A New Command

As Jesus sat down with His disciples in His final hours before being arrested and murdered, He begins to teach them. Jesus will teach them about staying connected with Him always because He is the only way to God, He will teach them about the Holy Spirit, and He will teach them that being a disciple means being hated by the world yet comforted by God. 

However, before Jesus can teach His disciples any of this He gives them a command; (John 14:34-35) “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.”

Jesus is saying, forget about the rest of the rules, the laws, the commands, and the expectations, and love. Love one another not because it is going to be easy, love one another not because you are going to get a reward, love one another simply because I have loved you. 

And, Jesus says, although people are going to set certain standards on how to tell if someone is a follower of mine, your love for one another will be the transformational tool, your love for one another is what will turn heads and draw attention, your love for one another is what will soften hearts and change lives.

Jesus gives us this same command today.  “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.”

Without Love...

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.

If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. 

So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

• Love never gives up.
• Love cares more for others than for self.
• Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
• Love doesn’t strut,
• Love doesn’t have a swelled head,
• Love doesn’t force itself on others,
• Love isn’t always “me first,”
• Love doesn’t fly off the handle,
• Love doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
• Love doesn’t revel when others grovel,
• Love takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
• Love puts up with anything,
• Love trusts God always,
• Love always looks for the best,
• Love never looks back,
• Love keeps going to the end.

Revolutionary Parenting

I recently finished "Revolutionary Parenting" by George Barna, based on the research and data that was collected over several years from - what he calls - "Spiritual Champions" and their "Revolutionary Parents". Because there was so much content presented in each chapter, he included a section at the end of each chapter called "Rapid Review". The following are the reviews from each chapter.

• You cannot control the outcome of your parenting efforts.
• Your responsibility is to be obedient to God in raising your children; you must leave the outcomes up to Him.
• Revolutionary Parents are great coaches.
• Count the costs involved in expanding your family.
• Socioeconomic factors do not provide an excuse for failing to produce spiritual champions. 
• Parenting is your primary full-time job. 

• Focusing upon raising spiritual champions is the chief obligation in the life of Revolutionary Parents.
• Faith in God is very real and central in the lives of Revolutionary Parents. That faith is perceived as the most valuable asset they can transfer to their children.
• Raising a spiritual champion for Christ requires developing and sustaining an authentic relationship with the child, based on love and trust.
• The Christian faith of Revolutionary Parents must be continually maturing.

• The world begin influencing the values and beliefs of your children sooner than you may think. You've got to join the fray when your children are very young. 
• Set responsible goals for your children and stick with them. 
• Every child requires a unique strategy and plan. You can apply the same principles with each child, but you must customize the implementation. 
• Don't force your little people to become big people before they're ready. Let them develop at a pace that suits their God-given makeup.
• Nothing will serve your children better than working on instilling godly character. 
• Use your time well; establish your parenting priorities and major on them.
• You're not your child's best friend, only his or her best parent.
• Your kids need stability; provide the structure that gives the support they need.
• Use your local church as a support system, not as the leader of your children's spiritual development journey. 
• Never lose sight of the big picture of what you are striving to facilitate. Daily nuisances get to you if you're not careful.

• Pick your fights. not everything merits a confrontation. Be prepared to win your battles. 
• Establish clear rules and expectations. You are responsible for establishing guidelines your children can understand and follow.
• Establish and enforce a curfew.
• Participate in the selection of your children's friends. Those peers have a dramatic influence on your children.
• Identity the media regimen you will allow for your children. Limits must be set and enforced, or your kids' media diet will expand according to the time available.
• Empower your children to adopt your morals and values.
• Identify a model of discipline you will use, and deploy in consistently.

• You are in charge of your family. That must be the undisputed truth in the minds of all residents of your household. You cannot allow the kids to challenge or mock your authority.
• Always keep your emotions under control. never let your anger take over.
• When your children ask for an explanation of your decisions or reasoning, give it to them. They deserve it, and it becomes a teaching moment for you. 
• Don't shortcut your role by trying to deliver "quality time" without "quantity time" `as well. Always invest ample time in your relationship and duties with your children.
• Model the principles and behaviors you want the kids to adopt.
• Be consistent. Nothing undermines your efforts like waffling or changing gears.
• Take on the role of spiritual mentor with enthusiasm and expectation. 

• You can't pass on what you don't possess, so be sure you have a vibrant relationship with God. Pursue Him and practice good spiritual habits.
• Regard the Bible as your guidebook. Trust it and rely on it in all circumstances.
• Embrace the existence and significance of absolute moral truths revealed by God.
• Be active in a community of faith.
• Never push salvation on your children. Lead them toward Christ, encourage them to accept Him, but allow the decision to be theirs.
• Serve other people with your children.
• Pray, regularly, openly, and faithfully.

• Teach your children to think independently, based on appropriate principles.
• Be careful that you do not burden your kids with too much activity and responsibility. Just like adults, they can burn out or crack under the stress.
• Help them learn important faith skills, such as prayer, Bible study, and worship.
• Explore different faiths with your children, pointing out similarities and differences.
• Teach your kids the central beliefs and principles of Christianity, using stories and teachings that have personal and practical applications. 

• Children are God's gift to you. Enjoy and treasure that gift.
• Always look out for your children's well-being. It's your job to protect them.
• In raising your children, work as an inseparable, mutually supportive team with your spouse.
• Remember that your children were made in god's image, not yours; raise them that way.
• We were made to be obedient. Satan lives to undermine those efforts. Do what you can to foster a commitment to doing whatever honors God.
• Discipline your children. It's your job. Nobody else can do it as effectively, nor should yo expect them to.
• Provide a positive, nurturing home environment. 
• Show your children what Christianity looks like by the way you live.
• Be firm but gentle with them. You want to shape them, not break them.
• Work at helping them to understand the Bible. It's more important than any other book they will ever read.
• Purify their character. It will define them for the rest of their lives.
• Obliterate any obstacles to their relationship with God. 

A Bowl Of Stew

Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.) Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. (Genesis 25:29-34)

The stew that Esau traded his birthright for represents everything that this world has to offer us today - money, comfort, sex, popularity, and much more. Yet the birthright that Esau traded for the stew represents all of the promises God has given to us as Christians - our inheritance as His children.

See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done. (Hebrews 12:16-17)

So, the question for us all to consider; what are you trading you inheritance for? What idol are you so focused on worshiping that you are forgetting what is most important? What idol are you so determined on possessing that you are willing to give up everything for? 

Today, remember the promises God has given to you. And remember the inheritance that Christ has secured for you.

Water Heater

This past weekend we stayed on the church campground and had a close encounter when it came time to turn on the water heater. 

After turning on the gas - that is supplied by a small propane tank - I proceeded to the water heater, turned the dial to "pilot", pressed the supply button and inserted an open flame. It did not light so I went through these steps again. Time after time the water heater did not light.

I walked into the kitchen to turn on the gas to the range - to open the line and allow the gas to flow. What I was not aware of was that the valves - all four - are mislabeled and had been open the entire time. So, as I clicked the lighter and the open flame ignited the cloud of gas surrounding the stove, a flame shot from the top of the range in every direction.

The strange thing was that, when I got back to the water heater, the pilot light was ignited.

And, if the water heater pilot had ignited in the first place, I never would have gone to the range and I might not have turned off the gas in the kitchen. 

Another important point, Kim normally lights a candle in the kitchen every evening. Imagine the explosion!

It is important to recognize when God's hand is at work. It is important to see the small details and how the little things amount to a lot. It is important to overlook the frustrating moments - such as a water heater not igniting - and to focus on the amazing moments - such as the house not exploding. 

All Together

Acts chapter 2 details the day of Pentecost. Acts 2 details when the Holy Spirit of God came down from heaven and – for the very first time – filled these believers with His presence. Acts 2 details when the Holy Spirit of God began to dwell within our hearts and bodies – granting us power to be Jesus' witnesses in our world. Acts 2 details when the Holy Spirit of God established The Church

Acts chapter 2 details the moments leading up to and the events that followed this awesome moment in the life of The Church; the prayers of the first leaders, the power of the first moments, the progression of the first days, and the practices of the first believers

Acts 2:1; “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.”

They were “all together”. Although the place is of little importance, many believe that the place that they were meeting was the same upper room where they celebrated the last supper with Jesus. - It is never specified.

They were “all together”. Acts 1:13-15 states many who were there: (Acts 1:13-14) Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon the Zealot, Judus (son of James), many women”, Mary (the mother of Jesus) and Jesus' brothers. (Acts 1:15) Those present totaled about 120. See, The Church began with a core of believers

They were “all together”. Acts 1:14 states that “they joined together constantly in prayer”. The Church was founded in a prayer meeting and The Church was established by commitment; commitment to Jesus – in prayer - and commitment to one another – in love.

They were “all together”. They had one purpose. They had one goal. They had one bond. They had one heart.

We too must be “All Together”. We must have a clear and common purpose to be The Church that Jesus has called us to and is counting on us to be. We must be of one heart to be The Church and be Jesus' witnesses. We must be of one goal to be The Church and reach the unreached. 

The Church was founded in prayer. The Church was established by commitment. The Church continues through faithfulness.

Focused on the Purpose

Research shows that women are far better at multitasking than men are; that women can do multiple tasks at the same time and succeed while men struggle to and often must focus on one task at a time

And I often get distracted. When I am watching a program on television and my wife or one of our children begin to talk to me, I find it very difficult to concentrate on what they are saying and very difficult to turn the volume down or turn the program off. Other times I will go out to the garage to get something and find myself "tinkering" with a project or tool and before I know it I have forgotten all about my original intent. 

Sometimes it is convenient – easier – if we get distracted, and so we don't mind “allowing ourselves” to get distracted. And when we get distracted - when we loose focus on the task that we set out to accomplish or the task that we have been asked to accomplish, we have lost our purpose!

I believe that today much of the purpose of The Church has been lost; that we've lost focus of the task that we set set out to accomplish and we've lost focus of the task that we have been asked to accomplish

By many The Church is seen as a social club; a good place to go and meet other people, a good place to go to see our friends and fellow believers, or a good place to go for activities and events in the community. By many others The Church is seen as a religious organization; an organization that promotes rules and laws to be followed, or an organization that governs and judges those who are are and are not following these rules and laws. But this is not the purpose of The Church!

Jesus' words in Acts 1:8; “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This is the purpose of The Church - to be witnesses of Jesus Christ; to share the love of Jesus, to speak the message of Jesus, and to change lives for Jesus

This is the purpose of The Church as stated by Jesus; “you will be My witnesses...to the ends of the earth”. And if we lose focus of this purpose, we loose focus of all that Jesus has given to us to accomplish;

This is the purpose of The Church as established by The Holy Spirit; “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you”. The power that we receive is power to be witnesses for Jesus.

It Pays...

It pays to do morning devotions.

Last week my wife and I went on vacation and decided to hide some cash in an unexpected place in case we lost a wallet on the trip and needed some spare. A few days ago I was preparing for my morning devotions and was reminded of the cash and its hiding spot.

It pays to do morning devotions.

Taking time to spend with God shows commitment and faithfulness. Doing so first thing in the morning - before anything else - proves priorities and respect. The payoff comes through a deep connection with God from prayer, a knowledge of His Word, and an insight into His will. 

It pays to do morning devotions.

If you have doubts, try it. My challenge to you is to spend one week - seven days - committed to morning devotions - time spent with God in prayer and in His Word for your life. If you have doubts, try it. See for yourselves the difference morning devotions makes in your life and the way it pays off.