Practicing the "One Anothers"

Did you know that the phrase "one another" is used over 26 times in the New Testament to describe how we are to relate to one another in the Body of Christ? Often times people ask me, "You don't have to go to church to be a Christian do you?" Or they say something like, "I'm a Christian, I just don't see how the church is relevant to me and my life today." Or one other comment, which I'm afraid the church can easily fall into this trap, "Church is so boring, I just don't get anything out of it."

Well, there may be a grain of truth (or maybe a boulder) in each of those statements, but the reality of Church, as the Body of Christ is this: Church life is absolutely essential for us to practice our Christian life as Jesus and the Apostles taught us.

Why do I say that? Well, there are many reasons, but let me just highlight one today. If we are to practice the "One Anothers" of scripture, there is no way of doing that independent of Church Body Life. Let me just list below those one anothers for your perusal and then maybe you can look up the scripture that explains each one.

The "One Anothers" of the New Testament

-Love one another - John 13:34; 1 John 3:11, 24

-Be Devoted to one another - Romans 12:10

-Honor one another - Romans 12:10

-Live in Harmony with one another - Romans 12:16; 1 Peter 3:8

-Do not Judge one another - Romans 14:13

-Accept one another - Romans 15:7

-Instruct one another - Romans 15:14

-Greet one another - Romans 16:16 (and numerous other scrpture)

-Agree with one another - 1 Corinthians 1:10 (that sounds like a hard one, huh?)

-Serve one another - Galatians 5:13 (you can't do that at home alone)

-Be Patient with one another - Ephesians 4:2

-Be Kind to one another - Ephesians 4:32

-Speak to one another in song - Ephesians 5:19

-Submit to one another - Ephesians 5:21 (ouch! That's not popular)

-Bear with one another - Colossians 3:13

-Forgive one another - Colossians 3:13 (not very easy to do, but necessary)

-Teach & Admonish one another - Colossians 3:16 ( we don't like to be admonished)

-Encourage one another - 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13; 10:25

-Spur one another on toward love and good deeds - Hebrews 10:24

-Do not slander one another - James 4:11

-Offer Hospitality to one another - 1 Peter 4:9

-Be Humble toward one another - 1 Peter 5:5-6

Make sure and go to church this week and see if you can put some of these into practice. God will be glorified, and unbelievers will have one less reason to criticize the church.

Loving one another,

Roger

MOUNTAIN TOP EXPERIENCE

I recently went on a backpacking trip into the Three Sisters Wilderness with two of my boys (Joshua and Nathan) and two grandsons (Jonas and Maysen). We had a great time and really enjoyed being outdoors in the wilderness.

On one of the days we spent there in the wilderness we decided to climb the South Sister. It is a very rigorous and strenuous climb, although it is not a technical climb at all. So we thought we could take my grandsons up with us (4yrs old and 6 yrs old). It was difficult and there was a lot of tears shed in the attempt to reach the top. They made it a long ways, much further than I expected. In fact they made it almost to the very top, but eventually it was too much for the little ones, so their dads turned back with their boys.

But for Grandpa, it was too tantalizing for me to turn back, since the top of the mountain was within my reach. We had been climbing for about four hours, and I knew that I was only about a half hour from the peak.

So I determined to reach the top while the others turned back. It is always exhilarating to reach the top, but at the same time, terribly disappointing to do it without the rest of the climbing party. I ended up on top of the mountain all alone, so it was bitter/sweet, but it was quite a thrill indeed.

It always reminds me of Jesus' Transfiguration on the mountaintop in Matthew 17. Jesus takes Peter, James and John up on top of a high mountain. "There he was transfigured before them in all the glory of God himself. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes shone as white as light. Also, the prophets Moses and Elijah showed up and began to talk with Jesus."

What an incredible moment, so incredible that Peter suggests that they build some shelters and just stay there forever. He has seen a glimpse of heaven, and he doesn't want to ever leave. But Jesus shows them that no matter how glorious the top of the mountain may be, we must always return to the normal day to day living where our ministry can really make a difference in the lives of people.

Mountain top experiences are awesome, exciting, exhilarating and enjoyable (they also take a lot of hard work, sweat and effort), but you can't stay in a mountaintop experience, you have to come down off the mountain and get back to work, doing the will and purpose of God in "the trenches" of life.

Love you all and God Bless

Roger

Seven Keys to Lifelong Love

From Dr. James Dobson, Ph. D.

For anyone contemplating marriage, here are seven straightforward recommendations that will increase the chance of living happily ever after.

1. A Sunday school teacher once gave me some advice that I never forgot. He said, "Don't marry the person you think you can live with. Marry the one you can't live without."

There's great truth in this advice. Marriage can be difficult even when two people are passionately in love with one another, but it is murder when they don't even have that foundation to build on.

2. Don't marry someone who has characteristics that you feel are intolerable. You may plan to change him or her in the future, but that probably won't happen. Behavior runs in deep channels that were cut during early childhood, and it is very difficult to alter them. In order to change a deeply ingrained pattern, you have to build a sturdy dam, dig another canal and reroute the river in the new direction. That effort is rarely successful over the long haul. Therefore, if you can't live with a characteristic that shows up during courtship, it may plague you for the rest of your life.

For example, a person who drinks every night is not likely to give up that habit after the honeymoon. If he is foolish with money, or is basically unkempt, or tends to get violent when irritated, or is extremely selfish — these are red flags that you should not ignore. What you see is what you get! Of course, we all have flaws, and I'm not suggesting that a person has to be perfect to be a candidate for marriage. Rather, my point is that you have to decide if you can tolerate a quirky behavior for the rest of your life, because that's how long you may have to deal with it.

3. Do not marry impulsively! I can think of no better way to mess up your life than to leap into this critical decision without careful thought and prayer. Remember, the dating relationship is designed to conceal information, not reveal it. Both partners put on their best faces for the one they seek to attract. They guard secrets that might be a turn-off. Therefore, many newlyweds get a big surprise during the first year of married life. I suggest that you take at least a year to get beyond the facade and into the inner character of the person.

4. If you are a deeply committed Christian, do not allow yourself to become "unequally yoked" with an unbeliever. You may expect to win your spouse to the Lord at some future date, and that does happen on occasion. But to count on it is risky at best, and foolhardy at worst.

Again, this is the question that must be answered: "Just how critical is it that my husband (or wife) shares my faith?" If it is essential and non-negotiable, as Scripture tells us it should be for believers, then that matter should be given high priority in the decision to marry.

5. Do not move in with a person before marriage. To do so is a bad idea for many reasons. First, it is immoral and a violation of God's law. Second, it undermines a relationship and often leads to divorce.

Studies show that couples who live together before marriage have a 50 percent greater chance of divorce than those who don't — based on 50 years of data. Those who cohabit also have less satisfying and more unstable marriages.

6. Don't get married too young. Those who wed between 14 and 17 years of age are twice as likely to divorce as couples who wait until their 20s. Making it as a family requires some characteristics that come with maturity, such as selflessness, stability and self-control. It's best to wait for their arrival.

7. Finally, the ultimate secret of lifelong love is this: Simply put, the stability of marriage is a by-product of an iron-willed determination to make it work. If you choose to marry, enter into that covenant with the resolve to remain committed to each other for life. Never threaten to leave your mate during angry moments. Don't allow yourself to consider even the possibility of divorce. Calling it quits must not become an option for those who want to go the distance!

Taken from, "Seven Keys to Lifelong Love" appeared in Focus on the Family magazine. Copyright © 1995 Focus on the Family. All rights reserved. International copyright secured

A PRAYER FOR OUR COUNTRY

Billy Graham prayed a prayer for our country that, in a very short and concise way, really says it all. Billy Graham is one evangelist that has always had an incredibly clean record. He has never been caught doing something wrong, not even any false charges have been brought against him. He is a man of the highest integrity.

So read his prayer for our nation, and see if it isn't a prayer that you too can join in on.

Heavenly Father,
We come before You today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good" (Isaiah 5:20), but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and have called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he had ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "One nation under God!"

God Bless,
Roger

The Cost of Faith in Christ

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
--Jim Elliot (Missionary to South American Indians who lost his life at the hands of those he was reaching out to; from the book "Through Gates of Splednor" by his wife Elisabeth Elliot)

"Whenever Christ calls us, his call leads us to death."
--Dietrich Bonhoeffer (A pastor in Germany who resisted Hitler and the Nazi regime, and was ultimately killed for it, from his book "The Cost of Discipleship")

"Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
--The Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 3:12)

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."
-- Jesus Christ (John 12:23-26)

"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
--The Apostle Paul (written while in chains and held in prison by the Roman government, Philippians 1:21)

May your life be a testimony to the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on our behalf.

Love and Blessings,
Roger

PLEASING GOD, NOT MEN!

One of the most challenging Scriptures in the Epistles is Galatians 1:10 when Paul says, "Am I now trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

Paul is writing in the context of preaching the full Gospel. Parts of the Gospel message were offensive to listeners. And it required great courage for him to preach the whole Gospel and not just the parts that were easy to swallow.

As a servant of Christ, we are called to please one person - Jesus Christ. How easy it is for us (especially those of us who are natural people pleasers) to seek the accolades of people. Let's face it, we all appreciate an encouraging word or a "well done" slap on the back from others. The rub comes when things are not going so well in our ministries. Attendance is down, giving is down, or there is a critical spirit in the church or the leadership.

This is when the temptation arises to try and change things, to make things better. Later we realize we are operating more in the flesh than the spirit. And all our efforts and energy have not generated a lasting change, but merely placated some of the nay sayers.

Thankfully, when we choose to please God and Him alone, we will please those who are seeking the Lord as well. But there will be times when we can't make everyone happy. It's during those times that we need great courage to walk the path of faith, choosing to please the only One who gave up everything for us.

May you be blessed as you seek the Lord,

Roger

Adapted from Jimi Williams, worshiptogether.com

Uncertain Time, Certain God

Have you prepared for a journey, studied your map and still made a wrong turn…finding yourself in an unknown place? Confusing, wasn’t it? Maybe even a little frightening.

"So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." - Daniel 9:3

In Babylon, the Jewish people were in exile and Darius had just become king. Change, confusion and probably fear were in the wind. Yet Daniel knew the Scriptures; he knew what the prophet Jeremiah had foretold. He had the road map for the future of the people of Israel.

So Daniel did what was his norm. He turned to the Lord. He interceded for the Israelites from his own determined depths. He fasted and put on the clothes of mourning. He petitioned the Lord for His own sake to have mercy on the people and on Jerusalem.

Perhaps change has you befuddled; maybe your neighbor is frightened. Won’t you be a Daniel in this time? Make God’s Word and prayer your norm. As Daniel interceded for Israel, you can intercede with determination for God’s mercy on our nation.

Spend some time today praying for God's hand to be upon our nation, leading our leaders, and reviving the church to rise up and lead our nation back to God and His Word.

Love you all,

Roger