OK, so I told you how excited I was about the Pastor's sermon on Sunday. They have posted it on my church's website and it can be found here. I have heard lots of things about the pastor, but have never heard anything negative about him. This blows me away, as there is usually someone ready to find the negative in everyone. What really blows me away is this is a man that is battling cancer, 2 types, and this is I believe the 3rd time he's had to go through the chemo process. Not sure if it's all the same types of cancer all 3 times or if it's been different kinds, as I have just joined this church in the last 6 months. Anyway, what really gets me is it would be so easy for him to get down on himself and just want to give up, but he doesn't. I've heard various church members tell stories about visiting him in the hospital and when they had meant to go minister to him in some way, they have come away being ministered to by him. He exemplifies the love of Christ.
So this is what got me to thinking. How do you become a person like that? How do you get to the point where nothing can get you down, or at least nothing can keep you down? These are just a couple of the questions I've been asking myself in this week rife with introspection. Also, what keeps you from fulfilling this potential.
First off, I think we need to FROG (fully rely on God). There was an evangelist a few months back that spoke about ownership, as in God has ownership of us (and everything else) and we are just managers. I have to remind myself of this often. God has an ultimate plan for everything and I am just seeing a minute portion of the picture. Romans 8:28 says And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. That means everything from good things to painful things, it is all going to work out for good in the end. Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. So what may cause pain in the present is GOING to bring glory to God in the future. It teaches you.
Secondly, I think of what hinders our reaching out in love to others. I think the number one killer of love is bitterness. I have heard it compared to the roots of a plant and have recently gotten a good visual on that. If you chop down a plant, but leave it's roots, that plant can still grow back. My mom recently noticed that the roots of one of her trees was buckling the skirting on her home, she had the tree cut down, but until those roots are removed, the problem is still there. The same happens with bitterness. You need to dig down, find the roots and ruthlessly eliminate them from your life. I am working on finding the roots. I can find places where I let the events of life fertilize the roots, but I don't really think that's where the bitterness started. I know that I am trying not to function within the bitterness anymore. I made lots of mistakes that way. I just want to move on to a better life in Christ. I really have never felt so alive in my Christianity than I do right now. I realize now more than ever that what I do, whether I like it or not, affects others around me. I realize that when I do let bitterness control me, it is a hazard for other Christians as Hebrews 12 says 14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. If I slip up and say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing because I am bitter against someone, it costs me my testimony. And as my pastor preached on Sunday, I want my Christian testimony to be remembered for generations, just like my great-grandmother, who passed way almost 15 years ago. She now has a namesake in her great-great-grandchildren because she was such a sweet Christian lady.
Finally, I think love is the driving force. Do you love God? Then love others. Loving God and loving others is commanded in Matthew 22 (and also in Mark 12 and Luke 10) 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[d] 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” It doesn't say love those that love you. In fact Luke 6 says 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. 32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
I understand that it's hard to be loving to those that hurt you, but imagine what Christ did on the cross. He was beaten beyond even looking human, within 1 "stripe" of what they considered deadly, hair ripped from his beard, spat upon, mocked, a crown of thorns shoved onto his head, rail-road tie sized "nails" driven into his feet and hands, just breathing was a great labor, then he was pierced in the side. He gave his life so we might live. He has forgiven us a much larger debt than anyone could ever "owe" us. How can we not forgive and love? Colossians 3 points out 12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
