Speaking Love Truthfully

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
Ephesians 4:15, NIV

I apologize for being sporadic in my musings. These past few weeks have involved wrapping up the school year and taking a few days break to celebrate my birthday and wedding anniversary. I hope to continue to inspire and encourage you through the Summer.

Today, I want to continue to unfold the concepts of "speaking the truth in love." I have often heard this verse used to back the legitimate effort of correcting others. While I do not disagree, I believe there is a fuller sense of love found in our communication. When we practice using words that come from a connected heart and motivation of love, there will be less correction needed.

For the past two weeks, we have spoken about the positive side of speaking the truth in love. These include such spiritual practices as speaking appreciations, encouragements, and affirmations to others. The whole world is in need of a "good word" today. We are all subject to the vortex of the world that keeps us looking at the negative side of life. Through comparing, judging, and forgetting our identity as children of God, we can miss our "blessing opportunities" in the lives of those around us.

On Sunday as we practiced appreciations and affirmations with one another, many if not all of us realized that there was hesitancy, awkwardness, and a stilted feel to this exercise. When sharing about that, a few observations were made. First, we felt out of practice in "seeing and saying the good" in others. Second, we felt that the practice should be more spontaneous, but as we know, we haven't been spontaneous enough. The last observation was that many did not grow up in a family that was liberal in praise so it seems out of our element to do so.

All that being said, everyone you meet today could use a lift. As Proverbs 25:11 reminds us, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver." There is a beautiful gift we can give each other if we take time to be aware and grace one another with "the truth in love." Find someone today to encourage, appreciate, affirm and bless.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Getting our Expectations into the Light

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
Ephesians 4:15, NIV

A part of our speaking the truth in love is bringing our unspoken expectations into the light. We live in a world of expectations. We have expectations of how others will behave, how they will treat you or others, how they will show their love, etc. We have expectations of ourselves and sometimes we live under the expectations of our parents or even the Lord God. Many of these expectations need to be brought into the light to keep tension, misunderstanding, and relational intimacy from becoming an issue.

What we went over this past weekend was the fact that when we get agitated or angry at others it is often because we have an expectation that is not being fulfilled. However, instead of bringing it to the light and communicating, we often stuff it, hope they will see it is bothering us, or complain that they should just "know better."

None of these is a biblical strategy. "Instead, speaking the truth in love..." is at the heart of bringing things to the light.

• The first step is becoming aware of what we are becoming resentful about.

• The second step is asking ourselves if this is a reasonable request.

• The third step is simply bringing it into the light by speaking about it.

• The last step is coming to an agreement about it.

It is unspoken expectations that Satan uses to divide relationships. He wants us to hide in them and hope that things will change instead of bringing them to the forefront. A simple, "I have been anxious, resentful, angry, or bothered by something, can we talk about it" opens the way.

Don't let your unspoken expectations of your partner, children, co-workers, or friends keep you from going deeper in your relationships with them. It is loving to express your heart and they can love you back by serving your needs.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Speaking the Truth in Love

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
Ephesians 4:15, NIV

This week we tackled the topic of how to have that difficult conversation with someone. Following our previous discussions from James to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to be angry and Paul's statement to only speak words that build others, we now turn to building intimacy through our challenging conversations.

We have all experienced a difficult conversation that both resolved an issue with someone and had the blessing of growing closer. We have also all experienced when a conversation goes poorly. Our goal is to glorify the Lord by loving, building, and blessing others in every conversation.

The first step to "speaking the truth in love" is to actually not speak to the person...yet. When we have to address something with someone, we must first take it to the Lord and ask for guidance by the Holy Spirit. Without prayer, our emotions can get the best of us. Instead, you may hear from the Lord something unexpected. Here are a few "words" you may encounter.

First, the Lord may say, "Commit this to me and keep on persevering in prayer because I am working." When people hear from the Lord, it tends to solidify change more quickly. The motive is not to please you, but Jesus.

Second, the Lord may give you the heart of love "you need" in order to speak in a way that is not angry, and that will build those we are speaking with.

Third, the Lord may give you the strategy or key to the heart that you need in order to bring about the change that is expected. There are scriptures the Lord will bring to your mind that will guide you in the path.

Prayer is the first step to all conflict resolution for a Christian. It is directed at both parties. First to us and then to the other. We must humbly approach the Lord God as a minister of grace to those we are confronting in the hopes that they will hear the Lord God's heart for them. Speak the truth in love, but also speak the love in truth.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Replacing Harmful Emotional Habits

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31-32, NIV

The last time we looked at the specific language, Paul told us to get rid of it when our conversations and relationships go sideways. When these emotions rise up, it is an indication that we must return to the Spirit to find out where He would lead us.

However, like the proverb says, "nature abhors a vacuum." If we only remove these harmful emotional traits and do not replace them, they will come rushing back to take over our hearts. That is why Paul gives us a simple set of replacements. They are simple, but not necessarily easy. Here they are:

Be kind: The words that make this phrase mean, "bring into existence a pleasantness and grace." It is as if one opens a way or a path for a different relationship or emotion. The root word means "to lend." You only lend something to someone you give trust and are generous with.

Be compassionate: This is an easy one to understand. It means to feel strongly about another person. Just as we were strong in our anger before, we replace that with strong love and empathy for the other.

Lastly, forgive each other: Forgiveness is the lubrication of every great relationship. When we replace anger with forgiveness, we not only heal but restore. Paul adds this note: "Forgive as in Christ God forgave you.” Just in case you are tempted to not forgive, he brings us to the cross. If the Lord God was so gracious to forgive me, how could I withhold grace to another?

So, don't just get rid of the bad stuff, replace it with the good. When you fill your life with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness, you will be well on your way to becoming more like Jesus. That is the way He relates to us.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Downsizing for Relational Health

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Ephesians 4:31, NIV

After Paul reintroduces us to relying on the Holy Spirit to lead our conversations, he gives us this command. "Get rid of this!" He knows that when we allow a different spirit to fester in us, we will grieve the Holy Spirit. He is very particular in his language, but not exhaustive. The words he uses are instructive. Let's take a look at them.

Get rid of bitterness: We all know what bitterness tastes like and how we will spit out things that are really bitter. It is the same thing with bitterness of the soul. We have encountered this gall a lot in our present discourse in our country. May it not fit in our hearts and mouths.

Get rid of rage: This is a word that means to boil over. It is what happens when we become inflamed by passion. We should reserve our passion for Jesus and keep our emotions and words at an even keel.

Get rid of wrath: This is anger with an eye to punishment. When we let ourselves express ourselves in wrath, it communicates that we do not love the people we are speaking with.

Get rid of clamor: This word means to cry out. In our context, it would mean to raise our voice or yell. Great communication keeps a steady tone.

Get rid of slander: This comes from the word translated blasphemy. These are hurtful words that injure another's character or name. This is the way they spoke of Jesus and what we see in our culture where people are vilified by others without cause. We must be speakers with a tongue of truth.

Get rid of malice: Lastly, Paul tells us to get rid of malice. This is wickedness that casts aside any restraint or law. There is neither regard for the person or for the Lord God.

Paul uses this set of strong words to capture our attention and direct us away from the conversations that are happening in the kingdom of this world. We are not of this kingdom but have been delivered. Let's make sure we take out the trash of these behaviors in our lives.

Love, Pastor Stuart

How the Holy Spirt Transforms our Speaking

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Ephesians 4:30, NIV

In Paul's discussion of great communication, he puts this verse in the middle. Let's take a quick look at the "communication sandwich" again.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

While "grieving the Holy Spirit" is often referred to as being related to personal sin, this verse is clearly here to remind us that the Lord God is grieved when we speak to others with hurtful words. To make our discussion simplified, we are called not only to live like Jesus, but "speak" like Jesus. This means our words are meant to be loving and healing and holy.

To emphasize this, Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit hears our conversations and is wanting to help us be like Jesus in them. When we find ourselves speaking from the natural man (the flesh), we degrade the incredible worth of others. So how do we do this, especially in conflictual situations?

First, we must continue to slow our lives down. We cannot hear the Holy Spirit speak to us when we are rushing. In fact, when we are engaged in charged conversations, that is the time to pause, pray, and think about how we can be a blessing to those we are speaking to.

Next, we must tune in to the "emotion" of the Holy Spirit so to speak. When the Holy Spirit is grieved, He tells us through conviction. We have all experienced this when we walk away from a conversation and tell ourselves, "I wish I hadn't said that." This is the training and discipleship of the Holy Spirit. He will teach us how to be a blessing.

Lastly, we must understand the concept of being "sealed for the day of redemption." Our salvation is a process. We "are" saved. We "are being" saved and we are "going to be saved/redeemed." We are in the process of becoming transformed into the image of Christ. The reason this is important to know is that we are graced to have the end "sealed" at the beginning. When you mess up in your words and actions, the Lord God is not finished with you. Instead, He sends His Holy Spirit to come alongside you, to challenge you, and to comfort you.

Our words are powerful to build or to tear down, to bless or to hurt. Let's invite the Holy Spirit to have His way in our hearts and minds to speak like Jesus to those around us.

Love, Pastor Stuart

The Best Way to Talk

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29, NIV

This week we looked at these verses in Ephesians 4 as an overview of what great communication should look like. Since communicating is the path to intimacy with others and the Lord God, it is important for us to master these verses. In this verse, we have three key elements to practice.

The first element has to do with words that no longer fit the mouth of a disciple of Jesus. The word unwholesome means "rotten," and can stand for any language that you wouldn't use if Jesus were standing there. Cursing, cynical, faithless, gossip, and negative words are no longer to be a part of our vocabulary. Beyond dishonoring the Lord, it is a sign that our hearts are not yielded and that we are not willing to take our spiritual life to the next level. While we all catch ourselves speaking negatively or inappropriately, we are commanded to not let it happen.

The second element is that the words we speak should only be used for building up. I often catch myself speaking negatively about random topics, such as the state of the world or faith or the weather or sometimes even people. The hearer is never built up from these conversations. Even if we stay neutral, it is like tearing down because it does not build others up. In every conversation, we should endeavor to make it a constructive conversation.

The last element is to take into consideration what the needs of the hearer are. We often speak from our own vantage point and don't consider how our words are helping others. Everyone has a need for healing, encouragement, and support. When we consider where people are at and become more aware of our ministry opportunity, our language will change to benefit and bless them.

While these verses seem difficult to move towards and master, that is the call of the Lord God on our lives. Let's not shrink back, but engage the Holy Spirit to help us become Jesus to those around us who need a touch from Him. Let's get started today.

Love, Pastor Stuart

The Three People You Should Listen To

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few. (King Solomon)
Ecclesiastes 5:1-2, NIV

Listening is an important discipleship skill for a number of reasons. First, disciples are learners. We do not learn anything by speaking, only listening. When we are talking, we are not receiving. Second, disciples are ministers. We are ministers to God and to others. A disciple who does not listen cannot hear the heart of the ones they want to bless. Lastly, disciples are lovers. Lovers are givers. One of the best ways to give is time with an undivided heart.

In this devotion, I want to emphasize the three people we should endeavor to listen to. The first is the Lord God. The verse above puts it plainly. When we approach the Lord we approach with a heart to listen rather than simply make our requests. He has much to say to you beyond making your life easier. He wants to heal and transform our hearts. King Solomon gives it to us straight, "less is better."

The second person you should listen to is the one in front of you. Being fully present with an undivided love is the way the bible describes it. This is such a challenge in our modern society where we are pulled on every side with and mimic ADHD behaviors due to multiple priorities and "monkey mind." We practice slowing down so we can be fully with the Holy Ones around us.

Lastly, we need to listen to our own hearts. As King Solomon says, "don't be hasty in your heart...". When we are not aware of what is going on inside of us, through anxiety, anger, etc., especially when listening to others, we will neither be empathetic nor grow in intimacy. A hasty heart does not process its emotions. Listen to your heart so you can grow in your communication with God and others.

Let's continue to grow in our listening. With it comes to grace and healing for you and for others.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Lessons in Listening - Part 2

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
James 1:19-20, NIV

In keeping with our theme this week about improving our listening skills, we come to some familiar verses from James. In it, he encourages us to pay attention to the mechanics of great communication. He begins with an encouragement to "take note of this." The words in the text tell the reader that this is something we want to pay attention to. If we are committed to intimate communion with each other, we should watch out for what is coming.

James begins his instruction with the importance of being the first to listen. The word, "quick" comes from the word we get "tachometer" from. It means "super speedy" or "fleet of foot." In essence, he is instructing us to be the first to listen. We need to race to hear. This goes against our need to "be heard," but it is the key to loving and building intimacy in word. Next time you are in a conversation, especially if it is heated, win the first place medal in listening.

The second instruction is that we should be slow to speak. The word means to be "inactive in mind." This means that we are engaged in what the other person is saying rather than thinking about what we are going to say in response to what they are saying. The art of listening is to listen fully. Like a good minister, we are there to draw the other person out rather than interject our ideas.

The third instruction comes with an explanation. "Be slow to become angry." When we are in conversations that are conflictual, it is easy to allow our emotions to take over. We have all experienced this phenomenon and have probably even said something we wished we hadn't. From a discipleship point of view, being slow to become angry requires two things. The first is a heart that is healed by the Lord. The second is a trust in the Lord. When we allow our emotions to get ahead of us, it is usually because of one of these two things.

Lastly, James tells us that human anger will never produce what is right and what God desires. In other words, we cannot get what we want from anger. I should have understood this as a young father, because I thought my anger would produce righteousness in my kids. The reverse promise is that it cannot be done that way.

Take to heart Jame's instructions today. Focus on your listening first and then move forward.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Lessons in Listening: Part 1

Whoever has ears should listen. — Jesus
Matthew 11:15 (NIRV)

This week we are focusing our attention on the skill of listening in communication with God, ourselves, and others. As we covered yesterday, the goal of communication is love, honesty, and trust (1 Timothy 1:5). As the heart of the word "communication" is communion or "coming together as one," it takes patience, focus, and feeling. I want us to explore for a moment this statement of Jesus about listening.

"Whoever has ears should listen" is stated by Jesus a number of times in the Gospels and a number of times in the Revelation. This particular exhortation comes at the end of the parable of the soils, which speaks of how prepared a heart is to pursue the Kingdom of God. In the same way and in all of our communication, it takes an open and prepared heart to build intimacy.

There are three aspects of listening to note in this statement. The first is "whoever." The skill of listening is open to anyone who is willing to grow in their communion with God and others. It takes a heart that is open to building intimacy. If we are not in the receiving mode, we may miss building our relationships.

The second aspect has to do with those who "have ears." This is a curious way to make a direct plea for understanding the magnitude of the words of others. It is obvious that they (we) all have ears, however, when we are conversing, there is a difference between hearing and listening. Too many times we hear others without listening. Through distraction, hurry, self-centeredness, bias, etc., we miss building our relationships.

The last aspect has to do with the discipline and practice of listening. The original text is emphatic. "Do this." Listen. It is also in the present active tense which means, "listen and keep on listening. This reminds us that as followers of Christ, we need to cultivate a heart of listening to God and others.

As we talked about yesterday, listening is a difficult challenge in communication. It requires lots of patience, lots of love, and seeing beyond the words to the heart. May we go beyond "hearing" in our practice of loving one another and truly "listen" to the heart of God and others. Have a great day!

Love, Pastor Stuart

Time to Pay Attention

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
Hebrews 1:1-3a, 2:1, NIV

After the initial shock of the resurrection came a leap in maturity and understanding for the disciples. Though they had seen Jesus heal people, feed over 5000 people, calm the storm, walk on water, etc., they still did not understand who He really was. It was when they spoke with Him after He rose that they realized He was truly God the Son.

The verses above came to my mind this week as I was pondering the "advanced" class the disciples took for those last 40 days before the ascension. The veil was pulled away and their eyes were opened. Jesus wasn't just a prophet, rabbi, teacher, and potential overthrower of the Roman government, He was the risen Son of God.

There is a powerful difference that comes when we see Jesus for who He really is. There is an awe, a personal humility, and a reverence for Him. We all like to relate to Jesus as a friend, but first He is the Lord God.

Spend a moment to meditate upon the verses above. Here is the Son. The Heir. The Creator. The radiance of God's glory. The one who upholds the whole world. These verses lift our eyes to gaze upon our beautiful Savior. Along with this description comes a warning that may be put like this, "Jesus is the incredibly awesome Son of God, therefore, pay careful attention."

Learning to pay attention was the lesson the disciples understood after the resurrection. We have the advantage that we can learn from them. As we spend time with Jesus this week, let's be aware of our distractions and turn our full attention to the one who is worthy of it. Have a great day!

Love, Pastor Stuart

Be a Thomas

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:24-29, NIV

Our focus this week is on the human side of the disciples after the resurrection. Though some might argue that they were not yet filled with the Holy Spirit, even our own experience bears out that we often revert to the natural mind over the spiritual mind when we are under stress. This was certainly the case with the disciple known as Thomas.

To begin with, Thomas made at least three blunders. First, he didn't make the first meeting that Jesus showed up to. We have no idea where he may have been, but he missed the "big reveal." Second, he didn't believe the testimony of the other disciples. Third, he must have been from Missouri because he wanted to see it for himself, gaining him the new nickname, "doubter."

Thomas doesn't get much "air-time" in the gospels. In the eleven verses in which he is mentioned, five of them are in lists, two were statements of cluelessness, and the rest are found in these verses. I feel bad for Thomas, because I am sure there was a lot more to his story than these. Historically, he made good by becoming the apostle who took the gospel to India.

That being said, here are a few reasons I think we should be like Thomas. First, he questioned his faith. Faith in Jesus is not a blind experience. It is founded on history and a personal relationship with Him. While we now have the bible as our testimony and the Holy Spirit as our witness, Thomas did not. Jesus, in His interaction with Thomas, did not chastise him for his lack of faith.

The second reason I think we should be like Thomas is that he was open to having his mind changed. Too often, we can lock into mindsets and dogmas that need a visitation from Jesus to break through. Thomas was quick to change his mind. This ability to repent was his strength, and can also be ours.

The third reason I think we should be like Thomas was that He was quick to worship Jesus. When he realized he was in the presence of Jesus, he immediately declared his obedience (my Lord) and his worship (my God). This is the heart of a true disciple.

Let's try not to judge Thomas too harshly. We also are caught without faith on a regular basis. Instead, we can learn from him by having a thoughtful faith, a heart that is open to repent, and a life that is set on obedience and worship. Have a great day!

Love, Pastor Stuart

How Human is Your Spirituality?

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
John 20:19-20, NIV

Some of my favorite episodes from the bible are right after Jesus rises from the dead. He seems to spend the first days blowing people's minds by appearing in unusual ways and often in His resurrection disguise. Each encounter we see Him appearing to be someone else like a gardener to Mary and an uninformed traveler to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. I am sure He enjoyed not letting on right away to see if they would notice.

Beyond being humorous, I think these appearances of Jesus are instructive in two ways. The first is that often we do not recognize Jesus is right there with us. We spend a lot of emotional energy calling out to Him, worrying that He won't be there, or looking for Him while He is right there with us. This reminds us that all the time Jesus was teaching us about trust, He was also teaching us to relax.

The second way this is instructive to us is that when Jesus shows up it reveals our humanity. As we see in the verse above, after Jesus had told the disciples He would rise again, and after Mary had told them that she had seen Him alive, they were still hanging out behind closed doors in fear. This reminds me of how easy it is to be human no matter how long I walk with Jesus. I still fear and lack courage, even though I know that Jesus is already working on my behalf and is so near to me. How long do I have to walk with Him to understand He is taking care of my every need?

Jesus had the cure for their fear. He appeared in their midst. He never knocked. He didn't wait for them to unlock the door. He simply showed up. I am sure that didn't make them feel any safer about their locks, but it is the way Jesus likes to arrive. We cannot lock Him out.

Wherever you are hiding in fear, Jesus is still able to reach you. When He does, He will declare His peace and show you more of Himself than you knew before. Jesus always supersedes our humanity. Use this day to trust/relax in Him.

Love, Pastor Stuart

The Last Commandment

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
John 15:12, NIV

In the last conversation Jesus had with His disciples before going to the cross, he made this command, "Love each other as I have loved you." We, along with the disciples, must contemplate and ultimately act upon these important last words of our Savior. They cannot be ignored.

The first question we need to ask in relation to this verse is, "How has Jesus loved us?" We cannot love others until we see how Jesus loved us. Though it would take a book to describe, here are a few things at the top of my thinking. First, Jesus loved the disciples unconditionally and without judgement. He had no issues with their quirky personalities and sins. He saw them for the incredible people God created them to be. Second, Jesus loved them by investing His life in them. Third, He loved them by cheering them on in the mission. Lastly, He loved them by sacrificing Himself for them, bringing freedom and forgiveness from all their past and sins.

The second question we need to ask is, "How am I doing in my love for those around me?" Am I accepting of people as they are? Am I forgiving and forgetful of their past? Am I willing to sacrifice a part of my life to help them succeed and excel in life? This is the kind of love Jesus was commanding.

Those that heard the command on that day were locked into an "everyone for themself" mentality. That was the opposite of love. However, just like us, when the command meets the will plus the power of the Holy Spirit, we begin to transform. History tells us that they indeed did love others like Jesus as they all gave their lives for the gospel.

In this Holy Week, let's remember the love of Jesus conquered the grave and the hearts of millions of sinners throughout history. This is our mission too. Let's love one another as Jesus loved us.

Love, Pastor Stuart

...So Have I Loved You

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
John 15:9, NIV

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:10

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
1 John 3:1

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

I thought that I would lay out a handful of reality for you today. You are loved! As we progress through the Holy Week, the passion that Jesus has for us was demonstrated in both words and action. As you read the above scriptures slowly, what comes to your mind and heart?

I am overwhelmed by the peace that comes from knowing that I am unconditionally loved. The only analogy we can find in our life experience is that of our relationship with our children or grandchildren if you have some. No matter the behavior, one can look past the foolishness, childishness, and noise to love beyond it all. In the same way, Father God has chosen to relate to us based upon His love for us rather than our behavior toward Him.

I hope you will take a few minutes to read this set of verses a few times and let yourself be loved today.

Love, Pastor Stuart

The Life in the Son

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
John 15:4 (NIV)

The whole of the Christian life is found in this verse. In order to live the Christian life, we must understand that it is not about the teachings of Jesus, or following precepts or commands. It is about binding ourselves in a relationship with Him that has the same bond as the Father and Son have.

Even though we talk about a relationship with Jesus, our actions make our relationship more "priests to God" than the intimacy of closest friends. When Jesus says, "remain in me as I remain in you," He is speaking about a union that few Christians grasp. This union from His perspective is like the autonomic nervous system that runs all of our vital organs on autopilot. On the other hand, we “remaining” in Him is finding complete rest in who He is and what He has done and is doing within our lives.

He finishes the thought with a warning. "No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.” Anytime we find ourselves leading our own lives instead of living in Christ, we shrivel like a broken branch. Over the years, I have seen many people's faith wither. When I ask them about their private times with the Lord, they are usually non-existent. They had stopped remaining in Him and had expected to bear fruit.

There are seasons in our faith when we are pursuing the Lord but are not perceiving that we are bearing fruit. That's called Winter. We don't look for fruitfulness in that season. We continue to rest and press through as Spring follows.

The good news is that even if we have found ourselves separated from Jesus for a time, the Father is always able to re-graft you back into the Vine. We simply ask and He will take care of it.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Coming to the Father

Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except by me.
John 14:6, NIV

I love the way Jesus simplifies our spiritual and emotional lives. While religion stacks demands and commands, Jesus has removed the weight of all the law and the prophets by putting them on His back. Statements like, "Don't worry about tomorrow," "Follow me," and "Forgive as your heavenly Father has forgiven you" show us how we can simply find spiritual peace because of who He is and what He has done.

As we reflect on the last part of today's verse, "no one comes to the Father except by me," there are two ways of understanding it. The first is that Jesus is setting Himself up to be the exclusive way to Father God. The second is that He is simplifying the way to Father God. Both are true, however, within the conversation, it is clear that Jesus is trying to clarify and simplify for the disciples who He is. He wasn't trying to exclude others but make a clear and singular path.

Why does this matter? While all faiths are exclusionary in some way, the Father's desire is that "none should perish." He sent Jesus to earth to simplify all of the archaic voices that compete to tell people how they should live their lives in a way that pleases God. Instead of fulfilling laws, commands, fasts, meditations, and observing days and traditions, He put them all together and says, "I am the Way." It is His heart to make access to an eternal relationship with Him as uncluttered as possible. Face to face is the goal, not following laws and rituals.

Jesus takes us out of the realm of religion and places us into a relationship with Him. Then He walks us into a relationship with the Father. As we trust Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, He brings us confidently before the Father, without sin, guilt, or shame. Let's keep our spiritual lives simple. Go to Jesus.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Life for Death

Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me.
John 14:6, New International Version

Today, we focus on Jesus' statement, "I am the life." This facet of His life was about to become the dominant theme of faith for all time. Though He was at creation declaring life for all creatures, there was a curse of death that fell over them. To this, He came to bring life.

This "life" was however a paradox. He would have to die to obtain it. This was His mission and passion. He would bring life by dying on a cross for the sins of the whole world. This would have a profound impact on everyone who trusts in Him. Not only would they be forgiven and clean and have access to a relationship with God, He also would redeem the "deaths" within life.

Let me explain that last statement. We all have areas of our life where sin, sickness, and Satan have reigned through the power of death. As Paul reminds us, "For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!" (Romans 5:19)

Even though relationships are broken, hopes are shattered, and dreams are erased, through the power of the gospel, He takes those "deaths" and transforms them to life for us. Whether through restoration or the perspective of a renewed mind, He takes those things and breathes life back into them. Paul puts it this way in Romans 5:21: "just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

This life that is in Christ is available for all of our brokenness, fears, wounds, and deaths. We no longer need to fear death, the future, or the work of the enemy. Jesus is bringing life and restoration to our lives, both now and in eternity. When Jesus says, "I am the Life," we can be sure that there is no place in the universe that He will not make all things new.

Love, Pastor Stuart

What is the Truth?

Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me.
John 14:6, New International Version

When the disciples asked Jesus for the way to where He was going, He told them that "He" was the way. But He didn't stop there. He added two more facets to His life that they needed to know about. He tells them, "I am the truth and the life, too." He was making a powerful statement to us.

Our world is filled with lies about every subject. Bold, so-called experts, tout the truth about everything from diets, to finances, to relationships, and to spiritual things. When you drill down, we often discover they may have "truths" in them, but are lacking the Truth. This solidifies our insecurity that "no one can really know the truth about anything."

In Jesus' conversation to His disciples, He wanted to make one thing clear, "He is the truth." I believe He told them this because a person uses truth as their basis of trust. If we are not sure about what the truth is, we cannot put our trust fully in it. When Jesus declares, "I am the truth," He is saying that there is one place you can always trust. "It is not in a teaching, it is in a person, Me."

This was an important point at this critical time for the disciples. They were about to experience the greatest disorientation of their lives. What they believed about Jesus and His life was wrong. He was not going to be the King and live to rule but would become a Lamb and die to make a way for us to be forgiven and free.

During times of disorientation, Jesus wants us also to remember only one thing. He is the truth. Everything else may be a lie, but we can always trust him. Don't get hung up on truths that may be proven wrong in the end. No matter how educated we are, we know less than 1% on any subject. Instead, we can find ourselves being humble and humbled as we declare what we think is the truth and trade it for who we know is the truth.

When we come to pass from this earth, may we have our eyes directed to the only thing that is the embodiment of truth, namely Jesus.

Love, Pastor Stuart

When You are Feeling Lost

"You know the way that leads to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; so how can we know the way to get there?” Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me.
John 14:4-6, New International Version

Certainly, before GPS, we have all probably had the experience of being lost. Anxiety begins to rise when you realize you don't know where you are and how to get to your destination. Some of our earliest disagreements as a married couple were whether I was going to stop and ask for directions...

The disciples in this passage were really confused about what the future held for them. Jesus was explaining that He was going die and proceed to heaven. They were sure He had some other destination more worthy of a Messiah. Finally, one of them broke down and did the toughest thing a man can do. He said he was lost and needed directions.

Being lost can happen in more than one realm. We can be lost spiritually, we can be lost in the direction of our lives, or we can even be lost within ourselves. All three of these are a part of our common experience as humans. The good news as followers of Jesus is that we always have a north star to reorient us.

In every season of our life, and sometimes even daily, we need to reorient ourselves. This pandemic season has given us many chances to do that. When the world is actively leading us away from ourselves, Jesus is there with the compass. When we are confused about who we are, He tells us we are His children. When our future is uncertain, He is there with peace and a foundation to stand on. When we lose track of our faith, He is there to tell us to simply trust Him. We only need to come to Him, listen to His encouraging voice, and follow Him as He leads us in the direction we need to go.

This world is filled with disorienting voices. If we are feeling lost, we need only to reach out to Him who is our way.

Love, Pastor Stuart