Weekly Text 12/4/2024

The presence of the Lord is always in our midst.  This is a powerful reality that we cannot, and should not, ignore. Take a stroll with me past a few of the scriptural landmarks.

1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34

But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. Habakkuk 2:20

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Creation>Tabernacle/Temple>Incarnation>Pentecost>Our Body.  God is with us. He is above us, around us, and in us!  

In writing about the John 1:14 passage, J.D. Walt says this.... “Made his dwelling” fails to capture it. The Greek word is skay-no-o (phonetic spelling). It means, quite literally, “He pitched his tent and tabernacled among us.” Jesus is the tabernacle of God—in human flesh, just like you and me. And do you remember his calling to us? “Follow me.” (Wake Up Call, Nov 30,2024, Seedbed.com)

Christ with us. Christ in us. Follow Christ. Bear Christ to the world. That is our worship and our mission.

This Advent season, may we all renew our grip on the truth that God is among us and in us-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  In the wilderness of this world, He is with us as we, like John the Baptist before us, proclaim "Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29b)

O come, O Bright and Morning Star, and bring us comfort from afar! Dispel the shadows of the night and turn our darkness into light.  (Advent Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” v.6)

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing this Advent Season!

 

Weekly Text 11/20/2024

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25

I am sure you have experienced the moment as have I. The moment, when in the midst of serving another, you are filled with the joy that flows from the privilege of serving. You are humbled by the experience of it. Maybe you even feel a twinge of guilt for the pleasure you are experiencing from serving the needs of others.

Yet, the joy and pleasure you receive from serving is exactly what God wants us to experience. It is that special moment when our human nature ascends to the heights of our divine nature. In other words, we are acting as we were intended to act.

Being created in the image of God means we bear His Divine Character within us. We were intended to express that character in our thoughts, words and deeds. One of the significant aspects of God's character is His generosity. He is generous in giving all things--Love, Grace, Mercy, Blessings, Wisdom, the list goes on and on. When we give to others that which God has given to us, we are blessed by the quickening of our divine nature.

Beyond the blessing of the moment is the fact that God will see to it that as we water, we will be watered also. The world calls it karma. In reality it is a spiritual truth that is always at work.

give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38

Jesus is teaching on the subject of forgiveness as He offers this spiritual principle. Forgiveness is another gift that our generous Father offers us. I believe the same principle applies whenever we are generous with any quality that flows from our divine nature that is being nurtured in us by faith and the outworking of the Holy Spirit within us.

Yet the "give to get" principle is not the primary motivation of our service. The Bible offers much insight into what happens when we distort the generosity principle for our selfish gain. In humility, we acknowledge that the blessing we receive from being a blessing is simply God's truth at work. We also acknowledge that the nature and timing of additional blessings is in the hands of a Sovereign God and is not dictated by our wish list. But, we can be assured of the blessing of encouragement that comes from the divine experience of serving!

Be Blessed as You Bless Others!

Weekly Text 11/13/2024

 

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity." Psalm 133:1

It happens too infrequently right now because the gang/political situation in Haiti makes it unsafe to take mission teams there.  But, from 2017-2020, I had the pleasure of leading several mission teams per year to serve with Real Love Ministries International in one of the world's poorest countries.  Despite the harsh realities and challenges of life in such a locale, the end of the week would bring with it a desire by many to extend their stay.

One of the reasons for this, I believe, was the unity the team found in serving together. It was something that was missing from other aspects of our lives. I would especially experience this on our Christmas Week "Mission Haiti" trips.  This was an open trip that brought together people from different communities and churches who would meet in person, often for the first time, at the airport en route to Haiti. These teams would quickly come together, bound by their faith in Jesus and their mutual sense of purpose in serving.  In quick time, a strong sense of unity was built into the team, and with our Haitian staff we were serving with and the Haitians we were serving. Then, when the last day came, many, though missing loved ones at home, would express a desire to stay a little longer.  I know for me, it felt like we had just received a taste of what Heaven is like.

It makes me wonder why the unity that develops on a mission trip seems elusive in our everyday life and experiences?  I think Philippians 2:3 offers a clue....

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."

 

It's easier on a mission trip because the very purpose of going is fueled by a desire to "count others more significant than yourselves."  But, back on the home-front,"selfish ambition or conceit" easily move front and center for us.

Could the antidote be to have a mission-trip mindset for everyday life?

Something to ponder as you worship the Lord today!