LU4E / love you forever

Can you fall in love and stay in love forever?

Great question to be sure, and most of us, if not all of us would say yes it is possible, even though we may not have seen it or perhaps experienced it ourselves. Part of the challenge is that it has never been easier to fall in love but it has never been harder to stay in love.

John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

I look at this verse and it can be so easy to gloss over it, but don’t. Pause for a second and let it sink in. This is the model; this is how we should love. This was never a suggestion. If you are a follower of Christ then this is a command, this is how you must love … like He did.

This takes love from being a noun (I feel love) to a verb (I choose to love you). The Creator of the Universe stepped down and lived this. Coming not to be served, but to serve, to show us exactly what He meant.

When we remove all the excuses, when we silence all the reasons and justifications for how and what we do and want, it comes down to this … will you love others the same way Jesus loved and loves you. 

Will you chose to be the one who loves first, who is more concerned with relationship than being right?

Will you make love a verb?

BLESSED

I kind of find it funny that some people react to this in a negative way. I know there are certainly excesses out there when it comes to the prosperity message, but there are excesses out there for everything.

I will never apologise for preaching the BLESSED message. I am one of those people who actually still believe the Gospel as the GOOD NEWS …. The reality for a Christ Follower is that they ARE BLESSED, right now. Unless you can really get that, you may never see it no matter what the bank account says.

Some of the meanings for blessed are – consecrated; sacred; holy; sanctified: divinely or supremely favoured; fortunate: to be blessed with a strong, healthy body; blessed with an ability to find friends; blissfully happy or contented.

James 1:17 says, Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens…

When you look at this verse, the meanings of BLESSED, and the message of the Gospel then something should stir within you and remind you of the goodness of God, the Grace of the Lord Jesus and the future we have in Him.

I am BLESSED, and because I know that I have a responsibility now to live in such a way that glorifies a God who has BLESSED me, and be a blessing to a world that is yet to meet Him. You are BLESSED, no matter what you are facing right now; you face it as someone who is already BLESSED.

Now you may need to work that out into your present circumstances. Circumstances always change, but God and His Word will never change. Something always ends up shifting and if you are planted on the Word, you won’t shift, your circumstances will.

Why? It’s simple really, you are BLESSED.

But maybe that is just what I believe and you may disagree, that's okay, it doesn't change the reality for me, I am BLESSED. 

Truth

John 18:38

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

Great question – what is truth? One definition tells us - That which is considered to be the supreme reality and to have the ultimate meaning and value of existence.

But HOW could we ever possibly know, really know if something is actually TRUE.

People will so often just tell you what they want you to hear, or what they think you want to hear. Others feel free to tell you simply what they think – based upon their experiences or preference. Still others will share the truth they have heard from someone somewhere or testify it must be true because I found it on Google!

Back to Pilate and Jesus talking together just before the Crucifixion – the question is asked by Pilate to Jesus …. WHAT IS TRUTH?

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus said He didn't just know the truth, HE WAS THE TRUTH.

So maybe we put ourselves in Pilate's shoes, standing before Jesus, standing before the TRUTH. Asking the question – WHAT IS TRUTH?

Maybe we don’t really want an answer.

Perhaps it was just a rhetorical question to fill in the space.

If there is truth to be discovered and we don’t have it, then there is the chance, however small it might be: That we actually could be wrong, that we could be deceived, that we do need to meet the truth and make a decision to accept Jesus … who is standing right in front of us.

The Truth is He is faithful and able to not only forgive us but make us free.

The truth is, He already has.

We just need to make a decision to accept it.

WALK don't run

We see this sign almost every day. Why would they want to slow us down, are these people trying to hold us back?

What about our success, our vision, momentum, our moment of breakthrough … are you serious, you want me to walk, not run?

As a Dad I hear myself saying all too often to my boys, “slow down, walk”. The why, is easier to understand as you get a little older and hopefully smarter.  Mistakes happen when we run too fast. We burn out quicker; we expend a heap of energy and maybe even fail to finish what it is we started.

Galatians 5:16, 25

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Why walk?

You get into the rhythm of Grace that holds you to your convictions. When you walk you can go the distance. Anyone can start well but are you going to be there a year from now?

One of the greatest legacy's we can leave is the resilience to keep moving forward.

Almost anyone can run, but it is the ability to just keep stepping it out day after day.

Don't simply aim to be inspirational, aim to actually be there.

Maybe, instead of looking how quickly you can retire rich, work at staying employed, saving money and having enough to not just meet your needs but someone else’s.

More than being the Father of the year - be a Dad who is present.

Greater than posting a blog on relationships each month, enjoy a date night each week, so you are still married next year.

So each day, every day, day in and day out …. WALK, don’t run.

How can I help you?

What if transformation for me begins not with a decision I make but rather a question I ask of someone else?

Not a complicated question?

This question used to be part of the everyday, but somehow we lost it and now just tend to view everyone with an agenda.

Assumptions will still the voice that asks the question.

As simple as THE QUESTION is I tend to shy away from it, no sooner is it out in the open I know it could cost ME.

But I know the power of this QUESTION. I have watched lives be transformed when some brave soul took up the challenge and asked THE QUESTION.

Mark 10:51

So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”

HOW CAN I HELP YOU?

What if I changed all of my encounters to start with THE QUESTION, more than an assumption, or an expectation?

HOW CAN I HELP YOU?

This simple question changes everything starting with our focus right through to our outcomes. Perhaps, you are one of those brave souls who will endeavor to put this to the test and see what transformation happens in your world when you simply touch someone else’s world.

It’s a thought!

Fasting, or just hungry?

One of the lesser known disciplines of a Christian is that of ‘Fasting’ which is not practised as often now days and even less understood. I think we have, by in large, gotten pretty slick and polished and along with that we have systems, strategies, plans & a plethora of resource to equip us for almost any endeavour we could imagine.

But, there is still that ache for some, deep inside, to be closer; to be more connected. To know that the clarity you see is not just from good planning but from practised surrender. So for some, we embrace the call to Fast.

It is important to note that when we fast we all experience different things. For some, the moment they start a Fast the Heaven's open, Angels sing, the Word leaps from the pages, the Devil runs & hides and great mysteries are revealed ... for others; they get really hungry & it seems God is busy with those always sharing the new revelation they got directly from the Throne room.

Fasting is not about what you feel, and not really even about what you get out of it, because that is subjective. When you fast, you seek God, you plant seed, and you position yourself. God will hear and God will move. How and when is up to Him, but never doubt the power of the choice you have made.

Our desire must be to seek His face more than just seeking His hand. This goes way beyond the clever cliché. I find it so easy to seek God for what I NEED, and the pressing concerns of the day, but when you Fast, things do tend to slow down a little. You make more time to reflect, meditate, think a little deeper, and even ask God … what He wants.

So, are you Fasting or simply getting hungry?

It’s FINE, don’t worry about it.

I love swimming in the ocean, out past the breakers, past the heavy swell, just moving in tune to the currents and stretching out my stride. 

Then pausing, floating back and enjoying the moment … but then I start to think about what is under me.

How far out am I?

How deep is this water?

Was that a dark shadow just over there?

Next minute I am looking around, sure I am not alone; replaying scenes from the Jaws movie I probably should not have just watched and trying to remember Psalm 8 where I am sure it says I have authority over what is in the sea … that I can’t see.

Anxiety moments come to us all, but the Bible tells us not to be anxious. Okay, don’t be anxious … there may be a shark under me about to eat me … but don’t be anxious …. 

ARE YOU KIDDING? How?

Philippians 4:6 says PRAY. Take it to God, with a heart reflecting on what you can be thankful about. It is amazing when we settle back into the right place with God … peace floods in and worry has to find a new address.

Don’t complicate it, keep it simple … your feet will follow your focus. It’s fine.