Actions Speak Louder

“Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” 1 John 3:18. The things that we do, or don’t do, speak louder than words, and that‘s exactly what we‘re being taught in this verse.

Christianity is a contact sport, so to speak, it‘s hands on and action packed. We need to be doing the stuff that Jesus did;  clothing, feeding, healing, comforting etc., in general, meeting people’s needs using the resources of the Holy Spirit.  James, the brother of Jesus tells us this:  If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? James 2:16.  What good is it if we merely tell a freezing person to keep warm, we have to invite him in, or give them a coat.  Same principle applies for any unmet physical, emotional, spiritual or financial need, we are here to serve.

 Christians stand in the place of Jesus, and he was always about his father’s business. More than just keeping us busy, ministry was designed to display the manifest love of God to those in need, and it’s so rewarding.  I believe that more unsaved people can be brought into the kingdom by showing love, than pointing out their sin and lack.  We have so much that’s not  calculated in human terms;  the intangible gift of God’s salvation that was extended to us when we were most in need.  “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” Romans 5:6. This is the right time to start dishing out God’s love to the hungry world.

Doing Greater Things

"I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. John 14:12.  This promise really excites me! Jesus is telling me, and all who believe in him, that we are not only going to do the stuff he did, and he did amazing stuff, but even greater stuff!  How amazing is that!!

Enter the party-poopers, church folk who feel that this verse was meant only for the apostles, and earliest church members.  They will tell you that those believers needed to demonstrate the supernatural power of God, along with the proclamation of his word, and so they were empowered. That I can fully agree with, but there it ends for them.  Apparently, dispensationalists, as these believers are called, are convinced that these miraculous works are no longer available, or necessary for those in the present day church. Color me sad L.  Lucky for me, I’m not a dispensationalist! The church is like a boat, it needs to be sailing, going where God directs, not powerless, and stuck in the mud.

People back in Jesus’ day were surrounded by sorcerers, magicians, soothsayers etc., folks performing all kinds of “miraculous-looking” feats.  When Jesus, and his entourage appeared, doing amazing stuff, the “religious” Pharisees were skeptical, even when he healed a deaf mute. "So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. "Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!" they exclaimed. “But the Pharisees said, He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons." Matthew 9:33-34.   Jesus didn’t rely on the usual mumbo jumbo, or incantations the local wizards did, instead he operated in the authority that had been given to him, by God, to perform these supernatural acts.

As humans, then and now, we still may be dubious.  Things on earth  just don’t work that way; do they?  The answer to that is no they don’t, but yes they can!  Certainly not through anything I can do in my own strength, but when I work in the power of the Holy Spirit, now that’s a different story.  Do miracles still happen,  are people healed, and released from demonic control? I have seen it happen, and I, for one, am convinced!  How about you?  Are you still a bit skeptical?  There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s the point where God can begin to reveal his awesome power to you.  It’s not going to be like anything you’ve seen before, and that should be dandy with you.  So get busy asking God to start convincing you, and you’ll be doing even greater things than his son in no time!

Turning Bad into Good

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20.  OK you Bible trivia people, who spoke these words, and to whom?  (Insert Final Jeopardy tune here) If you answered Joseph, of the many-colored coat fame, speaking to his shame-filled brothers, you would be correct.

Everyone is familiar with Joseph’s tale of woe, having been sold into slavery by his brothers, but how much do you know about his time in Egypt? There is quite a bit of juicy stuff that occurs, before this verse is spoken. Refer back to Genesis, beginning in chapter 37, for the full account, but I will try to summarize for you.  Blah, blah, blah, Joe irritates his older brothers with his prophetic dreams, of them bowing down to him, so filled with jealousy they sell him.  To cover the dastardly deed, they tell dear old dad, Jacob, that a wild animal has devoured him. As the years pass, Joe rises up through the ranks in Egypt, because of his ability to interpret the  Pharaoh’s dreams.  Unbelievably, the very thing that got him into trouble with the family, became the key to his success.

Fast forward to the famine that had spread all the way to Israel. Joseph wisely predicted it from one of said dreams, and instructed Egypt to set aside crops in anticipation of it.  Desperation and hunger forced Jacob’s entire family to leave home in search of provisions in Egypt.  Unaware that this important man was their brother, they came before him on bended knee,  asking for his help; and he gave it, thus fulfilling the long ago dream.  That long ago, almost tragic, episode  was brought on by hatred and jealousy, and it could have smoldered in Joseph, justifying him, in human terms, to send his needy brethren away, but he didn‘t.  Just the opposite, he welcomed them, and provided for them.  That sure had to be God at work! Yes indeed, his brothers had meant to harm Joseph, but God took the evil deed and worked it into his good, and the saving of a nation, Israel.  Maybe some of you are feeling persecuted, wronged, oppressed, spiritually, mentally, or physically, even as you read this. Take heart,  even when you feel like you‘ve been run over by a steamroller, when we keep our focus on God, and not those “pressing” issues, or people causing them, He will reveal the good that He has intended through it all.  

Firmly Attached

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” John 15:5-7. I’m not a gardener, but I know that if a branch is to bear fruit, it must stay connected to the vine.  Every late winter, before the plants begin to green up, the vine keeper prunes the plants to the very nub. The cuttings die and are burned. To the untrained eye, what remains looks dead, but as the warm days of spring approach, the green branches push their way out of the dead-looking vine.  The life-giving flow of water and nutrients, can only reach the developing leaves, and eventual fruit, by way of that connection to the main vine.

Have you every really thought about your life as a branch? Branches don’t have a decision to make, they are naturally attached to the vine, but we do.  Sometimes it seems like fun to be out on our own, away from our source of life, Christ, but it will only lead us to the burn pile.  Scripture tells us that at one time we were in just such a position, as wild olive plants. “…and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,….” Romans 11:17. What a joy it is to know that I am not only sustained by my connection to Him, but I will bear much fruit.  Sure, pruning is part of the process, but it only serves to make us more abundant.  Watch that you are firmly attached. If you’re feeling less than fruitful, ask the vine-dresser to repair your graft.  Remember, you can’t have true life apart from God.  “…You do not support the root, but the root supports you.” Romans 11:18.

Made in His Image

I came across this neat row of cement Mickey Mouses, all made in the image of the iconic rodent. I then thought to myself, God made us in his image, but unlike Mickey, we’re not all the same.  We don’t look, think, react or even mature at the same time.  Ask any parent to compare the development of their children, and while there are some similarities, each one is different.  Consult with a teacher, and he or she will tell you that every kid in class has their own way of learning, either visual, hands on, or audible, and their own timetable.  So why is it then, that we like to think that people are supposed to reach spiritual, developmental milestones at certain ages?

 There is no ideal time to be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit or to start operating in the gifts of the spirit. Do all children walk at 12 months? Of course not!  Should we be alarmed when a child isn’t toilet trained at age 2?  Exasperated maybe, but not alarmed.  Just like we have our own unique growth and development patterns, so too God has designed when and how we come into relationship with him.  The mind and body work together as a child matures.  Weak legs strengthen before one walks.  Babies listen to words and repeat what they hear.  A parent can’t force walking or talking on a child, any more than they can impose a personal relationship with God.  Accepting God involves using all our faculties, and that’s the way he wants it.  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37.

Concrete statues may look cute in the garden, but they are useless in the Kingdom of God.  God continues to teach, equip and mature us, regardless of our age. “This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.” Ephesians 4:13.   Sadly, some children never fully develop, and there are those who are slow or never accept God into their lives, but that doesn’t mean He has given up on anyone. ”The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”  2 Peter 3:9.  He’s holding out his welcoming arms, waiting for you to fully mature and run, not walk, into them.

Talk About It!!

Some people are natural-born talkers, and  they find it easy to expound on just about any topic of conversation.  Then there are the quiet types to whom everything is personal and private.  The one thing that both types have in common is the ability to talk about what they love.  Photography, cars, cooking, model airplanes, grandchildren, travel and the list goes on and on.  Get on the right “page”, and talkers and non-talkers alike will effervesce about their passion. It would be the rare person, who, say, after a fabulous vacation, would clam up when asked to tell about it, saying it was a private/personal matter.

OK, you’re in agreement with me so far, right?  So, why is it that many Christians, who claim to love God, refrain from sharing about Him, saying it is a personal and private matter.  Thank God Jesus didn’t feel that way, we’d be in bad shape!  I think the biggest reason is that their relationship with him is shallow and superficial.  I, for example, wouldn’t feel comfortable discussing nuclear physics, because I don’t know anything about it, but don’t get me started on my grand kids!  God created us to spread his word, and demonstrate his love to an ungodly world. If you have it, and are hiding it in your spiritual safe deposit box, why? The only reason I can come up with is a lack of passion.

 As I said previously, it’s impossible to keep silent about what you love, and are passionate about.  Maybe you’re unfamiliar with scripture, then find a study group.  Perhaps you have a “hand-me-down” faith, and long to know what a personal relationship with God is. Ask someone to tell you about theirs, believe me, we love to share!  Whatever you do, don’t justify your lack of talking with the old “private and personal” excuse…that’s no excuse at all!  God expects us to get the word out, and my prayer for all of you is that He, and his word, will become your passion!   “Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:2.

Do vs Done: Religion vs Christianity

Some of you may be familiar with Willow Creek, a mega church, up in Chicago, and the pastor, Bill Hybels.  As a young pastor, Bill relates this story, which I‘m passing along to you. “Lynne and I were on a sailing trip. After anchoring in a harbor for the night, we [met] some people who invited us to come to their boat later to spend some time socializing with them and a few of their friends.
“It was when we were in the process of leaving [after the party] that the moment came. Lynne had already climbed down the ladder into the dinghy and I was halfway down myself when one of the people who had invited us aboard said, ‘Say, Bill, before you leave can you answer a question? I’ve always wanted to ask a Christian what it means to become one. Could you tell all of us?’
“Let’s do a freeze frame: If you’d been in my place, how would you have responded? Would you have been ready to give a succinct response to such an important question?
[Here’s Bill’s answer:] “First you’ve got to realize the difference between religion and Christianity. Religion is spelled ‘D-O,’ because it consists of the things people do to try to somehow gain God’s forgiveness and favor.
“But the problem is that you never know when you’ve done enough. It’s like being a salesman who knows he must meet a quota but is never told what it is. You can’t be sure you’ve done enough. Worse yet, the Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that we never can do enough. We’ll always fall short of God’s perfect standard.
“But thankfully, Christianity is spelled ‘D-O-N-E,’ which means that what we could never do for ourselves, Christ has already done for us. He lived the perfect life we could never live, and He willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty we owed for our wrongs.
“To become a real Christian is to humbly receive God’s gift of forgiveness and to commit to following His leadership. When we do that, He adopts us into His family, and begins to change us from the inside out.”

None of us know when we may be called upon to give our personal answer to this question, but we must be prepared. “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” 1 Peter 3:15. At least one of the “questioners” on the boat that evening came into relationship with Christ when he heard that response.  Never be afraid, ashamed or unprepared, the world needs to lovingly, unwaveringly hear the truth. Remember, Christ’s last words on the cross were, “It is DONE”, not keep on doing.