Month: May 2016

A Man’s Best Friend

A Man’s Best Friend

my best friend is a Miniature Australian Shepherd or mini aussie for short named Shiloh.  He is the coolest dog i have ever had the privilege of calling friend. You know what they say about dogs, “a dog is a man’s best friend”. Shiloh is that dog.  He goes with me most places. Has his own profile on my MinHub Youth Ministry App, he has his own Facebook and Instagram…he might even Tweet.  He is the happiest to see me on any given day and twice as much when i have been gone all day.  However, as stated before he goes most places with me.

One day when i was trying to understand Shiloh a bit more i googled searched his breed and read that Mini Aussie’s suffer from separation anxiety. This causes them to chew things up and or act out.  Since reading that i have made it a point to bring him along with me more often. In fact as i write this he is sitting at my feet under my desk.  He knows some tricks, enjoys playing fetch, walks beside me without a leash, comes when i call, has his door that he likes to use when getting in the van and sits on my lap. He is pretty much my snoopy and i am his Charlie Brown.

When i think of my relationship with Shiloh i can’t help but think of how God desires us; Not to do tricks but to use our talents to bring Him joy. To bring others to Him. To walk beside Him freely. To come when He calls. To use our prayer closet regularly. To sit with Him.

i know a dog isn’t the best analogy since we are not dogs and Jesus does not consider us pets…but the response, the bareness of the relationship i think reflects the heart of the Father well.

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” Psalm 86:15

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

You are Loved,

cj

More Mercy, Peace, and Love

More Mercy, Peace, and Love

We have been studying Jude at Coffee with Jesus in the mornings.  i love when we can read an introduction and spend the morning talking about it. Jude is one of those introductions.

“…I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.”

Much like the whole of Scripture the letter is being written to those who have already accepted Jesus as Lord, they are already born again. The words to follow, are for those that already follow. We often want, and in varying degrees it is assumed, that these are for the non-believer first…well at least it is how we talk and act, it appears this is our thought process.

As we read here in Jude, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Verse 2 is spectacular, “May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.” What do we take away from this? That He, Jesus, has already given us some, if Jude is implying there is more. The reason most of us believe is because we experienced the Mercy, Peace and Love of Christ first.

If we came because Christ first loved us…and we are called to be like Christ, doesn’t it stand to reason that we first love others? That we extend mercy, peace and love so that others too can experience the MORE?

You are Loved,

cj

Trust and Obey

Trust and Obey

Have you ever been on the edge of a conversation? You know when you hear information but not all the information and in knowing some or part but not all you are left to wonder…

The disciples were in this boat all the time. Even at the end of their time with Jesus; “He replied, ‘The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know…” He continued, that we would have all we need, sufficient for our time here on earth to do the will of the Father.  Acts 1:7-8

Sometimes not knowing everything is a very freeing place to be, its only in those times that one becomes discontent not knowing or uncomfortable not knowing all the details that stress becomes an issue. Some great wisdom comes from this Proverb in chapter 3:5-6; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”

The path will still be full of uncertainty, the unknown, mysteries etc. You won’t have all the answers. In fact you might have more questions but its not our job to have all the answers only to trust and obey.

You are Loved,

cj

Live, Move, Exist

Live, Move, Exist

“For in Him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” Acts 17:28

On Tuesday we looked at this verse a bit out of the ESV, it uses “being” instead of exist…“For in Him we live and move and have our being.” Everything we have comes from God. James 1:17 says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” 

If God, is the giver of all things, and if as the poets of old have said, “We are his offspring.” Then what Paul says next in verse 29 of Chapter 17 is also true. “Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.”

Therefore, we should live as if in Him, we live, we move, that we even exist.

You are Loved,

cj