The man who says,, “I know him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. I John 2:4
In the world of Theology there is ongoing debate between faith and works. We do not get to Heaven by our deeds, we cannot earn God’s favor. Agreed.
BUT…….if I, or you, became mute, would our actions tell the same story our spoken words previously did?
Learning some new sign language,
Gretchen
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him. Acts 10:38
This verse is part of an entire story (Acts Chapter 10) involving three men:
1. Cornelius, a Roman (gentile) centurion, who by tradition should worship the emperor and the patron god of his military unit, but whose entire family worshiped and served God through benevolence.
2. Simon, a tanner, (gentile) who by trade came into daily contact with dead animals, making himself totally unclean in the Jewish tradition and strongly looked down on by the ‘keepers of the law.’
3. Peter, the apostle, The Rock upon which Christ built His church, the Body of Christ.
Cornelius had a vision to send for Peter who was staying at the home of Simon the tanner in Joppa. The next afternoon Peter had an encounter with God and realized that Jewish law was no longer necessary for honoring God.
Peter met Cornelius, Cornelius and his whole family were filled the the Holy Spirit, a second Pentecost, one for the gentiles. The end result was that Peter realized the Gospel was given universally to all, not just the descendants of Abraham.
We live in a world that seeks balance. Equality is extremely valuable, but in seeking our own brand we often deprive others of theirs. Peter, who loved Christ more than life itself, was making this mistake, but love allowed his heart to see truth and change the face of the Christianity. An open heart is a product of faith and an invaluable tool to the Kingdom of God.
Love,
Gretchen
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3
Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, sneaks away in the night to find Jesus, the teacher, seeking the comfort of truth. Jesus responds to his inquiry with rebirth, a radical new beginning, not bound by the natural cycle of life and death, but the beginning of life eternal.
It was to Nicodemus that Jesus spoke the beautiful words Martin Luther later called the Gospel in a sentence. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Death ends life, birth begins it. Eternal life does not begin at death, it begins at rebirth, that moment of belief, faith, confession and acceptance when Jesus becomes Savior and Lord. Come today and live forever.
Love,
Gretchen
P.S. My statement about birth and the beginning of life pertains only to the matter of Nicodemus and rebirth and has nothing to do with today’s subject of when life begins. Thank you.
Desegregation of the Heart
My grandparents pastored a church in Batesville, Arkansas. Batesville is a lovely community on the banks of the White River, but in the late 1940’s it was a city divided by color.
My father tells that one afternoon a black man came walking down the street in front of the church parsonage carrying a beehive on the end of a pole. (This was how you moved bees and started a new colony.) This gentleman’s path followed the middle of the street as he was not welcomed to walk on either side near the homes. Dad and his older brother began mocking and tossing rocks at the man, but in true segregated fashion, the dark skinned victim of their ridicule meekly continued on his march without reacting to my father and uncle’s cruel behavior. Granddad interrupted the scene by calling the boys back into the yard. Nothing was said at the time, and these two young boys thought the event was over and done.
A few hours later grandmother called the family to dinner but instead of setting down to the delicious meal granddad took a warm fruit pie off the counter, called the boys to his side and began a long walk to the “other” side of town. I don’t know what conversation accompanied the trio as they journeyed block after block in the late evening sun inhaling the aroma of a dessert they would never enjoy, but somewhere along the way dad and uncle realized the wrong they had done and disrespect to another human being for any reason would not be tolerated.
Granddad found the home of gentleman beekeeper and waited patiently while dad and uncle humbled themselves to a black man on his front porch, on the wrong side of town in 1940’s rural Arkansas. From what I know now of these two Godly men, they didn’t just apologize, they made a commitment to a lifetime of seeing all humans as God sees them.
It is very arrogant of man to think we need to ‘correct’ God with our attitude toward one another. It has been observed that the most segregated hour of the week is from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. Many people have tried to change this trend but, with the chronological and cultural preferences and tastes, change isn’t going to happen soon. Yet, we must understand and know, God didn’t create a world of monotony. He isn’t going to start making us all the same now because He realizes He did wrong thousands of years ago and He needs a redo. His plan for diversity was and is to fill the earth, grant His children blessing, meet their physical need and glorify Himself. If you take the entire love chapter (I Corinthians 13) and apply it to the complexity and diversity of the human race you can see that there is no room for prejudice. Love one another because He first loved us and love never fails!
Love,
Gretchen
PS This story was previously posted for Greenbrier Nazarene Church’s blog. Check it out for some other wonderful and encouraging readings.
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
Wind, breath, dove or as gentle as a dove, the third part of the Godhead, that which has come to dwell in us and fill us so there is no part of us incomplete.
The Christian gentiles in the church of Galatia were struggling with orthodox Jewish tradition, specifically circumcision. Paul told them this physical act is irrelevant. Christ’s gift of Grace has eradicated any bondage, from sin or man’s law. However, freedom in salvation is not so much a freedom as an obligation to seek the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and produce spiritual fruit: Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness and self control. (v.22)
It isn’t our outward appearance, our traditions and rituals or anything else that keeps us close to the Heart of God. It is walking with and in His Spirit. Satan doesn’t like that neighborhood so it’s a perfect place of residence.
Love,
Gretchen
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
The early church struggled with divisions and such was the case in Ephesus, where predominately Gentile converts looked down on their fellow Jewish Christians. This Epistle written by Paul reads more like a sermon pamphlet than a friendly letter and in it he stresses an attitude of ‘oneness,’ evidenced with actions.
If you read all of chapter 4, or study the entire book, you will notice that Paul doesn’t speak in generalities. There is too much at stake and honest truth is called for. Unresolved bitterness and grudges result in spiteful behavior, crippling the spread of the Gospel and minimizing the miracle of grace. Our underserved, unmerited favor, salvation, free for everyone, puts us all on equal ground. One God, One Love.
If you are unsure about what to do, be nice. If you must ere, ere on the side of kindness. Just as Christ died for you, you must love the world that much too!
Love,
Gretchen
Take delight in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
This entire Psalm is a power packed song of encouragement, reminder and warning. It is not a blank check. Obtaining the desires of your heart is not the objective, sharing in the LORD’s delight is.
Shared delight, a component of a healthy relationship, is a drop of wonder, a pinch of laughter and a full scoop of undivided attention. We must seek God’s perspective and celebrate righteousness with single mindedness purpose. Then God’s desires and our desires merge. The result? He generously gives and you accept contentment and perfect peace.
Have a terrific Thursday.
Gretchen
Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7
The creation story is told two times. In Genesis chapter one, God spoke and the world came into order. Chapter two’s accounting of creation connects the intimate details of man’s origin to his relationship with the Creator.
Breath. The source of life. Without oxygen intake we die. Other things sustain health, but life begins and ends with a breath. Breathing is involuntary. The moment we exit the womb, inhale deeply and exhale with a mighty cry, we breath by no power of our own. Only His breath, that first gift of human life, was a choice.
We do have a one free choice that pertains to our breath. Vocal chords anchored between our nostrils and our lungs and operate according to our will. With this one organ we can spread the glory to the One who loves us most, or we can rip His world, our neighbors, apart one word at a time.
Today with my breath I will, smell some roses, sing some songs, laugh with children and shout to the LORD, for He is good.
Love,
Gretchen
