God is love...

Last week during class we got on the topic of God is love.  I think when most people think of God, they think about the following definitions from Merriam-Webster:

(1)   A strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties.

(2)   Affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interest.

But I think we need to expand our definition to two other ones that were given:

(1)   Unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.

(2)   The fatherly concern of God for humankind.

Concern – that is what I think of when I think of God.  His concern for me!  That concern though is not all about hugs and kisses and pats on the head.  That concern is about whether or not I am on the right path, and what is best for me.  God wants to see us safe and secure.  He wants to be with us for eternity so He wants us to do what is right.

Imagine a child who only receives praise and hugs and kisses.  What do you see?  I see a brat.  Someone who has no self-control and who throws a temper-tantrum because they do not get their way.  Someone who has no friends and someone who others do not want to be around.  

Imagine a child who receives praise and hugs and kisses, but also receives correction and criticism.  What do you see?  I see a child who is loved, one who has friends and one who is willing to reach out to others.  One who sees beyond themself.  One who has a successful future.  One who is happy no matter what life throws their way.

Which child would you want to be?  Which life would you want?  What parent could you truly love in return?  God is the parent of child number two.  He only wants what is best for us, best for now and best for eternity.  So yes God is love – love of hugs and kisses and the love of concern for wanting only the best for His children.

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (I John 4:8).

Laughter from God...

Anger:  Strong feelings of displeasure or hostility

Submission: Voluntary yielding to another

Humbled:  Not proud or arrogant; having a spirit of submission

(definitions from the Life Application Bible Dictionary/Concordance p2308, 2367, 2337)

These are three words that as humans we do not like in our lives.  Some feel that anger is wrong.  We should always be love and peace.  Submission must mean that we allow ourselves to be a doormat by someone.  And humble – Oh, we must be weak, a pushover.  But all three of these words show great strength in a Christian’s life.  All three of these make us more like Christ because these are things He showed in His life also.

Let me tell you how these three things led to joy, laughter and peace in my day today.   There are things going on in my church that I get upset and angry about.  The feelings I have over those things make me look for reasons not to go to church, they make me angrier when I get there and they make me physically ill.  I don’t know what I can do except pray.  So today while I prepared for church I prayed and I asked God to use me today, to be with me, to help me get through and to focus on Him.  Before I got out of the car at church, I prayed again and asked God to let those things that anger me to pass away, to help me focus on Him and to use me for His purpose.  Well, today God took that anger.  Not only did He take it but He replaced it.  He replaced it with laughter and peace.  When things began that I would have been fuming over in the past, God changed my focus away from that thing and placed it on Him.

Our mouths are filled with laughter,
Our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nation,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
And we were filled with joy. (Psalm 126:2-3)

 A time to weep and a time to laugh,
A time to mourn and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:4)

 I would not have experienced this though if I had not humbled myself and voluntarily yielded (submitted) to God.  My focus would have been on earthly things not on God, and I would have missed out on a great gift from God.  And there is nothing more cleansing or refreshing then a good laugh from God.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:10)

The Need for the Baptism...

“Wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5).  This was the command Jesus gave to His disciples before He gave them the Great Commission.  Jesus said “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).  Jesus did not just hand the disciples a job to do.  He also left them the tool and power to do the job and to do it right.

If the baptism of the Holy Spirit was not important then why did Jesus make it a command?  It seems to me that if He was saying ‘Hey, this power is available if you want it; if not don’t worry about it,’ then He would not have commanded His followers to receive it.  So to me this must be pretty important and something we need to pursue.

I guess the other question is do we need the empowerment of the Spirit today?  My answer would be yes, but am I alone?  Over the last several months I have heard people say things like the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not important, people still do good works without it, people still have active ministries without it, it is only a formality, etc.  I know people can do good works and God’s work without the baptism of the Holy Spirit but could you imagine how much greater they could be with that power working in them?  How much greater their ministry could be?

As far as I can tell our mission or commission has not changed since the early church.  We are to still share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world, reach out to those in need, and shine our light for those who are lost.  Why, if our mission is the same, should we feel that we do not need the same Helper, the same power, as those who actually met and lived and studied under our Lord and Savor Jesus Christ?  To me, we need that same power.  To me, witout it is like going into battle without ammunition or the correct ammunition.