Loud and Clear - Heard!

Lament Turns to Comfort and Joy – Our Trouble to Hope

A great tragedy that brings loss – of home, of loved ones – brings our lament, or simply our weeping, grieving, mourning, and nothing less than a moaning from the depths of our very soul.  Jeremiah lamented over his loss and the suffering in his life.  He in the pit of despair, was nonetheless encouraged by God’s love when he wrote Lamentations 3:19-24 NLT: 

The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.

I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.

Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!

His mercies never cease.

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!"

 

As I witnessed yet another devastating tornado, I lamented over the loss, the emptiness that was poured upon friends and those who live in neighboring Moore.  I wept as I saw children being pulled from the rubble of their school; I stepped into a private place and moaned for each one’s breath taken from them.  My heart aches for friends and strangers this very evening.  But, my lament is a mere compassionate love, of no comparison to the wrenching of the heart that wrings out every drop of emotion that those in Moore are suffering this moment.

 

 

Our Lord “does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow” (Lam 3:33).  In fact, he is our deliverer in time of need.  And, now is a time of need.  Jesus promises that “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20b); the Lord does not strike out against his cherished, his beloved, but sends Christ’s Spirit to comfort us. Harm befell us by hate of one whose desire is to rob our joy.  He, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;” but, Jesus has come due to his desire for you “to have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).  I pray for us tonight, all who hurt, lament, that we can sing with joy the words of Paul (2 Cor 1:3-4):

 

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

Let my lament turn to comfort and joy, my trouble to hope,
Owen <><

What is Christian humility?

Is it to be debased, dishonored, shamed, unassuming, self-effacing – to be meekly quiet, thus, eradicating self, removing self from the world’s presence and influence – lowly and of no worth?  That’s our global society’s desired definition of humility and the place for Christlikeness.  To be a disciple of Christ, active in discipleship, is someone who is a “follower” or learner of Christ and His ways and truth.  We, in turn, share, teach others the same truth. 

 

How’s humility work? 

 

1^st:  We know that Christ was humble, so humble he faced an undeserving execution by beating and death on a cross.  That is the courage of humility (Phil 2: 3, 5-8), it is not an abandonment of faith in God through Christ Jesus.     

2^nd:  We know he was bold, he faced – indeed challenged – the leaders of established religion who had removed and replaced faith in God with what they could do to be godly – in their own way.  Jesus presented the truth of God’s salvation, the trump over religious rules of mankind. 

3^rd:  We know Jesus received who society had rejected, it is in humility that He accepted those who were:  children, women, or men – anyone who was:  with an unclean illness, morally corrupt, a despised tax collector, a thief on the cross, uneducated fisherman, slaves, rich, poor, and even a Roman Centurion – he cleansed them, healed them, received them as His own.  In humility they had approached him, and in humility Jesus received them.        

Humility isn’t giving up life, it is receiving life.  Humility is sharing Life with those who we normally don’t have in our life – those rejected by others (everyone is rejected by someone).   Humility is gentleness, kindness, acceptance, yet, it is the strength and courage to confess Christ.  Peter encourages us, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

 Owen <><

What did Phil Do?

"The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’ 
Then Philip ran up to the chariot …”
                                                                       ~ Acts 8:29-30

 

Philip prayed a lot, that’s why an angel appeared to him – God’s messenger knew Philip listened and would respond to the Lord’s Spirit. 

 

 

We can’t think we are ready to do good things for God, His will, without listening for a whisper letting us know what to do.  We have to be listening in spirit if we are to be used in the work God desires - in an instant, sometimes it may seem odd, Christ makes a request … remember, you are the servant of good, not the Creator doer of good.

Why would Philip have “RAN up to a chariot”? 

He listened, he obeyed, and he was excited to do what the Lord had told him. 

How else will you know what to do and where to go if you are to say to run to someone for a good Word they need to hear God?  Phillip relied on prayer in the now, why?  Because he was needed then!  Phillip’s heart quickened to God’s Word and ran!  Not later – that would be to late, the Ethiopian dignitary would have been missed, and the gospel not heard. 

 

God's work comes in an instant whisper, are you listening now?!?

 

Are you ready to run?!? 

 

What did Phil Do? He Ran!

Are you a Phil?

 

 

Pray, Listen, Run, Do,

Owen<><

 

Spirit Driven Church - Dive In

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

The Amplified Bible says this, that God will “… fill you with all joy and peace in
believing – through the experience of your faith …”.  Through the experience of the Lord you are filled with joy and peace!  That’s exciting!!

At salvation in Christ Jesus you experience “joy and peace … by the power of the Holy Spirit”! Hallelujah!  But, you say, I did that, the saved thing, but life’s a bummer, there’s no “peace ‘n joy”.  Well, let’s get back to the “experience” part of the relationship with God, … to experience God is more than merely taking from God and knowing that you’re not going to hell.  If that’s all you want in life, that’s all you’ll get.  Wouldn't it be better to dive into all that Jesus has for you?

If you know in your heart that Jesus Christ sought you out and shed His blood for you that he might establish a love relationship, well, … then, it’s time to dive in. 

 

Dive into the middle of the Holy River – God’s Holy Spirit – be swept away within the River's power.  Experience a love relationship with the Lord … turn your life over, and not only love him, but let Him love you … consume you … and yes, control or order your steps in life.  This is the Father’s earnest desire for you – peach and joy! 

 

Then, as you love our Lord, and are willing to be consumed, He will immerse you in His Spirit, the River of power that enable you to reach others with the same gospel message of salvation you are blessed with.  Are you willing?

Surrendered, enabled in the Sprit’s power “with all joy and peace,”

Owen <><
 

Are You Doing Just Enough?

I was talking with Pastor Steve Lance and we ended up in one of our theology discussions.  What came up was an old argument.  Not ours, but a favorite of ours to bounce off one another. ...

Oh, the discussion.  People seem to be unclear about salvation – does it just stick on us or can it slip off of us?  It's the old you “can fall away from salvation” or “in no way lose salvation.” 

One thing is for sure, the Bible is very clear about how one is born again.  And, there are very direct passages to guide us in how to live as a Christ follower.  Christ followers obey Jesus’ commission to make disciples, and His commandment to love fellow disciples; simply we’re to live life as though His grace matter to us – it is living the gospel.

So, why doesn’t God just come out and say, “You can never lose your salvation!” or “This is how you lose your salvation!”?  Well, why should He if we’re living the gospel? 

But, here is the answer from Pastor Steve:

“If we knew the answer, we would do just enough to be saved – no more.” ... Did you get that!??!

I wonder, do most of us live like that, you know, we do just enough to be saved and not mess up just enough to stay out of hell? 

It’s not the theology we write about keeping or losing salvation that matters, we can be wrong.

What matters is our relationship with the Father through Christ. 

A relationship in Christ is focused on life, living the Gospel – it's living life to the fullest in God’s love, mercy, and grace. 

 

Jesus warned us that, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;” that thief is Satan, and he destroys us by our arguing over Abba Father’s love; but get this, Jesus has “come that they [His followers] may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). 

What is Jesus saying?  Stop it, you can’t do just enough! 

Live life to the full, in peace and joy … do more than you imagined in Christ’s Spirit.
Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me” (John 14:1).

I can’t do just enough, I trust in God, I trust in Christ Jesus,

Owen <><  

Please, go read 1 John 4:7-21 – it is uplifting.   Be Blessed In His Spirit.