GTA 4

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Isaiah 5:20 (NASB)

A Picture is Worth A Thoussand Words

The Love of Christ: JM Campbell

Thanks to my brother in the ministry from Rockville for this one:

14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
2 Cor 5:14-15 (NASB)

The love of Christ is too large for any heart to hold it. It will overflow into others' hearts: it will give itself out, give itself away, for the enriching of other lives. The heart of Christ is a costly thing for anyone to have. It will lead those who have it where it led Him. If it cost Him the cross it will cost them no less.

J.M. Campbell

from: Thoughts for the Quiet Heart, ed. D.L. Moody

Irreducible Complexity

40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He found* first his own brother Simon and said* to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which translated means Christ ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John ; you shall be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter ).
John 1:40-42 (NASB)

There are times when a message is so obvious that we miss it.

A few years ago Vicki and I were blessed to attend the Billy Graham School of Evangelism (it was in Lenexa that year near an excellent Indian restaurant named Korma Sutra). One of the evangelism strategies discussed was called "Operation Andrew", it is a painfully simple strategy. Your church sets up an evangelistic event, even as simple as an evangelistic sermon, and you ask someone to come with you. What a novel concept!

I already hear the objections about how bringing someone to church is not beinging them to Jesus. I would urge you to shut down your critical apparatus for a few moments though and dwell on the simplicity of this passage.

Andrew met Jesus, fell in love with the man and the plan, and told someone else that he loved about Jesus.

Talk about irreducible complexity.

Andrew gives us another encouraging example in that he's willing to share his faith in the most threatening of environments. Jesus taught that a prophet was without honor in his hometown; but then, there is your very home.

Anyone who has family members who are not disciples knows that sharing faith with your family can be a hard road, regardless of how good those relationships are. They know everything about you, and that makes things complicated in a hurry.

Yet Andrew was so blown away by what Jesus said and did that he couldn't help himself! It is an example that can encourage us all.

Just tell the people you love about the One that you love the most. As Chris Saey related, "Tell God's story."

Grace and peace,

Rev.

Homosexuality and Christianity (Again)

Oprah and Jesus, in Her Own Words

A Dangerous Prayer: Psalm 26:2

Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.

Psalm 26:2

God, like a skillful surgeon, can always get to the heart of the problem. But he will only operate with consent. There is truth in the wise old Baptist saying that “the Holy Spirit is a gentleman”, how else could one resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7)?

You may have heard before that the trouble with living sacrifices is that they crawl off the altar. I think this is the wisdom of Kieth Green, passed to Steve Camp and or Rich Mullins, and finally to Derek Webb; but whoever coined it, it is very very true.

Why is this prayer so dangerous? Well, you tell me?

O righteous God,
who searches minds and hearts,
bring to an end the violence of the wicked
and make the righteous secure.

Psalms 7:9 (NIV) (cf. Rev 2)

Examining, searching... what will He find? Will I be numbered among the righteous and vindicated or among the wicked?

See if there is any offensive [KJV, wicked; NASB, hurtful] way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalms 139:24 (NIV)

ANY offensive way? Wow, it shouldn't take long to find something... When I open myself up to God in that way, things could get messy in a hurry. What if He tells me to stop something that I am doing: a relationship, a dream, a career path, a habit, an indulgence? Or worse yet, what if He tells me to start doing something: a ministry, a witness, to become a tither, a children's worker, a follower instead of an admirer of the Gospel? What if God really “gets into my business”?

I love to tell stories on myself. When Vicki and I were first married, I began to realize in a hurry that the marriage of two “only children” might have been a mistake! Our first real disagreement was about whether to put a set of jars we were given on the counter, or in the cabinet. This skirmish carried on for weeks, until finally one, or both of us, surrendered. Ironically, I think those jars were sold in our last garage sale. We had to learn to share space, share a checkbook, and so on. As they say, you have to endure the process to get the product. Some came along easier than others, but the process of becoming one flesh was painful for us, but well worth it.

Granted, the images associated with the work of God in our lives are not always pleasant. But the process is so necessary.

"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers ' soap.

Mal 3:2 (NASB)

But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade, it into another vessel, as it pleased, the potter to make.

Jer 18:4 (NASB)

For Your arrows have sunk deep into me,
And Your hand has pressed down on me.

Psalms 38:2 (NASB)

There is nothing more fearsome than facing yourself... but thank God you are not alone if you do.