Tag: LoveOneAnother

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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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The Little Things

Last week, as I was trying to find a way to get the blog posted, I woke up discouraged. I couldn’t figure out why I was not being successful in my efforts to log in to my site.

I was talking with my Father, expressing my frustration and disappointment. I felt discouraged. I wasn’t being able to reach out to all of you.

Then I looked up to see the little portable heater sitting on the floor across from me. I stared at it for a moment and there I found encouragement.

No, I’m not crazy!

But I do find the Lord ministers to me in the simplest ways and that morning it came from focusing on my heater. The LED display most often gives a temperature reading but this morning the reading said “Hi”.

Hi? I know hi meant the opposite of the fan being on low but that little “hi” was a warm greeting to my heart.

Hi, being the shortened form of hello was just the morning greeting I needed.

It’s the little things that often touch our hearts and bring encouragement. A hug, the touch of a hand, a smile, a kind word (saying thank you), all of these can make a big difference in someone’s day.

“Christ encourages you, and his love comforts you. God’s Spirit unites you, and you are concerned for others. 2 Now make me completely happy! Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you were only one person. 3 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” Philippians 2:1-4 CEV

As Christ encourages us, we should also be encouraging others. Look for the little things you can do today to brighten someone’s outlook.

It may be something as simple as saying “hi”.

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Building Friendships

I missed sharing with you yesterday morning. It was one of those “no signal” days and as hard as I tried throughout the day I was still unable to get any internet connection. But even though I was unable to put words to screen I prayed for you all to have an amazing day, recognizing the Lord’s presence.

Two days ago, we were having one of those socked-in raining afternoons. It isn’t like that very often, so Dave and I found one of our favorite cowboy movies, a two-part, three-hour feature and made an afternoon of it. This movie is all about friendship, “Buffalo Girls”.

The eight main characters have years of friendship. Sometimes, they fight with one another, actually come to blows; sometimes, years go by and they never see one another but each reunion is sweet and filled with joy. There are rousing confrontations when faults are exposed. Friendship is built on honesty and trust. You find that in the lives of these characters.

There is heart ache and sadness. These friends help one another deal with the pain. At the end, two of our main characters die and they share their grief.

As I watched my eyes filled with tears. My thoughts were of friends we hold dear. Some we haven’t seen in years. We miss them dearly and love them deeply. Their lives have intertwined with ours for years and years.

The key to good friendship is not finding people you agree with in every situation. The key is to love without judging, allowing them to be who God made them to be and not who we want them to be. Friendship comes from living life together, sometimes its messy, and being committed to bringing out the best and not dwelling on the worst.

“You can see the speck in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the log in your own eye. 4 How can you say, “My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye,” when you don’t see the log in your own eye? 5 You’re nothing but show-offs! First, take the log out of your own eye. Then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend’s eye.” Matthew 7:3-5 CEV

It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict of wrong doing. We, as true friends, speak the truth in love and know that we are just as susceptible to fault as they are.

Jesus said the world would come to know Him because of the way we love one another. Let’s make that our goal.

“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. 15 Servants don’t know what their master is doing, and so I don’t speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my friends, and I have told you everything that my Father has told me.

16 You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. 17 So I command you to love each other.” John 15:12-17 CEV

Be a Jesus-kind of friend!

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Behind Closed Gates

The last few days have been filled with much activity. Moving from one campground to the next. Breaking camp and setting up again, all the while wondering how long this temporary relocation will be.

We are here with the hosts of nine different campgrounds. We are safe and that is what is important. There have been many words of encouragement, hugs and conversations regarding our current circumstances.

Do you remember the old western movies when people traveled by wagon train from St. Louis to “the West”? We are neighbors depending on neighbors, assisting where we can – providing extra muscle in lifting heavy bar-b-ques or ice chests, providing an extra stick of butter for a cake or just offering a chair under the awning for a chance to visit.

We are not certain of what each day will bring but we are here together. 

“…But God is your teacher, and he will not continue to hide from you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. 21 If you wander from the right path, either to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice behind you saying, “You should go this way. Here is the right way.” Isaiah 30:20-21 ERV

Dave has helped me and we believe we have found a place, not far from our campground, where we can drive and get a signal that allows me to post this blog each morning. It has definitely been a trial and error process.  But if this morning is successful then we should be able to continue with this plan for as long as needed.

I want to encourage each one of us to always be ready to share the love of Jesus in each day’s circumstance. It is important that we are prepared to give an account for the peace and assurance that we have in Jesus.

“Tell everyone God’s message. Be ready at all times to do whatever is needed. Tell peple what they need to do, tell them when they are doing wrong, and encourage them. Do this with great patience and careful teaching.” II Timothy 4:2 ERV

It is a joy to share with you all each morning. I’ve missed it the last couple of days!

I am praying for all of you and trust that your faith and trust in the Lord is growing each day.

“ You accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, so continue to live following him. 7 You must depend on Christ only, drawing life and strength from him. Just as you were taught the truth, continue to grow stronger in your understanding of it. And never stop giving thanks to God.” Colossians 2:6-7 ERV

This is a day filled with many opportunities. Follow the Lord’s leading and be a blessing.

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