"The greatest thing you can do for somebody is presence. Simply being present with them. Especially if you can be present  physically. And I think a lot of people, their default response when someone is in pain is to just start talking.  But the larger issue is whether your willing to just sit with the person ... being willing to just sit as long as it takes.  And that's the greatest gift.  And grace. ... If you have somebody around you in great pain, you have to surrender your own agenda for them ... and enter in with pure unconditional, nonjudgemental love. ... We coast on the energy of others. Sometimes we need someone to help carry us because we're not all strong all of the time."

~Rob Bell

Knowing God - Mark 8:38

(fp)

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words

in this adulterous and sinful generation,

the Son of Man will be ashamed of him

when he comes in his Father's glory

with the holy angels.

Mark 8:38

 

Let's think for a moment about the difference between "shame" and "ashamed."

 

Shame, it could be said, is a synonym for sin. For example, when Adam and Eve at the apple, they covered up their sin and shame with an inadequate fig leaf.

 

Ashamed, on the other hand (and at least in this context) is more of a synonym for faith ... or really the lack thereof. For example, is our faith and Christian witness a) bold and vibrant, or b) timid and ashamed?

 

Now ... use these definitions to ask one of the big question in life: What keeps us out of heaven?

 

It's not shame. After all, as it says in Romans 3:23, "we've all sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

 

Rather, it's being ashamed. A confident faith testifies. But if we're justified by faith, then what is a non-testifying faith? If Jesus is saying, "if you're ashamed of me, then I'll be ashamed of you," then maybe we need to be a bolder in our witness.

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's often been tempted

to be a boulder (silent as a rock)

than bolder.

Knowing God - Revelation 1:20

(fp)

... the mystery ... is this ...

Revelation 1:20

 

I've started a study of Revelation, and at the end of chapter 1 is this phrase: "the mystery ... is this ..."

 

How many of you have ever looked at Revelation as mysterious? (Absolutely!)

 

If we're literal today, the mystery is: What are the seven stars that the Son of Man (Jesus) was holding in his hand? Answer: "the mystery ... is this: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches."

 

Interesting. But I don't want to be literal today; I want to be general and hopefully a whole lot more helpful.

 

How many of us human beings view some of the things of God as mysterious? We want simple answers and simple faith. But there's evil ... and suffering ... and good people dying too young. There's unanswered prayers ... and aching hearts ... and too much confusion. 

 

Whenever we cry, "Why?" we must trust that God's continual desire is to say, "the mystery ... is this ..." He passionately wants us to see, hear, know, and love.

 

Now, on this earth, we won't ever "get it" completely. But that's why we read his word and say our prayers and serve his kingdom. Because the more we do this -- the more we undertake "a long obedience in the same direction" -- the more the fog will lift and the more the answers will trickle in.

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who might not like London

(I'd probably get tired of the fog)

Knowing God - Genesis 31:42

(fp)

[You are]

the God of Abraham

and the Fear of Isaac

Genesis 31:42

Fear is not a pleasant word. It provokes images of gunmen, snakes, heights, and giving speeches in front of large crowds. It is something real men are not supposed to admit.

Fear in the Bible has an additional meaning. The fear of the Lord is often described as "awe" and "profound respect." But why the differentiation here between Abraham and Isaac?

I would guess -- and it's nothing but a guess -- that it was a matter of relationship. Abraham talked to God regularly. They were familiar and intimate. And while Isaac had a relationship with God, it could never be as close as his father Abraham's. That was a singular moment in history.

Say, for example, that I grew up with the President of the United States. Say that we played basketball together on the courts of Chicago and spent the night at one another's houses. Say that I was one of six people in the world who called him "Barry" instead of "Barack." And say that one day I took my son to the Oval Office to meet him. Now, I would be respectful, because he is the President, but while I'm still calling him Barry, my son would be in awe, almost bowing, nearly silent, and muttering only "yes, sir" and "no, sir."

I don't know about you, but I want a relationship with God like Abraham's.  

In Christ's Love,

an Isaac who's trying to be

more like my Father

Knowing God - 1 Peter 4:13

(fp)

rejoice that you participate

in the sufferings of Christ,

so that ...

1 Peter 4:13

 

You probably notice that I give you a lot of half verses. Why? Sometimes a half-verse gives us more than a full point. Other times, half a verse invites you to think. So today, fill in the blank! "Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that ..."

 

Hmm. If "rejoice" weren’t the first word, I’d say that participating in Christ’s sufferings, would be more a "lament." Perhaps at best, it’s a "solemn honor" – like the solemn honor of the tens of thousands who are martyred each year in defense of the faith. But "rejoice"?

 

Here’s why. The sufferings of Jesus led to a painful but permanent victory – the conquering of sin and death. But joy had to wait for three days. Suffering led to victory which led to resurrected glory! And when we involve ourselves with Christ through all the ups and downs of life, that is when we can fill in the blank and -- to finish the verse -- "be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s willing to suffer

for even greater joy

Knowing God - John 15:7

(fp)

... ask for whatever you wish,

and it will be done for you.

John 15:7

 

Jesus said those words above. Do you believe it’s a true statement? Or do you need know to know the conditions before believing this promise.

 

Here’s the conditions ... The verse begins with these words, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, [then] ask ... and it will be done." The first condition for answered prayer? It is understanding that we are lifeless branches unless and until we are attached to the life of Jesus-the-Vine. The second condition? Immersing ourselves in God’s Word.

 

Let’s focus on this second condition. What happens when we live and breathe God’s Word? His purposes begin to flow through our hearts and lungs, and our life begins to look more and more like Christ. When this happens, our prayers grow less and less dependent on our desires, and more and more focused on God’s desires. Indeed, when our prayers align themselves with what God is already doing, we get to see – more and more frequently, more and more powerfully – God’s hand at work.

 

"Ask ... and it will be done," is, therefore, not a magic trick nor a wish from a genie in a bottle. It is aligning ourselves with God and, thus, learning to open our eyes to see him work.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who want others to think

that I have magic powers

(not because I believe in "magic"

but because I am attached to

and sensitive to the power of God)

Knowing God - 1 John 3:22

(fp)

and we receive from him whatever we ask,

because we obey his commandments

and do what pleases him.

1 John 3:22

 

How many of us want God to be our genie and have this promises instantly fulfilled: "We receive from him whatever we ask"?

 

Before we covet that too much, let’s turn around and listen to the full verse from John: "because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him ... we receive from him whatever we ask."

 

We’d generally prefer to have no conditions on a bigger-than-life promise. But we need to be realistic. All God wants is a relationship with us. And one of the keys to relationship with the Shepherd is following him (and his commandments) and doing what pleases him.

 

But when we’re in his will and following his ways – when we’re on his path – we find that blessings (and answers to prayer) fall down upon that path.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a wayward sheep

who wants to do whatever

pleases the shepherd

Knowing God - 1 Corinthians 15:45

(fp)

"The first man, Adam, became a living being";

the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

1 Corinthians 15:45

 

Do you know what Paul is talking about here?

 

The first Adam is Adam from Genesis-3-eating-the-apple-with-his-wife-eve fame. The first Adam is the first man. Therefore, the first Adam was the first sinner. And, as Paul says in Romans 5:18, "[this] one man's trespass led to condemnation for all" of the rest of us.

 

Ouch! 

 

Or in other words, you are condemned!

 

Except wait ... the proper way to say that is, you were condemned until the second Adam, the new Adam, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, created a new pattern and a new order. And "[this] one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all" (Rom 5:18 again).

 

Martin Luther put it this way, we are "Simul justus et peccator."

 

That's Latin for, "we are simultaneously, saint and sinner."

 

Christians are simultaneous children of the first Adam (sinful humans) and redeemed childen of the final Adam (saints in the name of Jesus Christ).

 

Eugene Peterson in his Message-paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 15, renders Paul's thoughts like this: "45 The First Adam received life, the Last Adam is a life-giving Spirit. 46 Physical life comes first, then spiritual - 47 a firm base shaped from the earth [with] a final completion coming out of heaven. 48 The First Man was made out of earth, and people since then are earthy; the Second Man was made out of heaven, and people now can be heavenly. 49 In the same way that we've worked from our earthy origins, let's embrace our heavenly ends."

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's a saint!!!

 

(oh, yeah ... and a sinner)

Knowing God - Matthew 3:17

(fp)

---

Paul, Jay, Rob

 

And a voice from heaven said,

"This is my Son, the Beloved,

with whom I am well pleased."

Matthew 3:17

 

Today is my son Paul's 21st birthday, and I could easily echo the Father's words from heaven.

 

God said these words as Jesus was beginning his ministry. This morning, my son is doing ministry near the beginning of his career too. As a church musician, he's playing "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee" (or whatever song of faith that today brings).

 

This Sunday morning at our church, we are celebrating a renewal of wedding vows for a couple. As part of this, we will be reading some words from our standard wedding liturgy: "Because of sin, our age-old rebellion, the gladness of marriage can be overcast and the gift of the family can become a burden."

 

Those are strange, hard, odd words in the middle of happy, floral, wedding ceremony.

 

But they are true.

 

For many of us, every joy in family that we have seems to be offset and overcast by a sorrow. And as the liturgy implies, family trails are generally spurred by sin ... and anger ... and insecurity ... and wantonness ... and mostly rebellion. Someone wants to go their own way, instead of God's.

 

"But," continues the liturgy, "because God, who established marriage (and family, and) continues still to bless it, we can be sustained in our weariness and our joy can be restored."

 

My prayer today is that we may each reconnect with family today in a deeper way ... and reconnect with God who stirs the deeper way and restores our joy.

 

In Christ's Love,

a grateful dad

 

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Knowing God - James 4:8

(fp)

Draw near to God and

he will draw near to you

James 4:8

 

Just the other day, I heard someone ponder the alternative: If we draw away from God, will he draw away from us?

 

The answer is "yes" and "no."

 

On the "no" side ... as it says in Romans 8:38-39, "nothing in all creation can separate us from the [incredible] love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" – including our stupid, wayward selves. As it says in Isaiah 53:6, "we all like sheep have gone astray," but as this verse and chapter conclude, that’s why God drew near to us through the suffering servant, Jesus Christ.

 

But on the "yes" side, we must realize the context of this verse. James is talking about prayer. How many of us live our lives far from God and his standards, and then expect an immediate and affirmative answer to our prayers. In our prayer life, both sides are true: when we draw near to God, he will draw near to us; and when we pull away, he’ll pull back too. Wait ... God will never permanently pull back, of course; he’ll just be patient and wait – forgiving and wooing as we stray.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a wayward sheep

who wants to know where to go

and draw nearer again

Knowing God - John 10:27

(fp)

Jesus said,

My sheep hear my voice ...

and they follow me.

John 10:27

 

I’ve witnessed this verse putting unnecessary pressure on the faith of believers. We cry out, "But I don’t hear his voice! Am I not one of his sheep?!"

 

Think of even the most faithful of the Father’s servants in scripture. How many times does scripture record that Jesus heard a literal voice? About three? And how many years was it between when Elijah, at God’s prompting, proclaimed a famine and when God spoke to Elijah again? About three?

 

If Jesus and Elijah can go years between hearing a literal voice, don’t be concerned that God’s vocal cords aren’t singing to you regularly from above.

 

And yet ... God does speak to us powerfully and regularly. It is through his Word. But the regularity of his voice only comes through our regularity in the Scriptures.

 

As we let God’s Word work its way into our hearts, we can truly hear God’s voice in a powerful way.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s eye is an ear

(my reading eye helps me hear)

 ‎"I have learned now that while those who 

speak about one's miseries usually hurt, 

those who keep silence hurt more." - C.S. Lewis

Knowing God - Isaiah 40:31

(fp)

those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,

they shall mount up with wings like eagles,

they shall run and not be weary,

they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

 

My son Jay -- along with 1200 other midshipmen -- has endured a summer of emotional stress, mental challenges, and excessive physical exercise during one of the hotter summers on record. Therefore, as I came across today's verse, the line that grabbed me was, "They shall run and not be weary."

 

Immediately I wanted to know the secret.

 

I didn't have to go far. The beginning of the verse tells us the answer: "Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength." As a popular, newer song translates it: "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord ... wait upon the Lord ... we will wait upon the Lord!"

 

Waiting involves time -- time in his presence. It's silencing the rest of the world. It's listening for the still small voice. Patiently.

 

I want my running son to not be weary ... I want you, my busily running friend, to not be so weary ... and after a crazy summer of coming and going, I want me to be less weary. And the solution is obvious: "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord."

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy wants to be a waiter

Knowing God - Psalm 139:23-24

(fp)

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my thoughts. 

Point out anything in me that offends you,

and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Psalm 139:23-24

 

Confession ...

 

... and I have a confession.

 

Whenever I confess my sins, I usually confess the sins that are obvious and offensive to me. But it's a different standard -- isn't it? -- if we were to confess what is offensive to God.

 

What if our hearts cried out with a different standard? "O God ... point out anything in me that offends you."While I may initially and instinctively chafe at that kind of accountability, how blessed would be that kind of life -- for me and my family -- once I engrained those habits?!

 

God, give me the eyes that see and seek your pleasure. Amen.

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants to go from "off"

(as in "off"-en-sive) to "on"

Knowing God - Psalm 36:7-8

(from Pastor)

How precious is your unfailing love, O God!

All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

You feed them from the abundance of your own house,

letting them drink from your rivers of delight.

Psalm 36:7-8

 

Imagine that life is a river. Like an explorer without a map, the river flows and flows and where it goes, nobody knows. Indeed, where your life will go, no human knows.

 

So there are two ways to take this river. One is to ride with the current. The other is to fight against it.

 

God has a purpose, a plan, and a direction for your life and mine. And just like rivers naturally flow into a majestic lakes or the bounty of the ocean, God’s assured us that if we believe, our river will end in delight. Therefore, we have two options. We can trust the flow of the water – obeying a few timeless rules of the river – or we can fight the current.

 

As we’ve been saying – directly and indirectly – throughout these past few days, prayer is paddling with God. It is lining our lives up with his current. Failing to pray is not, however, pulling the paddling inside the boat. It is, rather, paddling furiously using every other human technique to make it through life. And it seems to work pretty well ... until we hit the rapids.

 

No matter who we are, the rapids and the trials will come. And the question is, will we be fresh and ready and already riding the best current when the trials come, or will we be unwittingly tired and in the wrong channel as the rocks and rapids begin to loom?

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who wants to take

kayak lessons from Pastor Fran

(or faith lessons from her ...

or from a fishermen like Peter)

Knowing God - Galatians 3:27

(from Pastor)

for all of you who ...

have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Galatians 3:27

 

The context of Galatians 3:27 is baptism. In baptism, we clothe ourselves in Christ.

I believe there’s another way: Through Prayer.

 

For the last two days, we’ve been talking about how Jesus lives to pray for you and me (see Hebrews 7:25). We’ve also celebrated that the Alpha and Omega knows what’s best for us because he sees reality from the perspective of eternity – not just from our momentary, temporary, limited perspective. Today, I see another invitation ...This is why we pray.

 

Think about it ... if Jesus is up there praying ... from an eternal rather than temporary perspective ... knowing what’s best and yearning for victory ... then when I pray, I involve myself in his purposes. I join with him. I discover his purposes. I go in his directions.

 

To pray is to clothe myself in Jesus Christ. It’s to look more like him.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who needs to grow a long beard

(or is there another way to look more like Christ?!)

Knowing God - Revelation 21:6

(from Pastor)

I am the Alpha and the Omega,

the Beginning and the End.

To him who is thirsty I will give

to drink without cost

from the spring of the water of life.

Revelation 21:6

 

In yesterday’s lesson, we were told of a wonderful blessing: Jesus prays specifically for you and me (see Hebrews 7:25).

 

Let’s add the wonder of this blessing: Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, sees from beginning to end.

 

Why is that good news?

 

When I pray, I pray from my limited, momentary perspective. I know what I want – right now – but I don’t see all of the repercussions. Jesus sees from beginning to end. He knows what’s best for me and my family in the short-term and long-term. He sees reality from the perspective of eternity, and he wants only the very best for me.

 

That’s why we pray for "Thy will [to] be done."

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy whose perspective is so limited

he needs the big, round, thick glasses

that the movie stars wore in the seventies

(either that, or I just need to pray

for God’s perspective)

Knowing God - Hebrews 7:25

(from Pastor)

[Christ] always lives

to make intercession for ...

those who draw near to God

through him ...

Hebrews 7:25

 

If you had to sum up the entire purpose of your life in a word or short phrase, what would it be?

 

In today’s verse, scripture defines Jesus’ purpose as "always liv[ing] to make intercession for [you]."

 

Intercession is, of course, "prayer for another." Therefore, let this simple truth sink into your heart: Jesus’ purpose and passion is to pray for you. Indeed, a primary reason he lives is to pray.

 

+ Whatever you’re passionate about, Jesus is praying for you.

+ Whatever you need most desperately, Jesus is praying for you.

+ Whatever you’re worried about, Jesus is praying for you.

+ Whatever sin and bondage from which you wish to escape, Jesus is praying for you.

+ Those whom you’re concerned about, Jesus is praying alongside of you.

 

Jesus is God. And as the Son – once sent to earth – his role is come alongside of you and me, and understanding our human predicament, he constantly takes our deepest concerns to His Father and your Father in prayer.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who needs lots of prayer

... and has a "brother" to always pray with

Knowing God - Isaiah 28:29

the LORD of hosts ...

is wonderful in counsel

Isaiah 28:29

 

Our music leader at church, Ian Faires, is also a school band director.

 

He teaches the same kids from sixth grade to twelfth grade.

 

As sixth graders, his students are new to their instruments and only rarely do their notes vibrate in harmony with the composer's intent. For his juniors and seniors it is a very different -- and very wonderful -- story. Through years and attention and practice, these students are musicians, finally playing in sync with the composer's design.

 

One of the most common spiritual complaints is that "I can't hear God." God, however, makes his voice constantly available through his Word.

 

When we first start to read the Scriptures, God's Word is just words -- some wise, some wonderful, some strange and challenging. But just words.

 

However, as we keep practicing with this instrument, called scripture, our soul will begin to train itself to vibrate in harmony with God's Word. And then his voice -- not just words, but his call and directions and love song -- will begin to vibrate like sound waves in our ears. We'll know his plan and purposes and design, and we'll hear his voice. 

 

And soon, like a senior in the band, we'll begin to play our lives in sync with the composer's design.

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who want to play the instrument of life

in harmony with The Composer

Knowing God - Romans 5:6

For while we were still weak,

at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:6

 

One of the most famous new "translations" of the Bible is The Message. Well, do you want to hear the 57 words it takes for The Message to "paraphrase" the 15 simple words of this verse? (I'll put it in blue.)

 

Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. ("This" being "everything [that] God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit" -- v. 5)

 

Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready.

 

He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready.

 

And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway.

 

57 words in blue ... but short-version or long version, what is Paul saying?

 

1. God the Father desires to pour so much into our lives ... 

2. God pours through the Holy Spirit ...

3. Christ dies for us ...

4. and God does all this even though we're weak, rebellious, and occasionally ungodly.

 

Read those again -- it's the Trinity, plus us -- God desires, Christ dies, the Spirit pours, and the best we can do is attempt fewer rebellions. 

 

Let's say it like this: God is the one who acts. God is the one who saves. And if we left it up to us, our rebellious selves would drown.

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who better learn to swim better

(or believe more thankfully)

Knowing God - 2 Thessalonians 3:13

brothers, never tire of doing _______

2 Thessalonians 3:13

 

Fill in the blank. Never tire of doing what?

 

Work, work, work. That's they way of our world today. And people both complain about it and simultaneously brag about it. We complain about being so busy in a way that seemingly justifies our existence.

 

God, however, built rest into our existence. Think about it ... on what day did God create? The sixth. Therefore, what was our first assignment? Day seven equaled rest. But not just laziness ... resting in God, sitting at his feet, enjoying time with God. That was our first responsibility back then ... and it still is.

 

So what does this have to do with "never tir[ing] of doing ____"?

 

Well there's only one or two things we should never tire of doing. Paul suggests on in today's lesson: "Never tire of doing what is right"!

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's filling more blanks ...

never tire of praying

never tire of praising God

never tire of eating ice cream

(wait ... that'll have to wait until the heavenly feast!)

Knowing God - Psalm 25:3

No one who trusts in you

will ever be put to shame

Psalm 25:3

When there's shame, there's fig leaves. That's what Genesis 3 teaches us. Why? Because when we've done something wrong, we want to hide from God and others. And the only thing that makes it right is forgiveness.

One of the words in scripture for God's kind of forgiveness is justify in grace. Justification is a legal term. In our judgment, God in his grace declares us just and in so doing, he punches our ticket to heaven and a more rewarding life.

The thing with shame is that we hide -- hide from God, hide from others, hide from truth, hide from life. But if God declares us just, we don't have to justify ourselves any more -- to any human. Or as Paul says in Romans 8, "If God is for us, who can be against us."

King David put the same thought this way: "No one who trusts in you ... ever [needs] to [feel permanent] shame [anymore]."

In Christ's Love

a guy who's got a

get out of jail free card

(and the guy in the red suit

hates it!!!)

Knowing God - John 11:40

Then Jesus said,

"Did I not tell you that if you believed,

you would see the glory of God?"

John 11:40

 

I'll bet you can't guess what two words are the lead-in and the context for this verse.

 

"Bad odor."

 

Lazarus has just died. And Jesus has intentionally delayed his arrival. (Apparently a few of his followers needed to see a greater glory than just another healing.) They needed to see the true power and the full glory of God. So the story starts with a dead man lying in a tomb for enough days to create a bad odor.

 

This world stinks.

 

Wait ... not all the time and not on all the days ... but if we put our all of our hope in worldly things, the end result will always be a deep stink. Death.

 

Jesus offered an alternative: "If you believe, you will smell the glory of God." Now, he didn't exactly say it quite like that, but I think that's what God's love promises us: we will smell grace, feel his embrace, hear his whispers of love, and see the glory of heaven.

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who smells

(wait ... I mean a guy who uses

his nose to smell the glory of God)

Knowing God - Exodus 6:1

(from Pastor)

because of my mighty hand

[Pharaoh] will drive them out of his country

Exodus 6:1

 

Today my son, Robbie, turns 15.

 

Today, we go to get his driving permit.

 

Therefore -- and just out of curiosity -- I looked up the word "drive" in the scripture, and in the translation I used, the first place it occurs is Exodus 6:1.

 

And here's what we need to know ... The Exodus began with God's driving.

 

Let's make that more generic and more specific: Freedom begins with God's action. God is the actor, the initiator, the one behind the wheel. We talked a few days ago about following the leader ... well, when we're a passenger in a car -- remember that as a kid? -- we have no option but going where the driver takes us.

 

What if we bent our hearts more fully to God's control and God's leading? What if we gave him the steering wheel in our life? What if God was not the co-pilot in our life, but the pilot himself?

 

In Christ's Love,

a father who needs your prayers

(another kid is driving)

Knowing God - Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life ... 

will be able to separate us from the love of God ...

Romans 8:38-39

Think of anything that you think may possibly separate you from God.  Can you? This verse tells us that NOTHING will separate us from the love of God.  

Sin. Purposeful giving in to temptation. Death. Life. Everything in between. 

Nothing can separate us. 

Disputes with friends. Shattered dreams. Being less than the wife, husband, mother, father, daughter, son, friend you know you should be.

Nothing can separate us.

checking in, checking out, being positive all the time, withdrawing inside yourself, reaching out to others, being included, being excluded.

Nothing can separate us.

Throwing ball with the kids, throwing rocks at the cross, cheering on your favorite team, yelling in anger at God.

Nothing can separate us.

... a gal who has done plenty

to deserve separation 

from God's love ... 

Knowing God - Titus 2:12

(from Pastor)

[The grace of God] teaches us to say

"No" to ungodliness and worldly passions,

and to live sensible, upright and

godly lives in this present age ...

Titus 2:12

 

In the translation that I first saw, the word that grabbed me in Titus 2:12 was "sensible." "The grace of God teaches us ... to live sensible ... lives." Don't you wish that your live made more sense many days?! And don't you sometimes wish that you made decisions more sensibly?

 

In other translations, the invitation is to "live wisely," "live soberly," and "be self-controlled." The "self-controlled" part of this word is our hope for a better life.

 

Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. And that's very good news! On my own, I'm prone to foolishness, impulsiveness, and immaturity. But through God -- and especially when I bring him into my decisions -- I can ... act more wisely ... make more sober and reflective decisions ... be more controlled in my responses ... and most of all and finally, be sensible!

 

In Christ's Love

a guy who doesn't make sense

(except through God)