That's a Four-Letter Word!

I want to talk about a word that keeps creeping into my conversations way too often. I use it myself, so I'm not judging anyone. This word, though it may seem harmless - may even seem life giving, life affirming or just make you feel good. But it's not always taken that way.

That word is love. We love our cars, we love our clothes, we love certain foods, we love our favorite sports teams, we love our families, we love celebrities, we love our homes, our pets, our phones. The problem is, when we try to tell someone that God loves them, they have no idea what that means.

For some, the only person who ever loved them was their dad, and he left, so they believe Love abandons.

For others, their mom tells them she loves them but doesn't make it to any of their ball games even though she promises every time. To them, Love disappoints.

For some, their friends say they love them, but then gossip about them, so Love betrays.

Some know love to be the one who comes to them in the middle of the night, leaving them feeling hurt, alone, dirty and scared. They don't understand why love harms.

Others have heard they are loved only when they get good grades or do their chores. They believe love is conditional.

Some people have only known others to love them when they need a favor. Love uses them.

The list of distortion of the word goes on and on. But love is so much different than that. The Bible teaches us God loves us, but until we actually experience that love, they are just words on a page. Telling someone who has a distorted view of love that God loves them, is like telling them who won the ball game last night. It may sound interesting, but it doesn't really change them.

God is pretty clear that we are to love him with all of our being. He's also pretty clear we are to love people. And he didn't tell us to just say the words "I love you", but he gives us examples of how we can love each other. We need to be patient and kind, forgiving and humble, willing to put others first and forget about our own desires. Love is not simply an emotion, but is a motion.

And there are people around us that need to know what love really is. It's not about stuff, or the current trend, or the latest boy or girl friend. It's about God, our Creator, who made us for himself, loving us so much that he sent his Son to live in this broken world, to be broken for us so that we can be restored to the relationship God intended for us to have with him. Love means nothing without knowing what Jesus did for us. Without that, it's just an empty word that gets thrown around way too much. God sent... Jesus died... those are action words, not emotions.

So today, be the example of love that someone else needs... they won't know what hit them.

Couldn't Have Said it Better Myself

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.

Let the whole world know what he has done.

Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.

Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.

Exult in his holy name;

rejoice, you who worship the Lord.

Search for the Lord and for his strength;

continually seek him.

Remember the wonders he has performed,

his miracles, and the rulings he has given,

you children of his servant Israel,

you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

He is the Lord our God.

His justice is seen throughout the land.

Remember his covenant forever—

the commitment he made to a thousand generations.

This is the covenant he made with Abraham

and the oath he swore to Isaac.

He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,

and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:

“I will give you the land of Canaan

as your special possession.”

He said this when you were few in number,

a tiny group of strangers in Canaan.

They wandered from nation to nation,

from one kingdom to another.

Yet he did not let anyone oppress them.

He warned kings on their behalf:

“Do not touch my chosen people,

and do not hurt my prophets.”

Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!

Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.

Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.

Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.

Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!

He is to be feared above all gods.

The gods of other nations are mere idols,

but the Lord made the heavens!

Honor and majesty surround him;

strength and joy fill his dwelling.

O nations of the world, recognize the Lord,

recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.

Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!

Bring your offering and come into his presence.

Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.

Let all the earth tremble before him.

The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!

Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!

Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!

Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise,

for the Lord is coming to judge the earth.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

Cry out, “Save us, O God of our salvation!

Gather and rescue us from among the nations,

so we can thank your holy name

and rejoice and praise you.”

Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,

who lives from everlasting to everlasting!

And all the people shouted “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

1 Chronicles 16:8-36 (NLT)

Goose Poop on the Sidewalk

Yesterday I was feeling a little tired in my office so I decided to take a walk outside around the building. I do this once in a while to clear my mind or to spend a few quiet minutes alone with God. Things get so hectic in the office sometimes and it's easy to lose focus.

As I was walking, I noticed some geese - Canadian, I think - in the grass near the sidewalk. I think they have been in the growth hormones because they were huge! As I got closer, I noticed if they stood up tall, they were more than half my height. Just another instance of "I wish I had my camera with me." Didn't even have my phone.

The other thing I noticed was the goose poop all over the sidewalk. At first there was just a little and it was easy to avoid. Then as I rounded the corner of the building, it was everywhere. I walked with my head down, inspecting every inch of sidewalk looking for the safest place to step. Of course, all the while keeping an eye on the beasts that made the mess.

As I carefully made my way around the building, it occurred to me that while I was careful not to step in what I could clearly see could cause me harm (or at least distress), I'm not nearly as careful when it comes to sin and temptation that comes my way. I don't carefully navigate my way around it - sometimes I step right in it and carry the stink and dirt and contaminates around with me.

I realize I shouldn't walk around seeking out sin so I can be tempted and then avoid it, but I do know I need to be aware that temptation is all around me (1 Peter 5:8) and I have to be careful not to step in it. And when I see it, look for the escape route.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

How do you avoid temptation?

Who am I?

I needed some encouragement this morning. I have sent this to many people in the past to encourage them. Today, I'm going to remember that God wrote these words for me, too.

* I am born again…through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:23)
* I am a child of God. (John 1:12)
* I am saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
* I am loved by God and He gave his one and only Son for me. (John 3:16)
* I am a new creation in Christ; the old has gone and the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
* I have peace with God. (Romans 5:1)
* The Holy Spirit lives in me. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
* I have access to God's wisdom. (James 1:5)
* I am helped by God. (Hebrews 4:16)
* I am reconciled to God. (Romans 5:11)
* I am not condemned by God. (Romans 8:1)
* I am justified. (Romans 5:1)
* I have Christ's righteousness. (Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
* I am Christ's ambassador. (2 Corinthians 5:20)
* I am completely forgiven. (Colossians 1:14)
* I am tenderly loved by God. (Jeremiah 31:3)
* I am the sweet fragrance of Christ to God. (2 Corinthians 2:15)
* I am a temple in which God dwells. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
* I am blameless and beyond reproach. (Colossians 1:22)
* I am the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13)
* I am the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14)
* I am a branch on Christ's vine. (John 15:1,5)
* I am Christ's friend. (John 15:5)
* I am chosen by Christ to bear fruit. (John 15:16)
* I am a joint heir with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him. (Romans 8:17)
* I am united to the Lord, one spirit with Him. (1 Corinthians 6:17)
* I am a member of Christ's body. (1 Corinthians 12:27)
* I am a saint. (Ephesians 1:1)
* I am hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
* I am chosen by God, holy and dearly loved. (Colossians 3:12)
* I am a child of the light. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)
* I am holy, and I share in God's heavenly calling. (Hebrews 3:1)
* I am sanctified. (Hebrews 2:11)
* I am one of God's living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house. (1 Peter 2:5)
* I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession and created to sing His praises. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
* I am firmly rooted and built up in Christ. (Colossians 2:7)
* I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me. (1 John 5:18)
* I have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)
* I may approach God with boldness, freedom, and confidence. (Ephesians 3:12)
* I have been rescued from Satan's domain and transferred into the kingdom of Christ. (Colossians 1:13)
* I have been made complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)
* I have been given a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)
* I have been given great and precious promises by God. (2 Peter 1:4)
* My needs are met by God. (Philippians 4:19)
* I am a prince (princess) in God's kingdom. (John 1:12; 1 Timothy 6:15)
* I have been bought with a price, and I belong to God. (1 Corinthians 6:19,20)
* I have been adopted as God's child. (Ephesians 1:5)
* I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18)
* I am assured that all things are working together for good. (Romans 8:28)
* I am free from any condemning charges against me. (Romans 8:31f)
* I cannot be separated from the love of God. (Romans 8:35f)
* I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God. (2 Corinthians 1:21,22)
* I am confident that the good work that God has begun in me will be perfected. (Philippians 1:6)
* I am a citizen of heaven. (Philippians 3:20)
* I am a personal witness of Christ's. (Acts 1:8)
* I am God's coworker. (2 Corinthians 6:1, 1 Corinthians 3:9)
* I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. (Ephesians 2:6)
* I am God's workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)
* I can do all things through Christ, who gives me the strength I need. (Philippians 4:13)