Influence

One of the most incredible sections of Scripture is about how family relates to one another in the body of Christ.  Acts 2:42-47 describes how the earliest Jesus followers engaged themselves in the lives of one another and community. 

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals and to prayer.  A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.  And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.  They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity…all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” (NLT)

Imagine for a bit being one of the first to surrender your life to Jesus and living among a group of people who deeply cared for each other so much that they were willing to share faith and family and possessions with anyone who was in need.  Incredible acts of selflessness were the norm for the young family of God. 

My first ministry was in a rural town in Alabama.  As a young youth minister, I was blessed to work with a preacher who loved me, helped mold me, and mentored me in ways I will forever be grateful.  His name was Ray!  A 6ft plus, stocky build, strong as an ox, white headed, booming voice when he preached Jesus, but a soft and gentle man when you sat in his living room talking about life.   

He was a giver.  He lived the Acts 2:44 model of giving to those who had need.  I remember on several occasions, I would go to the mailbox and find a check from Ray.  No reason.  No strings attached.  No hidden motives.  He gave because he loved.  He loved people.  He loved Jesus. 

Ray lived his life exactly the way the earliest believers lived their life…giving.  Loving.  Sharing.  Enjoying.  Praising.  Serving.  Providing.  Ray wasn’t a rich man in monetary wealth, but he far exceeded the wealthiest of them all by the way he share the portion God blessed him with. 

One of the most important ways believers influence the world for the better is by the way we treat each other in the family.  Notice that the financial help was not the only way each of the young believers acted toward one another; they also met together in one place, they worshiped together, they met in each others homes, they shared meals and they praised God and enjoyed the goodwill of one another. 

Imagine for a second a community of believers who lived the principles of the earliest believers.  I hear the slogan, “Get back to the bible.”  If we did, then communities all across our nation and around the world would have a spiritual awakening and revolution.  Towns in every nook and cranny from sea to shinning sea would transform into communities just like my friend Ray lived his life…giving.  Loving.  Sharing.  Enjoying.  Praising.  Serving.  Providing. 

It just might be possible that our marquees on our front lawns of our churches have hindered believers in Jesus to show our communities what believers are supposed to look and live like.  In our segregation, the earliest believers model of “family” may have been lost in some communities due to theological differences and church competition of who is the best and largest. 

Scripture never places the importance on the name of our churches; rather, Jesus places the importance of helping out the family and community when he said, “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. ³⁶ I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?  When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters you were doing it to me!” Matthew 25:35-40 (NLT)

The way our communities are changed for the better is for our churches to be giving.  Loving.  Sharing.  Enjoying.  Praising.  Serving.  Providing for one another. We must be united as believers in Jesus and begin to peal off the layers of deep division, past hurts and erase the lines in the sand. 

May Jesus’ church be a thriving, unifying, possession selling, gift giving, and unifying people of God!

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

Liar, Liar

Thomas Jefferson, the third President of our nation wrote a letter to his nephew Peter Carr in 1785.  Within the letter, President Jefferson weaves his message with words such as:  Truth, honesty, and integrity.  What stands out the most is the Presidents straightforward message to his nephew about lying when he wrote, “He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes habitual; he tells lies without attending to it, and truths without the world's believing him. This falsehood of the tongue leads to that of the heart, and in time depraves all its good dispositions.”

For me, I would like to say that I have never lied, however, that would be a lie.  I guess I could justify the times that I have lied, but in God’s eyes, there is no justification.  After the lie storm has passed, there is an enormous guilt feeling and the desire to make it right to those whom I have lied to.  I don’t wake up in the morning and say, I wonder how many times I can lie today.”  However, it is true that there have been circumstances that caught me off guard and instead of being straight up truthful, I concocted an answer that got me off the hook…so I thought! 

I have always told my kids, “it is better to tell the truth than it is to lie and I find out, for the consequences will be much more severe.”  Does that advice only apply to children?  Are parents and adult exempt from practicing what we teach?  Is there a standard for some and not for others? 

The Scriptures are clear about how God feels about lying.  Proverbs 12:22 says, The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.” (NLT)  The Apostle Paul told the Colossian believers, “Don’t lie to one another. You’re done with that old life.” Colossians 3:9 (MSG) And, Johns vision resulted in the destination of liars in Revelation 21:8, “…all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (NIV)

There is a chant some say when someone is caught in a lie, “Liar, liar, pants on fire.”  As a kid, I remember saying that very same chant to someone I knew was lying.  Pinocchio is a Disney character that every time he lies, his nose grows longer.  Some experts have said that there are ways to tell if someone is lying if they have excessive blinking, pupils enlarged, look up to the left, or a funny look on their face. 

CBS and Vanity Fair did a poll about lying in 2014:  One question was:  Should you always tell the truth?  56% said yes, while 42% said no.  If you were asked, does this dress make me look fat, how would you answer the question if indeed it did make her look fat?  Or, How do you like my new hairstyle?  You see there are so many questions that demand a truthful answer, but could possibly hurt the person asking.  According to the same survey by CBS and Vanity Fair, 42% preferred to be lied to. 

According to Scripture, it is never justifiable to lie.  Even though our desire is to protect our relationships, or ourselves honesty is always the best policy.  No matter if it is a bill collector, a spouse, a parent or a judge, truth is always best. 

If I could turn back time, I would re-do things I have done and lies I have told.  It is never a good feeling to regret something that has been done in deceit.  I suspect most would like a re-do and tell the truth no matter the circumstances.

The wonderful thing about God is that he is grace and mercy and forgiving.  He takes ours lies and forgives them and forgets them according to Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (NIV)

While it may take a bit to rebuild trust in those to whom we have lied to, the time it takes to rebuild will be worth it in the end.  Be honest.  Be truth.  Be integrity. 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

Overcoming Temptation

C.S. Lewis in his book, Mere Christianity makes the case that resisting temptation is not an easy task. “A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is... A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in.”

Being tempted does not mean that you have sinned, nor does it mean that you will.  Jesus’ temptations are proof that one is not sinning when he/she is being tempted.  It is important, however, to have strategies for dealing with all the temptations we will face in our lives.  There are practical ways to deal with temptations that will leave each of us feeling better about ourselves without having to deal with the aftermath of guilt.  

Stay away from vulnerable situations. We must stay away from people and situations that will cause us to compromise our convictions.  Will Roger is right when he said, “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” Keeping ourselves out of parking spaces that will affect our vulnerability is crucial for our success in saying no to whatever is tempting us. 

Pray throughout the temptation. The closing remarks in the Lord’s Prayer Jesus said, “And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” (NLT)   (Matthew 6:13).  A prayerful lifestyle will divert our desires to do wrong in order to keep our spiritual convictions in tack.  If we have the philosophy of Oscar Wilde when he said, “The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it... I can resist everything but temptation” we will never experience the triumph to overcome and resist those things in our lives that can ultimately destroy relationships, jobs, friendships, or integrity.  Prayer is one the best method to keep from yielding to temptation.  

Take being tempted seriously.  Temptation is serious and must never be taken lightly.  It is important to resist any desire that would rob our relationship with God, Jesus, and Spirit.  

James 4:7-8 says, Submit yourselves, then to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and he will come near to you….”  The moment we let our guard down, is the very moment we become vulnerable and more likely we give in to the temptation.  

While it is extremely important to be bible reading and praying to God kind of people, it is also important to have accountability with someone who will be straight up and honest with us.  And, who only has our best interest at heart.  We must stay focused and stay away from those things that will harm us!  Never keep God out of it!  Keep Jesus center stage.  Allow the Spirit to do the convincing that God's way is the right way.

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

The Gift of Generous People

The phone rings and I see whom it is calling me.  I answer will a “Hello.”  The caller responds and says, “Brian, I have something for you, are you at home?”  I answered with a “yes, come over.”  In about thirty minutes there is a knock on the door.  I open the door and there stands the one who called me.  I invited her in and asked her to have a seat.  She pulls out an envelope and hands it to me.  She said, “There are several people who wanted to help you financially so that you do not need to borrow any money.” 

I was speechless.  I held the envelope that contains not just money, but love and generosity.  She also handed me a card.  I opened the card and in it was a check and some of the most beautifully written words of kindness that I have ever received from someone whom I never met.  

There has been an outpouring of love and generosity from people all over who lives out the Acts 2:43-45 model  “Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.” (The Message)

Giving is a gift.  The Apostle Paul shared the Spirit gifts to the believers in Rome.  He said in his letter, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us…if it is giving, then give generously….” Romans 12:6,8 (NIV) There are countless people all over the world who give generously every day to others whom they have never met.  These givers do not give out of the need for recognition, rather out of a desire to simply help others who are in need.  Givers are selfless and desire for their fellow believer or neighbor to have what they need to make life a bit better to live. 

Generous people also know the essence of living out the Jesus life.   They are wrapped in the garments of “do to others, as you would have them do to you “and giving generously to those in need.”  Givers realize that when they give a cup of water, a shirt or their time to others, it is just like giving their generosity to Jesus, too. 

Generous people open up the floodgates of better days for those who are struggling financially.  They give hope when all seems lost and they provide a portrait of Jesus in the gift and actions to those who are on the receiving end. 

As one who has been blessed by people I know and by those whom I have never met, I am grateful for the gift of your generosity.  Your love was felt deeply and it will never be forgotten. 

May each one of us clearly see the generosity of God each day as he wakes us up to experience his gift of just today.  No matter the hardships, adversity, trials or tribulations, God is always on the scene and will provide us with his generosity somehow.  Always trust that he knows what is best and his timing is the right timing in every situation. 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian