This last weekend whilest visiting a church I felt a ‘renewing’ (if you will) of the challenge to love like God does.  (Being gut honest here) Love like God. Sigh. It is easy to love the lovely, those that fall in line with us completely, yet when we step off  that platform, the ‘easiness’ seems to escape us.  Trying not to reach and grab nicely packaged excuses, when loving requires practical application or even TALKING to them … loving enough to share Jesus with them…”Oh they are not like me…. they wont understand….their lifestyle is SO different than mine… what would I say ” or “they are gay, pierced, tattooed, divorced, addicted, ugly, they swear and frankly some may … ‘stink’.”     But  in my reality, I humanly state:  “I will never love to the capacity that HE does.”  None of us will, just because we are humanly limited, does NOT stop the attempt. With His grace, His guidance, power, unction, and filling, I will love.   I have found that my desire is thrown beyond ‘tolerance’, beyond just getting around the person to move in a forward direction, treating them with invisible attentiveness.  NO!  God wants me to stop and ‘see’ them.  Love them, speak to them (not at them) connect, lead and serve.   “God so tolerated the world that He just let them go on their way.” NO!  “God so LOVED the world that He gave…”  Love, is giving… giving of ourselves.  Then, there is ‘whosoever’ (another study)

I am confident at times we make this so much BIGGER than it really is. More complex than intended, more ‘self-ish’ than assigned.  One of my dearest friends is a gay fellow at work.  We get along much like bantering brother and sister.  We have agreed to dis-agree.  He was raised in the church, he knows what the Bible says, he doesn’t need ‘preaching’, he NEEDS love.  He knows I care for him and yet I do not condone his lifestyle. He knows my love for God, His word and His stuff and people.  Even in all this, he KNOWS I love.  He jokes that we’d make a great prime-time TV show “Gay boy and preacher girl”.

One element that challenged me this weekend,  the pastor in the pulpit shared this true story: A pastor friend of his  felt compelled to challenge his folks to step out and tell people about Jesus, even if it is as simple as ‘God loves you’.  Three different men shared with him later, that they felt God place someone on their mind immediately and chose to act on it.  One guy shared, he called his brother, whom he hadn’t had much contact with over the years, called to say “Love ya brother and God loves you too,” and quickly hung up.  The next guy was out working in his yard when his neighbor was out and as he  waved, telling him have a good day and “God loves you”, the man walked away fast.  The 3rd guy was sitting in the barber’s chair and gaining the courage, looked in the mirror and stated, “Bob, God loves you.”  Bob, swung the guys chair around and said, “WHAT is going on… Last night my brother called me, this morning my neighbor and now YOU tell me God loves me.”    Wonderful story.  THAT is our God!  What lengths will He go to get the message to us. Are we willing to be part of the orchestration of the message?

Paul writes to young Timothy, “…proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple. – 2 Timothy 4:2 MSG  (emphasis mine) As the King Jimmy puts it, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season”   When asked, may we have an answer.  When opportunity knocks us over, may we stand and stand FIRM on God and His word. And love.

Whom might we need to call, wave to and have our chair swung around in awe of what God is doing.  Love beyond tolerance.  Wake up to the invisible.

Closing with:  “This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in Him, and He in us: He’s given us life from His life, from His very own Spirit. Also, we’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent His Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.” 1 John 4:13-16 MSG  John continues in verse 19, “We love because He first loved us.”

Love like God does.

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds.” – Heb. 10:24)

Quick stop – RIGHTEOUS REMINDER: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – Jn. 10:10 (emphasis mine) he (little ‘he’) comes to steal and destroy our JOY, our confidence, our trust, our LIFE!  ANYTHING that is good and right and brings glory to God, he will indeed attack.  Attack with fierce vengeance.  Cripple the person’s heart, mind and spirit, he has an ‘in.’  He can then play with insecurities, pain and even our sorrow.  Doubt, fear and a host of other non-God focused things are a result.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” – Eph. 6:12 Paul continues, “STAND FIRM, with the belt of truth…” (v 14) When we have struggles in relationships, or circumstances, may we remember the truth…it is not that person or the event, BUT the stinkin enemy who is attempting to destroy.

Take a stand… while we stand up, let’s grab the God stuff, and not just hold them in our hands but put them ON and USE them!  The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness. Get our feet fitted with the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and then wield that mighty sword of the Spirit, God’s word.  STAND FIRM against the dinky deceiving dude!

In Him,  DeDe  (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds.” – Heb. 10:24)

Ever have a day, that you’d just like to crawl back in bed and pull the covers up, with just enough breathing room, peaking out wishing the day away, or at best START OVER! I had one of those this week. However, it was of my own making. Confession: As I drove to work that particular morning, while praying I sensed the Lord tell me ‘patience’, I was going to NEED patience. Alrighty then, that’s nice! But by golly who in their right mind (or lack thereof) would seek to PRAY for patience. I made note of it and went head first into my day. As the day progressed, I was easily irritated by those around me, even irritated by the time on the clock. I found myself reacting to the WORLD. The hardest was with a loved one, instead of loving beyond, I stood and confronted. NOT good.

Patience. (I KNOW better!) God told me.

Geeky Gal’s notes: In short, there are two words used for patience in the Bible, (N.T.)  both of which I have studied extensively. First, ‘makrothumia’, this patience is with people and motivated by mercy. Mercy, NOT getting what you deserve! In essence, it is extending an open hand, as opposed to a fist full of … stuff! And we got us some STUFF don’t we!  God’s mercy, is withholding what we deserve and loves beyond. Here His grace picks up … giving. One hand pulls back while the other reaches forward and gives. It is a God quality, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” – Gal. 5:22-23 Mercy. The other is ‘hupomone’ patience or perseverance (a bearing up under, in and through) circumstances, this is motivated by hope. Hope, waiting strong with great expectation. It is found in the ‘knowing’. KNOWING that God is, and does and will. Hope.

So mercy and hope. Without these, we fail with people (we humans are terribly inpatient with each other) and our ‘situation’ only seems to worsen when there is no hope. An example of both of these can be found in James, 5:10-11.

“Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience (makrothumia ) in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of  the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance (hupomone)  and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

I failed at both that day, miserably! Especially when God told me ‘patience’ (I should have known!!! DUH!) I am ‘impatient’ in my current situation. Thinking in the wrong direction caused me to get upset. I am not walking in hope. Making it all worse. I was impatient with others, not granting them mercy, like the mercy I want granted to me. I had to approach my loved one and ask for their forgiveness for how I reacted to them. I again asked God to re-focus my perspective on some details in my current situation, turn me towards Him and Him alone. THERE lies my hope, my perseverance.

Patience, not something favorably to pray about, but a quality I desire and long to walk in. How is your extended mercy and hope? Rhetorical, now ponder.

“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” – Heb.10:36   As the picture above depicts, patience can be like being STUCK behind a slow moving boring rig. Don’t honk your spiritual horns, or attempt to pass on dangerous ground. Wait. Go the journey. Hope on…. a promise awaits YOU!

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another one towards love & good deeds.” – Heb.10:24)

Have you noticed how the art of handwritten letter writing is increasingly fading? Our once, ‘hi how are ya’, or ‘
thinking of you’, followed by a more lengthy note of encouragement, has been replaced with a quick text “how r u ttm” (How are you, talk to me).

Our words of encouragement to others hold TONS of weight. To see in writing, that you are loved, appreciated, then with word imagery, we pull out the pom~poms and cheer each other on. I strongly believe ‘encouragement’ is universally lacking.

I have begun an intense study of the book of Philippians. I start by looking at Philippi, then Paul the author. Paul wrote this letter while in prison in Rome. This, his most personal of all letters to a church, his main directive is to thank them for their love and support.

So basically the letter is a huge ‘thank you’ note. Yet, he doesn’t stop there, he continues. Here’s a bit of encouragement … “I thank my God when I think of you … I have you in my heart …. stand fast…be of the same mind… rejoice in the Lord always… don’t be anxious … but by prayer… be thankful … let your request be made known…and the peace of God…shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus … think on these things (dandy of a list) …” Wrapping it up with “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit…” THAT is some high five-ing, high flying pom~pom action! “GO PHILIPPIANS!”

May we pause for a brief moment, Paul wrote this while in CHAINS in prison. He could have, in his humanity, turned the letter into a huge ‘whine.’ He could have withheld the encouragement until the ‘conditions’ were better. MANY excuses could have surfaced. He could have waited until he walked free in the streets, felt the warmth of rubbing shoulders with others, breathed in fresh air. But he didn’t. He spoke from his captivity. He had faith, he reached for his God and shared that experience with others.

What an example to us all, that we not “WAIT.” Wait, until we have it all together. Wait until ‘we’ think the conditions are just right to reach out to someone else, EVEN in our own pain, our own struggle. Sure, some of us are thinking, “But he was PAUL, the dude had a direct blinding link to Jesus!” Yes, yes he did. But so do we. We have the same Lord, the same Spirit dwelling in us.

Our words whether they be verbal, written, texted or twittered, posted or pasted. May we reach out. May we hug with our words. Remember a time when someone reached out to you? You felt the warmth, the love, the lift? The image of the old adage “Measure twice and cut once,” comes to mind. May we seek the accuracy of the fit. The fit of our words.

Don’t wait … someone out there needs YOU. The hurting, the lonely, the confused. Embrace them. They need your words of encouragement. They cant wait for you to ‘get it all together’. They need it NOW! They need US, now!  ” So thankful you are in my life …. Hang in there … stay focused … be happy in God … don’t freak out … cry out to God … tell Him like it is …. God will take care of you … think about God stuff.” Ok, so it’s not Paul fancy, but it speaks …

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds” ~ Heb. 10:24)

Jesus, the disciples and the crowd were leaving Jericho. A blind beggar named Bart (Bartimaeus), was sitting beside the road. When he heard that Jesus was there, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Dude Be quiet!” the people yelled at him. But this only got him more excited, he shouted even louder, “SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME!” When Jesus heard him, He stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up” they said. “Come on, He’s calling you!” Bart threw his coat down, jumped up, and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My teacher,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” – Mark 10:46-51 (paraphrase & emphasis mine)

I LOVE the quotes of Jesus, THIS is one of my favorite. Blind Bart, works his way to Jesus, VERY apparent he lacks the ability to see, Jesus being God … KNEW! Yet, Jesus asks… “ What do you want me to do for you?” When the people tried to hush Bart, would he quiet himself? NO, he was desperate! Bart initiated the ‘ask’, would he follow through? How often do ‘we’ ask, find we are perhaps scorned by others for it, and hush up. Are we desperate enough? Jesus wants us to come to the place that we tell Him… He already knows, but we say it. Notice too, that when Jesus asked, Bart’s response was NOT full of excuses or explanation, “Well, when I was 10, I was in a scuffle with my brother, I fell, my head injury resulted in my blindness, actually I am sure my brother pushed me. We haven’t spoken since. I have sought help from the doctors for years, but to no avail, it did not help. I am still blind, so here I sit every day waiting. What would I like? I would like to be able to see again.”

He simply stated, “I want to see!”

May we too, in Jesus’ presence, not shy away, don’t back down, stay desperate… get straight to the point… and ask of Him.

What happen to Bart? Jesus healed him.

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love & good deeds.” – Heb. 10:24)

Ever hit that ‘wall’? The wall commonly known as the athlete’s wall. Picture a runner, nearing the end of the race, all energy has been spent, their breathing is labored, their body screams in agony. Doubt, fear, and confusion, even anger now rages through them. “There is nothing left, I have nothing left to give!” is their cry. Yet and yet, they do finish the race.

There are many ‘walls’ of life.  Moments when we feel we have little left to give, and what we do have, we feel we need to conserve it to make it to the next day. Perhaps, our supply is empty, seeing the bottom is to easy.  For many of us, we have opted to just allow ourselves to dry up and die. I have been there, it is painful.

This morning I was awaken very early in the morning. The calm of the soon coming dawn still lingered outside my window. My thoughts went to Elijah. How often do our thoughts go to Elijah at 3:30 am.? The story of the widow and her son came to mind, out of 1 Kings 17. They had just enough flour and oil to make one last meal, after that nothing was left, they surely would die. In walks Elijah into their story, (God is always on time) asking her to make him a meal first. Telling him of her plight and empty cupboards, he tells her “Don’t be afraid” God says, “your supply of flour will not end, and the oil will not run dry.” She does what he says, and miraculously there is plenty of continuous oil and flour.

‘The oil will not run dry,’ what a wonderful promise. This encouraged me. Just when we think we have spent all that there is in us … there will be more. More coming from HIM. More energy to face another day. When our breathing is labored …more power to enable us to fight the good fight. When all that is in us SCREAMS … there will always be more. The oil will not run dry, a continuous flow of God is offered to us. We accept the oil by doing what God asks of
us. Take what we have and give it to HIM, He increases it.

Whatever we are facing, whatever our race, “Don’t be afraid”, the walls of life are met with a jug of oil. Allow its continuous flow.

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love & good deeds” – Heb. 10:24)

The CANDLE … warm glow, the dancing of the flame,  slow drip of the fragrant wax.  Soothing isn’t it?  One could sit for hours in its shadow, just admiring the effect it has on us.  I love illumination.  One of my favorites rests on my coffee table, a round candle sits in a bed of coffee beans in an attractive clear glass vase.

A few years ago at bible study, as the women entered the room,  they were greeted with a white linen covered table; with two tapered candles burning in long stem crystal holders.  The atmosphere was warm and elegant.  There is something about … a flickering flame. In the middle of the table was a gold Jewish Menorah, it too was burning gently. Our study at the time was the Tabernacle of Moses, I wanted each gal to experience the peace, the invitation of the … flame.

The Lord revealed Himself many times in the flame, the bush with Moses, where he was commissioned, and Yahweh gives us His name, “I AM THAT I AM” (Ex. 3), and the pillar of fire at night to the Israelites, extending His guidance (Ex. 13).  Solomon dedicating the Temple, fire came down from heaven as God’s glory filled it (2 Chron. 7). One can not talk fire, forgetting to mention the show down on Mt. Carmel, Elijah, and his God against the prophets of Baal, go God! (I Kings 18).  Then the tongues of fire on the heads of those gathered at Pentecost (Acts 2)

Oh, we may not be calling God down from heaven these days to consume our sacrifice to prove a point, but the use of the flame on a smaller note, we can understand.  The theme of the candle or lamp in the bible is strong.  In Psalm 18:28 David writes “For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness”.   Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”.   It is God that burns, His presence, His word that lights our way; it is in our very next step we desire Him to be present.  Light our way O God!

With the joy and privilege of the candle comes responsibility, tending.  The priests DAILY tended to the lamp in the Tabernacle.  Along with the sacrifice, the water, the light, these needed daily attention.  When God gave strict instruction of the articles for the Tabernacle, He included the ‘wick trimmers’.  Exodus 25:38, the wick trimmers were made of pure gold.

As I researched this, I was amazed to find, the need that as we trim the wick short; we ‘cut off yesterday’s fire.’  It was described that the wick begins to have a small build up, causing the flame not to burn pure, and too fast.  This is the black soot that flows from the flame; it is drowning in a large pool of melted wax.   This soot seems to fall and attach itself to those things closest to the candle.  Hm… think on that.   We trim for a fresh, even, pure, lasting flame!  Fresh Fire!  Does that stir something in you?

The Lord spoke to me about the need to come DAILY, seeking His presence, His word, that FRESH  FIRE, depending not on yesterday’s experience!  As I trim my wick and prepare for a fresh word from God, His presence comes.  As He did with Moses, He will reveal Himself to me, commissioning me for the day.  As the Israelites, He will guide me.  As His temple, He will fill me.  Just like Elijah He will do great things in my midst.

How is your flame burning?  Is it yesterdays fire, or has it gone out completely?  Seek as David did, ‘light my candle O God!’

Fresh Fire… trim your wick, for a pure, even, lasting flame, Go God!  (wouldn’t that look great on the Yankee candle label)

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds.” – Heb. 10:24)

Christmas ‘2013’ ~ Santa Claus, electronic yard reindeers, snowmen, cards, parties, lights, decorated trees, wrapping paper, bows.

Christmas ‘the beginning’ ~ Mary & Joseph, baby Jesus, manger, bright star, angelic host, shepherds, sheep, peace on earth, good news, (SALVATION!)

Luke chapter 2, the familiar recounting of the Christmas story, like that of a well rehearsed children’s play, all the characters are in place, the declaring angels hit their queue perfectly, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” LOVE IT!

There is one small phrase I want to point out in the narrative, “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” (v. 8) I’ll jump right to it … did you know that scholars believe, due to the proximity to Jerusalem THESE lambs were the temple lambs. THESE shepherds were caring for lambs destined for sacrifice! The spiritual custom (requirement) of the day was to raise or purchase a lamb, take it to the priests and have it offered as a substitutionary sacrifice for atoning forgiveness of their sins. (Pause … stop reading … think about this)

Would it be a far reach to state that these shepherds KNEW the divine importance of “keeping watch over their flocks …” Could it be that God sent the angels to the people that would … GET IT? The angel

“… I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord” The Messiah has come, the Savior.

Remember the conversation Abraham had with Issac as they climbed the mountain? Abraham’s response so very prophetic, “The fire and wood are here,” Issac said, “but where is the lamb…” Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb…” (Gen. 22:7-8)

Jesus’ birth. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (Jn. 3:16)

Fast forward 30+ years … this, recorded of John the Baptist, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

About 3 years following John’s statement of Jesus, it is Passover, Jesus, found innocently hanging on the cross. On lookers watch as His blood drips from His beaten, bloody nail peirced body.

Later, as we follow the story of God, the angels again declare, this time … “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing … be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (Rev. 5:11,13)

May we this season, attempt to grasp the full message of the birth of Jesus. Behold the provision and O so worthy Lamb of God. The provision of Christmas

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds.” ~ Heb. 10:24)

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