Reference Letters

As a pastor, I am often asked to fill out reference forms. Sometimes I know the person very well and feel I can give a fairly accurate reference. At other times I don't know the person well at all and the reference becomes more symbolic than useful.

I have had to give references at various times. Of course, I hope that those I choose will give a good reference - thought I DO want them to be truthful.

The best letters of reference I could ever get are seeing lives changed as a result of my input into their lives. When I see that, I really don't care what people write down on paper, or communicate over the phone.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.  You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

- 2 Corinthians 3:1-3

This is so cool!! 

Smell of Life or Death

 ¹⁴But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. ¹⁵For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. ¹⁶To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? ¹⁷Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

- 2 Corinthians 2

We all want to be liked by others. Some of us enjoy various levels of adversity, but we all have our limits. But we all have to make choices. Will I have principles, beliefs and standards that I am not willing to compromise even if others ridicule me and abuse me?

Paul makes it clear in this passage that as followers of Jesus Christ we will affect those around us. You would think that everyone would want to respond to Christ with what he offers to us. Life changing purpose here on earth, a fulfilling life, and of course, eternal life in heaven forever. As our lives are changed by the Holy Spirit of God, we become full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. We sacrificially reach out to those without hope and are helpless and bring them help and hope. What's not to like about that?

To those who respond favourable, we are the aroma that brings life.

But to those who refuse to respond to Christ, we are a reminder that they stand before God without hope and a future. To them we are the smell of death. We don't have to say a word.

Key Priorities

Great advice! As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be reminded of key priorities.

¹³Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. ¹⁴Do everything in love.

In this world we continuously face temptation to yield to temptation by what would lure us away from God. After all, the devil is real and will see if he can drag us to join him in rebellion against the Great Creator. So, we need to be on our guard.

We need to stand firm as indicated in Psalm 1.

Then we also need to be strong and courageous as Joshua was challenged when he took over from Moses.

The problem is that we tend to develop a "hold the fort" mentality. Hide away, keep away from anything that might tempt you, barricade yourself and hold on until Christ comes back. Make sure there is a distinct, uncrossable moat between you and "the world." Make sure you don't love the world or anything in it!

Strange though... We make enemies out of those who are not our enemies. In fact, we are told to DO EVERYTHING IN LOVE! We need to live as Jesus did - love the people. Live according to God's plan and live among the world and love each one we meet.

That is His priority!

Friday the 13th

We are a strange people. How can one number - one day - be so foreboding? All you have to do is say "Friday the thirteenth" and people get apprehensive, if they don't totally freak out. Why?

Why the 13th? Why Friday?

I know the number 13 is considered an unlucky number because Judas (who betrayed Jesus) was considered the 13th member of the group - 12 disciples and Jesus.

Even Christians. Just yesterday I was talking to someone who has been a significant leader/teacher in the church for years. When he talked about today being Friday the 13th, even he responded in a somewhat startled manner. Maybe he was kidding. Yet he reacted, none-the-less.

Let me throw some 13's at you.

1 Corinthians has a chapter 13 and a verse 13 in that chapter. Guess what that verse says? "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." Doesn't sound too ominous or unlucky to me!

You become a teenager at what age? Oh right - 13. Depends on who ask as to whether that may be something to be afraid of or not.

So I say, "never fear, 13 is hear."

Now to read 1 Corinthians 15 which is all about being raised from the dead. New bodies that will never get old or deteriorate again? Cool!

It's All About Love

One of the most read and ignored chapters in the Bible is 1 Corinthians 13. Go to a wedding and what are you inclined to hear?

It's all about LOVE!

We quote this chapter in such romantic events and sing about it in our love songs. Then what? And what is it really talking about anyway?

 ¹If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

- 1 Corinthians 13

Just prior to this passage Paul is writing to the church and talking about spiritual gifts. Everyone who comes to faith in Christ receives spiritual gifts to be used as God directs. It is the power of the Spirit of God at work within us. And as we read the list of spiritual gifts we begin to categorize them and give special place to those who have certain gifts - and ignore others.

That is when Paul gets personal. "You can have all the gifts, do all kinds of things - even for God, but if you don't have love, it useless. Love is the key.

And how much priority do we put on love - and the demonstration of love toward others?

As One Body

I love the church. I love how God has designed thc church! Of course, we as people have done our best to mess it up over the years. But God's design works - if we follow his design.

I believe a powerful and essential picture of the church is that of the body - which is used in 1 Corinthians 11 & 12. The church is Christ's body on earth. As such it is his physical representative in this world. The picture of the body demonstrates how the church ought to function.

But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]? Do all interpret?

- 1 Corinthians 12

According to this picture, each part of the church is equally important. It is essential that each part be active in its role for the church to be healthy and not handicapped in some way. No one part of the body can fulfill the roles of the entire body. There are lots of implications to this analogy - and they are important for the church.

So, if you are part of the church - you have a part to play. An important part which will help complete the church and make it healthy and effective. What's stopping you?

Silent Saturday

Saturday! Passover! Sabbath! Silence!

Shock! Disbelief! It's Over!

I wonder what was going through the minds of the followers of Jesus on this day? They had witnessed the execution of their leader. Their mentor! They had given their lives to follow him and his cause. Now he was dead! Now what?

We so quickly want to pass over this day. Because of what Christ accomplished on the cross we don't mind celebrating Good Friday. But then we want to rush to Sunday morning so we can celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. But there WAS the painful, confused waiting on Saturday, the Sabbath. But what were they waiting for?

This morning as my wife and I were sitting at the breakfast with our daughter we reflected on what the women must have been going through. Why did they not abandon Jesus like the men? Was it because of the value that Jesus had brought to these women?

What value had Jesus brought to us?

Then Paul Baloche's song "To The Cross" came on the playlist we were listening to. Here are the words...

You stretched Your arms out wide
I lift my hands up high to my Savior
You stretched Your arms out wide
I lift my hands up high to my Savior

Where can I go but to the cross
To the cross
For there my shame You have washed away
Where can I go but to the cross
To the cross
For there You gave up Your life for me
You gave Your life for me

So Lord I run to the cross
To the cross
Surrender all to my Savior King
Be my ev'rything

Chains are broken
Shame has fallen
All my sins are gone
Chains are broken
Shame has fallen
All my sins are gone

© 2009 Integrity Worship Music | Leadworship Songs | Sony/ATV Timber Publishing | West Main Music | Windsor Hill Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by Sony/ATV Sounds LLC) | (Admin. by Sony/ATV Sounds LLC) | (Admin. by Sony/ATV Sounds LLC)
Jason Ingram | Paul Baloche

And... It's NOT over! It is just the beginning! But for now, we wait...

Counting Down

I wonder if Jesus counted down the days? I do. Like - it is only 22 days until our daughter Liesel leaves to go back to Dublin, Ireland. I am surprised at how this is a bit more traumatic for me than I expected. I am sure she won't mind leaving this kind of weather.

April 4th snowfall in Didsbury

I am sure Jesus didn't have to worry about weather like that - whether he was counting down or not.

Today marks the day when Jesus met together with his disciples for one last meal together. This was the evening when one of his close group would sell him out to the highest bidder. It was the night when one of them would deny he knew Jesus. Three times! It was the night he humbly knelt in front of each of them and washed their feet. It was the night he knew was coming.

It is the night which included the greatest despair and eventually brought about what gives us the greatest hope possible. When Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins. So that we (including you) might have all our sins forgiven and we can be restored to the relationship God intended from the start. So that we can look forward to eternity without the boundaries, restictions and pain that we experience in life on this earth.

Pondering Death

I have been pondering death these last few days. We are half-way through Easter Week and in two days take a day to remember the fact that Jesus Christ died to pay for our sins so that we might have life. Then on Sunday we will celebrate the amazing reality that Jesus Christ conquered death as he rose from the tomb. 1 Corinthians 15 talks about the reality that we will also all be resurrected one day.

The question that my mind "worries over" these days has to do when death was introduced into the world. I have always understood that death was not present in the world until after Adam and Eve sinned and death was part of the curse placed on mankind.

So, here is what I have been pondering... Was there no death before then? What about the food Adam and Eve ate - or any of the other "animals" for that matter? The trees obviously bore fruit. Why? Would the fruit not fall from the tree and die? Is decomposition not a form of "death?" Adam and Eve ate food. Why? What would have happened if they would have stopped eating?

Anyway, those are some questions I am pondering these days.

Betrayal & Denial

We are so quick to condemn the one and readily embrace the other. Both are recorded in John 13...

²¹After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”

³⁸Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

Those familiar with the events surround the betrayal, arrest and crucifixion of Jesus know that the first prediction by Jesus refers to Judas and the second one to Peter. Judas would betray once and Peter would deny he knew Jesus three times - all on the same evening.

So, what's the difference?

One had malicious intent and the other was a coward. One could not come to forgive himself and the other was convicted in spirit and repented of his wrong.

And there lies the key for each of us. We all have sinned. We know it and the Bible reminds us of it. What do we do when we come to the place where we admit our sin? Do we respond like Judas or Peter? Do we spiral down in our despair and bring about our own end? Or do we humble ourselves before God and seek his grace, mercy and forgiveness - and find life?

Broken And Spilled Out

¹Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ²Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ³Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ⁵“Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” ⁶He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

⁷“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. ⁸You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

⁹Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ¹⁰So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, ¹¹for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.

- John 12

A Day You Will Never Forget

I wonder what it would have been like that day? You see the crowds gather. You see the excitement and the shouting of the crowd. You wrestle your way through the crowd and see people waving branches and throwing their coats on the road.

You see a man riding on a young donkey. There is something unusual about this man. People are shouting and calling him king. But he doesn’t look like he is dressed like a king. As he passes by, he looks at you and you feel a warm flow through you. You also see sadness.

Suddenly some church leaders angrily push their way through and start talking to the man. He is to tell these people to be quiet – they are causing a public disturbance. You overhear the man say something about the stones crying out if the people are quiet.

It’s A day you would never forget. The day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem for the last time. That day, the crowds worshipped Him and proclaimed Him as their Messiah - their King.

I invite you to get your Bible and read Matthew 21:1-11. As you read this passage you can discover something about this man and what he provokes for a response in us.

Who is this man? 

A. He Is The LORD  vs.3

"If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them.”

B. He Is Your KING  vs.5

“'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'”

C. He is JESUS  vs.11

"The crowds answered, "This is Jesus…”

D. He Is a Prophet vs.11

“The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

What response does he provoke?

A. As Lord, He calls us to OBEDIENCE.

B. As King, He calls us to HONOUR & WORSHIP

C. As Jesus, He calls us to respond to Him as Savior

D. As Prophet, He calls us to pay attention to His prophecy.