He Loved Me Anyway! (Luke 22:54-62)

As a parent I have come to understand the words of my mother from years ago. She would say things like, "This is going to hurt me more than it is you" right before she was going to whip me for doing something bad or wrong! How about this one, "One day you will have kids of your own and you will understand what I am saying!" Those words ring throughout my mind today as I parent my children. I even find myself passing on those words of wisdom to them today. The one thing that I reflect on today is the fact that my mother knew what I was going to do or knew what I was thinking before I could even get the words out of my mouth. I use to think she was a mind reader so I would not look her in the eyes thinking this would some how break the ability for her to know what I was thinking. DIDN'T WORK! What I have come to understand today, as a parent, is that she knew because she LOVED ME!
In this passage of scripture we read that Peter, who loved Jesus as only what He could understand love to be, was told that he would deny Jesus three times in less than a 24 hour period. Peter was offended, at first, but yet, afterwards was ashamed when this all came true. Can you imagine how Peter felt when Jesus acknowledged to Peter "I TOLD YOU SO" by just looking at him? I have seen that look before in my Mom! I believe all of use have seen that look from our parents before. I have been on the receiving end of it as well as the other end.
As a follower of Christ, Peter was not out to hurt Jesus, nor was he out to disappoint Him. But He did! Later on we read, in the scriptures, that Jesus and Peter restore their relationship and Peter goes on to become a powerful disciple for Jesus. But the one thing that rings true is that even though Jesus knew what Peter was going to do, He loved Him anyway. As parents we know that our children are going to make mistakes, but we love them anyway. We know that they are going to say things that are hurtful to us, but we love them anyway. This is the LOVE OF A PARENT!
I remember telling my mom that I was going to move to Nashville Tennessee with a friend of mine. I don't remember to many details about that event except my mom's face when I got into that car and pulled out onto the highway. It was a look of LOVE! Tears in her eyes, not wanting me to go, knowing this was a mistake, and telling me that if I wanted or needed to come back home she would come and get me. As a parent she was hurt and scared for me but she loved me anyway!
In this world we have all experience love in some form or another. A love of a parent, a love of a spouse, a love of a sibling, a love of a pet, a love of a friend, a love of a church, or a love of a child! We have even expressed a love to all of the above as well. Now imagine this, take all of that love and put it all in a pile. All of this cannot measure up to the love that Jesus has for us! That blows my mind (small explosion but anyway)! I am not sure if I am just getting more sentimental as I get older or what but I have never felt the love of God like I have in these last few months. I get teary eyed every time I think of the Love he has for me. It is a love that is incomprehensible but yet attainable. It is a love that is untouchable but yet embraceable.
There is a song "How You Love Me" on Christian radio today that talks about this love of God. It talks about how, we as His children have, and will, let God down (intentional or unintentional) but HE LOVES US ANYWAY. This is not an eternal security love but a unconditional love. A love that says, "He loved me Anyway!" From a human perspective this is so hard to imagine but yet it is just how our Jesus is ..... A LOVING GOD!
As a believer in Christ, we are to grow in this relationship with him. Hopefully, we mature and come to a deeper understand of Christ. But, if there is nothing else we get out of this relationship with God let the one thing we do get be the understanding and acceptance of HIS LOVE. Even though we are or were the thorns in his crown, the sweat on his brow, the nails in his wrist, Judas kiss, or the man crying out from the crowd for Him to be crucified, HE LOVED US ANYWAY! I cannot comprehend all of this but I am so thankful that He loved me anyway. I hope you come to accept and receive this love that God has for you. It is the likes of something you have never experienced before. What ever you have done in the past, HE LOVES YOU ANYWAY!

Blessings my friends
Pastor Rod

How Do You Read It?

Luke 10:25-26
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”  

      As a pastor, the thing that I find so disheartening in today's churches is the fact that a lot of people do not read their bible on a daily basis.  Read this clip from the Baptist Press on this issue:

Standing before nearly 700 attendees at  "Read the Bible for Life" conference, George Guthrie rattled off a series of statistics:

-- 25 million copies of the Bible are sold in the United States annually.

-- Nine out of 10 homes in the U.S. have a Bible.

-- More than 400 million copies of all or part of the Bible are distributed through Bible societies each year.

Despite what would appear to be a Scripture saturation of biblical proportions, the "No. 1 predictor of spiritual maturity [according to a study by LifeWay Research] is reading the Bible on a daily basis [but] only 16 percent of churchgoers read the Bible daily and 25 percent of churchgoers don't read the Bible at all," Guthrie said at the April 15-16 conference at Union University in Jackson, Tenn.

"This means that more than 50 percent of people who come through the doors of our churches on a regular basis only read their Bibles occasionally, perhaps one or two times per month, if at all," Guthrie said. "Even more sobering, only 37 percent of those who attend church regularly say that reading and studying the Bible has made a significant difference in the way they live their lives. Only 37 percent." (Read the whole article http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=35125)

     In this passage found in Luke 10 we see Jesus being tested by the religious leaders with a question and Jesus answered with a question, "How do you read it?" I would ask a question today, "How OFTEN do you read it." There is such a wealth of information, guidance, direction, and instruction in the bible. The bible can assist us in living a life that is healthy, productive, and successful. Why would we not want to read it? But for some reason believers today find reading the bible low on their daily priority list.

     My encouragement for you today is, READ YOUR BIBLE! Don't just read it to put your time in so you can say you did. Read it purposefully! Read it with the intent of hearing from God. Read it with a passion to understand God more. Read it with a desire to walk away from it feeling equip to face whatever the day may bring. Finally, JUST READ IT! (Nike Slogan)

    

Don't Worry! Be Content! (Luke 12:22-23)

     In this passage of scripture it reads:

And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing."

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Lk 12:22–23). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

     I remember a story about a young lady who was complaining about having to move. She was a California girl and God was moving her to Colorado Springs. For many of us we may not have ever experienced this but for her this was NOT something she wanted to do. So in her prayer time (complaining sessions with God) she asked not to move. But over and over again, God confirmed to her that this is was His will for her life. Long story short, her and her husband went on to have a very successful ministry. You may have heard of them, Jim and Shirley Dobson, founders of "FOCUS ON THE FAMILY." Shirley stated once that in her prayer time God spoke to her and said, "Shirley, I am not concerned about your happiness. I am more concerned about your obedience."

     No were in the bible have I read where God says we are to be happy. We are to have "the Joy of the Lord" but this is not the same as being happy. If we are looking for happiness then we are missing the fullness of God and his love for us. Jesus tells us in the book of Luke that we are "NOT TO BE ANXIOUS!" Not being anxious means that we, instead, are to be content in Christ. Trusting that he will provide whatever is needed for his children. This is Faith!

     Doctors have researched and discovered that "Stress" is the contributing factor is many illnesses found in the body. I believe what Christ was telling his people and us today was not a recommendation but a commandment, DON'T WORRY! Be content! Believe that the one who created you and I loves us so much that his desire is to feed us, protect our bodies, and clothe us. Christ tells us to allow God to take care of these things in our lives. What is required from us is to be obedient. Luke 12:31 states, "Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you." Keep our eyes on Jesus, stay in His word daily, and continue to develop our relationship with Him and all these things will take care of themselves. Don't worry, be content!