Take the Risk – Love the Saints

 

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in

Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,”

Colossians 1:3-4 

Right now, the enemy of the church is working overtime to create division within our ranks.

We have always had Baptists, Pentecostals, Lutherans, Charismatics, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and on and on.

Each has their own doctrinal distinctive which can often serve better to divide than unite.

We have pre-tribulation and post-tribulation rapture camps.

We have always had the feuds about music styles and what kinds of instruments are acceptable in worship, what is the local churches role in the community, the work and evidence of the Holy Spirit in the church and so forth

There are very few days that pass that we don’t hear of some church that has split because of this or that but now - 

We have the masked and the unmasked

We have the vaccinated and the unvaccinated

We have the go to church crowd and the stay at home crowd

It seems like we have a whole new set of reasons, another whole layer added just so we can disagree and in turn, struggle to love all the saints.

But this challenge is hardly new.

Look at the division that existed in Jesus’ day between Jews and Samaritans.

The Samaritans were looked down upon as ‘half-breeds’ by most Jews.

And if the Samaritans were considered unworthy by the Jews consider the even more intense rift between Jew and Gentile.

How about the divisions among the rulers of the Jews? It seems the only unifying theme between the often feuding Pharisees and Sadducees was their mutual hatred of Jesus.

There were divisions between genders, between Romans and Jews and on and on the list went even back then.

So let’s not think that Paul’s recognition in his letter to the Colossians of their love for all the saints was somehow easier back then than it is today among different folks.

Few things in life are riskier than love.

Perhaps loving all the saints is a risk for you.

Let me be even more direct, sooner or later, loving all the saints will require risk and maybe even a bit of faith on your part!

Perhaps, like me, you are not normally a risk taker.

You like to play it safe.

Left to your own devices you would surround yourself only with others who are like you in so many ways. You try to create a risk free zone around your life but in so doing you must carefully consider that a risk free zone can also be a love free zone.

God Loves You – A Saint-in-Progress

 

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in

Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,”

Colossians 1:3-4 

Here’s a provocative question, so after I ask it, I hope you’ll still love me...

after all I am also a saint-in-progress just like you!

So here goes with my question -

Are there any prostitutes, deceivers or murderers reading this post?

I ask that rhetorically of course!

We must understand that God used some people maybe just a little different from me and you...and maybe just people who were a little tougher to love.

He used a prostitute (Rahab) to hide some spies and then, knowing her past, still He put her in the bloodline of the Messiah

He used a schemer and deceiver named Jacob who basically stole his father Abraham’s blessing. Yep, he’s in the bloodline too! 

God used an accessory to murder, Saul of Tarsus, and yet after his conversion he wrote a huge portion of the New Testament.

Keep in mind though that God loved each one of them while they were yet sinners!

So what has any of that got to do with loving all the saints?

Everything really!

If each of us is a work in progress then maybe, just maybe, we are called to love less than perfect people.

I know, I know, it sounds obvious but in practice it is very easy to forget. 

But here’s a fair question for you to ask:

“Since we are also called to love even our enemies wouldn’t loving the saints be a whole lot easier?”

You would think so but...

Not always.

You see we often keep our enemies at arm’s length, not so that

‘saint of a sister’ or that crazy saint brother in the seat behind me in church!

This question may be wearing on you but...

Do you have love for all the saints?

You Mean I Have to Love THAT Saint?

 

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in

Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,”

Colossians 1:3-4 

 

Here’s that pesky question yet again -

Do you have love for all the saints?

Maybe it’s not such a simple question after all!

It’s much easier to just answer yes but always a little tougher – no make that – a lot tougher to actually do it.

Here’s something I’ve discovered along the way and you would probably say “Me too”:

Among all the saints are some people who hold very different views on any number of topics than you do...

Well imagine that!

When you consider them, do you still have love for all the saints?

Among all the saints are some people who come from a significantly different culture...

Well imagine that!

When you consider those people you know, remember now it’s believers I’m speaking of, whose cultural traditions may be quite different from yours, tell me - do you still have love for all the saints?

Follow me now on this next one -

Also among all the saints are some people who may have hurt or offended you...

Ouch, well imagine that!

Sometimes saints can be so easily offended.

So, when you consider those ‘saints’ who have hurt or offended you,

can you still have love for all those saints?

See, I warned you this might not be such an open and shut question to consider!

In answering the question it might be helpful to consider Jesus.

In particular these words taken from Romans chapter 5 and verse 8:

“...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Or how about Hebrews 12:3 – Let me read that to you from the English Standard Version –

“Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself,

so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”

So, while we were dirty rotten scoundrels in the presence of a holy, perfect, loving God, He sent His Son to die for us.

“...while we were yet sinners...”

You and me were in that group of ‘yet sinners’ but now we are part of ‘all the saints’.

How exactly did that happen?

Must have been amazing grace!

So, even after considering the grace that has been freely and lavishly applied to your life let me ask you one last time –

Do you have love for all the saints?

That is, for those offending, hurtful, culturally unlike and different point of view kind of saints?

Those are the saints I’m talking about!

Those are the saints we are commanded to love.

Those who were also ‘yet sinners’ like you and me.

 

A ‘Work-in-Progress’ Saint

 

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in

Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,”

Colossians 1:3-4

Scripturally speaking, the “saints” are the body of Christ,

Christians, disciples of Christ, believers, you and me.

All believers are considered saints.

Now chew on this for a moment:

All Christians are saints (present tense)—and at the same time are called to be saints (future tense).

So what’s going on here?

It’s simple really, we are saints positionally due to the finished work of Christ in us but we are also “saints-in-progress” through the process of sanctification.

First Corinthians 1:2 states it clearly:

 “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy…”

The words “sanctified” and “holy” come from the same Greek root as the word that is commonly translated “saints.”

So I suppose I could paraphrase 1st Corinthians 1:2 this way by substituting the word ‘saints’ where it now reads ‘sanctified’ and ‘holy’ and still keep the intention of the writer.

Here is what it would say:

To the church of God in Corinth, to those saints in Christ Jesus and called to be saints...

We see then both the positional status and the sanctification process in that one verse.

Christians are saints by virtue of their relationship to Jesus Christ.

Christians are called to be saints, that is to increasingly allow their daily life to more closely match their position in Christ.

This is the biblical description and calling of the saints.

So I ask you –

Do you love all the saints?

Do you love the work-in-progress believers that each one of us is?

Does your love allow for some immaturity as well as some imperfections

 in your fellow saints as well as in you?

Remember we are all a ‘work- in- progress’ saint!

 

Saints Alive!

 

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in

Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,”

Colossians 1:3-4

  

“...Love that you have for all the saints.”

Just eight words to consider.

But as we do I want to pose this question and challenge each of us with it:

Do you have love for all the saints?

Just exactly what do I mean and who am I talking about when I use the word ‘saints’? 

I’ll give you a hint; I’m not taking about a football team down in New Orleans.

When I use the term ‘saints’ I am not speaking about a bunch of dead people who are long gone and who have been immortalized with statues and halos.

You know the type.

I will be speaking using the biblical understanding of a saint and not just the few people that some consider saints through their traditions or man-made religious thoughts. 

What exactly then is a ‘saint’?

Are you a saint? Am I a saint?

The word “saint” comes from the Greek word hagios, which means

 “consecrated to God, holy, sacred, pious."

In scripture it is almost always used in the plural, “saints.”

Let me give you a few examples of its use:

"…Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to your saints at Jerusalem" (Acts 9:13).

"Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda" (Acts 9:32).

"And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons …” (Acts 26:10).

So in each of those cases we saw the plural use of the word ‘saints’.

There is only one instance of the singular use, and that is in Philippians 4:21

"Greet every saint in Christ Jesus…" 

But even in this one instance a plurality of saints is in view: notice that it said “…every saint…”

The definition, then of the word “saints” is a group of people set apart for the Lord and His kingdom.

And please note that these people are very much alive!

There isn’t a dead one among them.

SAINTS ALIVE!

A New Command?

 

“A new command I give you: Love one another.

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35

  

            Have you ever wondered why Jesus would tell the disciples to love one another and then call it a new command?

What was so new about loving one another?

I thought that command was around forever?

I believe the key lies in the very next verse when Jesus says: “As I have loved you.”

We are told in Romans that God demonstrated His love for us.

How did He do that?

Through Jesus, the Word made flesh.

Jesus became a living display, a demonstration of the Fathers’ love.

The love of the Father, as revealed through His Son, had not been seen before.

So Jesus links together for us the new command of not simply loving one another but loving one another as Jesus loves us.

His love was evident by His actions.

His love was to lay down His life for us. 

Not simply to surrender it to a force greater than His but to voluntarily lay it down.

That was a new command indeed.

Under the law, I might be persuaded to leave some crops in the field for the poor to glean but certainly not lay down my life for those less fortunate than me, not to mention laying it down for my enemies!

And yet, Jesus demonstrated the love of the Father, while we were yet sinners. 

In other words, Jesus displayed Gods’ love to His enemies – He extended Gods’ love to His enemies – including you and me.

A hot topic in the job market now is personal branding.

Labeling and marketing yourself in a way that sets you apart from everyone else.

What ‘brands’ you and makes you unique?

As disciples, we should be ‘branded’ by our love.

Love for the Lord, love for one another, love for our neighbor and love for our enemies.

In doing this we make a personal declaration to the earth that we belong to Christ.

“A new command…As I have loved you…”

God Reveals Himself to Us

 

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

John 14:23

 

I have always appreciated the way that the King James Version translates the word ‘show’ in the verse above.

It uses the word ‘manifest’.

Manifest is defined as: to make clear or evident; show plainly; reveal.

We find then that the verse above links two things together; love and revelation.

But if you examine it again, note that it is not two things linked together but three.

We also find revelation is tied to obedience because the one who truly loves the Lord will obey His commands.

Maybe you can think of it as a three stranded cord: love, obedience and revelation.

My love for God is evident by my obedience to Him.

As I love Him. As I obey Him, He reveals Himself to me. God manifests Himself, i.e. God makes Himself clear and evident.

To the one who loves Him and obeys Him He plainly shows Himself.

Jesus said, in John 17:3, that eternal life was knowing the Father,

the only true God and His Son Jesus Christ.

So we understand a second purpose in Gods’ love.

Previously we spoke of a purpose of His love was that we would be a dwelling place for Him on earth.

Today we see that another purpose of His love is that He might reveal Himself to us.

Thus we are not simply containers for His glory.

He desires us to be in intimate relationship with Him!

No Staging Allowed

 

“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

John 14:23

Our local paper always includes the real estate section in the Saturday morning edition.

Many of the homes for sale are listed in this section.

Often it will include photographs and descriptions.

Then if you are in the market for a new home one of the things you can do is plan your weekend visits to Open Houses that you may have an interest in seeing and possibly buying.

A popular activity nowadays is to ‘stage’ a home. The purpose is to make an empty home look more attractive, or a cluttered home less cluttered in an effort to gain a quicker sale or a better price.

Today’s verse speaks of Jesus and the Father coming to make their home in us. This is not to ‘stage’ your life but rather to be a genuine expression of God’s love to you and those you come in contact with in the course of living your life.

As we have talked about in previous blogs

God doesn’t come into our lives in order to ‘play’ church in any way.

We are to be an expression of His love.

People will see right through any ‘staged’ love.

They can see through the phony, artificial words of a life ‘staged’

but not really lived ‘In Christ’.

They will be impacted by the genuine love of God lived in and through your life when He has made His home in your heart.

Like a home where you feel welcomed the moment you walk through the front door, so too is the life where God lives and dwells.

It is real.

It is genuine.

There is nothing ‘staged’ about it.

Are you willing to be that dwelling place of God on the earth?

Are you willing to love as He loves you?

No ‘staging’ allowed!

From Rags to Riches

 

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Colossians 3:12-14

Put on love.

After you have ‘gotten yourself dressed’ with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience the ‘overcoat’ we are to put on is love.

The writer tells us that love binds all of these other virtues together in perfect unity.

Two keys in this verse address an issue we sometimes miss.

We are told “…clothe yourselves…” and “…put on love…”

In other words, it is not done for me but I have a choice, a decision if you will, to clothe myself and put on what I present to the world each and every day.

There is an old expression that says: “He wears his heart on his sleeve.”; which means that our emotions and our feelings are readily evident to others.

Our verses today are similar in that if we are “God’s chosen people…” there should be interactions with others that give evidence to Christ in us.

We should be a people dressed in Christ and in His character.

Not just in our hearts and in our personal relationship to Him

but also in how we interact and react to others.

We should be seen and known as compassionate, kind, gentle, patient and humble people.

But above all else, we should put on love.

Love should be so evident to others that it would be like an

overcoat that ties the rest of our ‘wardrobe’ together.

If it is true that “clothes make the man” then

be clothed in Christ as you live your daily life.

We can be guilty of sending mixed messages to people.

We talk like a believer but we dress with anger, pride, coarseness and hatred.

When we put on Christ and His love, when we clothe ourselves with His character and the fruit of His Spirit we find our wardrobe goes from rags to riches.

 

A Little Risk with Your Walk?

 

“Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted;

but when you are old you will stretch out your hands,

and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”

Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.

Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

John 21:18-19

 

 

In the verse above we find Jesus declaring in so many words: Here’s your future Peter!

Then Jesus invited Peter to follow him.

The invitation came with a little bit of risk.

Actually it came with a whole lot of risk.

Peter was his own man.

He may have been a bit impulsive and likely had some “I’ll do it my way” stubbornness to him.

But his independent streak would not continue throughout his life.

 The risk Peter faced in following Christ was a loss of his independence at the end of that walk.

Following God requires risk.

Perhaps that is why the invitation followed the revelation.

Jesus was giving Peter the choice to risk his future for the sake of Christ.

Would he choose the safety of the fisherman craft he knew so well?

Or would he risk it for the ‘reward’ of following His Lord?

Peter chose the way of faith.

Peter chose the way of risk.

We too will face the same question.

Sure, the risks may be as different as the paths we follow are different from those Peter followed.

But the invitation is given to us as well: “Follow me.”

Will you risk all to follow the Lord?

  

 

A Little Honesty Goes a Long Way

 

“Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.

But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.

He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.”

John 2:23-25

Jesus knew then and Jesus knows now – the hearts of all men.

If those words of truth do nothing else let them teach you the importance of honesty with God.

You can lie to God but when you do the only one being deceived is you.

He is never deceived by our words or our actions, only we can be.

You are the sheep of His pasture so don’t try to pull the wool over His eyes!

He knows what’s in your heart.

He knows what’s in my heart.

Sometimes, even in prayer, we forget that (or we ignore it) and try to

present something different than what we know to be true.

Like the child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, we make up some convoluted story instead of ‘fessing up!

We can be brutally honest with God.

It will not shock Him!

He loves us and knows us better than we know ourselves.

So in your conversation with God today, don’t try to hide from Him like Adam did.

It didn’t work then and it won’t work now.

It is good to be honest with God!

 

 

 

 

An Equation Worth Consideration

 

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life,

for God’s wrath remains on them.”

John 3:36

How about a little math?

What I mean is here are a couple of equations –

Belief + Son = Eternal Life

Son + Rejection = God’s Wrath

 

There you have it!

A mathematical way of expressing John 3:36

Both equations add up to this – it all hinges on what you do with the Son of God!

Nope, it’s not how much money you gave.

It’s not even how many good things you did.

By the way, don’t be fooled by ‘tolerance’ or ‘accommodation’ theology.

That is to say – all you need to do is believe in a supreme being and everything will work out. 

The wrath of God is not Him having a temper tantrum or pouting.

It is judgement on those who reject His provision – His one and only Son.

God’s wrath is brought upon people based upon their own choices, actions and decisions.

Where does God stand?

He has made a way – He has provided a Lamb.

God would prefer that none perish – not one.

His patience is longsuffering to us.

He will never ‘delight’ in pouring out His wrath.

We can have the life He provides this very moment.

Repent of your sin, confess your need and, by faith, receive His Son.

That’s’ an equation that will work out in anyone’s favor time after time!

 

 

No Loopholes, No Exceptions

 

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Colossians 3:13

Let’s consider this: Who is an encourager?

 I can almost hear some of you saying: “I can do that!”

But today’s topic tends to bring a lot more silence in our ranks than encouragement does.

Nonetheless, if we want to love as Christ loves then we must forgive others even as we are forgiven.

Uh-oh, the silence was just broken by a familiar lament –

“But you don’t know what they did to me; I cannot forgive them!”

It’s familiar because most of us have made the same protest at one time or another.

You cannot walk on this earth without being offended.

That is true of believer and unbeliever alike.

We are not only commanded to forgive but we have

the ultimate example of forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

You see, if anyone ever could lay claim to be wrongfully used, accused and abused it was Jesus.

He did not simply ‘tolerate’ it until a later date when he could exact revenge.

He said: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” – Luke 23:34

Now some of you think you just discovered a loophole.

Jesus forgave them in their ignorance but the people who hurt you knew exactly what they were doing so you are not required to forgive them.

Sorry, it doesn’t work that way.

Jesus didn’t run ‘disclaimers’ with His command.

He has forgiven me when I have sinned in ignorance.

He has forgiven me when I have sinned willfully and knowingly.

So, if I want to show Christ’s love to others I will:

…forgive as the Lord forgave me.

 

God, I Don’t Understand?

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

 

Mary could have questioned why God had chosen her and not someone who was already married.

Abraham certainly could have questioned the Lords’ request of him to offer his only son Isaac.

 Gideon might have had just a little doubt about God’s military prowess when He reduced Gideon’s army from thirty thousand men to three hundred.

Noah, Joseph, Daniel, David; each of them and many, many

more had moments – no they had extended seasons – of their lives when God’s instructions to them

or the path He was clearly leading them down simply made no sense at all.

At least not to them!

I suspect maybe you have had those times too.

God is taking you to a place or requiring something of you that just doesn’t seem to fit the plan of your life.

So what do you do?

Do what each of the Patriarchs did.

They trusted God even when it didn’t add up to them.

“But God please, can’t I skip the lion’s den?”

“After all, If you’re going to protect me anyway, why do I have to even go in?”

But in Daniel went.

He had an out – he just chose not to take it.

It is without a doubt much easier for me to write the words “Trust God” than to live it out in my own life; just as it would be for you.

There are no shortcuts to growing in our faith.

The times when God doesn’t make sense visit every one of us.

We can move forward in trust or retreat in fear.

We must choose.  

 

 

 

A Broken Church

 

“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”

Psalm 51:17

The church is, in many ways, broken.

With the pandemic many, many churches remain closed.

Those that are open have seen a decline in attendance.

But is a broken church a bad thing?

The church is the Bride of Christ.

Christ too was broken.

And His brokenness brought multiplied blessings to His church.

His brokenness was prophesied about and came in the due season of God.

Could it be that our brokenness as His bride will also bring good things?

I think so.

We see signs of it everywhere.

His church, His Bride, His body has ventured outside the walls of our buildings.

We have rediscovered what it means to be in bold defense of preaching the Gospel.

Persecution, isolation and harassment has never weakened the true church, only strengthened her.

Take a look at her history from the Book of Acts forward and we find that statement so very true.

So, in many ways I believe a broken church is a stronger presence in the world.

And it is a greater witness for the Lord.

The church is broken – and it is a very good thing indeed!

 

 

 

 

Discovering His Love

 

“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.”

I John 4:17 (NLT)

 

Who wants a more perfect love growing in their lives?

We find the answer to how that can happen in the same verse that offers the promise.

We are told to “…live in God…” and to “…live like Jesus…”.

That’s easy enough, right?

Actually, it is impossible apart from abiding in Christ and being filled

with the Holy Spirit.

We were challenged a while back to spend some time each day discovering God’s love for us.

Discovery is an active process.

I set about to ‘find out’ something.

“Columbus sailed the ocean blue;

in fourteen hundred ninety two...”

Remember that little ditty from grade school?

Columbus “set out to find” something – a new trade route – and in the process discovered a “new world” and a “round globe”!

Are you setting out to “find” Gods’ love today?

Are you being intentional and active in discovering how much and in what ways His love is demonstrated to you?

When I abide in Christ, when I am filled with His Spirit the blessing of His love are abundant and evident; but I must make them appreciated.

As I acknowledge His care, His provision, His love for me there is a peace and confidence that comes to me so that I am no longer afraid of that Judgment Day we all will face.

I am growing perfect in His love and we are told that perfect love casts out all fear!

Are you actively discovering His love for you?

Are you finding out each and every day how much you are loved?

Is that love growing and being perfected in you?

Live in God.

Live Like Jesus.

Abide in Him.

Be filled with His Spirit.

There is a Harvest to Bring In

 

“After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:9-11

Most of us resist change.

Human nature being what it is I cannot imagine these disciples were any different.

Jesus was with them.

Then he was crucified and they thought they would never see him again.

Then Lo and behold, He was with them again for another 40 days following His resurrection.

Then, once again, He was going away.

Their heads must have been spinning.

I can kind of understand why they would stare into the sky as He disappeared.

But their intent gaze was broken by two angels with a forward looking message.

It would have been easy to stand and reminisce, wishing for the ‘good old days’ when Jesus was turning water into wine, healing the blind and raising the dead.

Had you and me been there we likely would have felt the same.   

But Jesus’ last words sent them back to Jerusalem to wait for the promised Holy Spirit.

When they received Him, the real work of the Great Commission was to begin.

That Commission still stands today for you and me.

We have work to do.

We do indeed look forward to the return of Jesus but we do it with our hand on the plow.

There is a harvest to bring in!

Share Your Talents

 

“In my former book, Theophilus,

I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach...”

Acts 1:1

Luke was the writer of the Book of Acts as well as the Gospel that bears his name.  

He was also a physician.

Luke was a detail person as evidenced by his writings.  

We have much to thank him for because of the record he left us under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

There can be inspiration from the same Holy Spirit on your gifting as well when you use it to bring a lasting impact for the Kingdom of God just as Luke’s was.

Are you a musician?

Surrender your talents to God.

How about an artist, dancer, business person or teacher?

Whatever God has given to you in talents, skills and abilities you can give back to Him for His use.

Anything you place in the hands of God will be blessed beyond measure.

Perhaps you are reading this and thinking to yourself:

“What do I have?”

“I don’t have any talents, skills or abilities to give to God.”

I assure you, you do.

And if it is not obvious to you, go to God in prayer and ask Him to reveal them to you and how He wants to use them to advance His Kingdom.

I promise you that is a prayer He delights to answer!

 

Share the Kingdom

 

“After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.

He appeared to them over a period of forty days and

spoke about the kingdom of God.”

Acts 1:3

Likely no human has endured the horrific pain and suffering that Jesus did up to and during His crucifixion.

He was with His disciples, as detailed above, for over forty days following His resurrection.

He had plenty of time to throw a pity party.

Nowhere is it recorded or even hinted that Jesus complained about all that He suffered.

We would certainly be howling and lamenting to everyone we came across how terribly we had suffered.

Not Jesus.

We are told He spent that time telling his followers about the Kingdom of God.

The Word made flesh knew how to redeem the time.

Though no human had experienced what Jesus had, He remained steadfast in declaring the Kingdom of God.

He was looking forward to the promised Holy Spirit being sent by His Father to the 120 gathered in that upper room.

He was looking forward to the untold numbers to receive that promise in the days and years following.

He was looking forward, with joy, to the day you received the Holy Spirit promise from the Father.

Now it is our turn to turn away from any complaints, pity parties or the like.

He showed us what to do.

Share the Kingdom with others!

 

 

Life-Giving Power

 

“In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground,

but the men said to them,

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?

He is not here; he has risen!

Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:”

Luke 24:5-6

 

Some questions posed in scripture may not be as thought provoking as others.

But I cannot think of many like this one: 

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

That should cause us to pause and think – “What am I chasing after in life?”

It is a question as relevant today as it was the day it was asked of the woman headed to Jesus’ tomb with the spices they had prepared.

Indeed, He was no longer in the grave.

But so many today seek life from dead and formal religion.

It has about as much life in it as an empty container.

That is exactly what the woman found that morning.

An empty container, an unoccupied tomb!

 Jesus, whom they loved, was indeed risen.

The promise made was a promise kept.

One would expect nothing less from the Almighty One.

Today, the morning after the celebration, remember that that same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you.

Life-giving power in you to advance the Kingdom of God;

what will you do with it today?

Make it Personal

 

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

Colossians 2:15

There is an older song we used to sing that included these words:

“Something Beautiful

Something good

All my confusion you understood

All I had to offer you was brokenness and strife

But you made something beautiful out of my life”

 

Bringing it more up-to-date is a song we currently sing that says:

“You take what the enemy meant for evil and you turn it for good.”

God is in the turnaround business!

Let me take you back now to the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and what we celebrate as Palm Sunday.

Was there a divine turn-around in Jesus’ life?

Well, we all know the answer to that.

Remember, prior to the resurrection the cross was in-between the two events of the Triumphal Entry and the Resurrection. 

The cross was not a mistake that required God to suddenly alter His plans.

It was all part of the plan.

There was no mystery in heaven that had to be quickly resolved.

Imagine a mystery writer who always reveled the whodunit on page one of his story?

How many books would he sell?

Not many.

If Jesus could send two disciples into a town with such specific instructions about His transportation in order to fulfill a prophetic word, how much more so did He understand what was ahead for Him in Jerusalem.

“Palm Sunday” would be followed by the greatest turn-around ever recorded in human history.

Jesus had to go to the cross.

But that was never a mystery to Him or to His Father.

We look now and can declare that indeed history has never before and will never again record a more vital, more necessary turn-around than what took place between the Triumphant Entry and Calvary and again between Calvary and Gethsemane.

But it was only a turn-around, a plot twist, a mystery to us.

To God it was a straight line plan and purpose.

The disciples without the benefit of hindsight might have called it tragic but it was truly anything but.

It was Gods’ triumph.  

God has a turnaround for you too if you need it.

He cares for the nations of the earth but He also cares for each individual as well. Remember He will leave the ninety and nine to go after the one in need of that turnaround.

He cares for you!

Understand that the God that brought countless divine turnarounds in the Bible is still the same—yesterday, today and forever.

His arm is not short and His promises are sure.