Christianity is not an arrest ... it is a release!

A grandmother overheard her 5-year-old granddaughter playing "wedding.” She had her teddy bear and dolly ready for to be man and wife. The wedding ceremony went like this: "Dear Friends. We have gathered here to join this man and this woman in marriage. The man goes first… Repeat after me. “You have the right to remain silent, anything you say may be held against you, you have the right to have an attorney present.” Now, you may kiss the bride.

Many Christian live as if being a Christian is a death sentence. Following Jesus is not like being arrested … it is an opportunity to get beyond the hell of sin and into the strength, the love and the light of living.

What does it mean to SHOW? – To SHOW that love of Christ is to allow or cause the love of Christ to be visible. We make Jesus visible (or reveal Jesus) when we show the world His strength in us, His heart in us, and His light in us.

So, lets get beyond our pride, stop remaining silent and get out to show we love Jesus!

You know I love ya, Don

The Church is the Embodiment of Grace and Truth!

John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of Grace and Truth.”

I love the thought that you and I are to be FULL of both grace and truth. Jesus and the N.T. does not suggest a balance between grace and truth, but the full embodiment of grace and truth. Jesus did not come to strike a balance between grace and truth, but He brought the FULL MEASURE of both.

So what is Grace and Truth?

             Grace is generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved acceptance.

             Truth is is that which confirms reality, fact, or actuality. We don’t have time to debate the philosophy, the historical, or even the age-old question, what is truth. This definition will work for our purposes … In other words, what Jesus is teaching and revealing is that the confirmation of my faith is when I live it in reality, as fact, and in actuality.

The church is the embodiment of BOTH Grace and Truth. Now listen, the only group Jesus consistently condemned were graceless religious people – those who misused truth to control through guilt, fear, and condemnation.

The bible is the ultimate truth which is filled with the ultimate of grace. The church (You and I) is to be characterized by a full dose of truth … calling sin what it is and pointing to the purity and holiness that comes through believing, accepting, and uniting with Jesus … AND characterized by a full does of grace. THIS IS A CHALLENGE!

It takes boldness, commitment, and to move beyond yourself! How do we do this?

First, We confront sin! In our own lives and in the lives of those around us. 

Second, We don’t ostracize the person, including ourselves … Jesus always looked beyond the sin, to the person and helped them to see a greater possibility through living the truth. 

I want to commit to having soft hearts of grace and calloused hands from serving! You know I love ya, Don

Good Friday ... The day Jesus walked through sin!

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t is Good Friday! Good Friday is the Friday of Holy Week, commemorating the crucifixion, suffering, and death of Jesus. We call it good, because God is so good in offering His own life as redemption for our debt of sin.

John 20:19-20 where the Apostle John records an encounter with the Risen Jesus. He writes: “On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.”

My friends, Isn’t it wonderful to know that Jesus walks through the doors of our lives and says, “Peace be with you.” Even when we try to lock him out in fear or grief or shame, … he doesn’t get angry, but responds with Peace. What do you lock away from Jesus? Remember, the risen Jesus is not angry with you. He loves you and offers you peace.

Happy Easter ... You know I love ya, Don

Easter is a Reminder ... Do you remember?

Luke 24:6-8 records the angels at the empty tomb of Jesus telling the women, “He is not here; he is risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again. Then they remembered his words.”

It is hard to always remember things. I forget where I left my coat. I forget where I put down my cell phone. I have even walked out of the store and forget where I parked my car. In our busy lives, we forget. Easter is a yearly event which reminds of us the power in the one we trust. Just like the angels reminding the women, “He is risen,” we are reminded to take the resurrection of Jesus with us everyday!

So take these words with you today … “He is not here; He is risen!” ... may it remind you to celebrate Easter. 

You know I love ya, Don

What LOVE is not!

Back in the 1st Century, there was typically a big gong or cymbal hanging at the entrance of most pagan temples. When people came to worship, they hit them to awaken the pagan gods so they would listen to their prayers.

1 Corinthians 13 is Paul is teaching that even if we are blessed so that we speak with the greatest of eloquence in every language, but don't have love, then our life is as useless as this ridiculous act of pounding on a gong to awaken non existent gods.

You see, love is more important than any physical or spiritual gift. Paul teaches that:

·      Love does not Boast: talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities

·      Love is not Proud: high or excessively high opinion of oneself.

·      Love is not Rude: offensively impolite or ill-mannered.

·      Love is not Self-Seeking: Pursuing only one's own ends or interests.

·      Love is not easily Angered: feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. Paul is not talking about righteous indignation. Last week watching the super bowl half-time show I really liked the umbrella flowers. They were very cool. Yet, I found myself getting irritated and angry at the way the women were dressed. It has nothing to do with the song (even though we couldn’t understand the words) … I was angry because so many people think it is OK for those women to disgrace themselves. We have become very sad.

·      Love does not keep records of wrongs: evidence about the past.

·      Love does not delight in Evil: immorality, wickedness, and depravity.

We will never be able to fully grasp or be fully known until we learn to love. We love with our actions, with our words and with our heart. Unfortunately, our hands are so full of the past that we can’t grasp the future. We spend so more time on facebook and phony friends then we do on our knees praying for the friends going to a lost and dying eternity.

Living in love allows us to investing in our eternal reward, by seeing the world as God intended it to be, by living what love is and avoiding what love is not. Just imagine how your relationships would change if we loved people more that we loved ourselves.

You know I Love ya, Don

What LOVE is!

Jesus was asked; “What is the Greatest Commandment?” Jesus responds with, “Love the Lord, your God, with all of your heart, with all your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength.” The second command is a close second … “love your neighbor as yourself.” To that the people responded with another question: “Who is my neighbor?”

In Response, Jesus tells them a parable about a man who had been robbed, beaten, and was laying on the side of the road half dead.

The priest & the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan had faith. The problem was they had no love. So they walked by on the other side & just left the man lying there to die.

But a Samaritan … the worst of the worst, half breeds, and Roman sympathizers … came along and helped the man, taking him to an inn to sleep and recover and then paid for his stay… then Jesus looked over and asked the question; “So, which one of these three had love?” 

Love is not a feeling. Love is not just faith. Love is an action. In fact, Love is the Greatest of any Action: Love Can be a possession: ownership

·      Love is Patient: Suffer without getting upset.

·      Love is Kind: Showing consideration.

·      Love Never Fails: Love will work until it is right.

·      Love rejoices with the truth: Rejoices in the facts.

·      Love Always protects: To keep a person from harm in the physical, the emotional, and in the spiritual. This includes their reputation, their spiritual needs …

·      Love always trusts: Confidence in a person.

·      Love always hopes: To see the very best in other people.

·      Love always perseveres: continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success.

·      Love never ends: There is not finale to love.

Love is not a feeling but an action … when we respond and act with LOVE, we see clearer and we prepare to live in heaven.

You know I love ya, Don

Fully Known verses absolute knowledge!

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Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 -  “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”  Paul uses specific words for, “Fully” and “Fully Known.” The Greek words are ginosko and epiginosko. The prefix “epi” intensifies the word to mean “to really know” or “to know more intensively.”

Paul’s wording would never have been used toward humans as absolute knowledge … that is a different word, ta panta, which is translated, “to know all things.” Paul did not choose to say that, instead he chose to say that we would be fully known without error or misconceptions in our knowledge. Equality with God is never in Scripture. Paul is teaching us that sin will not be present to cloud our vision. So, we will never stop learning … even in heaven we learn.

Why do I bring this up, especially on Valentine’s Day? Love is more than a feeling. Love is an action. The New Living Translation explains Paul’s words like this: “Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror.”

Mirrors in Paul’s time had serious flaws. Corinth was famous for its bronze mirrors, but the color was off and shapes were distorted. The mirror’s image lacked the quality of seeing someone face-to-face. In the Greek world … the paradigm (Worldview) of the Hellenistic world … Knowing and seeing were nearly synonymous … the more you saw, the more you knew.

In other words … the more you practice love, the clearer you will see God’s glory. This is what we will completely know in heaven, but it does not have to start in heaven. You can start experiencing your reward in heaven by dedicating your actions LOVE.

Seeing clearly is to love. Seeing clearly is to love people as God views people in their redeemed reality! How do you see yourself and others? 

You know I love ya, Don

Merry Christmas ... Experience His Presence

Christmas Peace is opening your heart, your mind, and your strength to Experiencing His Presence in your life. This is not easy in a busy world … it is stopping, listening, and waiting. It is taking a deep breath and breathing in His Spirit. It is to look to God (for God is With Us!) and say … “I love you.”

On Christmas Day some years ago, a little boy was seen going in and out of his church several times. The boy would walk up to the nativity scene and stare and then walk back out. After several times, the boy was asked, “What gift did you ask of the Baby Jesus?” he replied, “I didn’t ask for anything. I was just in there loving Him for a little while.”      

The baby is born to you and to me. Merry Christmas. Don't forget to love on Jesus today and receive His PEACE!

You know I love ya, Don 

Discovering Christmas Peace in serving others!

“ ’I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her.” is Luke 1:38.

Serving in Love Graphic

The astronomer measures time by light-years, the geologist by vast cycles, the historian by epics and centuries, the industrialist by the fiscal year, the laborer by the weekly paychecks, the child by the birthday party.

But the common measure of time begins with the awkward motions of rising in the morning and putting one foot in front of the other. Mary’s obedience teaches us the integrity of life is measured in our response to God and his love. As God’s word is fulfilled in our lives, he measures time in terms of responsible living, even when the circumstances challenge us.  Christmas peace is serving others in love … Christmas peace is that our actions speak louder than our words. Are you the Lord’s servant?

You know I love ya, Don

What do you turn into when the heat is on?

A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her – her husband had cheated on her and she was devastated. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as soon as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out into a mug. Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, ‘Tell me what you see.’

‘Carrots, eggs, and coffee,’ she replied.

Her grandmother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The grandmother then asked the granddaughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the grandmother asked the granddaughter to sip the coffee. The granddaughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.

Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened, became weak and compromised. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened and tough. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had not changed, but changed the water.

When we are in God’s presence… God changes the circumstances. “Which are you?”  “When troubles and hard times knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Ask yourself: Which am I?  

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity? Do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.

For the follower of Jesus, His presence is in our lives. We are like the bean, when things are at there worst, Jesus gets better and changes the situation. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, we go to His presence and He is with us, He is along for the ride, and He brings purpose to the struggle.

You know I love ya, Don

TOTALLY!!!

Daniel 3:17: “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.”

The Down Syndrome Indiana Association is the benefactor of the Rolls Royce Company Fly-in every August. One year they brought two, brand new Rolls Royce cars to the show and they would rope off around the cars and not allow you to get to close or to touch it.

Totally is defined as “completely” … Imagine how you would feel if you ordered a new Rolls Royce Bentley and paid $176,000 for this car. You ordered it in your favorite color with your choice leather chairs and automatic turbo charged engine.

Yet, when it arrives it comes just as you ordered, but it is not assembled. Then, there is one box marked… only use these parts if needed…. WHAT?

When you ordered your luxury car, you expected it to be complete and totally assembled with all of its parts in use. Right?

To be totally committed is to be completely assembled for Jesus and totally committed to your fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus.  Total followers of Jesus are resolved to get rid of the garbage in their lives and totally resolved to remain in the truth. 

I am totally committed! You know I love ya, Don

God's story includes you and your story!

Look at the entire bible from the beginning to the end, and you will see that it is a story. We call it the story of redemption. God’s rituals of communication tell how we were created in God’s image, how we fell away into sin, how God worked in history to restore our relationship to him. God worked through the patriarchs, through Israel, and through the prophets. Finally God came to us in the person of Jesus Christ who lived among us, He was rejected and crucified for our sake, overcame the power of death by being resurrected from the dead, ascended into heaven, and will return again to restore the created order and make it new.

The story extends from Genesis to Revelations and on through your and my life. And REDEMPTION in God’s story is the key through which all other stories of the Bible are to be understood.  

Unfortunately, we often get lost in the particulars of the stories of the O.T. or of the Gospels. We want to know the moral of the story of Abraham or of Moses or of David of the prodigal son. But forget the story is there to reveal God’s nature…the primary purpose of these stories is not to teach morals or values (Although most do and we accept that). The ritual acts of communicating in worship are to reveal God redeeming love manifested ultimately in the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The parts and pieces serve the larger story as part of the plot and action, as well as teach us how to live…

Romans 10:17 states, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

So, are you in God's story? If not, you need to be. You know I love ya, Don

Living in view of God's mercy pays off!

A few weeks ago, we hosted a High School Senior from Grace Academy at our house. Her senior project is about Down Syndrome and she requested an opportunity to watch a therapy session and then ask Karen and I a few questions. Her mom brought her to the house and it went very well. After it was over, her mom, who was in her mid forties, told us how she had been adopted out of Howard. She was a small girl of an alcoholic mother some thirty-forty years ago.  She said, “My brother and I would just wander the streets as very young children, because my birth mom was so messed up.  

But there was a woman in Howard, who had twin girls that were teenagers. The woman’s name was Carolyn and she would bring us to your church. She was a safe person and she would bring us to a safe place.” Then she said, “We are members of the Assembly of God church in State College, my husband is the president of the Pregnancy Resource Center ... and I am a Christian because of Carolyn.”  

 I wasn’t surprised, but I was amazed at how God works. This is more than thirty-five years later. A living act of worship by one of our own made an eternal impact in a person's life. I mentioned to Carolyn last week, and she laughed…and then she said, “we plant a seed.”

This existing in view of God’s mercy as a living sacrifice…it is our Spiritual Act of Worship. Thank you Carolyn and you know I love ya, Don