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Sunday, July 26, 2020

Licensed to Love

Timothy Dalton starred in the 1989 James Bond film “License to Kill.” I don’t know why, but the title of that movie came to mind recently. The thought “license to kill” (I know not a politically correct idea) prompted me into thinking how Jesus, and the Gospel, gives Jesus' followers the exact opposite license to James Bond’s. Jesus gave his followers “a license to love!”

Jesus commanded the disciples to love. “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” (John 15:12 NLT) Jesus followed his command saying, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13 NLT) Jesus commanded us to “Love your neighbor.” (Mark 12:31) And to “Love your enemies.” (Matthew 5:44)

The Apostle John wrote about the expectation of Jesus’ followers. “Let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7 NLT) “Since God loved us, we surely ought to love each other.” (1 John 4:11 NLT)

The Apostle Paul emphasized the “license to love” in his letter to Jesus’ followers in 1 Corinthians 13. This passage is popular at weddings; but the love between a husband and wife is not the emphasis here. Paul writes that without love; spiritual talk (explaining spiritual truths and mysteries), generosity to the poor, grand feats of faith, and even sacrificing of one’s life are pointless. Love must be the motive behind the words and actions of Jesus' followers!

If you are a follower of Jesus, you are “licensed to love.” You are commanded to love. And you are empowered by the Holy Spirit to love. “The fruit of the Spirit is love.” (Galatians 5:22 NIV)

You have a “license to love” - look for ways to put your license to use!

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Some Thoughts about Change

I dug up “Matt’s Thoughts” from March 2016. Some of these thoughts come from my 2016 post.

Throughout most of history, CHANGE happened at a snail’s pace. People could go their entire lives and experience less change than you and I experience in just a matter of days! Since 2020 began the speed of change is happening even more rapidly. There is more change happening at this moment than many experienced in a lifetime. CHANGE is our way of life. And change is hard because change can cause a loss of control over things we desperately want to control.

Each of us has dozens of areas where minor changes could lead to improvement in life. Diet, exercise, sleep, kindness, patience, where we spend spare dollars, who we spend time with, and who we allow to influence us - these are all areas where minor changes can yield significant benefits.

There are also countless areas in life that we have almost no capability of impacting the change that is taking place. The COVID-19 virus, the economic fallout, much of the BLM issues, what the start of school will look like, are a just a few of the circumstances we have little or no control over.

There are things we can control and there are things that we can’t control. We often become stressed, worried, and frustrated about the change happening that we have no ability to control. On the other side, we take a ‘laissez-faire’ attitude towards the areas we could and should control.

We fret over what we can’t control, all the while not controlling the things we can. Why not control the things that we can and relax and trust Jesus with what we can’t control?

The Apostle Peter instructed believers about control when he wrote: “Prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control.” 1 Peter 1:13 NLT












Tuesday, July 14, 2020

The Uncertainty About "What's Next"

It is surprising to interact with someone who is NOT feeling the pressure of what is happening in the world. Married couples, singles, young people, kids, older people, employed, unemployed and business owners are all feeling stress and anxiety. Uncertainty about “what’s next” is partially to blame for the stress and anxiety everyone is feeling.

I’m reminded of Paul’s words to “pastor” Timothy and the believers in his congregation who were under pressure, stress, and anxiety because of the culture of the Roman Empire and the difficulties of just surviving. “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. … Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.” 2 Timothy 2:3-7 NIV

Those were tough words by the Apostle Paul 2,000 years ago, and they are tough today! No one wants to get up in the morning and say to themselves “get ready to suffer.” Trials, pressure, stress and anxiety is not on the “favorite” list of most people. We’d like to avoid trials, pressure, stress and anxiety “at all cost.” But, for servants of Jesus, that is not an option.

None of us should make it our mission to seek trials, pressure, stress, and anxiety, they will all come our way. Paul’s instruction to Timothy and the believers in his care was to respond to these situations, “like a good soldier” seeking “to please his commanding officer.”

Paul’s last line of instruction is foundational to pleasing our Commanding Officer. “Reflect (on the idea of suffering like a good soldier) for the Lord will give you insight.” If we reflect and ask our Commanding Officer for insight, He will provide it.

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Peter's Pep Talk

Pressure continues to bear down upon humanity. The complications of the COVID-19 virus would be pressure enough to raise everyone’s stress level more than a few notches. Throw in financial hardship, unemployment, loss of businesses, questions about school in the fall, and travel restrictions, protests, locusts, conflicts in China, Hong Kong, India, Ethiopia, Yemen, North Korea, Libya,– I think I’ll stop there! You get the idea.

You know stress and pressure, but now that I’ve written out some issues facing the world, it probably raised your anxiety level even higher! It is easy to lose sight of fundamentals of following Jesus when pressure is bearing down. I’m reminded of a “pep talk” the Apostle Peter gave to believers he was responsible to care for, lead and coach. He wrote during a trying period in the Roman Empire, and just prior to his execution:

“Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:11-12 NLT

I don’t know the application of Peter’s words to your situation, but I’m sure something in his “pep talk” applies. I see three applications for me.

I should be asking, “What does good look like in this situation?”
How can I work to maintain and foster peace?
I should seek to do “right.” (I want the Lord to watch over me and His ears open to my prayers.)

Jesus, help me “do good” “work to maintain peace” and “do right.” I want your watchful gaze on me and your ears open to my prayers. Amen.