Tag: Love

How to live in chaotic times

How to live in chaotic times

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We always have a choice. We can either retreat into our place of safety (which is really not safe but puts off the inevitable). Or we can be servants of the kingdom of God and risk. In reality, the greater risk is to retreat. Retreat results in isolation, and none of us does well alone. We are social creatures, and as believers in Jesus, we are members of his body. Have you ever known of a severed hand prospering? How about an eye-ball removed from its socket? Does it see well? Severed body parts die. So, according to the analogy, members of the body of Christ that retreat are effectively severed from the body and die. I’m not saying that they lose their salvation and go to hell. I am saying they will shrivel up and be of no value to the kingdom of God.

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I would have mercy and not sacrifice. What?

I would have mercy and not sacrifice. What?

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God desires that we have intimate knowledge of him and a faithful love toward him and others rather than religious activity on our part. Twice in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus quotes this passage from Hosea 6:6. Jesus’ command to the Pharisees was, “Go and learn what this means,” and then quotes Hosea 6:6a, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13 and 12:7). So, it makes sense to me that we should take the hint and make sure we also know what this means since Jesus was obviously not happy that these Pharisees did not comprehend its meaning.

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Can I love God and be disobedient?

Can I love God and be disobedient?

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What is the relationship between love and obedience? Do I earn God’s love through my obedience?

Obedience is an essential quality of a disciple of Jesus.

Jesus gives us the true pattern. In verse 31, he says that he does what the Father commanded “so that” the world may know that I love the Father. Jesus’ obedience was intended to be a demonstration of his love for the Father. Is that the ultimate motivation for Jesus? And, does that mean that we obey so that the world will believe that we love Jesus? Is that the motivation for our obedience?

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Are you praying for your neighbors?

Are you praying for your neighbors?

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Are you praying regularly for your neighbors? I’m now writing about your literal neighbors, the people who live in your neighborhood. The people next door or across the street. Praying for people is one of the greatest acts of love you can do. But that sounds rather passive. That is true only if you don’t understand what happens when you pray for people.

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My story in brief…

Christ first came into my life at the age of 5 during a series of evangelistic meetings in our tiny country Quaker church house in Gate, Oklahoma. Since then it has been a process of “Stumbling forward by grace, through faith in Christ.” I experienced a significant personal revival at the age of 19 and have been much in love with the Lord ever since…five decades-plus.

My passion is to enjoy the Lord by encouraging others to make progress in their lives…living life successfully. I do that primarily through my disciple-making efforts and through my writing.

I spent about 20 years in public ministry and at the age of 40 decided that I had allowed my passion for ministry to impede my prior duty to my family, so I stepped aside. I found a new career as a financial advisor and now make my living serving my financial planning clients.

I now consider myself to be a bi-vocational minister of the gospel.

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