Monday, December 3, 2012
Greg
The other night we had a homeless person over for dinner.
His name is Greg. My dad met him at a church he visited this morning where Greg leads a bible study for homeless people.
The guy is not a bum. He doesn't stand on a street corner with a sign asking for money. He says, "there is nothing wrong with being homeless, but I shouldn't beg. I am God's child. I am doing His work. He will take care of me." And you know what? In 4 years of being homeless, he has never had to beg for food or money. Greg is thankful.
First thing he says to me when he walks in the door is "Hi there, do you know Jesus? Are you a Christian?" I say that I am, and then he says "God bless you!" He then tells me he does not say "God bless you" to people who are not Christians, because he does not want to leave them with the impression that God is blessing them in their sins. He lives among people who get told "God bless you" all day long, like a ritual, and who tell people all day long "God bless you" like it can conjure up magic, and He wants none of it. But he doesn't really need to say it, he is living proof that God loves us all, even the most poor and destitute.
Homeless people are known as takers. All kinds of programs exist to "help" the homeless. But Greg, Greg is different. Greg helps others. Like one time, he got a $40 gift card for Jack and the Box. He didn't ask for it. He was just given it. So what dd he do with it? He bought lunch for some other people with it. He may be homeless, but he is not stingy. One time, in front of an Albertsons, a Salvation Army worker was trying to convince him he needed the help of the Salvation Army. He said that God would take care of him and that he doesn't need to be a mooch. The man says to him, "tell me how that works out for you." 2 minutes later, another man comes out of the store and hands Greg two LOADED bags of groceries, almost more than Greg could carry. Greg modestly walks up to the man and says "this is what waiting on God can do," and then begins to share His groceries with the Salvation Army man! "Freely you have received, freely give," is a motto Greg lives by.
We had a great time of discussing the homeless lifestyle and swapping life stories. We had pizza topped with pesto and avocado, but dad got Greg a chile relleno burrito, since he found out that was a particular favorite of Greg's. As we ate, he shared of how the Lord had been leading him recently.
He feels the Lord has called him for ministry to homeless people. There are two parts to to this ministry. One is, of course, to tell people Jesus and to lead them to salvation. The second, is to disciple them to be productive members of society. "You live here with the rest of us, and you are not disabled or incapacitated. Clean up the city you live in. Do things for people. Stop drinking. Don't live life only for yourself. Give, don't just take."
Some of Greg's ideas sound radical to entitlement American mindset. "You know what would be great?" he says. "If everyone just stopped feeding the homeless for a week. When you are hungry, it motivates you to get up and do something about it." Yeah, Greg doesn't mind stepping on a few toes to push people in truly positive directions.
Before we left, we prayed together. There is a special kind of a blessing in having a someone of such a low state praying for your well being and success in life, as well as your walk with the Lord. When he said "God bless them," I really did feel blessed.
The homeless lifestyle is not for everyone. Greg would never say that. Money is not evil. Work is not evil. Having a house is not evil. Greg just wants everyone to trust Jesus with their whole heart and life, and to love their neighbors. And that is something we can all be doing - whether we live in a fancy house, or live on the streets.
P.S. Pray for Greg. His younger brother died a week ago. He left behind a wife and 3 adult children.
Monday, February 13, 2012
"I Have Written Your Name On The Palms Of My Hands"
I have often heard it said that the God of the Old Testament was this mean angry God, whereas the God of the New Testament is this loving and compassionate God. I find this to be a gross mis-characterization and slander of the awesomely wonderful person of God, who has always in all ways acted in the most unquestionably honorable manner in all situations. My own personal bible reading has often left me with the idea of the OT God displaying great compassion and undeserved favor. Throughout the OT, we see the long-suffering of God to His embarrassingly wayward people, in ways that can humble me at His great perfect goodness and kindness.
Here are two of my favorite passages from the OT that how the unmatched care of God for us.
Isaiah 42
1“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him
and he will bring justice to the nations.
2He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
3A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope.”
How caring and compassionate is this God toward us!!! Not even a brusied reed will He break!!!
Here is great love for His people in these verses as well!
Isaiah 49:14Yet Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.”
15“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?
Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that were possible,
I would not forget you!
16See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.
Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.
17Soon your descendants will come back,
and all who are trying to destroy you will go away.
18Look around you and see,
for all your children will come back to you.
As surely as I live,” says the Lord,
“they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display.
My Lord and My God! I praise you!! I praise you! I thank you!!
This song is called "Ha-Tish-Kach." It is by the group "Lamb," who are Messianic Jews. They are singing, in both Hebrew and English, Isaiah 49:15-16. Listen and be blessed.
Here are two of my favorite passages from the OT that how the unmatched care of God for us.
Isaiah 42
1“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him
and he will bring justice to the nations.
2He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
3A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope.”
How caring and compassionate is this God toward us!!! Not even a brusied reed will He break!!!
Here is great love for His people in these verses as well!
Isaiah 49:14Yet Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.”
15“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?
Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that were possible,
I would not forget you!
16See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.
Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.
17Soon your descendants will come back,
and all who are trying to destroy you will go away.
18Look around you and see,
for all your children will come back to you.
As surely as I live,” says the Lord,
“they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display.
My Lord and My God! I praise you!! I praise you! I thank you!!
This song is called "Ha-Tish-Kach." It is by the group "Lamb," who are Messianic Jews. They are singing, in both Hebrew and English, Isaiah 49:15-16. Listen and be blessed.
Protecting the Heart of Another
"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." ~ Proverbs 4:23
"Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters." ~ 1 Timothy 5:2
I grew up often hearing about "protecting the heart" of another, most specifically related to boy-girl relationships. Though the issue was oft mentioned, the exact definition of what this was was either not explained, or was insinuated to equal causing any person (young ladies specifically) emotional pain.
I absolutely believe in protecting hearts. All the way. But from what, and how?
The idea of protecting others has nice appeal in and of its self. Shouldn't we be looking out for one another's well being? But without proper study or instruction, we may find ourselves protecting the wrong things, while leaving more important things unprotected.
When we say "protect", there is an assumption there there is something to be protected, because it can be damaged in some way. So what is there in a relationship that can be broken?
Let's take a look...
Things that we should protect:
~Trust - In you, in them, in each other. We should all strive to be trust worthy. e.g. If you told someone a secret and they blabbed it, would you trust them? No. They did not protect trust and you were left broken in some way, whether big or small. Few things are worse than broken trust.
~Confidence - A wrongfully handled relationship can leave a person with weakened confidence in their abilities. We should always be careful in our corrections of issues or givings of opinions and advice, especially to those who are easily discouraged. "He who says "you fool" will be in danger of the fire of Hell." It is not right for us to condemn another in this fashion. If a person is deficient in their knowledge or maturity in a certain area, would should instruct or encourage the other person in love. If the person is in sin, we should deal with them as far as their sin is concerned. It is not our place to demean a person, but to build up each other in love, especially those of the faith.
~ Emotions - I do not mean to protect ourselves from painful emotions (as I address below), but rather to be watchful that we not let our emotions be our guide. Our emotions will ebb often, but they should not be what leads are resolve. Emotions can be very finicky things. We should always check ourselves and other to make sure our emotions are being guided correctly. And yes, I said guided. The bible says "Do not awaken love till it pleases." But, if love DOES please, it just may be time to wake that sucker up. When it is time for emotions to be engaged, do so with great might. When it is time to be reserved, then do so. "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it will all your might" and "A time for dancing, and a time for mourning." Half way in or half way out is the worst thing you could possibly be in a relationship of any kind. We cannot stop another person from experiencing emotions, whether they be joyful or painful, so this is not our responsibility, but we should always be conscience of how our actions effect others, and not play with another's emotions are use them for our own benefit. Love would not do this.
~Unity - Unity should be of utmost importance to all believers. We should make sure not to become divided of worthless things. Christ died to make us one, so make sure if you are going to stand unflinching on an issue, it is an issue worth Christ dying for.
Things that we should not protect ourselves from:
~Truth - The truth should not be hidden from or kept hidden from others. We must not be afraid of the truth, either to hear it or to tell it. There may be exceptions to this, but all in all, the truth in a situation should be known. When or how is a different discussion, and the timing on the revealing of certain truth will depend on the other points I am discussing and how they each weigh in on the matters at hand. This may at times bring pain, because some truth is hard to hear. This may at other times bring joy. But the joy or the pain that comes with a truth should not be or not be the motivation for sharing the truth, otherwise we are being guided by mere feelings, and not by the truth its self.
~Pain - Pain, in and of its self, is not a good enough reason to do or not to do anything. To do something for the sole purpose of not experiencing pain is selfish. The only way for Jesus to have a relationship with us was to go through the extreme pain of body and emotional and spiritual rejection of God, and He did not think that this was to high a price to be united with us. As Christians, we are called to lay down our lives, and this will most certainly be painful at times.
~Fears - Fear is probably the worst reason to do or not do anything. "Anything that is not of faith is sin", and fear is most certainly not of faith. The root cause of fear is lack of trust in God. This should be plucked out and cast aside, not dwell upon and definitely should not be allowed to be a motivator of our actions and decisions..
~ Communication - We should not fear communication, as long as the other things are in proper order. All truthful communication is good, all lies are bad. What to say and when will have to be decided upon by every individual themselves. Nothing is worse than trying to make plans on lack of needed information.
Many of the points above were specifically tailored to deal with boy-girl relationships, but the principals can be applied to any relationship.
To sum it up, how do we protect out heart or the hearts of others? Through love.
Love trusts. Love builds. Love hopes.
Love does not fear. Love does not put its self first.
The love of God is what will protect us from those things that we really need protecting from, so let us walk there in.
God bless you,
T.J.
"Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters." ~ 1 Timothy 5:2
I grew up often hearing about "protecting the heart" of another, most specifically related to boy-girl relationships. Though the issue was oft mentioned, the exact definition of what this was was either not explained, or was insinuated to equal causing any person (young ladies specifically) emotional pain.
I absolutely believe in protecting hearts. All the way. But from what, and how?
The idea of protecting others has nice appeal in and of its self. Shouldn't we be looking out for one another's well being? But without proper study or instruction, we may find ourselves protecting the wrong things, while leaving more important things unprotected.
When we say "protect", there is an assumption there there is something to be protected, because it can be damaged in some way. So what is there in a relationship that can be broken?
Let's take a look...
Things that we should protect:
~Trust - In you, in them, in each other. We should all strive to be trust worthy. e.g. If you told someone a secret and they blabbed it, would you trust them? No. They did not protect trust and you were left broken in some way, whether big or small. Few things are worse than broken trust.
~Confidence - A wrongfully handled relationship can leave a person with weakened confidence in their abilities. We should always be careful in our corrections of issues or givings of opinions and advice, especially to those who are easily discouraged. "He who says "you fool" will be in danger of the fire of Hell." It is not right for us to condemn another in this fashion. If a person is deficient in their knowledge or maturity in a certain area, would should instruct or encourage the other person in love. If the person is in sin, we should deal with them as far as their sin is concerned. It is not our place to demean a person, but to build up each other in love, especially those of the faith.
~ Emotions - I do not mean to protect ourselves from painful emotions (as I address below), but rather to be watchful that we not let our emotions be our guide. Our emotions will ebb often, but they should not be what leads are resolve. Emotions can be very finicky things. We should always check ourselves and other to make sure our emotions are being guided correctly. And yes, I said guided. The bible says "Do not awaken love till it pleases." But, if love DOES please, it just may be time to wake that sucker up. When it is time for emotions to be engaged, do so with great might. When it is time to be reserved, then do so. "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it will all your might" and "A time for dancing, and a time for mourning." Half way in or half way out is the worst thing you could possibly be in a relationship of any kind. We cannot stop another person from experiencing emotions, whether they be joyful or painful, so this is not our responsibility, but we should always be conscience of how our actions effect others, and not play with another's emotions are use them for our own benefit. Love would not do this.
~Unity - Unity should be of utmost importance to all believers. We should make sure not to become divided of worthless things. Christ died to make us one, so make sure if you are going to stand unflinching on an issue, it is an issue worth Christ dying for.
Things that we should not protect ourselves from:
~Truth - The truth should not be hidden from or kept hidden from others. We must not be afraid of the truth, either to hear it or to tell it. There may be exceptions to this, but all in all, the truth in a situation should be known. When or how is a different discussion, and the timing on the revealing of certain truth will depend on the other points I am discussing and how they each weigh in on the matters at hand. This may at times bring pain, because some truth is hard to hear. This may at other times bring joy. But the joy or the pain that comes with a truth should not be or not be the motivation for sharing the truth, otherwise we are being guided by mere feelings, and not by the truth its self.
~Pain - Pain, in and of its self, is not a good enough reason to do or not to do anything. To do something for the sole purpose of not experiencing pain is selfish. The only way for Jesus to have a relationship with us was to go through the extreme pain of body and emotional and spiritual rejection of God, and He did not think that this was to high a price to be united with us. As Christians, we are called to lay down our lives, and this will most certainly be painful at times.
~Fears - Fear is probably the worst reason to do or not do anything. "Anything that is not of faith is sin", and fear is most certainly not of faith. The root cause of fear is lack of trust in God. This should be plucked out and cast aside, not dwell upon and definitely should not be allowed to be a motivator of our actions and decisions..
~ Communication - We should not fear communication, as long as the other things are in proper order. All truthful communication is good, all lies are bad. What to say and when will have to be decided upon by every individual themselves. Nothing is worse than trying to make plans on lack of needed information.
Many of the points above were specifically tailored to deal with boy-girl relationships, but the principals can be applied to any relationship.
To sum it up, how do we protect out heart or the hearts of others? Through love.
Love trusts. Love builds. Love hopes.
Love does not fear. Love does not put its self first.
The love of God is what will protect us from those things that we really need protecting from, so let us walk there in.
God bless you,
T.J.
Welcome!
Ok, so I'm starting a blog. Not the first time I've blogged, but the first time I've actually started one before. I have much to be adding here, so we'll see how this goes. :)
Jesus' blessings upon you all.
Jesus' blessings upon you all.
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