The idea formally known as "love"

Do you know that there is no english word for the idea of love?

Now that might seem like a strange thing to say because I just used an english word there but if I was to use that word in a sentence you would have no idea what I was talking about without reading the context.

For example you might say you love your best friend or your wife or husband or your mobile phone. As an aside, if you do love your mobile phone I would prefer you don't use the word "love" instead say "luv" or simply use a little heart icon that way everyone will know what you are talking about and that you are thirteen years old.

Anyways, that's not the idea I'm talking about, I'm talking about unconditional love. Do you think you love anyone unconditionally? If you said "yes" without much thought I submit you have no idea what I'm talking about.

If the object of your love wronged you, hated you, dreadfully mistreated you and selfishly used you and still you held out your love receiving nothing in return that's what I'm talking about. That's how God loves us.

God doesn't love us more when we feel like we're good or obedient. He doesn't love us less when we've messed up. He loves us exactly the same.

Unconditionally.

In fact "God demonstrates His love for us in this, while we were still sinners Christ died for us". If God has poured out His love in our hearts like that what should we do with it?

God's faithfulness

I'm learning what the real meaning of love is right now.

I looked into a mirror and saw the spectre of my selfish love and it didn't make me feel very good... to say the least.

Mercifully, at the same time I was given a glimpse of how great God's love is.

Before boarding the airplane, You knew me
Maybe I was deformed, maybe I had a few rotten teeth?
But You still left the family that loved You and chose me

I spit in Your face, I kicked and threw little fits constantly
Covered in blood and unwilling to walk You carried me
Did Your heart break when I looked back, unable to grasp what You were offering?

Fear of rejection had built a great wall of stone around my heart
You spoke and Your words fell like a hammer breaking it apart
How great is Your faithfulness and You didn't ignore my crying

Room 1207 is fine but its not my home I know there's something better
I'll close my eyes, put in my earphones and when we land breathe the sea air
How great is Your faithfulness and the price paid to redeem me

Dew falls, the light dawns, Your mercies are new every morning
Streams from a rock, my weakness gone, and now my heart is a wellspring
How great is Your faithfulness, Christ's love flows through me.

The orphan <>< #2

This is a remix of something I wrote quite awhile ago but I'm thinking about again...

Imagine if you lived in a place where you had to kill your baby if he was a boy.

And then you had a baby boy.

You hid him but it would only be a matter of time before you were discovered. If he is discovered he'll be drowned in the river. Fear strikes you as you ponder that. Looking at his little face you know what you need to do and it breaks your heart. I'm sure you'll never forget how he looked at you when you laid him in the basket and pushed it gently out into the river.

Was he smiling, thinking it was a game? Was he crying?

Fear and dismay filled your heart as he drifted out of sight. Your daughter followed the basket closely along the shore, eyes alert for danger. She must ensure this package reaches its destination but what if they catch her and connect her with the baby? You could lose two children today. How did you go through with it?

The Orphan - Newsboys

Maybe I push when I'm meant to be still
Maybe I take it all to personal
Jesus, how to reconcile
The joyful noise
The ancient land
The tug from some invisible hand
The dying mother weaving bulrushes
Along the Nile

Float her basket over the sea
Here on a barren shore
We'll be waiting for
A tailwind to carry an orphan's cry
Don't you worry, child
I wrote a lullaby

I try to settle, but I just pass through
A rain dog, gypsy a wandering Jew
All those homes were not ours
Then I slept one night in Abraham's field
And dreamt there was no moon
The night he died
Counting stars
Selah

Building you a home
Building you a home
Building you a home
We're building you a home
Selah
Lam. 5:3 - We have become orphans and waifs

For me this story opens a a small window into God's heart. What He must feel as he weaves our spirits and places them in our fragile bodies to be floated into the world with the desire that we will one day return to Him. He has promised that we won't be left orphans, He sent His Spirit to watch and guide us across the sea. Comfort us and run interference with the crocodiles.

John 14:18 - I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you
Rom 8:15 - For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba Father"

God's plans are perfect. Not only did Moses survive but he became the instrument of God's freedom for the people of Israel, a spider in Pharoah's palace. There are two key messages that I take away from all this; One is that we are children of God and heirs to His blessing and if heirs then joint-heirs with Christ. Imagine for one moment the best parent on earth... how much more will God look after and love His own children? The second is that my earthly children are really God's children and I am their spiritual foster parent... no pressure!

Now return to the Nile. You look up and see your daughter running towards you, she's crying and your heart sinks, you fear the worst... No, she's carrying something... and smiling...? Tears of joy are falling when she returns your baby boy to your arms. Alive and safe!

Up from the stoney ground

Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently;
He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you,
So His visage was marred more than any man,
And His form more than the sons of men; so shall He sprinkle many nations.

Kings shall shut their mouths at Him;
For what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider.
Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground.

He has no form or comeliness;
And when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.
He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted,yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. - Isaiah 52:13 - 53:7

The youth pastor at our church preached recently on Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem and then how He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. He drew a connection between that and the common saying tt March sometimes comes in as a lion and goes out like a lamb... I have never thought about that before.
 
This year where I live, March came in like a lion, roared most of the month and then went out like a lion as well. Perhaps thats fitting as well. Jesus allowed Himself to be mocked, spit upon, tortured until ultimately His body was marred more than any man. Throughout all this and when He defeated death and ascended into heaven He was definitely still the Lion of Judah. This makes what He willingly endured even more amazing.
   
But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour. - John 12:23-26

Twilight

Today in church the kids in youth group were relating something that was emotional for them. 

Some time ago they had been helping out at one of the retirement homes in town. They were discussing with the people there what their wishes were. To many of the people that lived there, their greatest wish was simply that their family would come and visit them.

"Do you know someone that stares at the walls..."

Earworms

How do you recognize a false prophet?

I heard a story about a woman and her son that made me wonder about this. She had an experience in her congregation that really bothered her.
(Cue soundtrack, “Brother Love’s travelling salvation show by Neil Diamond)

Hot august night
And the leaves hanging down and the grass on the ground smellin’ sweet

move up the road
to the outside of town and the sound of that good gospel beat

I guess her pastor had invited a guest speaker who was supposed to be a prophet to pray and speak prophecy over the children in his congregation

Room gets suddenly still
And when you’d almost bet you could hear yourself sweat
He walks in

The gathered faithful with their children all in a line, he prays for each of them one by one. The parents smile or shed tears of joy as they hear him say to their children the usual “God has great plans for you” or “You will meet someone who will soon make a strong impression on you” or “The archangel Michael has some golden plates for you”. It was all fairly standard until he got to her son, and then the story takes an odd turn. He put his hand on the boy’s head and began to pray.

A worried look crept across his face.

Eyes black as coal
And when he lifts his face every ear in the place
Is on him

He avoided any of the aforementioned affirmations,

Starting soft and slow
like a small earthquake

said nothing to the young boy and said to his mother instead

and then he lets go
and half the valley shakes

“You need to pray for him every single day!”

Nice.

I wonder how he decided to choose that boy to receive that “word”. Did he pick him randomly? Or was it the way he was dressed? Was it the way his mother brought him forward full of hope and love for her son? Maybe he has some ridiculous pattern. I wish someone had called him out

Even if you believe God still speaks through prophets, did any of God’s prophets in scripture ever speak like this? Sure their words were like salt in a wound when they rebuked Kings and nations but they were pretty clear about what was wrong and what would happen next.


And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains but have not love. I am nothing. – 1 Corinthians 13:2

And what is not a result of love?

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love – 1 John 4:18

This guy used a negative prophecy, if you want to call it that, to try and prove he was legit but most others seem to want to scratch an itch in people's ears. These guys sooth and massage Christians with their prosperity and healing messages. The result is that people are content to stay where they are and keep their eyes fixed on their material collections and the health of their bodies. It feels good to snuggle into a comfy pew, close your eyes and hear the fervent man on the stage rock the mic and boldly proclaim, “You know what God has for you?”

“Yes”, you may answer, “An eternity spent worshipping His Son”

“Er… yes”, he replies and then louder “but I mean in this world!”

“Oh,” you say “uh… trouble?”

“No sir! Spirit of unbelief, I rebuke you! Favour!”

“Favour! Favour! Favour!..”

(Camera focuses on the clock on the wall both hands do a couple quick laps around)

“… Favour! Favour! Favour!”



If God still speaks through prophets, If He still heals people or works miracles I don’t believe it’s through these guys. Jesus said John was the greatest prophet who ever lived and if he lived today would he wear an Armani suit, drive a Lexus or have an air-conditioned doghouse? Probably a safe bet to say no. But if you dare say “Uh… excuse me sir? I don’t think what you’re saying or doing lines up with scripture?” You’ll be sure to get told you’re calling the work of the Holy Spirit the work of the devil.

Here’s a quick test: Do they confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh? (1 John 4:2), Do they speak as the world and does the world listen to them? (1 John 4:5), Do they love their fellow Christians? (1 John 4:7-8), Do they have God’s Spirit? (1 John 4:13), Do they confess that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 4:15), Do they fear? (1 John 4:18), Do they say with their mouth “I love God” and hate their brother with their actions? (1 John 4:20)

Sits a ragged tent
Where the aint no trees
And that gospel group
Telling you and me

Its Love, Brother love, said Brother Love’s travellin’ salvation show
Pack up the babies grab the old ladies
everyone goes, everyone knows its Brother Love’s show

Brothers, I said Brothers
Now you got yourself two good hands
And when your brother is troubled
You got to reach out your one hand for him
'Cause that's what it's there for

And when your own heart is troubled
You got to reach out your other hand
Reach it out to the Man up there
'Cause that's what He's there for

Take my hand in yours Lord, walk with me this day
In my heart I know, I will never stray

Choose your diversion

My family and I took a realignment cruise from LA to Vancouver last year. We had high expectations of a fun, relaxing and er...well, cheap 3 day sail. We boarded our vessel shortly after the Swine flu hysteria had begun. And one of my least favourite memories of this trip was standing on the deck waiting for and then having a safety briefing. At the end of it I actually felt less safe, I felt if there was a real emergency that we would all drown before we could get organized and into our lifeboats. I did learn a valuable lesson though. I learned how to make a group of kindly-looking senior citzens turn militant.

It's actually pretty simple, here's what you do:

1. Have all 2,000 passengers try to board the ship at exactly the same time so they have to wait in line for hours. Ensure there are only a few seats in the waiting area. This is actually better than no seats because invariably some 30 something couples and their annoying children will be the first to grab these seats. This will be like the first breath over the dark coals of rage.

2. As they board the vessel spritz each person's hands with a bleach solution. This will actually accomplish two things; It will frustrate them that the whole delay appears to be due to a mix of poor organization and your ineffectual "enhanced" hygiene. It will also irritate their sensative skin. If you're lucky they will rub their eyes.

3. If they don't smoke make sure their room smells like a wet ash tray.

4. Force them to take part in a mandatory safety briefing on an outside deck. Make sure it's difficult to find and get to their muster station. Don't start the briefing until every single person has arrived. Make sure there is nowhere to sit down comfortably.

5. The captain can do part of the briefing using the intercom but large parts should be spoken by the individual cruise attendant and this part is important... he or she should not have a microphone.

6. When it comes to the attendant's directions, there are two schools of thought. One is to have the attendant speak quietly the whole time. The other, which I prefer, is to have the attendant alternate speaking loudly with long sequences of intelligble speech interspersed. This can prove particularly effective if you start with the quiet part and then in a loud and clear voice end with "... and if you don't do it precisely this way you will die"

7. At some point you will reach the tipping point. Previously friendly and optimistic elderly ladies and gentlemen will begin to yell, "We can't HEAR YOU!". You must ignore their cries until their malevolent discontent turns to jeers. When that happens you're done. Quickly dismiss everyone.

This experience will prove so uncomfortable and frustrating that for the rest of the trip your poor service and hidden costs will seem insignificant in the stark light of this first experience.

Of course I didn't actually enjoy seeing the elderly people suffer like this. At the time if there was anything I could do (other than giving up our seats in the waiting room) I would've done it in a heartbeat. Ok, I'm kidding about the seats too. I respect my elders but I see it as a picture of how I sometimes view my Christian life.

Sometimes I feel like I'm somehow entitled to a certain life. The world constantly tells us that life is all about getting an education, becoming sucessful, getting married (or not), having children (or not), entertaining ourselves, retiring early. It's almost as if we're on a cruise where we get to choose our diversions and if the ship breaks out with Norwalk or the steak is overcooked I want my money back. I'm like the little sunburnt kid stamping my feet on the deck. I'm hungry and bored and someone put too much chlorine in the pool.

So many people are itching to hear from "prophets" who preach prosperity. "God wants you to have that (promotion/success/new car/etc.)" They quote proofs from the Old Testament while ignoring the experience of the early church in the New.

Now I'm not saying everyone is like that, I see people working hard at their faith, helping their brothers and sisters. And I'm not saying its wrong to enjoy life but to pray for God's will to be done as Jesus taught us. I think the idolatry of hedonism has crept into the church.

I've been reading 1 John this week and it's a powerful message of how children of God ought to live, here's a sample.

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. - 1 John 1:5

He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. - 1 John 2:10-11

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. - 1 John 2:15

But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. - 1 John 3:17-18

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. - 1 John 5:14-15

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. - 1 John 5:21

The face of love

What is man that you make so much of him, that you give him so much attention - Job 7:17

LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You think of him? Man is like a mere breath; His days are like a passing shadow. - Psalm 144:3-4

I started reading a book called "Crazy Love" it's about how amazing God's love for us is. The first chapter highlights the reality of how infinitely small we are even in terms of a physical universe. Some scientists say the universe is finite but unbounded . In other words there is an absolute limit to the amount of stars, planets and matter in existence but the universe is expanding into a unlimited space-time continuum. Expanding or not it's massive and we're small.

Click on this link and then videos and then "Awe factor" http://crazylovebook.com/ to see a video demonstrating just how small we are.

Let's assume for a moment that the universe is only as big as our telescopes can see, hundreds of millions of light years. Even if we assume it's limited to that size, we are so incredibly small in comparison. If we were to try to put that in relative terms on earth, we would be like a microvirus, on a bacteria, on a flea, on a dog, on a continent, on the earth. I can't imagine even the nicest, most sympathetic PETA card-carrying individual even caring for a flea let alone the microvirus. That would be crazy. And yet that's kind of similar to God caring for us.

I've seen Your face on stained glass, in coloured lights
In pictures of You looking to the sky
You've been portrayed a thousand different ways
But my heart can see You better than my eyes
'Cause it's love that paints the portrait of Your life
- The face of love