A Jesus Perspective

In our rage and grief it’s all too easy to frame this tragedy as the “evil other” attacking the “righteous us.” But this is not the way of Jesus. Contrasting ourselves with an evil other does not produce the wholeness of God’s loving reign (shalom). Setting ourselves up against those who are trapped in sin, have succumb to a spirit of violence and death, does not magically make us the peculiar people who reflect God’s love. Instead, the only way for us to become the embodiment of God’s loving reign, is to model our love after the love of God demonstrated on Jesus’s cross: a love that prays for its murderer’s forgiveness. In Jesus’s death and life, he modeled a love that identified with those who were wounded, as well as those who were stigmatized—even with violent Zealots. The Apostle Paul, himself a violent murderer, was transformed by God’s love and called to herald the glorious Gospel of God’s Kingdom among the Gentiles. That’s the power of God’s love that is at work in this Jesus movement we call the Church! - T.C. Moore

Getting Through It

Life is hard sometimes. As Christians, how do we get through it? The late Brennan Manning says: I believe childlike surrender and trust, is the defining spirit of authentic discipleship. The supreme need in most of our lives is often the most overlooked: an unfaltering trust in the love of God no matter what goes down.

As a beloved child of God, I admit it is often hard to surrender and trust my heavenly Father no matter what goes down. That's not God's fault - that's mine. Forgive me, Abba.

Loving Another

The command of Jesus to love one another is never restricted by the nationality, status, ethnic background, sexual preference, or inherent lovableness of the "other". - From "Abba's Child" by Brennan Manning

Making the List

It is probably the most well-known, most often quoted, and most visible Bible verse there is. I'm talking about John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but receive eternal life."   

 What does it mean that God so loves the world? The "world" is the whole human race (kosmos), no matter who you or what you've done. Yet oftentimes we feel that God is angry at us. We feel that because we mess up and miss the mark, that God is going to condemn us, so we have to try harder. Read the very next verse after John 3:16. It says, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him".

God's goal is that the world might know how much He loves each one of us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Christ's sacrifice shows the world how much God loves us. And His love is not just reserved for a certain group of people.

God loves the poor and he loves the rich. He loves men, women, children of all ages. God loves the elderly, and the newborn. He loves the strong and healthy, and he loves the weak, sick, abandoned, and broken. God loves the educated and the illiterate. He loves persons of every color - black, white, and yellow, brown. He loves the lowly, powerless and oppressed. God loves liars, thieves, murderers, adulterers, pimps, prostitutes, whores, rapists, pedophiles, gang bangers, those who abort babies, and he loves their helpless victims. God loves the greedy, the lazy, the employed, the unemployed, the homeless. He loves those self-disciplined, and he loves the addict. God loves Republicans, Democrats, Right-wing conservatives and left-wing liberals. Barack Obama and Rush Limbaugh. He loves the happily married, the miserably married, the single, the widowed. God loves the divorced. He loves those who are addicted to pornography. He loves heterosexuals, and he loves homosexuals. God loves atheists, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists, Methodists, Lutherans, Pentecostals, Catholics, and yes, Mennonites. He loves those who take his name in vain. He loves selfish, mean, proud, racist, vicious people. He loves those who hate him. He loves his enemies. He loves the unlovable - He loves you, he loves me - no matter who we are or what we've done. He loves everyone. God so loves the world.  

Did I leave anyone out?

Thoughts from a Worrier

I am a worrier. I don't like to admit that, but I am. I worry about alot of things (too many to list), but If I really slow down and reflect on why I worry, it boils down to a lack of trust in God. There, I said it. I don't always trust that God has my best interest at heart, or that God will come through for me, therefore I end up trying to solve or reslove something in my own power, my own strength, my own timing. 

It's interesting that two of our top 12 Scriptures at Bellwood address this very issue: 

Philippians 4:6-8 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Here's what it boils down to: When I trust in myself (my fallen, broken, sinful self), I am going to worry because I am not the one who is really in control nor even capable of being. But when I surrender to God (trust that He does have my best interest at heart) then I learn patience and humility - and again realize that I am not God.

Why is this so hard to remember?

S.H.A.P.E – ing Up For Ministry

If you were asked to explain what “S.H.A.P.E.” is, could you do it? From now until our Ministry Fair on February 24^th, I will share an article on each one of the letters in S.H.A.P.E. to remind us and help us prepare for this special event.

“S” stands for Spiritual Gift. When you are saved, when you become a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ, God gives you a brand new purpose for living, a new life purpose.  And He never asks you to do something that He doesn't give you the ability to do.  So when He gives you a new life purpose, He also gives you a spiritual gift or gifts to fulfill that purpose.

The Bible has a lot to say about spiritual gifts.  There are at least twenty of them listed in Scripture.  The Bible says that every Christian gets at least one gift.  It's different from a natural ability.  Everybody has natural abilities.  But only believers have spiritual gifts.  They're given by grace -- you don't earn the gift.  It's just God's free gift to you.

Why is it important to know your spiritual gift?  Three reasons:

1.  Your gifts show God's plan for your life. Your spiritual gifts determine how God wants you to serve Him. If you're gifted in organizing then God wants you to be an organizer.  If your gifted in teaching then you need to be a teacher.  If you're gifted in music then you ought to be a music person.  If you're gifted in reaching non Christians you ought to be an evangelist.  Whatever you're gifted in determines how you're to use your life for God.

2.  Your gifts show you are important to God.  1 Corinthians 12:27 "All of you form the one body of Christ and each one is a separate and necessary part of it."  God designed you to make a unique contribution.  You're not gifted by accident.  Without you the picture isn't complete. It's like a jigsaw puzzle with one part missing.  It shows that you're worthy, that you're valuable, you're needed in the body of Christ.

3.  Your gifts are the key to fulfillment in life.  Every human being has the desire to accomplish something, to feel significant, to feel like your life makes an impact.  When you use the spiritual gift that God has given you you're not only productive, because God's gifted you to do something, but you also enjoy it.  It's fun!  You enjoy doing it. Real joy does not come from making a lot of money. Real joy does not come from having a lot of pleasure.  Real joy does not come from things.  Real joy comes from knowing my life counts, that it matters, that I'm not just taking up space. 

May we discover, develop and share our gifts with each other for the glory of God and His Kingdom!

Chuck Swindoll quote

In talking about the challenges and temptations of pastors wanting to be people-pleasers, Chuck says, "Flocks don't need to be flattered; they need to be fed".