Skip to main content

Seasons Changes :: Wednesday E-Devotion

"There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven."   Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT)

1st day of summer.  Yes, it has finally arrived, and our families and our communities are well into it already.  The local pool is full of water and people.  The flocks are flocking to the beach.  The sun bathers are soaking up the rays.  Life continues and life is good.

What is different about this season compared to any other?  We have opportunities are not normally afforded.  The Orchard begins Vacation Bible School on Sunday (pray for the events and those involved especially for lost children), and there are countless things we can do to draw families closer together as well as get the attention of the students who are out of school.  Think with me about our motivation.  Better yet, think with me about our plans.  Is it about me or about serving others.

I love this verse (used it at 2 weddings this past weekend):

"Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church— a love marked by giving, not getting."   Ephesians 5:25 (MSG)

And another depth of insight comes:

"For you have been called to live in freedom—not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love."   Galatians 5:13 (NLT)

You can do what you want to do as long as it doesn't break the law, but remember that freedom came with a price.  People died to give our nation freedom and people die to keep that freedom alive.  Jesus died to give us freedom from sin.  And we must die, die to self, to see that others come to know God in a real way.

Are we serving self or Savior? 

We have no control over the seasons, when they come and when they go.  But many times Christian will change the seasons in their own lives...I will serve today but I will be served tomorrow.  Get it?

I close by copying a portion of an article I read recently.  It can be found at this link: http://www.the-next-wave-ezine.info/issue90/index.cfm?id=13&ref=ARTICLES%5FMISSIONAL%5F222

“This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:5-6

When someone’s words match their actions we call that “Integrity”. When words and actions don’t line up, we call that “Hypocrisy”. Perhaps what has hindered the Gospel most in the Western World has been this apparent disconnect between the teachings of Jesus and the lives of those who claim to follow after Him.

What the world needs most, I believe, is to see the people of God start to act like the people of God. What they desire most is to experience the love that Jesus said His disciples would embody. What’s needed now is for those who are called by the name of Christ to step out of their comfort zones and live out the values that they say they embrace.

The promise of The Gospel is that “The Word of God has become flesh and dwelt among us”. God has come near. God is with us. Jesus became the ultimate verb. He is the ultimate example of Love in Action.

This is the sort of Love that transforms us. It makes us into agents of change ourselves.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.  One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns.  When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.  Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns.  Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.  Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"  Beverly said, "Why yes I do."  Edith said, "Well, what do you ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!
10 comments
Read more

wash feet, sharing hope

  John 13:4-5,14 NLT  So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow.  He served.  He valued and gave value to others.  That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet.  It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives.  Jesus said we should do this.  See the verse above.  Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....
Post a Comment
Read more