We've had some turbulence in our lives recently that has turned my attention to what it means to love. We use this word for so many things, but when we look at what the Bible says about it, love is a sacred thing. It's difficult to do, but it's so worth it.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
I think I've veered to the left in my attempt to love. I need to turn the wheel straight again and follow completely in the Lord's steps. Do you love the way He commands? If not, read what He says about love, study it, write it on your heart, and live it today. If we don't truly love others, nothing else is worth anything.
Anchored in Him
At our homeschooling academy meeting last night, a friend shared a short devotion about the stability we have in Jesus. She talked about how He is our anchor, especially in times when the waters are troubling & choppy! It was too great to keep to myself, so I must share it with you. Here is what she shared--along with a little that I've added:
The Lord is our anchor and we need to remember this in tough times. With teenagers in the house (she has three) sometimes our lives feel like roller coasters with all the ups and downs we experience with them. But, that's just it. It is THEIR teenage experience, not ours.
Not that we aren't experiencing it with them, because we definitely are. But, when their emotions are going up and down uncontrollably, we need to make sure that we don't get lost in that chaos and make it our own. The Lord showed her that she (we) have an anchor in Him, and when the kids' lives are bumpy, we have a spiritual maturity--an anchor in him--that they don't have yet, and we can find peace when we need it most; we don't have to let their emotions become OUR emotions.
Wow! What a revelation. We need to remember that we're anchored in Him, and we're not tethered to the roller coaster emotions that our teens experience at times--some of them more than others! This verse really illustrates what she shared:
"God did so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain..." ~Hebrews 6:18-19 NIV
Church Membership
In my adult life I have never been an official member of any church. I really didn't even think it was important as I was never approached to partake in membership nor ever taught what it was about.
However, last weekend our Pastor held a Membership 101 class and I attended--I learned a lot and was surprised at how important I came to see church membership as being.
The word "commitment" can be a frightening one depending on your understanding of it, your background, or your past experiences with commitments. For me, it's a big, scary word (most of the time).
That being said, I have been attending the same church for the past 5 1/2 + years, so I have a commitment, whether or not it's official. Here are some of the main points from our class which resonated with me:
- Church membership is about commitment. "It's kind of like getting married vs. just living together." -Pastor M.
- "You can be a christian without being a member of a particular church, but you're not going to be very fruitful if you're disconnected. God wants you to be connected so you can grow and help others grow."
- Though it doesn't say specifically in the Bible that you have to fill out a membership application & join a church, The New Testament is filled with biblical foundations as to why it's important to join a church body.
- 1 Corinithians 12:13 says that when a person is saved they become a member of the body of Christ. Joining a church is the outward expression of this because not only are we united with Christ, but other members of the body of Christ as well.
At the end of the class, I had learned a lot and was excited to make it official! Our commitment entailed protecting the unity of our church, sharing the responsibility of our church, serving the ministry of our church, and financially supporting the testimony of our church. In our culture, this class is enough to make people turn right around and run out of church, but hopefully it won't. Hopefully people will take a stand, find a church where they belong, and make the commitment to walk & grow with other followers of Jesus Christ.
*Here are some other verses that were powerful in explaining the Biblical foundations for joining a church:
- 1st Timothy 4:13, 2nd Timothy 4:2
- Romans 12:3-8, 1st Corinthians 12:4-31, 1st Peter 4:10-11
- Luke 22:19, Acts 2:38-42
- Mathew 28:18
- Acts 2:41-47, Acts 5:14, Acts 16:5
Selling Jesus for a Quarter
There's a website that has some great devotions for teens. We read one the other day about a pastor who rode a public bus, and when he paid the driver gave him a quarter too much change back. On his way back to his seat the pastor contemplated whether he should give the quarter back. First he thought he ought to do the right thing, then he thought it was such a small amount it didn't matter, then he decided that the bus company didn't need the quarter back.
As he stepped out of the bus, he turned and gave the quarter to the bus driver--telling him he had gotten too much change. The bus driver said to the pastor, "aren't you the new pastor in town? I've been thinking of visiting your church and I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change."
The pastor stepped off the bus and grabbed onto the nearest light pole and prayed to the Lord, "I almost sold your son for a quarter!"
I won't tell you the rest of what happened because they have the whole thing on their website (Click here for the full devotion). But, what a concept and a great way to illustrate to kids the importance of doing the right thing.
Owning Their Faith
At a youth ministry seminar this weekend, I was reminded of the importance of teaching our children to have their own faith, rather than just showing them ours. The speaker was talking about worldview and the fact that many kids grow up knowing what their parents believe, but often times they fail to develop their own genuine faith and relationship with Jesus. This really struck a chord with me.
My heart longs to help my children develop their own faith and relationship with the Lord, rather than just being pulled along by me (You can't slide into heaven on the heels of your parents). I've heard the saying, "God has no grandchildren" many times, but until this weekend I really didn't understand what it meant. After listening to the speaker, it was clear to me that it means that each of us are God's children and He longs to be a father to each of us--not knowing us through someone else, but having a deep, personal relationship with each and every one of us. What a beautiful thing to finally understand!
The speaker emphasized that by teaching our children HOW to think rather than just telling them WHAT to think, we are providing them with a sense of ownership of their faith. As we ask open-ended questions and allow them to give their input about what scripture says, and different circumstances in life, we're teaching them to apply God's word to their lives. And will they get it wrong sometimes? Yes, you bet they will. But, that's okay. It's part of the learning process and the Lord will take those mistakes and use them to deepen His relationship with our children--HIS children.
My heart was stirred at the seminar, and I left feeling refreshed and energized, ready to tweak a few things about how I'm leading my children (and the kids at church) and knowing that Jesus has my back, and knows what's best for my kids even more than I do.
