2009-12-11
Good Moring Loved Ones,
It’s a good way for us to start the week by recognizing that our families and friends, love us, this author loves each of you, and most of all, we are each loved by the Lord. This might seem sappy to the tough among us, but nevertheless, it is the truth. There is no one who doesn’t want to be loved, even underneath a covering of whatever earthly sophistications we wrap around ourselves. The Holy Spirit wants me to continue on this analysis of MT 7:12 [the Golden Rule], MT 22: 34-40 [the Great Commandment] and RO 13: 1-8, [duties toward state authorities and other people].
If you remember this story from before, forgive me for repeating it. Peter and I were pretty new in our congregation at the time. We had just been through the newcomer’s class and decided to hold off joining officially until we had some time to meld into the church community and see if we were made to feel welcome there. I was in a group where the leader chose which seats each person would take, and I was placed near a statuesque lady who paid no attention to me, not even saying, “hi, you’re welcome in our group.” The other people around me were much warmer toward me. I decided after a few weeks of this lady’s ignoring me, I would ask her out to lunch and see if that would make any difference. That idea had to have come from the Lord. She surprised me by accepting the invitation, so we met at a local restaurant. I made up my mind that I would focus the conversation on her instead of myself. She warmed up to me immediately. I had noticed that her she never had a husband beside her, so I asked her if she was single. She grinned and told me that her husband doesn’t like to go to church, and that he stays home indulging in his hobbies [he was retired]. Then, I shared with her how difficult that is, since in my first marriage I had the same situation. As the conversation went on, she shared that she really appreciated me taking an interest in her. It was clear that love is what she needed from her friends, not judgments. She had it from me and still knows that today. Meeting people where their needs are can be a blessing, as this lady and I are still friends today. Do you think the Lord had His hand in this? I do!
Treating others as we would want to be treated is fulfilling the law. Remember, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” [MT 7: 12]? Peter and I met a man who had been struggling with alcohol and drug dependency. He wanted badly to get rid of his habit and had just emerged from rehab. We decided to sponsor him through a Via de Cristo weekend. This four-day spiritual retreat is our idea of the closest contact with God one can have. Our own weekends were in the winter of ’97, and this experience changed our lives forever. Today, after having had his weekend, our friend is working, living on his own, and has even joined a church. God has empowered all three of us to be persistently dependant on Him, an attitude which the self-centered [as I was in my past] could never have. Remember MT 22: 38-40 tells us that the whole law of Moses depends on these two commandments: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might…Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” This same notion is repeated in RO 13: 8. And it must be understood that we shouldn’t obey these precepts because we are coerced into it, but “as a matter of conscience” [RO 13: 5].
At this point, it’s time to look at the narrow gate to eternal life. MT 7: 13-14 is a passage I often cite. To jog your memory, here it is again: “Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide, and the road that leads to it is easy; there are many who travel it. But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it.” This goes hand in hand with MT 22: 14, “And Jesus concluded, ‘Many are called [invited], but few are chosen.’” The evil one places temptations to hold grudges, be greedy, give in to anger, violence, and a host of other sins. Only those who are boldly faithful and who have allowed God to reveal His goodness and His perspective to them, will reject these temptations. Hence, the “many are called; few are chosen” situation. God and the Son are so good to us, that they deserve our faithful obedience and loyalty. How many of us deliver on that consistently? I certainly know there is plenty of room for improvement on that in my own life. One Biblical truth, found in PS 145: 17-18, has changed my attitude and increased the strength I have to avoid temptations. “The Lord is righteous in all He does, merciful in all His acts. He is near to those who call to Him, who call to Him with sincerity.” The same can be said when PS 24: 1 is added to the mix. “The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are His.” He owns it all! This means that God is giving us the earth for our use, that He is our Creator, that He has the right to claim ownership of us, as He does in EPH 1: 13-14. We don’t have to worry that any of His acts are evil, for “there is no evil in Him.” Knowing these and other Biblical teachings changes our “what’s in it for me?” attitude to “what can I do for You, Lord?” PS 119: 93, ”I will never forget Thy precepts: for with them Thou hast quickened me [made me come alive].” It is the Lord, Who gives us the way and the motivation to make good, wise, compassionate judgments.
PRAYER: O Lord, because “many are called, but few are chosen” we are all exposed to people who reject the Lord Jesus. We ask You today to show us how, by both our words and our example, we can influence people for You. Our desire is not only to strengthen our own faith, but to serve You, using the talents You gave us, to bring people to the place where Your Holy Spirit can give them life-giving faith in Jesus Christ. You have given us the Great Command [MT 28: 19-20]. We know You would never give us such an order, if You didn’t also equip us to carry it out. The first place we must assess is our own lives and the condition of our heart-attitude toward You and Your agenda. It is also essential that we cannot live totally self-absorbed lives. Losing our natural selfishness must happen. Because we are poor in spirit without the intervention of the Holy Spirit, we ask for that today and for the rest of our lives. For, Dearest Abba, You have told us, in RO 8: 14-16, that we are Your spiritually adopted children, who are given the Holy Spirit to plead for us in ways we cannot [RO 8: 26-27]. We have been told by the Son to be careful what we pledge before You [RO 5: 34-36], and so we will. But today, we vow to join You in Your work and to do what we can, by both word and example, to help bring others to Your side in heaven. You have made it clear that You want us “to keep our eyes upon the Lord Jesus and to run the race with perseverance that is marked out for us” [HE 12: 1-2]. We vow to try to do this in a way which pleases You and is guided by Your Holy Spirit. We can witness to our faith in many ways. We make strangers in our midst friends by reaching out to them. We live our lives “in Christ” even though we won’t reach His perfection. We let You lead when we are amidst controversy [2 COR 10: 3-5]. We will follow Your direction, even though it takes us out of our comfort zones. Most of all, we never forget to praise and thank You for the many blessings You bestow on us. And we acknowledge Your supremacy, sovereignty, and utter generosity. These things we pray in the holy and mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Next week, I’m led to continue discussing the narrow gate to eternity. We are only now beginning to realize the far-reaching effects of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount words on judgment. Is it any wonder that I’m still needing to write about it? I guess not! There is an earthly goal that I see as hugely important. PS 52: 8, “But I am like an olive tree growing in God’s house, and I can count on His love forever and ever.” That goal is being “like an olive tree growing in the Lord’s house.” This was originally meant to refer to Israel, but now it refers to any true believer who is part of the Body of believers in the Lord Yeshua [Jesus Christ]. Each Gentile believer is “grafted in to the olive tree” [RO 11: 17] along with believing Jews [Messianic Jews]. Those who make a lifestyle out of rejecting God are “pruned away.” They will suffer condemnation; the believers will not. Those who repent from their sins and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior will be saved, even if they do this after long years of rejecting Him. That is the nature of God’s eternal forgiveness, which, by His grace, is extended to everyone who believes. It’s a blessing and a privilege to be one of the “elect,” whose life is made eternal by His salvation [JN 3: 16; RO 3: 14-15; HE 8: 12]. God created all His children to be capable of being granted this eternal forgiveness, but He also gave us free agency [the right to make up our own minds]. It is my hope that you and I will be ones of the few who are chosen. Think about it, and be thankful that we each have this choice. Praise and thanks be to God!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn