A Crazy Little Thing Called Love

“Our fears and inner barrenness make love a narcotic, a way to medicate ourselves, and addicts always make foolish, destructive choices.” - Timothy Keller

We all do crazy things in the name of love. Jacob is a prime example. Not only did he want to make Rachel his wife but viewed her as his “savior.” When we reach this state we hear what we want to hear and see what we want to see. Our reality becomes jaded and we veer far from truth. In a sense we create our own reality and become governed by the idol of “love.”

Have you ever been here? Maybe its a romantic relationship, or parents and their children. The questions we must ask ourselves is where are we setting our hope? Are we putting are hope in Jesus Christ? In His plan, His purpose, His eternity or our wants, our desires, our fleshly needs? There is no person, not even the best one or thing outside of Jesus Christ that can give your soul all that it needs.

We must take our heart’s deepest hopes and place them in Christ. Living through your children, through a spouse, or just through a need to be validated will leave you empty, constantly searching but never finding. This path can be destructive, not only for you but those closest to you. The amazing and beautiful thing about the God of the Bible is that he came into this world to accomplish salvation for us and give us grace we could never attain ourselves. Today may you turn to Him, be amazed by His grace and allow him to be our heart’s deepest desire and hope.

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world (something supernatural and eternal).”
- C.S. Lewis

Further Reading: Genesis 28-31

The Question of Love

“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” - Malachi 1:2

One of the most dangerous places to be is questioning the love of God. Throughout our spiritual walk we will have times of doubt, we will struggle with understanding some theological concepts, but we must believe the Word of God and His promises to be true. In the book of Malachi he exposes and answers the doubts of those who question God’s love. We all have agendas, dreams, and goals that focus on us and when it seems like God doesn’t bless what we want or do things the way we want him to we start to question whether or not he loves us.

We all at times can have this struggle, an attitude like this is immature and needs to be grown into maturity. The people in Malachi’s time were complaining and begrudgingly offering sacrifices to God. They did not respect God, honor Him, or fear Him.

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear?” - Malachi 1:6

What should be in question is not God’s love for us but our love for God. Sometimes I think we feel like we do a good job at loving God and he needs to do a better job of loving us. How further from the truth could we be? We often think way too highly of ourselves. We view God in our image. We have a tendency to give God our scraps and that is what Malachi had to confront the Israelites about. Is God getting your scraps? Where are your first fruits going?

God loves us, this is clearly shown in Scripture, you can’t miss it if you read the Bible. If you do not believe that He loves you I challenge you to pick up your Bible and start reading. God wants us to believe, to walk in faith, and to love Him.

Further Reading: Malachi 1 & 2

Discerning Love

“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” - Philippians 1:9-11

When you pray for others what do you ask for? We can learn a vital lesson from Paul in this passage in Philippians. We see his heart as he prays for the Philippians. Paul doesn’t want these people he loves to just be safe or comfortable, he prays for deep life changing heart issues that only come from a God who graciously gives good gifts to His children.

It is key to remember that it is not our love channeled through Christ, but Christ’s love channeled through us. Jesus Christ is the source of love, we need to ask for abounding and discerning love. The heart and mind need to work together so that we have discerning love and loving discernment. Christian love is not blind or ignorant.

This life is hard, it is difficult to love people at times. When we love without discerning love it can ultimately lead back to selfishness which really isn’t love at all. When we love without discerning love we often times get used, walked over, and ultimately think we are being loving but only putting a band aid on a deep wound. This can lead to bitterness, unforgiveness, and not feeling loved in return. We have to love with the end in mind.

My prayer today for you is that your love may abound, that you would have discerning love, mature character, and mature service.

Further Reading: Philippians 1, 1 Corinthians 13

Listen With The Heart

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” - John 4:10

If you want to learn how to listen read the gospels. As we read about how Jesus interacted with people we constantly see him listening with his heart. Listening with the heart is to hear the hurt behind the words. Jesus not only was able to hear the heart behind the words but was able to offer water that will satisfy. The woman at the well was searching for something. She was trying to find meaning in promiscuous relationships. She was looking for hope and she found Jesus at a well.

There are millions of people in this world, just like the woman at the well who are walking around trying to fill a God-shaped whole inside of them. Their actions, desires, dreams, and words are all flowing out of the need to fill this hole. They live empty, desiring to be filled. Do you hear them? Does your heart break for these people? You cross paths with them everyday. Are you listening with your heart? What happens when you encounter these people?

Maybe the person I am describing is you. Maybe you have never drank the living water that satisfies as Jesus talks about in John 4. Will you put your faith and trust in Christ’s death and resurrection as the sacrifice for your sins? Will you surrender your heart to him and allow the healing to begin to take place?

We as followers of Christ have to learn how to listen with our heart. We need to see the hurt behind the words, actions, or body language. We possess the answer to the God-shaped hole which means we have the privilege and responsibility to share with others.

Further Reading: John 4:1-45

Banana Pudding

"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." - Romans 12:10

I was blessed to spend this week in southeast Oklahoma with 30 high school students ministering to a Native American community. We spent our days cleaning, putting up drywall, building a fire pit, and fixing a water line. In the evenings we put on a VBS for a local Native American church. One evening at VBS Don had the youth from Ohio meet one of the locals and find out something about them. One student met a man named Charles and found out that Charles's favorite desert was banana pudding. The young man continued to build a relationship with Charles throughout the night. Snack time eventually came and as the young man came to the desert line he saw banana pudding. There was only a spoonful left. As he put the last of the banana pudding in his bowl he then proceeded to find Charles. He asked him if he had a chance to have any of the pudding. Charles's said that he hadn't been through the line yet so he gave him the last of the banana pudding. It was neat to see Charles's reaction when he saw that the young man remembered he liked banana pudding and gave him the last of it.

How do you care for people? Are you listening to them? Are you encouraging them? One thing that God taught me this week is that God doesn't forget about anyone. He cares for everyone everywhere no matter how desolate the place. He also cares that we care. Would I have ate the banana pudding or would I have thought to give it to Charles? I guarantee that Charles's will remember the kindness and thoughtfulness of that young man sharing the banana pudding with him. My prayer for myself and for you today is that we would be children of God who outdo one another in love for each other. That we would encourage one another and care for people.

When Love Walks

Walk - to move about in visible form

Have you ever thought about the idea of love walking before? Think about love for a second. What comes to mind? Is it an emotion? Is it a feeling? Is it an action? What is your definition of love? Where did you get this definition? Did the world, media, or culture shape or define love for you? Has God's Word had anything to do with your connotation of the word love? What is the source of love? If you agree with me and say God then do you define love the way He defines it?

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. - 1 John 4:10

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. - 2 John 1:6

Love cannot be stagnant. The love of Christ, the love he showered upon us must be walked out. It must move to become visible. You may be asking yourself what that looks like. Check out 1 Corinthians 13 and you will see a pretty clear picture. Today ask God to give you love that walks. Love that is visible for others to see. A love that we cannot create or manufacture but love that comes from God Almighty.

The Road of Reflection

One thing that I love is long reflective car rides. I tend to do my best thinking while I am driving by myself for long periods of time or in the shower. Those long drives by yourself gives you plenty of time to spend just talking with God and listening to Him. This past weekend I was driving to Indiana Wesleyan to spend some time with some college students. The drive takes about 4.5 hours and I was enjoying the ride by praying, listening to some Allistair Begg sermons, and worshiping. At one point I was listening to my advanced copy of the new Polen CD. I got to the song called "At The Cross" and almost broke down in tears. Do you ever have those moments when God's truth becomes so real to you and hits home? Have you ever had those moments when you realize how messed up your life would be without Jesus Christ? That is what happened at this moment. These words began repeating...

"I was spotless, I was blameless, I was the perfect Lamb of God,

You were broken, fallen, worthless, yet I died, I died for you."

As I was driving the weight of the truth in those words overwhelmed me. I was reminded of how wretched I am and how perfect Christ is. How I don't deserve anything and he deserves everything. How God would take a messed up sinner like me and save me is beyond my comprehension. At this point God's love became very real to me. I began to understand how wide, how deep God's love is for us. We are broken, fallen, worthless people yet He died, He died for us. Do you believe that? Really, does that truth effect your life? Does it do anything in your heart? Because I know for me it brings me to my knees.

The rest of the drive all I could do was thank God. Thank Him for His love, His goodness, His kindness, His faithfulness, His patience, His sacrifice... the list goes on and on. It made Romans 12:1 very real to me. When we realize how broken we are and how perfect God is our only response should be to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to Him. I pray today that you would take time to feel the weight of the words from that song. That God would bring you to your knees and you would cry out with thankfulness to your heavenly Father. That you would know its not about you and it is about God. That He is ultimately in control and that you can fully trust in Him.

*Please join us in supporting an awesome band (Polen) that is truly seeking after God and leading people into worship. They will be releasing their new CD at 3 consecutive concerts March 19th, 20th, & 21st. Cost is $10 and you receive their new CD free ($12 value). Don and I will also be speaking at the events. For tickets & more info visit www.polenband.com or let me know, I am selling pre-sale tickets as well.

Left in a Manger

On Christmas Eve our church (Countryside Chapel) has a communion service. This year my dad who is an elder was asked to share 5-10 minutes before we took communion. My dad and I are very different when it comes to getting in front of people and talking. I love it and he gets very nervous. After getting the initial nerves out of the way he did an awesome job. It was actually one of the best 5 minute sermons I have ever heard (and I am not just saying that because it was my dad). I left convicted and challenged. Here are some thoughts that have been going on in my head the past few days.

You see, everyone knows "The reason for the season." Most people can tell you about Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, Wise Men, Shepherds, and I could go on and on. The problem lies in the fact that many of us leave baby Jesus in the manger. And that is the question I guess I would pose to you. "Is Jesus still in the manger or have you made Him Lord of your life?" Don't get me wrong, the Christmas story is an incredible true story but it is only the beginning of an even bigger story. Jesus had to grow up, he had to die. He had to humble himself and come as a baby, grow up to be mocked, beaten, and hung on a cross to be exalted.

¹⁸I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, ²⁰which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. - Ephesians 1:18-21

⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:9-11

The birth of Christ was the start of a plan that God chose to show his unconditional love for us. When we live life for ourselves and not for the God of the universe we leave Jesus in the manger. We can recite the story, it is in our head but it is not in our heart. I want you to really think about this question, "What do I believe about Jesus Christ?" Really, what does your head AND your heart agree upon about the person of Jesus Christ? Do I believe he was born of a virgin? That he grew up being fully man and fully God? That he was put to death of a cross and three days later rose from the dead and paid the penalty of sin that we deserve?

As you read in the verses above Jesus has been given the name above every name. He doesn't need us, we need him. If we didn't need Jesus, God wouldn't have sent Him. My prayer is that your heart and mind would agree that Jesus is Lord. That you would examine your life and surrender yourself to Him and His will for you. Once you do, things will never be the same.

How He Loves Me

God loves me. I tend to say that a lot or hear people say that phrase, "God loves me." I think to myself, what does God's love really mean in my life? Am I encountering God's Love on a daily basis? And, what does it mean to encounter God's Love? For me I encounter God's Love the most when I am seeking after him, spending time with him, and receiving his love and in turn giving him my love. Many times we may feel like we messed up really bad and God doesn't love us anymore so we choose to stay away from him. When we need his love the must we choose not to run to it. We as believers need to encounter God's love in our lives. You see, when we encounter God's love it changes us, it transforms us, and it gives us hope. Encounter God's love today and remember....

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels, nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39

Sacrifice

Could you trade your car in for a horse and buggy? How about giving up travel on airplanes? OR what if you had to give up designer clothes for home sewn plain clothes?

One of my best friends is facing one of the most important decisions of his life. He grew up as an Amish boy but at the age of 18 started upgrading to Tommy Hilfiger & American Eagle. He got his license and has been driving ever since. His girlfriend of over three years recently joined the Amish Church. He really loves this girl and is at the point in his life when he wants to settle down and have a family. For him to make the next step toward marriage he will have to sacrifice many daily luxuries to be with the one he loves.

Joining the Amish Church is a life altering commitment. Life will be different for him. As we were talking about this next step in his life we were reminded of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. As hard as it is for him to give up driving, flying, and his clothing attire we often times are unable to grasp the sacrifice of Jesus's life. I often wonder how hard it must have been to leave the glory of heaven and come down to earth to be spit at, beaten, and brutally killed. He knew what was going to happen and he still came. Why would he do that? LOVE! He loved us so much that he was willing to leave the luxuries of heaven and take the wrath of God on his shoulders. Sometimes I just can't wrapped my head around that but all I can do is praise God and try to live everyday for him. Be blessed and remember the sacrifice of our Saviour!

Crazy Love

"Have you ever wondered if we're missing it?

It's crazy, if you think about it. The God of the universe - the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and E-minor - loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss.

Whether you've verbalized it yet or not...we all know something's wrong.

Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn't working harder at a list of do's and don'ts - it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, you will never be the same.

Because when you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything."

- Francis Chan from the book Crazy Love