The Method....to LOVE PEOPLE!

A method is away of doing something: a way of carrying something out, especially according to a plan. His method is the piece to the puzzle God has been building from the beginning of time. Most people miss the incredible impact of what Jesus said in that synagogue in Nazareth.

After all, there were many texts that applied to Him as Messiah.

But he didn’t choose those texts, though they are prophecies that refer to Jesus.

Instead, Jesus turned to Isaiah 61:1. Why? What made Him choose that passage?

Jesus’ mission statement made it clear that people are His priority. 

Of all the texts He could have chosen, He chose a passage about sharing good news, proclaiming freedom, bringing healing, releasing prisoners, about compassionately meeting people’s needs. These are the methods of the Spirit of Christ!

You see, Jesus’ fellow Jews in His day knew they were called by God to be a light to the Gentiles. … But they really didn’t like Gentiles. They didn’t like Samaritans, They didn’t like Romans,  They didn’t like tax collectors,  They didn’t like women … or children …but Jesus did.

And the kingdom He introduced, the new way of life He made possible, the purpose and calling He intends for His followers, is a “new and living way,” one that has enough grace for everyone, which excludes no one and spreads Jubilee everywhere.

Now get this…it is important. The established church…you and I that have been in church for years…MISS THIS. Jesus’ mission was not about bylaws, constitutions, budgets, or meetings. The purpose of the church is to sharing good news, proclaiming freedom, bringing healing, releasing prisoners, about compassionately meeting people’s needs.

The people called out by God to be his people are not to trust in our own ways. Bylaws, Constitutions, and Meetings are not scripture created…but MAN CREATED! They are not bad, but these things are not our mission. We are so caught up in our agenda that it is ingrained in our DNA and we start to turn away from Jesus’ mission in order to obtain our agenda. We become critical of people that do not support our agenda or worship differently, and we turn our eyes away from Jesus, we turn away from his Methods.

You are to give as a member of the Body of Christ. You are to serve as a member of the body of Christ. You are to be concerned as a member of the Body of Christ. You are to read your bible, lead your family, and be an example as a member of the body of Christ.

The method­ of your mission, given to you by Jesus, is love. Your method is not argument or ridicule or politics or protest. Your Method is love.

 It is to spread healing and hope and joy and Jubilee everywhere you go.

So, accept the mission, adopt the method, and apply His Guiding Principles.

You know I love ya, Don

Does Integrity Matter?....What about Character?

Daniel 6:10

“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”

In East TN in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park are these quiet walks. These are places to pull off and walk among the nature and experience the national park. When Karen and I were dating, we would often find a place to eat and the head up the National Park and go on a quiet walk. It was a great place to spend time together and we would enjoy the park. It was a true experience. In fact, because of those days, it is remains one of my most favorite places to be.

Daniel is over 80 years old. He spent that vast majority of that life in exile. His relief came when he would spend time with God. His refuge was in the love and life He shared with his creator.

Even after 80 years of dealing with the life of exile...Daniel remains a man that walked with God. His quiet walk in his everyday life was to pray and spend time with his God.

    

Walking with God opens opportunities of integrity.

“A store owner interviewed a young man for a job. He asked, "If I hire you to work in my store, will you be honest and truthful?" The young man answered, "I will be honest and truthful whether you hire me or not."

Warren Buffet said, "Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you."

Daniel...was a man of integrity. Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Daniel was not just known as a man of integrity, he lived his life on unshakable ground because he was a man of integrity. He was honest and demonstrated strong moral principles...he lived those principles and he made them his habit.

Is integrity a habit in your daily life?

You know I love ya, Don

What is Sacred?

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Is anything sacred anymore." Some have a very positive view of "sacred" as in that was a sacred moment or these are God's sacred words. Another view is negative, such as an issue might be a "sacred cow" or "They'll make jokes about anything. Nothing is sacred to those guys."

So what does sacred mean and what are some of the things God considers to be sacred ? "Sacred" defined (dictionary.reference.com) is:

–adjective

1.1. devoted or dedicated to a deity or to some religious purpose; consecrated.

2. 2. entitled to veneration or religious respect by association with divinity or divine things; holy.

3. 3. pertaining to or connected with religion (opposed to secular or profane): sacred music; sacred books.

4. 4. reverently dedicated to some person, purpose, or object: a morning hour sacred to study.

5. 5. regarded with reverence: the sacred memory of a dead hero.

6. secured against violation, infringement, etc., as by reverence or sense of right: sacred oaths; sacred rights; sacred memorial; sacred location.

7. immune from violence, interference, etc., as a person or office.

The word is used 126 times in the NIV translation of the bible. Many references show a dedication such as covenants, alters, clothing, locations, and moments. Jesus tells this interesting story in Matthew 23 about how the flesh twists sacred; ¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ ¹⁷ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? ¹⁸ You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath'."


The Apostle Paul adds a new dynamic when he writes to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 3, ¹⁶"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. ¹⁸ Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise."

So, sacred can be things, locations, and situations. Under the new covenant Christ-followers are also sacred. With these parameters, we can find the sacred in every day life. The cry of a baby, the smile of a senior, the moments in heartfelt communication, the place in which healing and comfort of the Holy Spirit does a mighty work in a life, and the kind act of a fellow Christian. The list is filled with endless possibilities. Personally, I am striving to grasp as many sacred moments and spaces in the Christmas season and prayerfully asking that my striving will become a habit that stays with me through my journey to heaven.

You are sacred to me...you know I love ya, Don

The treasures directly ahead!

The LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart. -1 Samuel 16:7 (NRSV)

There are so many things in life that we choose to reject. We do not want to be bothered or to allow our busy lives to be interrupted. I was outside with the children last evening. It had been an unusually warm October day in Indiana yesterday. So, we were out playing as if it were summer.

We have a rubber tree on the east side of the house and the leaves are starting to turn different shades of yellow and orange. Alice, Matthew, and I noticed the veins and the beauty of these leaves. The tree is nice all year long, yet we never truly noticed it until tonight. Our strawberries are planted underneath and most of the time we are looking for the strawberries, while the tree watches from above. Tonight was different. The tree was the recipient of our affection...or should I say, "its leaves were."

It reminded me of a story written by Rebbecca Roberts. She writes:

No one wanted the monstrosity which had spent so much time outside in the weather that it was layered with years of grime and filth. My husband raised a finger. "One dollar," he yelled. "Sold!" the auctioneer said quickly, "to number 53." Once we got our 250-pound backbreaker home, I scraped and scrubbed for four hours until the snow-white porcelain of the 1948 Tappan™ gas range showed through. Underneath all that dirt, it was beautiful. Years later, my husband bought an old kitchen sink covered with filth and full of rotting oak leaves. After a short time of scrubbing, we found our jewel to be a 1928 Kitchen Queen™ without a single chip in the porcelain. No one had wanted it because of the visible grime.

Through these pieces God spoke to my heart. The Lord sees people the way my husband saw that sink and stove. We may be covered with all kinds of sin. Yet, God looks inside us where no one else can see and finds our worth. Now when I look at the many faces before me, I try to see past the outside to find the jewel within.

I learned a lesson from our rubber tree this evening. It is to find the treasure in the everyday life signs around us. We are given these gifts everyday. Many times the gift is hidden in the grime of life, but the gift is there. I need eyes to see it. So, my prayer has become, "Lord, help me to avoid being so busy working and striving to achieve the treasure, that I neglect to see the true treasures directly in front of me. Amen."

You are a treasure and you bring me great joy. Thanks for reading and keep looking for the treasures directly in view! You know I love ya, Don