!

“My children, let us not love with words or in talk only. Let us love by what we do and in truth. 19 This is how we know we are Christians. It will give our heart comfort for sure when we stand before Him.” I John 3:18-19 NLV

Loving in deed and not words only. The old adage “actions speak louder than words” rings true.

“God so loved the world that He gave”…He gave what meant the most to Him, Jesus! Jesus gave what was most valuable to Him, his life.

“17 The Father loves me, because I give up my life, so I may receive it back again. 18 No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do.” John 10:17-18 CEV

A perfect heart.

” Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. 13 The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them. 14 And you are my friends, if you obey me.” John 15:12-14 CEV

Father, my desire is to be like Jesus. I want a heart that is open to serving others in the same way that Jesus did. Let my life reflect you in all I do. I desire a perfect heart. Amen.

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I Love My Job

Campers have started arriving and I truly enjoy hearing the voices of small children giggling throughout the campground.

Moms and Dads are bringing their kids to the same place they came as children with their parents. Fisherman are leaving the campground at “0-dark30” to find that special place on the shoreline or to be the first to launch their boats. Each one in pursuit of that record rainbow or cutthroat trout.

Folks are walking their dogs and exploring nature. There are so many sites to see!

Dave and I pray for each of them – we pray for safety and protection, for enjoyment and relaxation. This year we are facing another Summer where Winter snowpack and Spring rains were sparse, so we are praying against fires and for good rains to moisten the ground and add water to the lakes.

This morning I found these verses in my Bible reading. I know I’ve read them before but this morning they stood out and made an impact.

“ We should think of their good and try to help them by doing what pleases them. 3  Even Christ did not try to please himself. But as the Scriptures say, “The people who insulted you also insulted me.” 4  And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope. 5 God is the one who makes us patient and cheerful. I pray that he will help you live at peace with each other, as you follow Christ. 6 Then all of you together will praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:2-6 CEV

Patient, cheerful, doing good – that shall be my motto for the summer. In all I do, I want to follow Christ and give God praise.

The Lord has us all in different places, touching different lives. Let’s look for opportunities to be an example of His love in all we do!

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Hard to Be Humble

Those of you who remember the country music of the 80’s will remember this song by Mack Davis:

Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble
When you’re perfect in every way
I can’t wait to look in the mirror
‘Cause I get better lookin’ each day

Humility is lost to a great many in today’s society. Taking sole credit for the good and putting all responsibility for things going wrong on someone else seems to be the norm.

Yesterday we found a list of qualities that the Father wants us to add to our lives. Qualities that will reflect His DNA (divine nature attributes) and when displayed will show that we are like the Father.

“Do your best to improve your faith by adding goodness, understanding, 6 self-control, patience, devotion to God, 7 concern for others, and love. 8 If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful.” II Peter 1:5-7 CEV

Goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion, concern and compassion could all be used as descriptive terms for a person of humility. These are the characteristics of Christ; they show that we are conforming to His image.

“God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. 13 Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:12-13 ERV

Oh yes, it’s hard to be humble; to respond like this when we are treated poorly is often a monumental task. To be kind and forgiving when we are maligned is not easy but it is Christlike.

“Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Care about them as much as you care about yourselves 5 and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought: 6 Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God. 7 Instead he gave up everything and became a slave, when he became like one of us.” Philippians 2:3-7 CEV

Jesus never compromised on the Word of God. He never apologized for His hatred of sin and evil but He never retaliated in a selfish or unloving way. His mission was the message of forgiveness and reconciliation to those on earth and He did that by becoming one with us.

Everything He did, He did to honor the Father. His life is our example.

“In fact, God treats us with even greater kindness, just as the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes everyone who is proud, but he blesses all who are humble with undeserved grace.’

7 Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you. 8 Come near to God, and he will come near to you… 10 Be humble in the Lord’s presence, and he will honor you.” James 4:6-10 CEV

Humility is a lifestyle that reflects the Father. He gives us the grace we need to live in such a way and honors us for our obedience.

Be humble!

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Ouch – That Hurts!

This morning I got up with a sore foot. I’m not sure what caused it but it hurts. As I sat here I rubbed on it and it began to feel better. Good.

A couple more sips of coffee, feet raised with the recliner and faces of friends and family began to come to mind. Some of them are hurting I know, they’ve shared their pain with me. As I lifted them in prayer, I asked the Father to ease their pain.

Just like my foot I wanted to alleviate their discomfort, their heart ache, their pain.

“…But God put the body together and gave more honor to the parts that need it. 25 God did this so that our body would not be divided. God wanted the different parts to care the same for each other. 26 If one part of the body suffers, then all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part is honored, then all the other parts share its honor.

27 All of you together are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of that body.” I Corinthians 12:24-27 ERV

This is how the Father wants us to be when we relate to other Christians, we are all members of the body of Christ.

My head told my hand “Rub your foot, it’s sore and tired, if you rub it for a little while it will feel better” and it did. I saw this as a perfect example of how we are to care for those around us who are hurting.

My foot didn’t ask for help, it was just sore and left unattended I’m sure it would be hurting more and that would make me grumpy. We all have experienced grumpy people and they can be irritating. Maybe we should be asking, “are they hurting, do they need a helping hand”. Coming to their aid with love and compassion may be the best medicine for a hurting soul.

“Help each other with your troubles. When you do this, you are obeying the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 ERV

This morning’s teaching isn’t deep or profound, but I do believe it is a teaching we can all embrace, it’s part of our mandate from Scripture to love one another.

So, from my foot to your heart be on the lookout for hurting people and lend a helping hand!

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Dear Friends,

That sounds like the salutation of a letter but it’s the greeting of my heart.

Yesterday I sent a friend a birthday greeting and this morning she replied with “thank you, dear friend”. Dear friend…we haven’t seen each other in years; our face-to-face friendship was only a few years long, but she is a dear friend, truly.

Some people are in our lives only for hours or for days; others grace our lives for months/a few years, while others come and camp in our existence for a lifetime. I have dear friends from all of these, and I even consider some as dear friends whom I have never even met face-to-face.

The Father fills our lives with relationships; it’s His way of sharing His heart. Since God’s love is unconditional – He loves us all the same and He wants us to give that same kind of love to those we meet. He may use us to encourage others and at times He uses them to encourage us.

The Apostle Paul traveled extensively for several years preaching and teaching. Some places he stayed for a few weeks or a season and other places he seemed to stay only a few days. However, the letters he wrote once he left were letters to dear friends. In that day the only way of staying in touch was through letters – no text, emails, Facetime or convenient travel.

“From Paul, Silas, and Timothy. To the church in Thessalonica, the people of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that God will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!

2 We thank God for you and always mention you in our prayers. Each time we pray, 3 we tell God our Father about your faith and loving work and about your firm hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4My dear friends, God loves you, and we know he has chosen you to be his people.” I Thessalonians 1:1-4 CEV

Dear friends, who are they? They are those people whose names come to mind and a smile comes to my face. They are those who, although I haven’t seen in years, I feel a closeness, a bond and a desire to be with again. We’ve shared laughter and tears, plenty and want, struggles and victories, heartbreak and healing. We’ve shared a cup of coffee and a morning blog. We’ve shared life!

“Dear friends, I love you and long to see you. Please keep on being faithful to the Lord. You are my pride and joy.” Philippians 4:1 CEV

So, dear friends, I am praying for you. Speaking God’s word into your hearts and trusting that you will be filled with joy, peace, love, kind deeds and faith.

May you be richly blessed!

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Growing Up

I’m going to ask you to do something a little different in today’s blog. I would like you to take a few minutes and assess your growth in 2021. No, I’m not talking about any weight you may have gained or lost; I’m talking about growth in your capacity to love.

When our kids were younger, we had a spot in the kitchen where we marked their growth. It was interesting to see how much taller they had become over a year’s time. It was also interesting to see how their growth slowed once they reached their middle teens.

Yesterday, we read the Apostle Paul’s prayer that we would understand the depth, height, width and length of God’s love for us and that in understanding we would grow in that kind of love. With a true understanding of God’s kind of love we grow – we grow to be filled with everything God has for us.

The reoccurring theme of the Bible is that – understanding and growing in God’s kind of love. Remember Jesus talking to his disciples, how many times did He tell them to love one another? He said that their love for one another would be proof to the world that they were His disciples.

Paul carries that theme forward in the letters he wrote to the different Christian fellowships he discipled. Yesterday’s teaching was from Ephesians, a letter written to the Christians in Ephesus. Today I want to share with you some more of his writings from that same book.

These verses are a “growth” chart in love.

“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient and accept each other with love. 3 You are joined together with peace through the Spirit. Do all you can to continue as you are, letting peace hold you together…13 This work must continue until we are all joined together in what we believe and in what we know about the Son of God. Our goal is to become like a full-grown man—to look just like Christ and have all his perfection…We will grow to be like Christ in every way. He is the head, 16 and the whole body depends on him. All the parts of the body are joined and held together, with each part doing its own work. This causes the whole body to grow and to be stronger in love.” Ephesians 4:2,3,13,15-16 ERV

Christians are often referred to as the body of Christ; Christ is the head, and we are all parts of His body. It’s important that we develop, we grow, to be like Christ. It isn’t enough to say that we love the Lord, there needs to be tangible evidence of that love.

I have to admit that there have been seasons in my life where there wasn’t much evidence of growth. I was concerned about my own needs and wants. There have been times that I have been selfish and unforgiving – no upward development at all.

“ Never be bitter, angry, or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. 32 Be kind and loving to each other. Forgive each other the same as God forgave you through Christ.” Ephesians 4:31-32 ERV

We have to be honest with the Father and ourselves if we are to grow. We need to recognize our failings and ask for His help. When we do, we can be certain that He will provide us with the strength to change.

Let’s make 2022 the year we grow up in love!

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A Time for Change

Christmas time has always brought change – it certainly did for Mary, Joseph and the shepherds. The change of a star in the heavens brought the wisemen half way across the known world.

It brought change for Anna and Simeon, two elderly people, who had been serving in the Temple and were able to see their long-awaited Messiah. Change came to Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, who was the mother of John the baptizer. She knew her son would preach the good news that the Messiah had come.

“Joseph registered with Mary because she was engaged to marry him. (She was now pregnant.) 6 While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have the baby. 7 She gave birth to her first son. She wrapped him up well and laid him in a box where cattle are fed. She put him there because the guest room was full.” Luke 2:5-7 ERV

The time came and there was change.

We are also changed by Christmas. Yes, those of us who recognize Christ as our Savior celebrate His birth and His love. We desire to be more loving, more giving, more kind at Christmas.

We decorate differently. We sing special songs, watch theme movies, bake special cookies. All of these are things that change at Christmas. There’s a Christmas song that I heard many years ago and still enjoy, “One Night A Year”.

“One night a year we believe in peace on earth
One night a year we praise our Saviour’s birth
I wish every night the whole year through could be like Christmas Eve
When love’s pure light is shining everywhere, one night a year”

I like to think that we can live with Christmas in our hearts all year long. Jesus said He came for a very specific reason.

“‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me. He has chosen me to tell good news to the poor. He sent me to tell prisoners that they are free and to tell the blind that they can see again. He sent me to free those who have been treated badly 19 and to announce that the time has come for the Lord to show his kindness.” Luke 4:18-19 ERV

The time has come for us to share the love that Jesus has for us with others. Christmas is a time for change!

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Bah Humbug!

We’re only a few days into the Christmas season and I have noticed that some people are already behaving like they’ve lost their Christmas spirit.

It seems sad to me when there is so much to be thankful for; so much joy to share; so much love to experience. It’s not the “grinch” or “Scrooge” that are trying to steal the peace and joy that Christmas brings, plain and simple, it’s the enemy.

“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” John 10:10 AMPC

I can understand how they get that way, but I also see it as an opportunity to share that treasure of light which God has placed within us. These people need an extra hug, a bigger smile, a kind word and an outpouring of love.

“I say this because all of God lives in Christ fully, even in his life on earth. 10 And because you belong to Christ you are complete, having everything you need. Christ is ruler over every other power and authority.” Colossians 2:9-10 ERV

But maybe, just maybe, it’s not the clerk in the store or the other shoppers that has already begun to feel stressed and grumpy. Could it be that it’s the face looking back at you from your bathroom mirror? What do we do when that’s where we find the problem?

“God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23 gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.” Galatians 5:22-23 CEV

Our lives should be a basket of good things. Sharing with others what Christ has done. If we find there is anything unkind or unloving about our attitudes, we need to purge it. One translation for the verse above say these qualities are the fruit of the Spirit, the Spirit of Christ and the true Spirit of Christmas.

“But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 CEV

Let’s make it our goal to squelch, defeat and destroy the bah humbug and let the true spirit of Christmas, the love of Christ, be evident in all we do!

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These Two Things

Over the last few months I have experienced the Lord stretching my heart.

Being exposed to hundreds, even thousands, of people from all different walks of life, different areas of society, has definitely expanded the depth and the breadth of my love. In order to have our love grow passed our comfort zone, we have to do just that – get passed our comfort zone. We have to invest ourselves in the lives of people, people who are hurting.

Remember the story of the good Samaritan. There was a man who had been traveling and he was attacked, beaten and left for dead. A religious man walked that same road, saw the man and passed him by. The same thing happened when someone who worked at the church saw him. Then a Samaritan, someone from a different culture and background saw him. This man treated his wounds and took him to safety.

All three men had an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and do the right thing but only one man did.

“‘”An expert in the Law of Moses stood up and asked Jesus a question to see what he would say. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to have eternal life?”

26 Jesus answered, “What is written in the Scriptures? How do you understand them?”

27 The man replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.’ They also say, ‘Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.’”

28 Jesus said, “You have given the right answer. If you do this, you will have eternal life.”

29 But the man wanted to show that he knew what he was talking about. So he asked Jesus, “Who are my neighbors?”

30 Jesus replied: As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbers attacked him and grabbed everything he had. They beat him up and ran off, leaving him half dead.

31 A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. 32 Later a temple helper came to the same place. But when he saw the man who had been beaten up, he also went by on the other side.

33 A man from Samaria then came traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him 34 and went over to him. He treated his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put him on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next morning he gave the innkeeper two silver coins and said, “Please take care of the man. If you spend more than this on him, I will pay you when I return.”

36 Then Jesus asked, “Which one of these three people was a real neighbor to the man who was beaten up by robbers?”

37 The teacher answered, “The one who showed pity.”

Jesus said, “Go and do the same!”'” Luke 10:25-37 CEV

Two things – Love the Father and love our neighbor. When we love the Father He will show us how to love our neighbor. Let’s share His love outside our comfort zone!

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