Think before speaking

From an email I received from Brother Jim recently:

"It is said that Augustine had a sign on his living room wall that read: 'He who speaks evil of an absent man or woman is not welcome at this table'."

"Try the acronym T.H.I.N.K. the next time you are deciding whether you should speak something you are thinking:

T - Is it truthful?
H - Is it helpful?
I - Is it inspiring?
N - Is it necessary?
K - Is it kind?

"Instead of speaking evil of someone, we are to '...be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another'." Ephesians 4:32

"But they don't deserve that! That may be true, but neither do you or I - yet God still forgave us. Paul concludes Ephesians 4:32 by saying, '...just as God through Christ has forgiven you'."

"Forgiven people should be forgiving people. Otherwise, we are grieving the Spirit."

His desire that ALL be saved

God is awesome - and sometimes He blesses us with extraordinary glimpses of His infinite power. It was a routine visit to the market to pick up some groceries and a deli sandwich for a brief "dinner date" at the marina. I went inside to make the purchases while my wife waited in the car. When I returned to the car she looked at me and said, "Don't start the car yet." I knew by the expression on her face that she had something very important to say.

As it turns out, my wife was blessed with a supernatural experience while I was engaged in "the routine." In the hustle and bustle of a market parking lot, with main street traffic whizzing by just beyond, she had said to herself: "It's so tragic that so many of these people don't know Jesus." God responded immediately, however, in the way only He can. He gave my wife "eyes to see" from His perspective.

My wife and sister in Christ almost whispered as she pointed to a person in a passing car and said, "God is orchestrating a way to make Himself known in his life." Another car, and a passing pedestrian: "God is wooing that person, and that person!"

"God just showed me how big He is," she continued. "He is wooing His beloved everywhere, all over the world! He knows everyone, knows about everything in their lives. His infinite power is so beautiful!"

Thank you, Lord, for revealing to me yet again that your love, your grace, is intended for all. Forgive me for my selfish tendency to be "content" in my faith, to "nest" in the assurance of life eternal with you ... while too many still remain to be drawn into the fold. Help me, Lord, to see my fellow man through your eyes, not just occasionally, but daily. Strengthen me as I struggle with the constant habit of "circling the wagons" out of fear, or laziness, even as you call me to move forward WITH YOU into "the wilderness" to share the Good News.

Matthew 11:25
Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children."

Matthew 9:37-38
"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field."

This is not my home

When I reflect on my life, I am convicted by my fleshly habit of allowing the noise and confusion of the world draw me away from the precious gift of relationship with Jesus Christ, my Redeemer King. "Pray without ceasing?!" Wow. I spend far too much time focused on this world, allowing my senses and my selfishness to distract me from His desire to be in relationship with me, every moment, every hour ... always.

This morning I spent some time reading from Chip Ingram's "Living on the Edge," a study of Romans 12 and the goal of experiencing true spirituality. Ingram writes of the three basic questions all people must ask themselves ... and he notes our resistance to pondering these questions. The fact that we confess Christ as our Lord and Savior does not render us immune to the human inclination to "hide" from these questions. Ingram wrote:

"It is far easier to accept predigested religious answers and dive into energizing activities than it is to work through the sometimes painful and difficult process of 'being still and knowing He is God.' But quietness and stillness are required in order for God to tell you 1) who you are, 2) why you are here and 3) what you are supposed to do with your life."

I give thanks this morning for God's faithfulness to His beloved ... for His unconditional love and for the gift, through His Son, of redemption and assurance of life eternal with Him. I pray that I will continue to obey His prompting to spend more time with Him ... to experience the joy He offers as I surrender my will in service to Him, that He might be glorified.

Mission 'investment' opportunities

This morning in men's group our discussion included reference to a TV reality show where a handful of Americans are "dropped into" an abandoned section of a U.S. city with the directive to do what it takes to survive as if in a post-apocalyptic event. That conversation included an example of "survivors" creating a charcoal/sand system to filter drinking water.

When I arrived home I discovered I had received an email from Gospel for Asia. I viewed a list of items coveted in many impoverished communities, and my eye was drawn to a $30 bio water filter. Text associated with the filter read in part: "Using concrete and sand, these bio water filters remove impurities, providing water for drinking and cooking that is 98 percent pure. For $30, help provide pure water in an Asian village - and a chance for them to hear of the living water Jesus offers."

Click on the link below to see this and other "shopping list" opportunities in case the Lord has placed it upon your heart to be "blessed to be a blessing" through this ministry.

http://www.gfa.org/donation/item/bisand-water-filter/

John 7:38: Jesus said: "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water'."

Beware the power of words

There were many "gems" included in the Sunday message given by my brother Jim, who based his teaching on James 3, subtitled "Taming the Tongue" in my Bible.

Among other things, Jim noted that "...the tongue reveals the condition of the heart." James 3:5 warns: "Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."

In short, we believers need to take care to check our words before we speak, especially during times of high emotions.

On the other hand, our words can be used by the Lord to introduce the gospel, and to educate, edify and encourage. Jim reminded us how important it is to regularly encourage those around us, including our spouses and children. With reference to the "Authentic Manhood" ministry of Robert Lewis, he urged us to use the power of words with our children to say: 1) I love you 2) I am proud of you, and 3) I appreciate the gifts God has bestowed on you, and I want to encourage you to use those gifts to glorify His name.

In our ongoing "battle" to tame the tongue, Jim urged us to 1) submit to God 2) fill our hearts with His word, and 3) be controlled/guided by the Holy Spirit. Wise counsel, indeed.

Missionary 'jet lag'

I was privileged recently to join others in attendance at a gathering where David Grove (pictured here) outlined his plans for mission work in Uganda. In the meantime, David and others from the Skagit County-based Harvest Vision Ministries made one of their regular trips to Mexico. On their way back, David wrote of "missionary jet lag," and he shared insights from which all believers can benefit. Excerpts of that note appear below:

"Although there was no jet involved, the long hours of ministry with little sleep, combined with long journeys to and from Mexico, led to a condition many can relate to in the expression 'jet lag.' As our team hit a rest stop on the way home to have a bite to eat and share a word of encouragement with each other, the word 'rest' resonated with our spirits."

"We all know that rest is a weapon of spiritual warfare, but what does 'spiritual rest' look like? Jesus related everything we think we need physically to a true spiritual need. He who ate His flesh would never go hungry or die. He who thirsted and drank His blood would never thirst, but living waters would flow through. The light of this world fades, but He is the Light of men."

"Hebrews 4 talks about 'sabbath rest,' but was God really concerned with a specific day, or does the command 'rest' also point to Himself? What He says is that we can rest from our works ... and rest in His righteousness, inherited by those who believe in the cross, death and resurrection."

"Jesus says, 'Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' That means that the certain day of rest is today and every day, for His mercies are new every day. We are to deny ourselves daily and pick up the cross."

"All that being said, our mission is not over. Missions means making disciples of nations/people groups throughout the world. The command is to 'Go.' No command was ever given to wait, to stop or to seek Him as to whether we should go. Once He gave the command to go, that meant keep going, let nothing stop you. I AM is with you, and His will is to go until that last day, and to run like we want to win the prize."

"So let us continually find our life in Jesus, and not the things of this world. Let us follow Jesus to the Father, and not look to man or this world to lead us to Him. For the food, light, healing and rest of this world lead to death, but the true food, drink, light, healing and rest come from Jesus."

"So let us overcome as He has overcome the world, and hold fast to Him. Much was done in Mexico, and much is left to do. We are all excited to see you soon. In His love, David Grove and the Harvest Mexico team."