Called to Comfort

 “All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 MSG

Autumn is in the air! Even here in the South the heat and humidity are reluctantly retreating. As I anticipate the entrance of an array of fall foliage, I envision evenings around a fire, see myself sporting sweats and sweaters, and contemplate sleeping, snuggled under a downy comforter.

I love how God designs seasons. A season for everything. The previous ushers in the next, encouraging us to leave the old and welcome the new. Summer sun strengthens, while heat and humidity heighten. Then autumn announces its arrival with a soothing sigh.

We all experience seasons. Granted, some are subtle, others outlandish. Yet each season has a purpose. Nature illustrates this through cycles of life, death, rest, and rebirth.  So, also, our seasons of life have purpose. God prepares us for our calling by counseling us in our most challenging seasons.

He calls His people to be comforters. We provide comfort when we share our seasons and show compassion to those experiencing hard times.

SHARE YOUR SEASONS—Authentic Christianity requires us to honestly address the reality of our own lives. Human nature likes to take a highlighter to the deficiency in others while covering our own in correction fluid. Yet a Comforter will cover another with a layer of love to shelter them. Exposing our own seasons of failures and fears creates a safe place for courageous confession, not condemnation.

SHOW COMPASSION TO OTHERS—Vulnerability on our part creates a conduit for compassion. There is no opportunity for self-promotion when we expose our own faults and highlight the compassion our God provides.

So let’s not cower under the comfort God has provided, but be courageous comforters who cover others in love.

Relish the Response

 People

Relationally
Approaching
Yahweh
Expecting
R......

what response do you hunger for?

 
God extends a personal invitation to each of us to enter into a dialogue with Him. The God who created the universe desires to talk to us. How amazing is that?

He invites you to call on Him. He knows you and listens as you speak. He is eager to respond.

What kind of response are you yearning for today? Are you facing overwhelming circumstances and pray for rescue? Maybe you need His help to relinquish yourself from guilt or release forgiveness on someone else. Is your plea that He will redeem a situation that has caused pain? Reconciliation in a relationship? Perhaps a reminder of who you are or whose you are. A review of His promises? Could it be that you are feeling numb and only He can refresh and bring revival to a weary soul. Do you long for a deeper relationship with Him?

Listen for His voice and follow. He is a God who speaks. Whatever it is that you request, His reply will comfort you.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

Growing Up not Old

photo by Jen Griffin

I was a baby Christian for twenty some years. That is way too long to be in diapers! Unfortunately, all I saw were other baby Christians, so I didn't know what it looked like to mature spiritually.

A church with only spiritual babes has a high energy level, but no one to teach them. They are an easy target for the enemy. On the other hand, a church family of only mature members has a wellspring of knowledge and experiences with God, but no heirs to receive the legacy. Just as families need the different generations, the church family needs members at different spiritual maturity.levels.

Baby believers should be the new reborns, not those who have been adopted into God's family and just never grew. Together we can help each other mature by welcoming new additions and consistently encouraging and challenging each other as we learn to live like Christ. As a member of His church we should want to group up, not just get old.

No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love--like Christ in everything. Ephesians 4:14-15 MSG

Walking Under the Influence

Walking Under the Influence

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…” Acts 1:8a

School shootings and stabbings, deadly disasters, AWOL airplanes. News stories abound with scary situations. There is much to be afraid of in 2014 A.D.

Two thousand years ago, the disciples and early church also had much to fear. The Bible records and history supports that early believers were speared, stoned, beheaded, and crucified. John, the beloved, disciple, died a natural death; yet, it is believed that he was boiled in hot oil before being exiled to Patmos. Scary scenarios.

The ESV uses the phrase “do not be afraid” thirty-three times. God also encouraged His people to “be strong and courageous” ten times in the OT. Yet we do not see either of these phrases after the book of Acts in the NT. After Christ’s ascension, we are told Paul was encouraged not to be afraid. Only two times.

Why the shift? Times are still terrifying.

The transition came when the Spirit came. We are now under His influence. He indwells. When Christ’s followers receive His salvation, they also receive His Spirit. No longer does the encouragement come from on high, it comes from within.

The epistles do not tell us to “fear not”, but show believers who walked in the Spirit became bold. The Spirit within enables our actions to speak as well as our words.

Times are tough, yet we do not have to cower in fear. We can boldly walk with the Spirit in His enabling power, knowing our purpose is to be Christ’s witness to our world.

“… and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:31b

photo by Jen Griffin

Missing my dad

Because of Jesus, death has lost its sting.

 

I'm missing my dad today. This is my first year for not having him here to send a card to, call him from another state, or celebrate Father's Day with him at home. I also found out a high school classmate died last night. Today my husband updates me on his mother's health condition.

 

Anger is the emotion I am feeling. No, I am not angry with God. Quite the opposite. I am angry at death.

 

Tears are burning down my cheeks and anger is burning in my chest when I think: This might be how Jesus feels about death. Maybe that is why Jesus left His heavenly home, lived a life, and exited the grave. The reason He took on my sin, slayed its hold on me, and gives me hope in death.

 

One day I will join Him.

 



One day Jesus is coming! Oh, glorious day.

Knowing Jesus

Ya'akov--a younger brother of Yeshua

In five chapters James confronts some of the toughest questions that confuse Christians—then and now. Paradoxical, not easily reconcilable, yet he seems to “get it” not grapple with it.

Godhead bodily                                   Jewish Christianity                                        Performing faith

Just mercy                                                        Joyful trials

What strikes me as I read the words he penned is that he is not struggling with understanding. Not a “how can this be?” line of thinking, but a “this is how it is” attitude.

And I have come to this conclusion: he gets it because he knew Jesus. He was the second born of Mary’s children. He lived in Joseph’s house. He bunked with Jesus as a boy and continued to tag along after him into early adulthood. He tried to make Jesus behave and bore the frustration of all who have tried and failed to do so. Then he was visited by the resurrected Messiah and put two and two together and saw the trinity--the fullness of the godhead bodily.

 

James wasn’t a disciple of the great Rabbi. He was kin to him all along--following in His footsteps since birth and now a witness of the resurrected One. He had been listening to what his brother had to say from the cradle. Now that the spiritual eyes were open to the truths embodied in the Word made flesh and dwelling among us, James did not need to grapple. He was compelled to lead others to understanding. He no longer invoked nepotism, but declared himself “a slave to God and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.”

 

His words are humbly powerful, knowledgeable, and challenging. Worth anyone’s while to read.

Extreme. Balance.

Still testing the whole teeter totter theory...(see two earlier posts)

I was reading a book the other day that said Christians like to balance grace with the law. Does that mean measure out some grace? Measure an equal part of the law. Stir until well blended?

As humans do we try to balance things by mixing? It may seem easier that way. Once mixed we only have to hold one thing. 

Yet God illustrates balance using extremes. More like a teeter tooter than a mixing bowl. Jesus is both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God. (Not a mixed breed, new creature hybrid.) He is the alpha and omega--first and last--beginning and end. He is grace and truth, truth and love.

As Christ walked through the lamp stands in His Revelation to John, He challenged the church of Laodecia to be either hot or cold--not lukewarm.  Hot and cold each have healing properties. A mixture makes a tepid drink.  Jesus said, "So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot or cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Revelation 3:16 NASB.

Questions? I have many. Answers? I'm still digging. But it seems that once again, we must rely on our God to be our fulcrum and our extremes. Ecclesiastes 3:1 CJB tells us that "For everything there is a season,a right time for every intention under heaven."

I recognize that there is a place for both grace and the law as with hot and cold. It is my desire to be both hot and cold for the purpose of healing. Not mixed so that I become lukewarm, but at "the right time for every intention under heaven." I will embrace both the Old and the New Testaments. And I will acknowledge that Jesus extends grace and does not abolish yet completes the Law. For purposes of healing.

I sure would love to hear your thoughts...