"The Interruptible Life"

We are all different, so we each show love and appreciation to each other in various ways.

But when it comes to serving others, check your life. Sometimes when we think we are being "good people", we might not really be. For we can have other motives; we can be selfish even when it seems like we are not. 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. 1 Corinthians 3:18

I love being involved in the beautiful people in my life; but they aren't always so "available" for me. I know it isn't because they don't care about me; people usually tell me it is only because everyone is so busy with their lives, and I'm sure that is very true. I'm busy myself too after all.

But regardless, I'm not so convinced that is the full reason. Sure we are all busy; but are we so certain that we couldn't possibly be busy for just selfish reasons? How could we be so busy as to rarely have time for others? (We means a general we; you might happen to be the least selfish person in the world—I draw mainly from my own experiences and observations). Or perhaps it is simply everyone assuming we are all busy with things in our lives when we really aren't that busy. Whatever the case may be, people still often see a "do not disturb" sign on our lives, making it so they will be less likely to "bother" us. Do people see one on your life? I know people do with me.

Regardless where you stand, still be willing to be "interrupted" by others; Jesus was. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. Matthew 20:30-32

So what does it mean to be "interrupted"? You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. Galatians 5:13-15 

Whatever you think your purpose in this life may be, make sure you show love to others—in whatever form may fit who you are. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

Loving God and loving others should be at the top of the list before us: Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Matthew 22:37-39

Be careful though. Serving one another is not about competition. Don't make your motivation only to do it to show others how great a person or Christian you are. No one is greater or lesser than another, no matter who you might be nor what you may have done. [Jesus speaking] "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them". Matthew 6:1a Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philemon 2:3-4 Serve others humbly; love them because you want to! 

Serving others really is a blessing even if they do not show appreciation back; evaluate your motives--[Jesus praying to His Father] "I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave me to do". John 17:4 Bring glory to God by loving those around you. Remember the greatest commandment?

Be thankful and serve with a loving heart without looking for praise. If that is your only motive, then you are missing the point of what it means to love. [Jesus speaking] "…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28 

I know as well as anyone that doing literally anything in this life can be scary. Maybe serving others humbly is not generally your thing. But that to me is the beauty of life. If we didn't have problems, make mistakes, or take risks, then no one would ever learn nor grow. And learning and growth are two valuable and beautiful things... 

Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return. Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. If clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie. Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 

It's alright to be afraid of something new; you're not alone in that. But have faith; trust Him. Even when things seem like they will never be okay; for while it is true "You cannot control [everything that] happens to you, you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you." ~Brian Tracy "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." ~C. S. Lewis "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them. Hebrews 6:10 

God loves us no matter what we do. But imagine just how vast His love and joy towards you can be when you truly surrender everything to Him and just love. We aren't perfect beings; but we can always strive to be. I believe that is something He longs for us to do: to strive to love Him. "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" Matthew 25:21

I love this quote by C.S. Lewis:"What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step". You don't have to agree with everything I say. In fact, I don't want you to! What I would hope is for you to sift through all that I have said and see what it might mean in your life. This is what life is all about; learning from one another and thus loving each other in order to love and honor our Father. Loving one another reflects what our relationship ought to be with God. So you might not have an idea what you should do with your life, but as C.S. Lewis said, take a step. Such an attitude won't make things all nice and shiny, but it will allow opportunities for growth and advancement. Opening ourselves up to love means to become vulnerable; but take heart, for it is in our most vulnerable moments that He draws close…

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

May we love as we are loved.*

Thank you God,

Whitney

"Simple Miracles"

I have a good friend who works as a cashier in a store. One day she was calmly ringing up a large order for a particular family when a lady behind them in line became impatient. She began complaining, and decided to tell my friend to hurry up. My friend calmly replied that she was going as quickly as she could, but the lady would not let up. She kept saying how she could do what my friend was doing much faster, and although my friend was herself becoming irritated by this rude woman, she kept her cool and dealt with the lady with every courtesy.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

I saw a little girl in the store the other day. She was sitting quietly in the seat of the shopping cart while her family shopped around her. But she had this sad look on her face, and as I pushed my own cart by the family, I naturally smiled at her. At first she wasn't sure what to make of me, a stranger and all, but then she decided to smile back. It was just a quick one, but there it was. I saw her two more times after that, and each time the smile came quicker and quicker.

When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them. Job 29:24

The lady in the store was in a hurry; she, like so many of us can be, was only centered on her time. As a result, she became angry, placing unnecessary blame on the most likely target. But does anger get us anywhere? Not really. Most of the time it seems to just make matters worse. My friend could have also lost her cool and retaliated, which would have in turn caused everyone else in line to become angry, with two women fighting and the line not moving at all.

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Psalm 86:13

We always associate Christmas as a time to be happy, or jolly. But contrary to what we might think, many people have little reason to feel such emotions during this time of year. Many do not have families to visit, or money to buy gifts. Many do not have a home to live in, or must simply focus on trying to survive alone on the cold wintry nights. So it is very important that we remember those who are homeless, those recently affected by the terrible flooding across the nation, those who lost someone dear to them, etc. These scenarios and others like them, paint a depressing picture—and it certainly makes those of us blessed enough to have such things look pretty good. We should be thankful for that, but also humble enough to know we might not have those things at any time. We should feel humble enough to not forget everyone else in only focusing on ourselves; we should instead be humbly helping our neighbors and friends, and sharing the love that God has given us.

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'". Matthew 22:37-39

But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. Psalm 9:18

So I would encourage all of us this holiday season to keep our attitudes in check. Try not to get caught up in the fancy-follies of the festival. Remember those who are less fortunate than you, and do your best to brighten their day rather than your own. 'Things' do not make you better off than someone else or make you happy. A person can have everything and still be miserable, just as someone with nothing could be the happiest in the world.

In any case, you never realize what an impact a simple smile or a little hello to someone can have. A kind word or even a hug might have calmed down the lady in the store. A smile obviously brightened the day of the little girl in the shopping cart. These may be simple miracles, but in the face of adversity, these simple miracles are what keep us going, or what gets us back on our feet. Feeling the love from someone helps us to remember there is light amidst all the darkness.

We can't wave our hands over the devastation of the flood victims and make everything the way it was again. We can't bring back someone's lost loved one. But we can show them how much we care; even if it is as simple as a hug. As Jesus was born as a child for the lowest of men to the highest of kings, so is everything we do important as everything else. No matter a person's situation, attitude can often make or break it. Jesus was born to remind us of those simple miracles we take for granted everyday; those same miracles that could change someone's life forever. And who knows? What love you share with someone else just might change your own life.

John answered, "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same." Luke 3:11

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. John 15: 16-17

I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. Acts 20: 23-24

"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Luke 2:10-12

Jesus was born to give us hope; we were created to share that hope with others.*

A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Realizing the amazing-ness of the simple miracles,

Whitney

"Finding Beauty in the Darkness"

Most of us have gone through at least one funeral in our lives, whether due to the passing of a family member or that of a friend. No matter how close you may have been with the deceased or the family of the deceased, funerals never seem to be an easy thing to go through. I myself have been to more than I can remember, and it seems apparent now that even experience can't seem to prepare you for loss.

Last week I attended the funeral of a good friend of mine's son. My friend, Suzanne, already has a family, but the passing of this new addition of theirs was still very difficult; especially when you hear the story.

Suzanne was hospitalized a few months after she learned of her pregnancy. A complication had unfortunately arisen with the baby. At 30 weeks, the doctors at the hospital she was taken to delivered her son, Dylan, on November 5, 2010.

He died two days later.

The beautiful thing about Suzanne was that she was my first official friend in my college career. Subsequently I met her family too, and what a beautiful family they are! I thank God for such a blessing as they.

So I was honored to be with Suzanne when she learned of her pregnancy, and to be there when she told her husband. What a special moment for her and here I was, only a recent friend, and the one she chose to be there to hear the exciting news of Dylan-to-be. Suzanne and I discussed how wonderful it would be to one day recount to her child that moment of discovery. But alas, plans we make often do not go the way we want them to…

Losses such as these don't often make sense. Why should one as innocent as he have to die, we ask. Dylan was born without a lung, and while the doctors did everything they could to save him, alas, he could not be. His life was not meant to be lived, but his legacy will never die...

Dylan was just under 2lbs. when he was born, and he was loved from the moment he was conceived. How precious life is.

It was hard to watch my friends go through such a difficult time. Even though I didn't know Dylan personally, his loss was still painfully felt by all who were there at his memorial.

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, you may be wondering how a person could truly be thankful. Losing someone is never an easy thing on its own to bear, and least of all to be able to say thank you to God for. Impossible you might say, but Jesus said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

So,

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Whoa.

Dylan's short life teaches us something, indeed, of how precious and fragile life really is. I am sure we think about death from time to time, but without actually experiencing it head on, we aren't as impacted as we should be. I am not here to depress you, but rather in the hopes of opening your eyes to something beautiful amidst all this darkness. Dylan's life personally hit me as a powerful eye-opener. Here I was, a young college student, with quite a few years already under my belt, living life as I see it, with nary a care in the world. I have no idea what it means to be Dylan. I take my life for granted everyday…Dylan will never truly know what I have lived or learned. His parents will never see him grow into the man they cherished him to be.

If you are thinking of blaming God for such a tragic loss, please think again. God grieves when lives are lost. This is what makes humans so beautiful: our ability to feel. And since we are fashioned in His image, it makes sense that we should also have torrid of emotions. God loves us, and as any father would, longs to see us joyful rather than hurt or sad. Fathers wish to protect their children from all the harm of this world, but no matter how they do try, it still comes. But fathers are there every step of the way, just as God was there with Dylan, with you, and with me. God helps us up when we fall, and rejoices as we grow in all that we experience.

"Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" John 11:34-36

Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. John 13:1a

I know many things in this life of ours don't make sense. Why would Dylan have such a short life? Doesn't seem very fair does it. I can't give you an answer, although I wish that I could. All we seem to be able to do is try to work out as much as we can, and keep going even when it feels like we never could. For, after all, we have a beautiful hope, a hope that God offers us.

Come near to God and He will come near to you. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:8-10

When you are sad, God offers us comfort. So it is alright to grieve for those lost. But do not let it consume you, for look, and see beauty where it is rarely ever seen. As I mentioned earlier, Dylan's life was not meant to be lived. But his legacy can be…

So as you sit down for Thanksgiving dinner with all those lovely trimmings, give thanks for the life you have. Give thanks for every second that you are here. Give thanks that God has given you such blessed opportunities to love Him and to love others. We never know when our time will come, but we should be ready.

Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. Matthew 25:13

This is my prayer for my friend and her family during this time, that they can give thanks for having been with Dylan for those two beautiful days. That they also continue to give thanks that Dylan is with God right now where no pain or harm can come to him. Give thanks for the moments we get to spend with one another, for they are truly beautiful.

I hope this story of Dylan's doesn't sadden you during this upcoming holiday. I hope instead that he makes you think about things, especially about your own lives, and that you value life that much more. Dylan has already taught us to live, to love God more, to go to Him in our times of comforting needs, and to see how beauty can be found from the loss of life. This beauty is the ability to learn, and the ability to keep ever onward in our spiritual walks. So, say thank you for his story touching yours. Take his legacy and learn to give thanks in every aspect of your life. Thank God for both the ups, AND the downs. Thank God that He draws near.*

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:2-6

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Thank you Dylan,

Whitney

"Part of the Good Fight"

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 2 Thessalonians 3:13
Have you ever been that person in the situation where you have just done something that you felt should have been given some kind of recognition and didn't get any? Most of us would appreciate others respecting us enough to congratulate us on our accomplishments in some way, even if it be small. It's not fun to be ignored is it.
The Thessalonians were tired of helping people who gave them no respect in return. They were ready to let the lazy, rude people do everything on their own. So Paul, knowing this, wrote them a letter of encouragement. He said to them that they oughtn't be discouraged from "doing good". Why? Because if they stopped, then no longer would they be doing the work of Christ; they would give in to the follies of the world.
We often get frustrated when our work goes by unnoticed, or when no one listens to us, and we are so let down that we want nothing better than to just quit. But then we would be giving in, and if we quit, and no one else were fighting, then all would be lost... Jesus said that even if one person were saved, all would be worth it. (Read Luke 15:3-7) So the next time you want to complain about how you are treated, just remember that we are fighting a battle with the evils of the world, and that the only way to win is to never give up what we do.
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:14-16
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 2 Thessalonians 3:15.
Now while this verse is more referring to confronting your brethren in love (like the theme in the daily bread "True Friends"), we could take it out of context for a moment and apply it to what we are looking at today.
We get so frustrated with people that we sometimes lash out at them for not acknowledging us (or whatever the case may be). But this verse says to admonish him as a brother, not view him as our enemy. This can be a difficult thing to do I know. But when we "do good" to others, we let Christ's example shine bright from our actions--and while it may not seem so obvious to us at the time, people are watching us and noting how we behave. They are curious about why do the things we do. Let's not give them cause to think that we are failures and just like everyone else. After all, that would probably just prove to them that there is no God if we who claim to follow Him don't act like there is one either.
How can we say we are something when we don't live it ourselves? And then we tell others to believe it too. We admonish them and slander them, labeling them enemies of Christ. We are hypocrites when we claim to follow God and yet sin when the world is not looking. So don't think we have to "do good" to earn us good marks with God. When we do good, we need to do it with a humble spirit, and for others, not for ourselves. Good works aren't just to make us look like good little Christians to society. It is nice to hear praise, but just remember to give God all the credit and not be disappointed when no one says anything. Feel proud within your self that you are shining His light to the world. And don't worry; they may not like to admit it, but they are usually listening.*
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
Let is shine.
Whitney

"A Lesson in Humility" 3-30-08

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

She lived out spiritual humility, yet she had much on a human level to be proud of. As an author of over 70 books and a translator of many others into Afrikaans, Annalou Marais had much cause to brag–but she was more concerned about honoring Christ than advancing herself. She worked behind the scenes of the Bible conference, doing a servants tasks with a smiling face and a joyful heart. It would have been natural for her to desire, and even deserve, the spotlight. Instead, she quietly served, joyfully weeping as God worked in people's hearts. It was an impressive humility because it was completely genuine.

I have heard it said, 'It is amazing what can be accomplished when we don't care who get's the credit.' This is certainly true of Christian service. Paul told the church at Corinth, 'I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then either he who plants is anything, or he who waters, but God who gives the increase' (1 Cor. 3:6-7). Paul had learned that great lesson of the servant's hear, as Annalou has learned–it's entirely about God. What we do is accomplished by His power and grace, and all the glory must go to Him.

It was a lesson in humility watching Annalou, and one that reminded me of the richness of serving God." (written by Bill Crowder)

'God often uses lowly things
His purpose to fulfill,
Because it takes a humble heart
To carry out His will.' (D. De Haan)

(Courtesy of Our Daily Bread, of RBC Ministries)

Pride and Grace cannot dwell in the same place.*

Praying for humility,
Whitney

"The Meek" 3-26-08

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)

Reading over this verse, I again began to ask God, "Why is it the meek who will inherit the earth? Aren't we as Christians supposed to be fearless and mighty children of the King?" I've always understood "meek" to be a word closely related to weakness. With verses such as 2 Timothy 1:7: For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline, and Luke 24:49: I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high, indicating that we are supposed to be fearless and mighty children of God, I began to wonder, where does meekness fit into this? As usual, God provided me with an answer by leading me to His Word.

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (Mark 10:13-15)

So as I reflected and prayed to God about this, He revealed to me that of course we as Christians have a spirit of power, but this isn't our spirit of power - this is the Spirit of God dwelling within us. OUR spirit is one of meekness and humility, the spirit of a child. When we draw near to Christ as one of these little children, completely humble and full of meekness, then we open the door for His Spirit to come in and live within us. This is the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline that we hear so much about; this is the power from on high that we have been promised by the Father. And for we who have this meekness in our own hearts, we as little children of God will inherit the earth. So let me ask you: are you meek? Are you humble before the Lord? If so, rejoice, for you are truly blessed! If not, I would encourage you to humble your heart before Him, and open the door for His Spirit to come into your life.

But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. (Psalm 37:11)

Blessings,
Andrew

The Poor In Spirit - 3/24/08

Here is today's verse:

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:1-3)

As I reflected upon this verse this morning, I must admit, it had me a bit perplexed. It didn't seem to make sense. "Why," I asked God, "would you say the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit, if there are people today who are poor in spirit, yet do not know You? Are they blessed, as this verse makes clear?" And then, as I was praying about it, the Lord brought me to this passage:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them,"Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:18-21)

And then the answer hit me: yes, they are blessed, blessed beyond measure! Even those who are poor in spirit, yet do not know God, are blessed. This is because Christ has been anointed to preach good news to such as these - these broken, battered, poor wretches who have come to the end of themselves and realize their own poverty of spirit. Until we come to the end of ourselves and see the truth of who we are - sinners with no hope of righteousness apart from Christ - there is no hope of us becoming anything more. Being poor in spirit enables us to hear, understand, and apply the gospel which Christ has come to preach. Whether we end up doing so or not, it is not possible for us to cry out to Him without first being poor in spirit. See what is said of those who are not poor in spirit in the book of Revelation -

You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. (Revelation 3:17)

If we are never poor in spirit, then we never realize our own wretchedness, pitifulness, poverty, blindness, and nakedness; and thus, cannot cry out for the Savior to come in and heal our broken souls and restore us to a right relationship with God (Isaiah 6:10). I hope that we can all echo the words of this prayer here, finding completion in our brokenness and poverty through the greatness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ:

"Here I am, at your feet,
In my brokenness complete." ~Unashamed, by Starfield

Blessings,
Andrew

The Inward and Outward Appearance - 3/14/08

In the book of Ruth, let's focus on love, devotion, and trust, as well as the effects of a good role model (or the Inward and Outward Appearance).

Ruth impressed me by her love and faithfulness towards her mother-in-law Naomi in the first Chapter. We see this more in the following Chapters. Naomi loved Ruth as though she were her own daughter; she wanted what was best for Ruth. So she gave her advice, such as how to gain favor from Naomi's kinsman Boaz. And how does Ruth respond to this? "I will do whatever you say". She was willing to submit to Naomi's advice, because her mother-in-law knew best; they were Naomi's people, and they had certain ways of doing things that often differed from her own. To get right down to it, Ruth had a lot of love for Naomi, putting all her trust in her.

One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for? Is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been, a kinsman of ours? Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do." "I will do whatever you say," Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do. Ruth 3:1-6

Her mother-in-law asked her, "Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!" Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working..... Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, "It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with his girls, because in someone else's field you might be harmed." So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law. Ruth 2:19-23

It is interesting to me to see the noted line "And she lived with her mother-in-law." Perhaps this little line was added to further establish the relationship between Naomi and Ruth.

Now let's see about the qualities of Ruth.

Boaz replied, "I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband——how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge." Ruth 2:11

(Also read Ruth 3:10-13)

Boaz, who we meet in the second chapter, is struck right away by the good qualities of Ruth. Everyone spoke very highly of her. This makes her even more of a good role-model; she not only had good qualities, she lived them too.....

This is how people tend to measure other people: by first impressions. What we see from a person, in physical appearance and by the way they act, forms what we think of them. Of course we ought to get to know them more, for one encounter is never enough to fully understand someone.

But you see, if we judge others this way, others will judge you this way. As Christians, we should live a Christ-centered life, both in our appearance and by our actions. People are constantly watching; let us shine Christ's love and compassionate qualities. Ruth did, and became an inspiration for those around her. She was spoken of highly, respected, and loved despite her being a foreigner. Her first impression was a good one, but instead of just ending it there, she made it a point to practice it all the days of her life.*

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7b

Will your actions reflect your heart for the Lord?

Whitney

The Glory of God - 3/4/08

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV)

Now, in context, this verse is talking about physically eating food coming from the table of an unbeliever who may have offered it up to idols without us knowing. But I would like to extend this into a broader sense - that is, literally having everything we do be done for the glory of God (which is still keeping within the original meaning). In every decision we make, every action we take, every word we speak, His glory must be at the forefront of our minds. Are we glorifying Him - or showing His greatness, in other words - to those around us by doing whatever it is we do?

Let me show you a story to illustrate this point. In Judges 7, there is the account of a man named Gideon who led the Israelites against the Midianites. Gideon's army was a mighty 32,000 strong, but rather than sending them in, God had other plans. See for yourself:

The LORD said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me.' (Judges 7:2 ESV)

Do you see what is happening here? God says that Gideon's army is TOO BIG for the Lord to send into battle, in case they claim the glory for themselves, so He has to REDUCE the size of their army to such a small number that the only way they could be victorious is by the power of God, and He does just that. In the end, Gideon takes the entire Midianite camp - with 300 men. Surely after such a victory, every man, woman, and child who witnessed or heard of this great feat knew that surely, "there is a God in Israel!" Is this incredible or what?!?

So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. That same night the LORD said to him, "Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand.' (Judges 7:8-9)

So Midian was subdued before the people of Israel, and they raised their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon. (Judges 8:28)

Are you seeking the glory of God in all that you do? Do you feel like you are facing an army of thousands with a measly 300 men? If so, I would encourage you to take heart, for the smaller the odds of victory, the greater God is glorified in the end, and we know that through Him, "all things are possible."

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."(Matthew 19:26 NKJV)

Blessings,
Andrew

Gentleness; 2/21/08

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV)

The reason I quote this verse twice here (once in the NIV, once in the KJV) is because I feel that they both show a different side of this particular fruit: meekness (humility), and gentleness. This is sort of a humble gentleness I suppose one could say. Have you ever had a friend go astray? Perhaps they were beginning to get involved in things they should not, perhaps they were falling away from the Lord, or perhaps you were just concerned for their well-being. Isn't it so very hard to reach these people? On one hand, you value their friendship and fear the worst; but on the other, you know that if you kept silent, you would not be a true, loving friend. So what's the key here? Gentleness and meekness. Our Lord Jesus Christ paints a perfect picture of this:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)

Isn't this amazing? What can I really say to this? I sit here, trying to come up with something to say, and it just speaks for itself so clearly. When we come to Jesus, He puts his arm around us, helps us up, and carries us along as only a true friend would. He gently tells us when we are in the wrong and holds His arms open to receive us once again. One example of this is when Peter denies Jesus thrice on the night He was taken.

Peter answered him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times..."

And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:33-34; 75 ESV)

I can just see the gentleness in Jesus' eyes after that third rooster crows and they look one another in the eyes; spoken with a single look, everything is laid out. Perhaps there was disappointment, or maybe there was even some pain; I do not know. But I do know that when Peter looks into Jesus' eyes, he sees gentleness, forgiveness, and welcomeness. This is my story as well. I came to Jesus having disappointed Him, having caused Him pain, undeserving of anything more than to be punished for my evil ways; but rather than condemnation, I looked into His eyes and I saw gentleness. I saw love. He told me, "Yes Andrew, you've sinned. You've disappointed me, you've caused me pain. But it doesn't have to be this way - come, take my hand, and let us start over again - please." And from that moment on, my life has been changed.

So when we see those we care for turning onto the path of darkness, how are we to treat them? With love, care, and gentleness, warning them of the impending doom that lies ahead, genuinely concerned for their future. But we must always remember to pray for this gentleness at all times. When we must correct those we care for, do they see this gentle, humble spirit within us? And when they return, do they feel welcome as we hold our arms open to take them in? Let us pray together that yes, they do; for this gentleness comes from God alone.

A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. (Proverbs 15:4 ESV)

Blessings,
Andrew