Sharing the Love

When Jesus stood up in the temple and proclaimed the beginning of His earthly ministry (Luke 4:17-19) He read from Isaiah and let the world know that He was here to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom to the prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind, and to set the oppressed free. While He was engaged in His earthly ministry He sent His disciples out to do similar work (Matthew 10:5-15). Before He left his disciples and ascended up into heaven (Matthew 18:18-20) He commissioned them to go make more disciples.

Over at Kingdom Bloggers this week we are each sharing about what this process has looked like in our lives; how we've participated in this work of Christ's. An experience we've had in sharing His love.

What about you, what's an experience you've had recently in sharing Christ's love?

How do you handle change?

Frequently, when I'm finding a brother or sister in Christ to be irritating, the words from Galatians 6:1-4 come to my mind. I think about how God tells me that when someone gets caught up in sin, I'm to help the person and to refrain from being prideful because I could just as easily fall into the same sin.

Sometimes in church people can be annoying. Just recently I had such a situation. A lady at my church of whom I am quite fond, a woman who has on several occassions gone out of her way to extend friendliness and welcome toward me, surprised me by her rigid attitude.

The situation was that we live in a very small town (posted population 3,500) and attend a small church. For what I'm guessing is just about forever, there have been two AM Sunday services at that church. The interim pastor decided to combine the services and have one Sunday AM service. There weren't enough child care volunteers to produce quality children's ministry during both services and the building was scantily filled at each service. By combining to one service the service is filled and there are enough workers to produce a quality children's program. But this dear one was complaining and even saying that she is going to ask people to join her in not attending that one service in protest; I was shocked. I thought to myself of how much I love this woman but how totally unyeilding she is to change and about how sometimes change can be a good thing.

But then I had to look at myself and ask - how open to change am I? Do I insist that things stay the way that is comfortable for me? I know that I want to be a person who goes with God's flow and doesn't become unyeilding - but am I?

What about you, are you flexible to change or is it difficult for you?

Do you have a favorite Bible verse or passage?

Over at Kingdom Bloggers this week we are each sharing about our favorite Bible verse or passage and how we've applied it in our lives.

I'd be interested to know, what's a favorite Bible verse or passage of yours?

Grateful

Today as I drove to the memorial service for a friend's daughter, I was thinking about Titus 1:1-3. I'm so grateful; grateful that because of Jesus I have hope, hope that this life here on earth is not all there is. Grateful that God sought me out and gave me the faith to believe in Him.

I was blessed by the sheer simplicity of the service. Blessed by the brothers and sisters in Christ from our local church in attendance; blessed by the knowledge that we're in the business of life together and are there for one another in both good and bad times. The pastor's assurances from John 11 that there is life after our lives on this earth have ended, and that God does have a plan (even when what's happening doesn't make sense to us or even seem right) encouraged my heart.

Even when life hurts, I'm grateful that I'm never alone.

What about you, what have you been grateful for lately?

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr Today

As I think of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I think about how God has people who He uses in each generation. I'm grateful for what Dr. King gave to our nation.

What are you thinking on?

Over at Kingdom Bloggers this week we are each sharing about our favorite book in the Bible and how God's used that book in our lives.

I'd be interested to know, what's a book from the Bible that God's used in your life recently?

Not everything that our kids do wrong is our fault

During his sermon on Sunday the pastor made a side comment with which I don't wholly agree. When we were at home later talking about all the thoughts that the sermon brought up, my husband John laughed when I mentioned this one and said he knew I'd have something to say about it.

The pastor had said that when he was a youth pastor he sometimes felt like parents brought their youth to him and had a "now you fix him" attitude. He basically said that they'd spent 12 years plus not spiritually investing in their kid and then expected him to fix the mess in just an hour or so once a week. Although I see his point, I don't think it's that simple.

First off there's not a parent out there who won't tell you that they have messed up at some point. No matter how much the parents love God and have sought to invest in their children, they are human beings and as such are prone to mess up. Secondly, I believe that parents can do a lot of things right, really love God and invest spiritually into their children, and when the child becomes a teen he may choose to follow a different path for a time. I've seen this happen repeatedly to people who I know, and have personally experienced it to some extent with one of my three sons.

What about you, do you think that if a teen is not following after God, then it must be because their parents messed up?

All this and heaven besides

Today's sermon brought up a lot of thoughts for me. I'll most likely be processing and posting my thoughts stimulated by it for the next few days.

A phrase that came up during the sermon today caught my attention: all this and heaven besides. It came up in relation to Matthew 19:29; where Jesus said that anyone who has lost possessions or relationships for Jesus' sake will receive back a hundred times as much in this life, and then eternal life. The pastor talked about how what we will receive back 100 fold may, or may not, be physical blessings. He talked about the gifts of the Spirit that we see in Galatians 5:22-23, and how Ephesians 1:3-4 tell us that we've been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

As I sat there listening I thought of the many, many, blessings God has given me. In the physical realm there's my husband, children, and health. Then there's the fact that all my sins have been forgiven, that the Holy Spirit actually resides within me, God's presence and direction, His peace, His power, His Word.....so much and so good - and we get heaven too!

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by God's goodness and blessing in your life?