If Feels Good To Be Loved!

Yesterday, my iPhone rang. I answered with a friendly "hello." The little voice on the other end responded with "Grammy?"  "No, this is Papa. Would you like to speak with Grammy?" "Yes," the little voice replied. So I handed the phone to my wife. "Hello, Ella." And with great passion and enthusiasm, our 3 year old granddaughter asked, "Grammy, can I come over to your house? I love you so much!"  And just the day before when we were driving Ella back to her house she told us as we were driving along, "Grammy and Papa ... I loooovvveee you!"

Wow. It feels good to be loved! And what is true of being loved by a grandchild, child, spouse, friend, etc. - is even more true when it comes to be being loved by God. How so? Human love ... even at its best and purest ... is imperfect. God's love, on the other hand, is a perfect love. If you are a child of God, then he will neither love you more nor less tomorrow than he does today. His love is unconditional and unfailing. He loves us perfectly in His Son. And that, my friend feels good!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

PS - If you unsure if you are a child of God, please check out the web site: Two Ways to Live.

Thursday A La Carte

It's time again for a hodge-podge group of offerings in hope that you will find something to inspire, encourage and equip you in your journey of faith!

1. Here is a fascinating video from the Roman Catholic Church that's worth watching! It's titled, Test of Fire: 2012 Elections.  

2. Want to know how great a difference ten years has made on the Internet? Check this out! 

3. In Pakistan there is an incident brewing involving a mentally disabled Christian who might have to spend the rest of her life in prison for blasphemy. Please pray!

4. Is "should" a dirty word? Ed Welch offers up an insightful answer! 

5. Here's the story of how God changed the life of a Planned Parenthood manager. Truly an "amazing grace" sighting!

6. On a lighter note . . . 

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Flash Mobs ... Now Cash Mobs! What's Next?

According to Wikipedia, a flash mob is "a group of people who assemble suddenly in a place, perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, and artistic expression." Usually the mob is gathered via various forms of social media such as Facebook and/or Twitter. The word was first coined in 2003. Since that time, many videos of flash mobs have gone viral.

Now there is a new kind of mob at work ... it's called a cash mob. Again, citing Wikipedia, a cash mob is "a group of people who assemble at a local business and all buy items from that business." The whole purpose of doing so is to support the local business ... and by extension, the local community. The first cash mob can be traced back to 2011.  And according to the local Lancaster newspaper, the first cash mob appeared in the city of Lancaster this past Sunday when a group of about 100 people mobbed a local downtown merchant for one purpose .... to buy! 

The emergence of these mobs manifests that our society just loves to go after whatever is "new and exciting!"  As a result, there is always a new fad just around the corner. Yesterday it was flash mobs ... today it is cash mobs ... what will tomorrow bring, "gash mobs" with people hitting a city block, gashing tires as they go? Or perhaps "trash mobs" consisting of people hitting an area to clean up trash (many areas could really use such a mob!)? Or maybe "mash mobs," where a group of people get together and mash some grapes or potatoes (for what purpose I would not know!)?

The church is not immune to this chasing after fads (does WWJD ring any bells?). One concern (of many) that I have for today's church is that in chasing after all that is new and exciting ... we have lost a grip on the old and life-changing. I am talking about God's Word and the truths of the gospel that it reveals to us. Please take a moment and read the following quote from pastor and author Kevin DeYoung: 

"The only thing more difficult than finding the truth is not losing it. What starts out as new and precious becomes plain and old. What begins a thrilling discovery becomes a rote exercise. What provokes one generation to sacrifice and passion becomes in the next generation a cause for rebellion and apathy. Why is it that denominations and church movements almost always drift from their theological moorings? Why is it that people who grow up in the church are often less articulate about their faith than the new Christian who converted at forty-five? Perhaps it’s because truth is like the tip of your nose-it’s hardest to see when it’s right in front of you. No doubt, the church in the West has many new things to learn. But for the most part, everything we need to learn is what we've already forgotten. The chief theological task now facing the Western church is not to reinvent or to be relevant but to remember. We must remember the old, old story. We must remember the faith once delivered to the saints. We must remember the truths that spark reformation, revival, and regeneration" (The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism). 

Hmm. Perhaps we need to get back to that old, old gospel and allow its beauty and truth to renew our souls, invigorate our hearts, stretch our minds and strengthen our faith!

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

Chew on This as You Begin Your Week.

Thought I would offer up a great quote from A.W. Tozer on the pursuit of holiness.

“Plain horse sense ought to tell us that anything that makes no change in the man who professes it makes no difference to God either, and it is an easily observable fact that for countless numbers of persons the change from no-faith to faith makes no actual difference in their life." 

Tozer is right. Far too many Christians profess a faith that makes little if any difference on how they live out the routines of their lives. Tozer would say they might profess faith in Christ ... but they don't really possess it.

How about you? If you profess to be a follower of Jesus Christ ... what in your day-to-day living would support your claim. Just asking . . . because the eternal welfare of your soul hangs in the balance!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

A Brief Prayer for Your Lord's Day

Here is another brief prayer I want to offer up to you today as you go through yet another Lord's Day. For the most part, it is a prayer gleaned from one of my favorite devotional books, The Valley of Vision. I encourage you to take this prayer and make it yours.

Lord, help me, for I am often lukewarm and chill;

Unbelief mars my confidence, sin makes me forget you. 

Let the weeds that grow in my soul be cut at their roots;

Grant me to know that I truly live only when I live for you, 

That all else is trifling. 

Your presence alone can make me holy, devout, strong and happy. 

Abide in me, gracious God and fill me with your holy presence. 

Amen. 

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

OK ... How Is It Possible to "Pray without Ceasing?"

Most if not all Christians are familiar with the biblical mandate laid down in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 where we are told to "pray without ceasing." Knowing it is one thing .... putting it into practice is another. I mean ... most of us have a life and a very busy one at that! Running here and there .... doing this and that ... and getting down right wrung out by the day's end by doing so. So how in the world can God expect us to "pray without ceasing?"  

Theologian of yesteryear, Charles Hodge had this to say . . . 

"I think that in my childhood I came nearer to conforming to the apostle’s injunction: “Pray without ceasing,” than in any other period of my life. As far back as I can remember, I had the habit of thanking God for everything I received, and asking him for everything I needed. If I lost a book, or any of my play things, I prayed that I might find it. I prayed walking along the streets, in school and out of school, whether playing or studying. I did not do this in obedience to any prescribed rule. It seemed natural. I thought of God as an everywhere—present Being, full of kindness and love, who would not be offended if children talked to Him. I knew he cared for sparrows. I was as cheerful and happy as the birds and acted as they did." 

Hmm. Thanking God for everything we receive AND asking God for everything we need. Now that's one way we can effectively "pray without ceasing." 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj

Thursday A La Carte

Hard to believe that it's Thursday again ... but it is and so here are this week's offerings:

1. Scripture Union's mission is to get people into the Word of God and help them to then get the Word of God into their lives. Here is a free ebook that they offer that might prove helpful to you in your discipline of the Word.

2. For the past 16 years I have been serving on the board of Hebrew Christian Fellowship, a small mission with the purpose of presenting lovingly and sensitively the gospel to Jewish people. Why is this so important? Here is Roger Wambold's (the director of HCF) most recent letter to the HCF family. He gives a great rationale on why we cannot neglect reaching out to the Jewish people.

Dear Friend,

It is certain that the 26 athletes representing Israel in 10 fields of competition at the London Olympic Games are singularly united in their realization that this year marks the 40^th anniversary of what has become known as the Munich Massacre.

At the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, the first Olympiad to be held in Germany since Adolph Hitler presided over the Berlin Olympics in 1936, a horrifying scene unfolded.  Eight Palestinian terrorists, part of the Black September organization, breached the light security of the Olympic Village, killed two members of the Israeli team who resisted them, and took nine others hostage.  Ultimately all nine of those hostages were killed in the crossfire of an unsuccessful rescue attempt by the German authorities, along with five of the terrorists.  The remaining three were arrested, but subsequently released by the German government negotiation with Black September over yet another hostage situation involving a hijacked plane.

 

It is hard to imagine the level of hatred directed against the Jewish people that would cause such a monstrous act to infect the spirit of these international games when political and ideological differences have been historically set aside for a brief period in the interest of true sportsmanship.  On the other hand, Jewish people have been the object of this kind of pernicious hatred throughout their history.

While there is even now a rising tide of anti-Semitic sentiment throughout the world, especially in Europe and, of course, the Middle East, the Scriptures make it clear that the worst days lie yet ahead for Israel.  In view of this, it is more important than ever to reach out lovingly and sensitively with the Gospel of Messiah Jesus to our Jewish friends everywhere.

May the Lord bless you and yours with joy and peace in these monumental times.

Sincerely in Messiah Jesus,

 Rev. Roger L. Wambold,

General Director

3. Forbes offers up an interesting article on how to tell when someone is lying. 

4. As the London Olympics fade into the rear view mirror of life, here is an interesting article on lessons from one of the best known British Olyimpians of yesteryear, Eric Liddell.

5. And on a lighter note ... 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj