The biological changes of ageing, which commence unseen and unfelt during the twenties, make themselves known during the middle years

In the middle years, from about thirty to about fifty-five, men and women reach the peak of their influence upon society, and at the same time the society makes its maximum demands upon them for social and civic responsibility.

It is the period of life to which they have looked forward during their adolescence and early adulthood. And the time passes so quickly during these full and active middle years that most people arrive at the end of middle age and the beginning of later maturity with surprise and a sense of having finished the journey while they were still preparing to commence it.

The biological changes of ageing, which commence unseen and unfelt during the twenties, make themselves known during the middle years. Especially for the woman, the latter years of middle age are full of profound physiologically-based psychological change.

The developmental tasks of the middle years arise from changes within the organism, from environmental pressure, and above all from demands or obligations laid upon the individual by his own values and aspirations. Since most middle-aged people are members of families, with teen-age children, it is useful to look at the tasks of husband, wife, and children as these people live and grow in relation to one another.

Each family member has several functions or roles which with the help of God can be fulfilled well. Unless the man performs well as a provider, it will be difficult for the mother to perform well as a homemaker. Unless the woman performs well as a mother, it will be difficult for the teen-age child to meet the tasks of adolescence. A major change is that today most women are bread winners while men take care of the children.

The process of living, from birth to death, consists of people working their way through from stage one of development to another, by solving their problems in each stage. If the individual fails to complete the task, it leads him to unhappiness, disapproval by society and problems in later tasks. On the other hand, if the individual completes the task successfully, it leads him to happiness and success with future tasks.

Developmental stages seem to follow a similar pattern among all people regardless of their spiritual condition. The difference with those who know the Lord is that they see each stage as an opportunity to become more Christ-like.

Through Christ we can  learn to express and control one’s feeling such as anger, joy, and disgust, so that one can live intimately and happily with one’s spouse and community

SACRIFICIAL ACT OF GIVING

Our world today is filled with people in poverty. This poverty is two fold. It is first and foremost a spiritual poverty which knows no boundaries. The haves and the haves not stand on equal ground when it comes to spiritual poverty. But then there is physical poverty.

What do we see when we encounter people living in poverty? Have you seen many hungry and people, but felt no pain in my stomach? Have you seen the sick and homeless existing on the streets of our cities but went and slept in a comfortable bed? Have you seen the children living on the city dump, where they gather scraps of plastic and glass for recycling, but enjoyed a delicious dinner? Have you seen immigrants seeking freedom and safety, but returned to the security of your neighborhood?

Proverbs 31 offers a stirring summary:

“Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8-9)

Poverty can be lessened if we learn to share through sacrificial  act of giving. We share as we appreciate that the world is the Lord’s and all that is in it! We are all God’s children sharing this world with all its resources.

We are all loved by the same living God who revealed himself in this world through his son Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t own a house. He was marginalized, suffered and died. But through his extravagant, sacrificial love, he conquered all evil powers of this world, including the evil power of poverty. Jesus built the first bridge out of poverty with only three nails and two pieces of wood shaped into an old rugged cross.

Colin Morris said in his book Include Me Out; “If there is still time left for Methodism, it can only be stirred into action if the power is connected between the two poles: Christ’s love (on the first pole) and human suffering (on the second pole), if we feel the full strength of the first and the monstrosity of the other.”

What does a disciple of Jesus Christ act like?

There is no easy or simple answer. Each of us is a unique individual, created in God’s image. Our relationship with Jesus Christ is, therefore, unique. We have been given different gifts and graces, yet from the same Spirit. Our fruits are unique. Jesus, the gospel writers, and the authors of the epistles name many different characteristics, attributes and fruits of those who follow Jesus.

Peter, writing to the members of churches in Asia Minor, speaks of four elements or attributes of a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Eugene Peterson puts it this way;

“Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically everything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless – cheerfully. Serve others with the gifts God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it:  if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To God belongs the glory and power forever and ever.”  (I Peter 4:7b – 11)

Disciples of Jesus are persons of  prayer. Their ears are inclined to God’s heart; they seek to have their very breath in rhythm with God’s heart – in rhythm with God’s desire for them. They abide in Christ, even as Christ abides in them.

Disciples of Jesus are persons of life-giving love. They love others as if their lives depended on it. They love others because they know other’s lives do depend on their love. They know that love is the greatest of all the gifts of the Spirit. They love God and neighbor. They know all of God’s children in every land and of every race are neighbors to be loved. They know that loving God brings them closer to God’s children. They know that loving their neighbors brings them face-to-face with God. They understand that love in not an emotion – it is the daily decision to seek dignity, peace and justice for all persons, even those who are difficult to love, or hate us, or who want to make them their enemies.

Disciples of Jesus are persons of gift-sharing service. They serve others with whatever gifts God has given them. They know they have been gifted by God beyond anything they could ever earn or deserve. They know that the gifts they have been given are intended for building up of the Body of Christ. They are generous.  They embrace Jesus’ example of dying to self that others might have abundant life. They are blessed to be the last. Their blessing flows from being a blessing to others.

Disciples of Jesus are persons of Christ-bearing witness. They bear witness to God in all that they do and with all that they are. They do not call attention to themselves. They have surrendered their lives wholly to God. They live only for God. They order their lives in a way that respects the rhythms and sacredness of God’s creation. They have the mystic’s eyes to see God’s bright presence in everything and in everyone. Christ shines through them. They are bearers of Christ.  They carry Christ to a hurting world.

The Value of Encouragement

The practice of daily encouragement of others does the following:

1. It Builds Up… someone said,

“There are two kinds of people in the church: the pillars and the caterpillars. The pillars hold the church up and the caterpillars crawl in and out every week. But for those who fail to get connected, there is a price to be paid in needs that go unmet.”

In his letter to the church at Rome, the Apostle Paul admonished his fellow believers with these words…

“Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “ THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME” (Romans 15:1-3).

Back in Romans 14:19, he wrote…

“So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another”

Encouragers Spur One Another Onward…

^“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV).

Do not be afraid… God is with us…

We are so familiar with the story of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness for 40 years that we often forget that God gave them an opportunity to enter the Promised Land very shortly after delivering them from slavery in Egypt . God brought the Israelites to the southern border of the Promised Land and told Moses to send men to explore the land.

Moses selected one man from each of the twelve tribes.  The twelve spies explored the land of Canaan for forty days and returned to give their report.  They reported to Moses and the people that the land flowed with milk and honey.  “Yet,” they said, “the people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large; and besides we saw the descendents of Anak – giants – living there.”  (Numbers 13:28)

But Caleb, one of the twelve spies, spoke up and said, “Let us go at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”  (Numbers 13:30)  But ten of the other spies spoke up and said, “We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we…  The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are of great size…to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”  (Numbers 13:31-33).

Joshua and Caleb spoke up again and said, “Do not be afraid of the people of the land.  God is with us!  We can take the land.”  But the other spies and people wanted to stone Joshua and Caleb.  They even said, “Let’s choose new leaders and go back to Egypt .”  The people were so afraid they were ready to voluntarily return to slavery in Egypt .

Because the people would not believe that God would deliver Canaan to them, the Israelites were barred from entering the Promised Land.  God swore that they and their children – two generations – would not set foot in the land.  So, for forty years, the Israelites wandered in the wilderness – all because of fear.

Joshua and Caleb saw the exact same things that the other ten spies had seen.  They knew the size of the Amalekites.  Ten of the spies were terrified and spread fear among the people.  Two of the spies – Joshua and Caleb – overcame their fear and sought to lead the people forward.  The ten spies only saw the negatives; Caleb and Joshua saw the possibilities.  The ten spies were afraid to change; Caleb and Joshua were ready to ride the changes.  The ten spies focused on Israel ’s scarcity; Caleb and Joshua recognized abundance.  The ten spies wanted to retreat; Caleb and Joshua wanted to take themselves and the people to the edge.  The ten spies saw only what was wrong with the world God had promised them; Caleb and Joshua were ready to celebrate what was right with the world God had promised.

Someone asked, “What was the principle difference between these two spies and the others? ” Joshua and Caleb focused on the size of their God rather than the size of the giants in the land!  They focused on the size of their God, rather than the size of their challenges!  They trusted God would somehow deliver them.  Trusting God is the first key to overcoming fear.  Trusting God is the first and foundational key to effective spiritual leadership.

A perspective on pre-wedding

It is a good thing to support wholeheartedly and sacrificially any pre-wedding event that pass the test of authenticity. Some test of authenticity may include;

• Evidence of “Being Fit to be Tied.”  One purpose of marriage is to create a stable home in which intimacy, companionship and children can grow and thrive.  Every marriage has difficult moments or difficult dynamics. When two sinful people are trying to create a life together, they must submit to God’s command to love each other as God has loved us (1 John 3:16). This require more than a feeling of “being in love.” C.S. Lewis said,

What we call “being in love” is a glorious state, and, in several ways, good for us … It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling. Now no feeling can be relied on to last in its full intensity, or even to last at all. Knowledge can last; principles can last; habits can last, but feelings come and go. And in fact, whatever people say, the state called “being in love” usually does not last. If the old fairy-tale ending “They lived happily ever after” is taken to mean “They felt for the next fifty years exactly as they felt the day before they were married,” then it says what probably never was nor ever could be true, and would be highly undesirable if it were.

Who could bear to live in that excitement for even five years? What would become of your work, your appetite, your sleep, your friendships? But, of course, ceasing to be “in love” need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense—love as distinct from “being in love” is not merely a feeling.

It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit, reinforced by (in Christian marriages) the grace which both parties ask, and receive, from God. They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other, as you love yourself even when you do not like yourself. They can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, be “in love” with someone else.

“Being in love” first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the promise. It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it.

•  Evidence of “Yaa-eet-aap Kooito”  {a period of courtship that could involve pre-marital counselling session in some cultures}. To get married, a couple should follow whatever cultural and familial practices that are typically employed in their context to recognize them as ready to be  “officially married.”   Gerald Fish, (a missionary in Lumbwa from 1944 – 1980) made some observations of yaa-eet-aap-kooito among the Kalenjins as follows;

First, the suitor’s father (and/or family representatives) makes a visit to the father (or family) of the girl. Usually one ox, plus six sheep or goats were taken at this time (nowadays accepted in form of cash). Questions were asked about clanship, kinships, and other matters which might be barriers to marriage. Marriage was prohibited if the two fathers were of the same clan.

Second (and over a couple of weeks),  an attempt was made to determine if witchcraft had been practised by any member of the extended family at any time, especially on the side of the young woman…If there were strange deaths or other unexplainable events which took place, further investigation would be made….

Third (and over a couple of more weeks), the suitor’s character was described. By this time the girl’s father (or family) would have done some investigation. If he did not find the young man acceptable as a son-in-law, he told the young man’s father or family representative, “seet olda age.” If everything was agreed upon, the father, mother and brothers of the girl would annoint the visitors with butter. This was called “kailleet-aap saanik.”

Finally,  a date is set where a number of people engage in a discussion about the dowry (bride-price). The girl’s parents (or family) will ask “How many tuugaap lugeet (suitor’s personal contribution) are there? How many tuugaap mabwai (what the family have gotten from a sister’s groom)? If final agreement was reached, “love-birds” are set free to prepare for their formal nuptials.

• The blessing and presence of a grace-filled community of God’s people.  The leaders of a church should connect with people who are potentially interested “in doing all the good they can, to all the people they can, as often as they can” (JW).

Marriage is a beautiful picture of the relationship between Christ and His church. The body of believers that make up the Church are collectively called bride of Christ. As Bridegroom, Jesus gave His life for His bride, “to make her holy, cleansing  her by the washing with water through the word” (Ephesians 5:25-26), and His selfless act provides an example for all husbands. At the Second Coming of Christ, the church will be united with the Bridegroom, the official “wedding ceremony” will take place and, with it, the eternal union of Christ and His bride will be actualized (Revelation 19:7-9;21:1-2).

• A date set for a wedding ceremony.  A wedding ceremony is acceptable in God’s sight. The Bible has a high view of marriage. It is to be a lifetime plan, not a convenience that can be disposed of in a lawyer’s office. At the heart of God’s design for marriage is companionship, procreation and intimacy.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him”…and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib “side” he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. – Genesis 2:18,21-24-

Second Work of Grace

Does the process of getting saved consist solely of one glorious moment of salvation (first work of Grace), or does it encompass two magnificent transformations (first and second works of Grace) which are unequal in its grandeur?

The question imagines imagines a divine journey with two steps that ignites the flames of passion and love for God. The first step is getting saved and the second step is having one’s soul graciously saturated with the Holy Spirit.

Now, there are three major perspectives on this subject of Second Work of Grace.

1. Wesleyan Perspective
2. Holiness Movement and
3. Keswick Theology.

John Wesley who gave us Wesleyan perspective is widely recognized as the brilliant mind behind the concept of two distinct phases of grace in the Christian experience: the first and the second.

1. In the first work of grace, the new birth, the believer received forgiveness of sin and becomes a Christian.
2. In the second work of grace, entire sanctification, the believer is purified and made holy.

This doctrine of Second Work of Grace highlights the two potential for believers to achieve a profound level of holiness in their lives;

1. An instantaneous experience, or
2. The result of a gradual process.

According to Wesleyan theology, the concept of entire sanctification refers to a state in which original sin is completely removed from individuals, resulting in a lack of internal temptation to commit sin. Presumably, those who have experienced entire sanctification possess a transformed will, which prevents them from backsliding into sin or falling into apostasy. Now, the subject of apostasy ignites fervent discussions and fuel the flames of passionate debate. The critical question being: Can one truly lose the precious gift of salvation? In the shadow of John Calvin’s resolute teachings, a powerful and compelling argument emerges. One’s salvation cannot indeed be lost. According to John Wesley, it is possible to lose salvation even after experiencing the divine touch of the Holy Ghost and basking in the glorious light of sanctification. Everyone must remain ever vigilant. The siren song of apathy and complacency can lure the faithful astray, plunging them into the treacherous abyss of sin. In Calvin’s camp, should such a thing as stumbling happen, all is not lost for salvation is a precious gift bestowed by the boundless grace of the Almighty, that cannot be lost.

The Holiness movement, born amidst the turbulent tides of the 1860s, holds steadfastly to a different vision. Passionate preachers in these hallowed halls of Holiness traditions proclaim sanctification as an instantaneous experience. Yes, my friend, they wholeheartedly believe that it is within our grasp to attain complete sanctification, in both gradual and sudden manifestations. The fires of devotion burn brightly, igniting the yearning within every devout soul to seek this holy transformation.

Within these radiant traditions, the pursuit of sanctification is not merely a directive, but a fervent exhortation. The ardent followers of this path believe that each and every believer should strive with unwavering determination to consecrate themselves wholly to the Divine. Indeed, surrendering oneself entirely to the boundless grace of the Almighty is essential, for it is through this resolute act of surrender that the Almighty’s abundant blessings will flow, manifesting themselves in every aspect of life.

Keswickian theology teaches a second work of grace that occurs through “surrender and faith“, in which God keeps an individual from sin. Keswick movement, also known as the Higher Life movement originated from the landscapes of England’s esteemed Lake District during the early 19th century. This theological movement has left an enduring imprint on countless individuals. At the heart of Keswick, a town imbued with deep spiritual devotion, unfolds an annual week-long gathering of unparalleled significance—the esteemed Keswick Convention. Since its inception in 1875, this sacred gathering has served as a catalyst for divine awakening, reshaping the beliefs and practices of all who attend. The illustrious legacy of the Keswick movement, spanning from 1875 to 1920, has laid the foundation for what we now revere as “Keswick theology.” This profound theology, was influenced by revered figures, such as;

1. John Wesley,
2. Charles Finney, and
3. Hannah Whitall Smith.

Significant proponents of Keswick theology include

1. Evan H. Hopkins (Keswick’s formative theologian),
2. H. Moule (Keswick’s scholar and best theologian),
3. F. B. Meyer (Keswick’s international ambassador),
4. Andrew Murray (Keswick’s foremost devotional author),
5. J. Hudson Taylor and
6. Amy Carmichael (Keswick’s foremost missionaries),
7. Frances Havergal (Keswick’s hymnist),
8. W. H. Griffith Thomas, and
9. Robert C. McQuilkin (leaders of the victorious life movement).

People who were influenced by Keswick theology include

1. Leaders of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (A. B. Simpson),
2. Moody Bible Institute (D. L. Moody and R. A. Torrey), and
3. Dallas Seminary (Lewis Chafer and Charles Ryrie).

Keswickian denominations, such as the Christian and Missionary Alliance, differ from the Wesleyan-Holiness movement in that the Christian and Missionary Alliance does not see entire sanctification as cleansing one from original sin, whereas holiness denominations espousing the Wesleyan-Arminian theology affirm this belief. The basic teaching of Keswick heology is that the Christian life consists of two primary crises (or major turning points):

1. Justification and
2. Sanctification,

…both of which happen at different times in the life of the believer. After salvation one must have another encounter with the Spirit; otherwise, he or she will not progress into holiness or the “deeper” things of God.

This second encounter with the Spirit, in Keswick terminology, is called “entire sanctification,” “the second blessing,” or “the second touch.” This emphasis on a second, post-salvation experience corresponds with the Pentecostal idea of the “baptism” of the Spirit. Some Keswick teachers would even say that sinless perfection is possible after one receives the “second blessing.”

CRITIQUE OF KESWICK THEOLOGY

Although it is true that both justification (i.e., getting saved) and sanctification (i.e., becoming more like Christ) are vital aspects of the Christian life, overemphasizing the distinction between them tends to produce two different “classes” of Christian—

1. Those who are not being sanctified and
2. Those who are being sanctified.

According to Keswick theology, we can decide which camp we belong in, and the initiation of sanctification is something that depends on us after we are saved. The tendency for theological error resulting from overemphasizing one side of a debate versus another has been demonstrated time and time again throughout church history. For example, the well-known debate between Calvinists and Arminians is frequently seen (somewhat inaccurately) as a “conflict” between God’s sovereignty and man’s autonomous free will. Many on both sides of this debate have a tendency to overemphasize one side of this “conflict” to the exclusion of the other. Those who emphasize God’s sovereignty tend to minimize human volition, while those who emphasize man’s ability to choose end up burdening themselves and others with the charge to behave perfectly before the Lord. In reality, both God’s sovereignty and man’s volition must be held in tension with one another, because both are taught in Scripture.

Scripture tells us that all those who are saved (justified) are also being sanctified. God promises to finish the work He began in us (Philippians 1:6). This can be problematic to a Keswikian. Keswick theology says that one could be a genuine Christian and still say something like, “I have been justified, but I am not being sanctified, because I don’t see the need to be right now. I’m a Christian, surely; I’m just not as dedicated as others might be.” Of course, Scripture tells us that such an attitude is really evidence that the person speaking is not a believer (1 John 2:3–4).

Overall, the Keswick movement has some commendable points—an emphasis on the lordship of Christ and personal holiness, discipleship, and a promotion of missionary activity. For now, my conviction is that sanctification is a long, gradual, and sometimes tortuous process, and it is something that all believers will experience.

God’s forgiveness makes the church the church

What makes a body of people like ourselves desiring to be his church have meaningful and eternal relationships?  The short answer, of course, is God.   We are the people God has chosen and called to be God’s people, to live for God and for others, to be God’s witnesses in the world.  We are not just some group of likeminded people who choose to come together to pursue common interests, some sort of club.  We are not just the local branch of a big institution.  Nor are we just individuals who serve and worship God each individually and just happen to meet when come to worship.  We are God’s people, called together by God to worship him together, to serve him together.  God’s forgiveness makes the church the church, and God’s Spirit makes the church the church.

In Ezekiel 37 the prophets says to the dry bones of Israel, “Live – and hear the word of the Lord!”  The miraculous happened as the bones responded—assembled—and rose up as a mighty army for God. Ezekiel’s words breathed life and hope into the barrenness of Israel and produced a historical turning of God’s people back to him.

After his resurrection and before ascension, Jesus  without apology said to his disciples,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mathew 28:18-20).

The disciples  caught the vision. Jesus’s words breathed life and hope into the barrenness of disciples and produced a historical turning point. It captured them, overwhelmed them and at once they blocked out everything else. Suddenly fishermen like Peter and Andrew could see that the only thing that makes sense in life is living for Jesus and working to extend his kingdom here on earth as it is heaven.

For James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas,  James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot and Judas son of James all other goals and ambitions seemed pale in comparison to the thought of serving the risen savior. Bowing down in front of a full-length mirror to see how much weight they had lost, lost its appeal. Going for money or toys or pleasure or fame seemed like a trivial pursuit. Climbing some corporate ladder became a child’s play. The only thing that seemed to warrant investment of their life was advancing the work of the kingdom of God.

The world is in turmoil right now. Unemployment is at its highest. There are many willing workers lacking jobs or “gainful employment.” In the Asian, African and Latin American countries, well over 500 million people are living in what the World Bank has called “absolute poverty.” Recent statistics noted that even in USA, one out of every eight children under the age of twelve  goes to bed hungry every night. Look at what is happening in Egypt, Libya and etc,  it is easy for one to conclude that the real problem is the inability for young and old to agree on win-win solutions of power-sharing.  It is no secret that God is looking for someone to GO and share the goodnews to ALL people.

When Jesus walked into Jerusalem, the same problems we see today were there. Jesus noticed that the problem in the Middle East was not about who is controlling oil, but the controlling hand of Satan that causes tension, fear, loneliness and terrible anguish.  In all his teachings, Jesus noted that the real problem in the world is SIN. He said in the eyes of God, all people, Roman or Israelite, Jew or Gentile, Citizen or Alien are equal. According to Jesus, even though some may feel they have power, they really don’t. Outside the power of God no one has any defence mechanism. The haves and the have’s NOT are too weak to fend for themselves. “But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.”  (Habakkuk 2;20).

Rather than entertaining the notion of blaming Romans, the temple system, and etc, Jesus pointed everyone to God who is LOVE. He said,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him may not perish, but have life everlasting” (Jhn 3:16).

Without the grace of God and the love revealed at Calvary we cannot be saved. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through FAITH — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift  of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

Being in love

Those who are in love have a natural inclination to bind themselves by promises.  Love songs all over the world are full of vows of eternal constancy.

The Christian law is not forcing upon the passion of love something which is foreign to that passion’s own nature:  it is demanding that lovers should take seriously something which their passion of itself impels them to do.

And, of course, the promise, made when I am in love and because I am in love, to be true to the beloved as long as I live, commits me to being true even if I cease to be in love.  A promise must be about things that I can do, about actions:  no one can promise to go on feeling in a certain way.  He might as well promise never to have a headache or always to feel hungry.

But what, it may be asked, is the use of keeping two people together if they are no longer in love?  There are several sound, social reasons; to provide a home for their children, to protect the woman (who has probably sacrificed or damaged her own career by getting married) from being dropped whenever the man is tired of her.

But there is also another reason of which I am very sure… No one in his senses would deny that being in love is far better than either common sensuality or cold self-centredness.  But, as I said before, “the most dangerous thing you can do is to take any one impulse of our own nature and set it up as the thing you ought to follow at all costs.”

Being in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing.  There are many things below it, but there are also things above it.  You cannot make it the basis of a whole life.  It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling.  Now no feeling can be relied on to last in its full intensity, or even to last at all.

Knowledge can last, principles can last, habits can last, but feelings come and go.  And in fact, whatever people say, the state called “being in love” usually does not last… But, of course, ceasing to be “in love” need not mean ceasing to love.

Love in this second sense — love as distinct from “being in love” — is not merely a feeling.  It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by (in Christian marriages) the grace which both partners ask, and receive, from God.

They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other; as you love yourself when you do not like yourself.  They can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, be “in love” with someone else.

“Being in love” first moved them to promise fidelity:  this quieter love enables them to keep the promise.  It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run:  being in love was the explosion that started it.

People get from books and plays and the cinema that if you have married the right person you may expect to go on “being in love” for ever.  As a result, when they find they are not, they think this proves they have made a mistake and are entitled to a change — not realising that, when they have changed, the glamour will presently go out of the new love just as it went out of the old one.

In this department of life, as in every other, thrills come at the beginning and do not last… The thrill you feel on first seeing some delightful place dies away when you really go to live there.

Does this mean it would be better not to live in the beautiful place?  By no means.  If you go through with it, the dying away of the first thrill will be compensated for by a quieter and more lasting kind of interest.  What is more, it is just the people who are ready to submit to the loss of the thrill and settle down to the sober interest, who are then most likely to meet new thrills in some quite different direction…

This is, I think, one little part of what Christ meant by saying that a thing will not really live unless it first dies.  It is simply no good trying to keep any thrill:  that is the very worst thing you can do.  Let the thrill go — let it die away — go on through that period of death into the quieter interest and happiness that follow — and you will find you are living in a world of new thrills all the time.

But if you decide to make thrills your regular diet and try to prolong them artificially, they will all get weaker and weaker, and fewer and fewer, and you will be a bored, disillusioned person for the rest of your life.  It is because so few people understand this that you find many middle-aged men and women maundering about their lost youth, at the very age when new horizons ought to be appearing and new doors opening all round them.

Adapted  from C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

Hear the Word….. Again

Proverbs 16

1 To man belong the plans of the heart,  but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. 2 All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.  3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

1 Corinthians 4:4-5

For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

2 Corinthians 4: 1-6

1Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;  2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.  3But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  5For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.  6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:18

18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

James 4:7

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Keeping Christ at the center of our Homes

If we will practice the following principles, Christ—and His purposes for our lives—will truly be at the center of our home:

1. Remember the Builder.

Construction workers will transform piles of wood into the walls of our next house. They will do this by following the builder’s plans.

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Hebrews 3:4

2. Seek knowledge. It will take spiritual wisdom and understanding to transform our house into a Christ-centered home. And that knowledge can only come from God.

We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Colossians 1:9

3. Be on the alert for evil. Satan does not want us, our friends, or loved ones to follow Jesus.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

4. Follow God’s directions: Likewise, God gives us clear directions for each day that are found in His Word. When we follow His precepts, we will be filled with His joy.

I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways …Your statutes are my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. Psalm 119:15, 54

5. Keep God’s bigger picture in mind. How will what we say and do impact their thoughts of Christ?

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good. Psalm 122:9

6. Live in unity. Harmony and peace should mark our home and relationships when my actions match Christ’s desires. It would be terrible if an earthquake destroyed our new home. But it would be far worse if misunderstanding and confusion split our hearts apart.

If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. Mark 3:25

7. Seek understanding. Time and effort were invested in preparing the lot for our new house and in pouring a solid foundation. And after it is built, the rooms will be filled with our material possessions. But those material possessions will not transform our house into a home. We’ll need understanding to center (establish) it on Christ.

By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 24:3-4

8. Ask God to bless my home. And let others know of His faithfulness.If our builder does a wonderful job constructing our new home, he will likely ask us to endorse his work.  We will be happy to tell others about his expertise as a builder.

May it please You to bless the house of Your servant …2 Samuel 7:29

9. Choose every day to serve the Lord. No matter what our culture says, we will choose God’s ways.

Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

10. Remember that the Master of my home [the Lord] will return. May I be aware each day that my house ultimately belongs to the Lord.

“It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming …” Mark 13:34-35

Adapted from Mary May Larmoyeux’s Article.

Who needs a shepherd?

It has been observed that many in this generation wonder why any one needs a shepherd when the perfect role model is….. “ME.”

It has also been observed that many in this generation love to sing hymns such as;

“Master, like a Shepherd, lead us… much we need thy tender care. In thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use thy folds prepare…” “

“Oh Lord my God when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunders, thy power throughout the Universe displayed.”

ALL to Jesus I surrender! All to Him I freely Give!”

“Come thou Fount of Every Blessing, Tune my heart to sing God’s praise.”

In the dictionary, one of the meanings of “pastor” is “shepherd,” coming from a Latin word which means “feeder.” We must always remember the Jesus is the SHEPHERD of the church and every other pastor is an under-shepherd. Scriptures talks of elders (of which secular worlds calls bishops) of the church. Even such leaders need a shepherd for they themselves are under-shepherds who stands in need of the the SHEPHERD, the FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING, THE LAMB OF GOD, THE LILY OF THE VALLEY, JESUS, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

At the end of the Fourth Gospel we have that final resurrection appearance of the Lord by the Sea of Galilee when He asked Peter three times whether he loved Him, and Peter answered three times that he did. And Jesus said to Peter, “Feed my sheep.” One of the symbols of the office of an elders of the church across the centuries has been the shepherd’s crook, that long staff with a hook on the end. Ministers are often called “pastors.”

David, though a King realized the need for a shepherd. He wrote the favorite 23rd psalm, which begins by saying, “The Lord is my shepherd…” Centuries before Christ, the prophet Isaiah said to his people: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6). That shepherd became the suffering lamb of God.

We need a master like a shepherd to befriend us and to be the guardian of our way. Jesus our Shepherd keeps his flock, from sin and defend the weak and lowly. He is trustworthy. Therefore, early let us seek HIS favor, early let us do his will.

Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

Pentecost changed the world.  Pentecost shifted the world.  Pentecost shifted the world from being exclusive and exclusionary – everyone speaking in their own tongue – to inclusive.

Suddenly, without warning, everyone could understand everyone else.  Suddenly, without warning, people of every language and culture, people from every corner of the known world, were caught up by the Holy Spirit and included in the God movement.

The second chapter of Acts says, “All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’”  (Acts 2:12)  Eugene Peterson  puts it this way:  “Their heads were spinning; they couldn’t make head or tail of any of it.  They talked back and forth, confused: ‘What’s going on here?’”  Peter then gave a compelling sermon.

When Peter’s Pentecost crowd to ask, “So, now what do we do,” he did not hesitate in responding.  “Repent!  Repent, so that your sins may be forgiven.  Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Peter’s first response to the question, “So, now what do we do,” was to tell those gathered to change their lives before they went out to change the world.  Peter’s first response to the question was turn to God before you go out to turn others to God.  Peter’s first response to the question was to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit so that you do not go out into the world powerless.

Peter understood that transformation begins with the individual. I know this repentance needs to begin with me.

So, now what do we do?  Dear friends, is it time for a season of repentance in the West Ohio Conference?  Is it time to turn back to God?  Is it time to pray, fervently pray, for the gift of the Holy Spirit?