Whenever I spend a few days at my old home in Miami, I inevitably wake up early one morning and go out to get the paper. By going out, I mean walking a mile to the nearest 7-Eleven. Of course, I could drive there in a few minutes, but the journey holds many memories for me; so I walk.
I go across my street and gaze at the home where one of my friends once lived. He is gone now, along with the mighty trees that once graced the corner we shared.
I cross over a canal by way of a bridge that people loved to drive over at full speed. This was before they put in a traffic circle at its base. It’s a little safer now.
I pass the boyhood home of one of my elementary school friends who also was named Joseph. He had one of those 1980’s light sabers that was just a hollow tube that made a “wooong-woong” sound without the need for batteries or fancy electronics…*sigh*
Eventually I come up to where 112th Avenue intersects Miller Road and I head left towards the rising sun. Traffic is in full force by now, and I watch the multitudes dodge and weave their way towards work.
I pass by where I once found a fifty-dollar bill on the sidewalk during my college years. I used it to keep a check from bouncing.
I walk by the Miller Dental Group, my former dentist’s office. I always wondered who the architect was that designed that building. The inside reminded me of a contemporary log cabin with paneled vaulted ceilings that soared. It was the only dental office that I actually looked forward to going to.
I glance over where I got my hair cut by a guy named Jose, and a little cafeteria that serves Cuban Coffee and other assorted delicacies.
I pass by our local Farm Stores (imagine a drive-thru market). Their chocolate chip ice cream is hands down the best I’ve ever tasted. Not even Ben and Jerry’s could compare.
I cross by the fish market and arrive at the 7-Eleven.
Once I arrive, I buy the Miami Herald and turn around to head back home, either pinning the paper under my arm, or loosely swinging the rolled copy in hand. This IS South Florida, so if it was under my arm, it would inevitable get damp with perspiration.
I know I’m home when I’ve got a fresh copy of the Herald in my hands.
Way back when, I would get the paper for several reasons. I liked keeping up with the Miami Dolphins (this was before the Internet) and loved the comics. However, once a year, I’d read my horoscope.
I remember the yearly ritual well. I’d get the paper and find a spot I where I could read in peace and quiet. I would search for the horoscopes in section “B”. Then, I’d looked for the familiar phrase, “If today is your birthday, you are…”
I wanted to be affirmed. I wanted to know who I was. I never thought to look within, or ask without. The newspaper would tell me, or so I would think.
I got the usual “You are creative, charming, and attractive to members of the opposite sex… “ I’d soak this in, then carefully read ahead to see if THIS was the year that I’d find a girlfriend, acquire wealth, or achieve success. I shake my head now thinking of all those birthdays spent searching for myself in the back pages of a sweat-stained newspaper.
If only they could have printed a mirror instead. If only they would print, “Stop looking here and start living!” If only they would say that if I sought after God, He would reveal who I was. He would open my eyes (albeit in His time) to whom He was creating me to be.
Striking gold means discovering God and finding ourselves in the process.
As you look back on your journey, what moments serve as mileposts for your life? How has your life changed? How have you affected others? Where has God been through all of this?
What direction are you walking? Where are your answers coming from?
Joe
Luke 9:51
“As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”
Psalm 139
O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!
I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!
O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers! They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name. O LORD, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you? Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you? Yes, I hate them with total hatred, for your enemies are my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
NLTse
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
A Stack of Blocks
When my parents purchased a home in the Westwood Lakes sub-division of Miami in the late seventies, they soon planned and began construction on an addition to the three-bedroom house. They practically doubled the square footage of the residence by adding a large family room and a master bedroom with a large walk-in closet. We needed the space because the other addition (my sister Susie) rounded out the family to a total of two adults and six kids under one roof.
Tight quarters indeed.
With the construction of a new addition came the need for storing copious amounts of building supplies. As the addition was to be fabricated using cement blocks, we had stacks of them in our large backyard. For a kid, these stacks were enormous. They were several feet high, wide and deep. We enjoyed clambering up and around these blocks. I remember my brother jumping off the stacks onto the ground below, however I already suffered from early onset acrophobia and was too scared to jump on my own. It was just too high, and alas, I was too small.
Having a flash of inspiration (or was it ADHD?), I ran inside the house and emerged with a large bed sheet and a length of rope. If I couldn’t jump off on my own, surely I could jump off with the aid of a parachute…
My dad fortunately stepped in before I hurt myself. He explained that my parachute wouldn’t operate correctly, as I had designed it. As I sat on the blocks, he began to show me how the chute should be packed. He then used bits of rope and even began using long stems of thick grass to weave together a “proper” parachute harness. He even fashioned a ripcord for me to pull that would release the parachute.
When he was done, I didn’t jump. I was so enamored with the parachute he designed; I didn’t want to ruin it by using it. So I clambered down the blocks and spent the rest of my playtime running around with a folded sheet tied to a harness made of ropes and weeds. I vividly remember being extra-careful as I removed the pieces in the hallway bathroom as I prepared to take a bath. I treasure that memory because when you are one of six kids, you don’t get too much one-on-one time with your dad.
In retrospect, I suspect he spent that time with me to prevent me from doing something that would hurt me. He knew my fascination with all thing military, and having a “real” parachute on my back would hold greater allure to me than jumping off a stack of blocks.
Our parents (with all their shortcomings) knew us better than we thought. How much more does our Creator know us?
What situations have you found yourself in where the option you wanted is not the option you really needed? Has someone ever prevented you from doing something just because of their time spent with you? How well does God know you?
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.
Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
Luke 12:22-34
Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
NLTse
Tight quarters indeed.
With the construction of a new addition came the need for storing copious amounts of building supplies. As the addition was to be fabricated using cement blocks, we had stacks of them in our large backyard. For a kid, these stacks were enormous. They were several feet high, wide and deep. We enjoyed clambering up and around these blocks. I remember my brother jumping off the stacks onto the ground below, however I already suffered from early onset acrophobia and was too scared to jump on my own. It was just too high, and alas, I was too small.
Having a flash of inspiration (or was it ADHD?), I ran inside the house and emerged with a large bed sheet and a length of rope. If I couldn’t jump off on my own, surely I could jump off with the aid of a parachute…
My dad fortunately stepped in before I hurt myself. He explained that my parachute wouldn’t operate correctly, as I had designed it. As I sat on the blocks, he began to show me how the chute should be packed. He then used bits of rope and even began using long stems of thick grass to weave together a “proper” parachute harness. He even fashioned a ripcord for me to pull that would release the parachute.
When he was done, I didn’t jump. I was so enamored with the parachute he designed; I didn’t want to ruin it by using it. So I clambered down the blocks and spent the rest of my playtime running around with a folded sheet tied to a harness made of ropes and weeds. I vividly remember being extra-careful as I removed the pieces in the hallway bathroom as I prepared to take a bath. I treasure that memory because when you are one of six kids, you don’t get too much one-on-one time with your dad.
In retrospect, I suspect he spent that time with me to prevent me from doing something that would hurt me. He knew my fascination with all thing military, and having a “real” parachute on my back would hold greater allure to me than jumping off a stack of blocks.
Our parents (with all their shortcomings) knew us better than we thought. How much more does our Creator know us?
What situations have you found yourself in where the option you wanted is not the option you really needed? Has someone ever prevented you from doing something just because of their time spent with you? How well does God know you?
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.
Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
Luke 12:22-34
Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
NLTse
Friday, July 2, 2010
All Things New
Growing up, our house hosted many celebrations through the years. Whether it was Thanksgiving, Noche Buena, or birthdays (there were six of us kids), the driveway and front lawn would be filled with cars driven by aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. A table would always be setup for dominoes, and a feast for the ages would be enjoyed by all.
I remember being extremely upset at one of these celebrations sometime during my grade school years. I was standing with several of my older siblings (who were high school age and beyond) by the front door. I somehow came to the realization that I didn’t want to get older. I liked being a little kid. I tearfully confessed this to my sisters who then shared with me that even THEY weren’t able to sit with the grown-ups yet. That began to put things in perspective for me.
When people look back and try to sort out their lives, we sometimes hit an impasse. What we remember is not always what really happened. Some of us believe we had idyllic childhoods while others continue to dredge through the pain of the past, not allowing old wounds to heal. And we all have questions we’d like answered.
The reason many of us may cherish happy childhood memories is that they remind us of when life was simpler and innocent. A time when most of our needs were met. A time when life seemed slower.
I understand that many people had a hellacious upbringing and have great difficulty looking back in the past to identify a baseline; when everything was right with the world. Let me correct this; when everything SEEMED right in the world.
How are things SUPPOSED to be? Is there a time and place you can look back to where life seemed to be at its vibrant best?
How is this world supposed to be? What were God’s intentions from the beginning?
Followers of Jesus believe that although our self-centered actions separated us from God, His death and resurrection paved a new way to live. Not as dogma and rules, but as a living, breathing, pulsating relationship with God.
A relationship built on trust and dependence on a heavenly Father who is perfect.
Is it any wonder that Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”? (Matthew 19:14)
God is in the process of making all things new.
Part Three of our Vision
All Things New
We stand for truth. The Truth that shouted “It is finished!” and passed into death, only to reclaim life three days later. We believe that because of the Cross, and only because of the Cross, broken people like us can reconnect with God. And we believe that this reconnection is only the beginning of true life. God is making all things new. We believe that God’s vision of heaven, a kingdom of reconnection and restoration, starts here and will one day culminate with the return of Jesus. Everything will be restored to the way things were created to be. That longing in our hearts that something just isn’t right in this world will vanish along with death, pain, sorrow, and isolation.
Related Verses
Revelations 21:1-7
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
Matthew 18:1-6
About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
NLTse
I remember being extremely upset at one of these celebrations sometime during my grade school years. I was standing with several of my older siblings (who were high school age and beyond) by the front door. I somehow came to the realization that I didn’t want to get older. I liked being a little kid. I tearfully confessed this to my sisters who then shared with me that even THEY weren’t able to sit with the grown-ups yet. That began to put things in perspective for me.
When people look back and try to sort out their lives, we sometimes hit an impasse. What we remember is not always what really happened. Some of us believe we had idyllic childhoods while others continue to dredge through the pain of the past, not allowing old wounds to heal. And we all have questions we’d like answered.
The reason many of us may cherish happy childhood memories is that they remind us of when life was simpler and innocent. A time when most of our needs were met. A time when life seemed slower.
I understand that many people had a hellacious upbringing and have great difficulty looking back in the past to identify a baseline; when everything was right with the world. Let me correct this; when everything SEEMED right in the world.
How are things SUPPOSED to be? Is there a time and place you can look back to where life seemed to be at its vibrant best?
How is this world supposed to be? What were God’s intentions from the beginning?
Followers of Jesus believe that although our self-centered actions separated us from God, His death and resurrection paved a new way to live. Not as dogma and rules, but as a living, breathing, pulsating relationship with God.
A relationship built on trust and dependence on a heavenly Father who is perfect.
Is it any wonder that Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”? (Matthew 19:14)
God is in the process of making all things new.
Part Three of our Vision
All Things New
We stand for truth. The Truth that shouted “It is finished!” and passed into death, only to reclaim life three days later. We believe that because of the Cross, and only because of the Cross, broken people like us can reconnect with God. And we believe that this reconnection is only the beginning of true life. God is making all things new. We believe that God’s vision of heaven, a kingdom of reconnection and restoration, starts here and will one day culminate with the return of Jesus. Everything will be restored to the way things were created to be. That longing in our hearts that something just isn’t right in this world will vanish along with death, pain, sorrow, and isolation.
Related Verses
Revelations 21:1-7
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
Matthew 18:1-6
About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
NLTse
Friday, June 25, 2010
Poison Ivy
I spent this past Tuesday afternoon kayaking with my friend Harry who lives on the other side of Lake Pelham in Culpeper. He’s only about a mile and a half away as the crow flies, but to drive to his place is a ten-mile trip through town. Harry always has the itch to go out on the water. We’ve talked about going many a time, but finally set a time and date.
Even before we set out, we saw some amazing things. Not fifty feet away, there was an adult white swan with two young dull grey cygnets. At first, you could only see one, paddling around dad. The other, it turns out, was hidden from view because it was actually sitting on dad’s back. The swan had his wings tilted up to form a kind of safety cage for the youngster.
From there, we paddled out on the lake and enjoyed a peaceful few hours. While it was in the mid-nineties outside, it didn’t feel too bad on the water. We had a gentle breeze that helped keep our cool. That and drinking LOTS of water.
At one point, Harry asked if I had ever crossed under Route 29 to get to the pond on the other side. I had seen that little pond often as I drove back home from Charlottesville, but hadn’t realized that it was accessible. To get to it, we had to pass under the road via a concrete culvert. Harry warned that there might be poison ivy hanging down, but we’d check it out anyway. It turned out that the entrance was clear, so we paddled into the gloom. The water gently lapped against the boat and the walls, reflecting every sound we made. I kept waiting for a monster to pop up and devour us, but we made it to the other side without incident.
The small pond was actually was bigger than I initially thought. After circling around the center, we paddled to the far corner and began following a small creek upstream. We were completely surrounded by the woods. The canopy overhead protected us from the hot sun, and the woods to our right and left swallowed up any noise coming from the highway. I couldn’t believe that this gem was so close to where we lived. I had earlier told Harry that we were blessed to live so close to nature, but now I was truly spellbound. We followed the creek up as far as the kayaks could go, then turned around and began to head back.
It was on our way back that I brushed against what I believed was some poison ivy. Actually, brushed isn’t the right word. I was building up some speed to get over a sunken tree trunk and ended up way too far to the right; ending up in a large outcropping of a certain three-leafed plant. My entire right arm was engulfed with it as I pushed to get away.
I was not happy at this point.
Looking for a rash, I noted that my arm was red, but that could have been from the hours spent in the sun. The effects of poison ivy sometimes don’t show up for a while, so I experienced some serious paranoia on the rest of the trip back to Harry’s. When I got home I washed my arm several times with a degreasing soap and hoped for the best.
In the end, it wasn’t poison ivy, and I am very thankful. I had a friend who unknowingly made a necklace from the leaves when she was a child and almost ended up dying because her throat swelled up. They may be pretty, but you’d be wise to heed the old adage “leaves of three, let it be.” Had I been more careful, I would have enjoyed the trip back better instead of wondering if I got exposed.
Why are we so prone to ignore warnings? Time and time again, we are given access to wisdom, but so often we ignore it. We sometimes even get angry when confronted with the truth! Why do we let our pride control us so often?
What misperceptions have held you back from living the life God has called you to live? What warnings have you ignored? What do you need do to move forward on your journey?
Joe
Proverbs 4
My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment, for I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn away from my instructions. For I, too, was once my father’s son, tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.
My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.” My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble.
Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers. Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving.
For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble. They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence! The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.
My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
NLTse
Even before we set out, we saw some amazing things. Not fifty feet away, there was an adult white swan with two young dull grey cygnets. At first, you could only see one, paddling around dad. The other, it turns out, was hidden from view because it was actually sitting on dad’s back. The swan had his wings tilted up to form a kind of safety cage for the youngster.
From there, we paddled out on the lake and enjoyed a peaceful few hours. While it was in the mid-nineties outside, it didn’t feel too bad on the water. We had a gentle breeze that helped keep our cool. That and drinking LOTS of water.
At one point, Harry asked if I had ever crossed under Route 29 to get to the pond on the other side. I had seen that little pond often as I drove back home from Charlottesville, but hadn’t realized that it was accessible. To get to it, we had to pass under the road via a concrete culvert. Harry warned that there might be poison ivy hanging down, but we’d check it out anyway. It turned out that the entrance was clear, so we paddled into the gloom. The water gently lapped against the boat and the walls, reflecting every sound we made. I kept waiting for a monster to pop up and devour us, but we made it to the other side without incident.
The small pond was actually was bigger than I initially thought. After circling around the center, we paddled to the far corner and began following a small creek upstream. We were completely surrounded by the woods. The canopy overhead protected us from the hot sun, and the woods to our right and left swallowed up any noise coming from the highway. I couldn’t believe that this gem was so close to where we lived. I had earlier told Harry that we were blessed to live so close to nature, but now I was truly spellbound. We followed the creek up as far as the kayaks could go, then turned around and began to head back.
It was on our way back that I brushed against what I believed was some poison ivy. Actually, brushed isn’t the right word. I was building up some speed to get over a sunken tree trunk and ended up way too far to the right; ending up in a large outcropping of a certain three-leafed plant. My entire right arm was engulfed with it as I pushed to get away.
I was not happy at this point.
Looking for a rash, I noted that my arm was red, but that could have been from the hours spent in the sun. The effects of poison ivy sometimes don’t show up for a while, so I experienced some serious paranoia on the rest of the trip back to Harry’s. When I got home I washed my arm several times with a degreasing soap and hoped for the best.
In the end, it wasn’t poison ivy, and I am very thankful. I had a friend who unknowingly made a necklace from the leaves when she was a child and almost ended up dying because her throat swelled up. They may be pretty, but you’d be wise to heed the old adage “leaves of three, let it be.” Had I been more careful, I would have enjoyed the trip back better instead of wondering if I got exposed.
Why are we so prone to ignore warnings? Time and time again, we are given access to wisdom, but so often we ignore it. We sometimes even get angry when confronted with the truth! Why do we let our pride control us so often?
What misperceptions have held you back from living the life God has called you to live? What warnings have you ignored? What do you need do to move forward on your journey?
Joe
Proverbs 4
My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment, for I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn away from my instructions. For I, too, was once my father’s son, tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.
My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.” My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble.
Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers. Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving.
For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble. They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence! The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.
My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
NLTse
Friday, June 18, 2010
Adventure Pants
The school year has ended and the hallowed halls of our educational system are filled with shrieks of laughter, high-fives, and random acts of petty vandalism as teachers vacate their buildings, staff meetings, and schedules that have imprisoned them for the past nine months.
Adventure is in the air! What should they do first (that is, what should they do AFTER they sleep in)?
When I was in grade school, I had a pair of tan pants. These were heavy-duty pants; tough enough to take a beating, but comfortable enough to lounge around in. The only thing was, when I was wearing those pants, I never lounged around. They were special “adventure pants”. I’d pull them on Saturday mornings when I knew my friends Danny and Kenny were coming over. The house next to us had a backyard that had an enormous kennel; behind it was a large wooded patch that was hidden from view. Visiting it with my brother and friends was always a special adventure. Once they’d arrived and we had secured the appropriate supplies (ropes, flashlights, fireworks, snacks, etc.) we’d hightail it to the seclusion of my dad’s workshop, which bordered the “woods” and screened our entry into it.
My dad built this workshop in the westernmost corner of our yard out of what appeared to be random pieces of lumber, flooring and plywood. That it stood for as long as it did is a testament to my dad’s ingenuity at cobbling together the unlikeliest of materials to solve a problem. Duct tape and baling wire were never in short supply here. You entered the workshop through a wooden gate into sort of a courtyard (or junkyard if you asked my mother). It was here that we raised chickens until the local ordinances evicted them. Leaning against the fence on the left were large slabs of plywood under a roof. To the right, lumber, PVC, and metal pipes rested (and rusted) under another structure.
Straight ahead was the three-room workshop in all its musty glory. It consisted of a supply room filled with hundreds of boxes that had a window overlooking the aforementioned “woods” next door. Next to that was the main workshop area where he kept his tools, his vise, and assorted hardware. I never could figure out how he found anything in that mess, but then again, my “piling” systems defy logic as well. Finally, we had what I always thought of as “the garage” where the big and dangerous stuff (like a gas-powered tiller) was kept.
With Danny and Kenny in tow, we’d climb over, around and through the various rooms, never knowing what we might find. Sometimes we’d cross through the window into our neighbor’s “woods” and explore. Other times, we’d get on the roof and utilize a pair of steel poles as a flimsy bridge to crawl from the roof of one structure to another. Every time I reflect on my childhood, I wonder how we all survived to adulthood.
Those were adventures!
Where do we seek for adventure today? Do we go to movies or watch TV to live vicariously through others? Do we go to new places or try to meet new people to escape the familiar daily grind? Why are we so enamored with “the exotic”?
How many adventures await us from within the daily grind if we would only open our eyes to see them?
What if we lived our lives as if every day was brimming with adventure? Even washing dishes or preparing dinner can take on new meaning as we live out our calling to serve each other.
Where might some of your adventures await this week?
John 13:1-17
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.
I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
NLTse
Adventure is in the air! What should they do first (that is, what should they do AFTER they sleep in)?
When I was in grade school, I had a pair of tan pants. These were heavy-duty pants; tough enough to take a beating, but comfortable enough to lounge around in. The only thing was, when I was wearing those pants, I never lounged around. They were special “adventure pants”. I’d pull them on Saturday mornings when I knew my friends Danny and Kenny were coming over. The house next to us had a backyard that had an enormous kennel; behind it was a large wooded patch that was hidden from view. Visiting it with my brother and friends was always a special adventure. Once they’d arrived and we had secured the appropriate supplies (ropes, flashlights, fireworks, snacks, etc.) we’d hightail it to the seclusion of my dad’s workshop, which bordered the “woods” and screened our entry into it.
My dad built this workshop in the westernmost corner of our yard out of what appeared to be random pieces of lumber, flooring and plywood. That it stood for as long as it did is a testament to my dad’s ingenuity at cobbling together the unlikeliest of materials to solve a problem. Duct tape and baling wire were never in short supply here. You entered the workshop through a wooden gate into sort of a courtyard (or junkyard if you asked my mother). It was here that we raised chickens until the local ordinances evicted them. Leaning against the fence on the left were large slabs of plywood under a roof. To the right, lumber, PVC, and metal pipes rested (and rusted) under another structure.
Straight ahead was the three-room workshop in all its musty glory. It consisted of a supply room filled with hundreds of boxes that had a window overlooking the aforementioned “woods” next door. Next to that was the main workshop area where he kept his tools, his vise, and assorted hardware. I never could figure out how he found anything in that mess, but then again, my “piling” systems defy logic as well. Finally, we had what I always thought of as “the garage” where the big and dangerous stuff (like a gas-powered tiller) was kept.
With Danny and Kenny in tow, we’d climb over, around and through the various rooms, never knowing what we might find. Sometimes we’d cross through the window into our neighbor’s “woods” and explore. Other times, we’d get on the roof and utilize a pair of steel poles as a flimsy bridge to crawl from the roof of one structure to another. Every time I reflect on my childhood, I wonder how we all survived to adulthood.
Those were adventures!
Where do we seek for adventure today? Do we go to movies or watch TV to live vicariously through others? Do we go to new places or try to meet new people to escape the familiar daily grind? Why are we so enamored with “the exotic”?
How many adventures await us from within the daily grind if we would only open our eyes to see them?
What if we lived our lives as if every day was brimming with adventure? Even washing dishes or preparing dinner can take on new meaning as we live out our calling to serve each other.
Where might some of your adventures await this week?
John 13:1-17
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.
I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
NLTse
Thursday, June 10, 2010
A Bad Eye
When I was a senior in high school, our history teacher took us on a field trip to the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum in Key West. To this day, I still don’t know how she pulled off getting this trip approved. We practically had free reign through the streets of old town, and perused quite a few of the curio shops. At one store, I got a fake tattoo (of what, I cannot remember) and gleefully put it on my arm, under my shirtsleeve.
Upon returning home that afternoon, I walked up to my mom, pulled up my sleeve and said “Look what I got at Key West!”
I’ve never attempted doing anything like that again.
She literally collapsed onto a chair as the blood drained from her face. She seemed to age ten years right before my eyes.
Scared out of my wits (but not quite as frightened as her) I hastily assured her that it was a fake.
Back to Key West. At the Treasure Museum, we saw the treasures recovered from the Atocha, a Spanish galleon that was lost in a hurricane centuries ago. To date, over $450,000,000 has been recovered (only about HALF of what was on the ship) including 40 tons of gold and silver. Touring the museum, you only saw a fraction of the recovered loot.
In one VERY sturdy display case, you could actually feel the heft of a bar of gold. You slipped your hand in a three-inch cutout and you could push it up with your fingers. Gold is very weighty indeed.
But I actually wanted to FEEL the gold, so I maneuvered my hand so I could wrap it around the bar…then realized I was stuck. I casually looked around and was fortunately able to extricate my fingers (sans the gold bar) without setting off alarms.
I was reminded of my futility yesterday at the library as I witnessed a young boy rattling the lock of our Plexiglas donation box by the circulation desk. He pushed and pried until I finally asked him, “Excuse me sir, can I help you?”
He looked at me and innocently replied, “Oh, I was looking to see if it was locked.”
“Yes. It is,” I replied.
Why do we so often want more?
My mother told me that my first word was “Mas!” (MORE!). No wonder I was such a pudgy baby!
What do we do to ourselves when all we want is just a little bit more?
When Jesus spoke about having a “bad eye”, he was using a Jewish term for being stingy. When we’re stingy, we fill ourselves with darkness instead of light.
I have always found that heartfelt generosity is the fastest way to find satisfaction with what you have.
Who has God placed around you that can benefit from your generosity?
Why not give a little instead? Why not give A LOT instead?
Joe
Matthew 6:19-24
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Hebrews 13:5-6
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
“I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
So we can say with confidence,
“The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”
Upon returning home that afternoon, I walked up to my mom, pulled up my sleeve and said “Look what I got at Key West!”
I’ve never attempted doing anything like that again.
She literally collapsed onto a chair as the blood drained from her face. She seemed to age ten years right before my eyes.
Scared out of my wits (but not quite as frightened as her) I hastily assured her that it was a fake.
Back to Key West. At the Treasure Museum, we saw the treasures recovered from the Atocha, a Spanish galleon that was lost in a hurricane centuries ago. To date, over $450,000,000 has been recovered (only about HALF of what was on the ship) including 40 tons of gold and silver. Touring the museum, you only saw a fraction of the recovered loot.
In one VERY sturdy display case, you could actually feel the heft of a bar of gold. You slipped your hand in a three-inch cutout and you could push it up with your fingers. Gold is very weighty indeed.
But I actually wanted to FEEL the gold, so I maneuvered my hand so I could wrap it around the bar…then realized I was stuck. I casually looked around and was fortunately able to extricate my fingers (sans the gold bar) without setting off alarms.
I was reminded of my futility yesterday at the library as I witnessed a young boy rattling the lock of our Plexiglas donation box by the circulation desk. He pushed and pried until I finally asked him, “Excuse me sir, can I help you?”
He looked at me and innocently replied, “Oh, I was looking to see if it was locked.”
“Yes. It is,” I replied.
Why do we so often want more?
My mother told me that my first word was “Mas!” (MORE!). No wonder I was such a pudgy baby!
What do we do to ourselves when all we want is just a little bit more?
When Jesus spoke about having a “bad eye”, he was using a Jewish term for being stingy. When we’re stingy, we fill ourselves with darkness instead of light.
I have always found that heartfelt generosity is the fastest way to find satisfaction with what you have.
Who has God placed around you that can benefit from your generosity?
Why not give a little instead? Why not give A LOT instead?
Joe
Matthew 6:19-24
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Hebrews 13:5-6
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
“I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
So we can say with confidence,
“The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”
Friday, June 4, 2010
Love, Redefined
Growing up, the frequent drives from Miami to New York City made me somewhat familiar with the scenery along the I-95 corridor. Each state has its own peculiar feel (some more peculiar than others). Florida is long and flat. Delaware in comparison is mercifully short. New Jersey? It isn’t the “Garden State” along the New Jersey Turnpike (so keep your windows rolled up).
The Carolinas though…The billboards alone are worth the trip.
You see, just south of the North Carolina border, there exists a traveler’s mecca that’s wholly unique.
I’m talking about South of the Border. For anybody who’s driven on I-95 in the Carolinas, you KNOW what I’m referring to.
It’s a stylized rest stop that covers a square mile. It has everything from restaurants and indoor mini-golf (yes, an 18 hole indoor miniature golf course), to fireworks, shops, motels and campgrounds. You can find a US Post Office there and it even has its own police and fire departments! The 165 foot tall Sombrero Tower makes it impossible to drive past at night without sunglasses on.
The whole place is lit up like Las Vegas, and the HUNDREDS of billboards that advertise it begin over a hundred and seventy-five miles away. Some of the more popular billboards read: Pedro’s FIREWORKS! (Does yours?), Keep yelling, kids! (They'll stop.), Pedro's Weather Forecast: Chili today - Hot tamale!, Keep America Green! Bring Money! And on…and on…
People hear so much about this place, that by the time they actually see it on the horizon, they often decide to check it out.
If you had a billboard, what would it say? If your life were a billboard, what would people read? Would it attract people or repel them?
We believe that crazy acts of love are appropriate billboards for the Kingdom of God. 1 John 4:11-12 reads: “Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.”
The second part of our vision deals with this very topic.
Love, Redefined
Love is the melody and chorus of this song. Taking the example set by Jesus, we focus on loving and serving people as they are and where they are; no strings attached. Our motivation is to love people simply because they are loved by God. Instead of trying to get people to come to church, we bring the church to the people. When we tell the good news by BEING the good news, we offer Jesus in person to a world that is weary of being tied to religion. Living our faith in this manner results in light invading darkness. We believe that the love of God is realized with every kind act, every addiction broken, every injustice made right and every truth proclaimed.
May you light up your world with God’s love this week.
Joe
Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.
For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
1 John 4:7-21
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first.
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.
NLTse
The Carolinas though…The billboards alone are worth the trip.
You see, just south of the North Carolina border, there exists a traveler’s mecca that’s wholly unique.
I’m talking about South of the Border. For anybody who’s driven on I-95 in the Carolinas, you KNOW what I’m referring to.
It’s a stylized rest stop that covers a square mile. It has everything from restaurants and indoor mini-golf (yes, an 18 hole indoor miniature golf course), to fireworks, shops, motels and campgrounds. You can find a US Post Office there and it even has its own police and fire departments! The 165 foot tall Sombrero Tower makes it impossible to drive past at night without sunglasses on.
The whole place is lit up like Las Vegas, and the HUNDREDS of billboards that advertise it begin over a hundred and seventy-five miles away. Some of the more popular billboards read: Pedro’s FIREWORKS! (Does yours?), Keep yelling, kids! (They'll stop.), Pedro's Weather Forecast: Chili today - Hot tamale!, Keep America Green! Bring Money! And on…and on…People hear so much about this place, that by the time they actually see it on the horizon, they often decide to check it out.
If you had a billboard, what would it say? If your life were a billboard, what would people read? Would it attract people or repel them?
We believe that crazy acts of love are appropriate billboards for the Kingdom of God. 1 John 4:11-12 reads: “Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.”
The second part of our vision deals with this very topic.
Love, Redefined
Love is the melody and chorus of this song. Taking the example set by Jesus, we focus on loving and serving people as they are and where they are; no strings attached. Our motivation is to love people simply because they are loved by God. Instead of trying to get people to come to church, we bring the church to the people. When we tell the good news by BEING the good news, we offer Jesus in person to a world that is weary of being tied to religion. Living our faith in this manner results in light invading darkness. We believe that the love of God is realized with every kind act, every addiction broken, every injustice made right and every truth proclaimed.
May you light up your world with God’s love this week.
Joe
Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.
For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
1 John 4:7-21
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first.
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.
NLTse
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