Our Hope Is Real

Eph 4:3-4 - “There are several elements in that unity of the Spirit which is our common heritage. One of them is our hope. This is not just a cheerful optimism. It is the hope of our calling as Christians - to be with the Lord forever in glory.” *

If we don’t have that hope, then our hope is empty. We have not understood what is in our future. If you cannot be buoyed up by the future with Jesus, you are missing vital information. Plus, if you have that hope you can rejoice with other believers. This is almost like going to your college football game. You are there because you hope you can enjoy the win at the end. But that hope is a wish for a win; there is always a chance you won’t - but you can hope. There is a huge difference - our hope is based on Christ Jesus’ promise and resurrection. There is no chance that Jesus might lose!

He has already won. It, our hope, can be part of the celebration that Jesus has done it all. People have come the U.S. from all over the world to watch their team try to win the World Cup - but only one team goes home with the trophy.

Our hope is not a wish, but an assurance in Jesus. He is victorious, and shares that victory with us. Praise His Name!

1Jul26
(*from “A Table in the Wilderness”, Watchman Nee.)

Joy from 1 John 3

A couple of Sundays ago, our pastor preached about scripture that gives him joy, makes him happy. He chose Colossians 1:15-20. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him - all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers - all things were created through him and for him. He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him. He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things.  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in the Son  and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross - through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” There was a little schadenfreude in the joy, but most of it was about the joy of the triumph of Jesus. It got me thinking about verses that give me joy. There's a bunch, but I think I will start with 1 John 3:2-3. "See how great a love God as bestowed on us that we should be called children of God, and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Little children, now we are children of God. It has not appeared as yet what we shall be, but when He appears we shall be like Him because we will see Him just as He is." There is so much in these verses. There's God's love for us. The world will never understand us as believers. There is hope for us. We will be like Him.
The amazement. The wonder. The joy.

When is the church a sanctuary?

Just read an article in the website "Think Christian" titled When is a nightclub a sanctuary? This article posits a sanctuary is where someone goes to feel safe and make connections.

If we are to accept this new definition of 'sanctuary', it means that anywhere we flee from our sin to avoid acknowledging our actions as sin is a 'sanctuary'. Whether it is the arms of a prostitute, or the bed of an adulterer, an 'anger management' group, a bar where no one asks if you've had enough, in your own mind where you rationalize your own behavior, anywhere that we are told, "It's okay. Don't worry, be safe."
The dilemma the churches face is accepting and loving all who enter whether gay, straight, or other, whilst at the same time not ignoring the sin. We can say, "Love the sinner. Hate the sin." But the LGB+ (Note: I abbreviated the acronym) people feel and believe that their behavior is who they ARE. Therefore, hating their behavior is hating THEM. This may not be true, but their perception of it says they are hated because of what they do.
The dilemma for the LGB+ people is the church is asking them to forgo their desires and live chaste lives because to do otherwise is living in sin. This is a steep price for them. I have no idea how a person would do this, it seems an intractable problem. But Jesus has promised that He will provide a means of escape, of dealing with the problems we face.
By-the-Way: the church holds the same standard for heterosexual adulterers, for thieves, for liars, for people consumed by anger - give up your sinful behavior and live a life worthy of the price paid for you which is the death on the cross by Jesus Christ.
The church, the body of believers in Jesus Christ, is not a sanctuary in the sense that here you may live as you wish and be safe. The church is a sanctuary for those who come to Jesus, and become free from the wages of sin and death. This means that the members of the church must pray for compassion, pray for strength, pray for healing. Pray that Jesus fills you and shows His love through you. Without love, we might as well be a nightclub. We have been called to much, much more than that.

Christians and Selfies

Just read a thought provoking article which answers the question, "Do we need to protect our sons from selfies?" It is about a mother who wanted to keep her teenage son from seeing suggestive selfies from teenage girls. What is a Christian parent to do? This mother decided to cut off Internet privileges. The discussion that followed was as fascinating as the article itself.
The discussion devolved into a rambling "who's fault is it". It seemed several commenters had bought into the world view that there is no difference between male and female. Ignoring the difference is to turn away from what's before your eyes. We are different. In Genesis is says that 'male and female He created them'. Adam was blown away when God presented the new partner to him. Gen. 2:20-23 This was the companion Adam had needed. Science has shown that male and female brains develop differently in the womb. However, the 'no difference' reasoning posits females and males are equally visually stimulated by sensual pictures of the opposite sex.
'Teen Beat' glam shots were equated with Playboy and or soft porn, including TV, advertising, and movies. I think that pornography is a predominantly male 'hobby'. (I realize there is a quantitative difference between Victoria Secret TV specials and sex act videos.) If there was a way to count the number of porn sites (hard core or soft) on the Internet and link to the sex of the viewers of the same porn, the vast majority would be male purveyors and male viewers - probably 10 to 1. Now, most males would admit that the models and actresses in the media are a fantasy. There is no chance to EVER have sex with these super-models or actresses. But there is the dream. Likewise, most females KNOW they have no chance of a relationship with the hot new boy toy - but there is the dream.
One of the problem with suggestive selfies is that the boy and girl often know each other - same school, same classes, same grade, etc. Relationship is already established. Now she has offered herself via the selfie. The fantasy is ratcheted up to a possibility.
None of this is to blame the girl, or the boy. It is both their fault. It is the parent's fault for not teaching the daughter the immorality of offering to have sex (or the hint of an offer). It is the parent's fault for not teaching the boy that sex outside of marriage is immoral - a sin. God has told us, through Paul's writing 1 Cor. 6:16, that sex between a man and woman is not just a physical act. It goes to the soul of the people involved. Our children live immersed in sex as an outgrowth of the 'sexual revolution' that started in the 60's. Free marriage, free sex - remember 'If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with'? The moral climate of our society has not improved over the years. What was once known to be immoral, even though people did it anyway, is now considered by the world to be okay. Unfortunately, the church has not stood up firmly enough against the immoral behavior. What was once considered to be the norm, or at least morally correct - sex in marriage only - is now an oddity. Some church members have failed in these areas. Even though there are church members that fail does not mean the church should abandon the teachings of the scripture.
What is the solution?
Teach your children well. We cannot go to the girl's home and demand her parents to stop her from sending selfies. (Well, we could, but it would probably be counter-productive.) We can talk with our daughters and teach them about being modest, chaste, proper. This is not really sex-ed, but closely related to it.
Can we stop our sons from seeing the selfies? The ubiquity of social media works against that proposal. We must talk with our sons and teach them that Godly men, followers in spirit and truth, do not indulge in this activity. Warn them they will be mocked and teased, perhaps persecuted when they stand for what is right. 1 Peter 4:1-5
There is no easy solution. There is work to be done in our families, in our churches. We must rely on the power of God to lead us, teach us, and give us strength to be strong in the faith. If you have failed to live up to the scriptural teachings, do not throw yourself overboard. Repent and confess to the Lord you have failed, so you may be cleansed. 1 John 1;8-9 You can use this life-lesson. Share how it has affected you in your relationships with others and with the Lord. Share how repentance and forgiveness work to make you a better person than you thought you could be.

Epistle - 1 John Outline

1 John 1:1-4 – Personal witness testimony
1:5-7 – Fellowship with Jesus
1:8-10 – Sin damages the relationship
2:1-2 – So you may not sin
2:3-8 – Obedience shows fellowship
2:9-11 – Light vs. Dark
2:12-14 – Reason for letter
2:15-17 – Do not love the world
2:18-27 – Warning against the anti-Christ
2:28-3:2 – Children of God
3:3-10 – Practicing righteousness or practicing sin
3:11-18 – Love one another
3:19-21 – Heart is our conscience
3:22-24 – His commandment
4:1-6 – Test the spirits who come to you
4:7-21 – Love abides in us
5:1-3 – We have the love of God
5:4-5 – Overcoming the world
5:6-12 – Witness of the Holy Spirit
5:13-21 – We can know

So that we may KNOW…a.k.a. “Proof of Life” – These are the evidences that you are, or are not, a child of God…

Words used/repeated in 1 John:
* * *
Fellowship – 1:3, 6, 7,
Joy – 1:4
Light – 1:5, 7,  2:9, 2:10,
Darkness – 1:5. 1:6, 2:8, 9, 11,
If we say – 1:6,
Know – 2:3, 5, 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, 29,
3:2, 5, 6; 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 24;
4:2, 6, 7, 8, 13, 16, 5:2, 13, 15, 18, 19, 20
5:15, 18, 19, 20,
Come to know – 2:3, 4,
Does not know – 2:11, 21,  3:1; 4:8, 13, 16
Abide – 2:6, 10, 24, 27, 28;
3:6, 9, 14, 15, 17, 24;
4:12, 13, 15, 16,
Practice sin – 3:4, 8, 9,
Practice righteousness – 1:6 (truth), 2:29; 3:7, 10,
Do not practice – 1:6,
Love (loves) – 2:10, 15,
3:1, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18,
4:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21;
5:1, 2, 3,
Hates (hate) – 2:11,  3:13, 15, 4:20,
By this.-.2:3, 5, 18 (from this),
3:16, 19, 24,
4:2, 6, 9, 13, 17,
5:2,
Have (has) the Father (Son) – 2:23; 5:12,
Keep … commandments – 2:3, 4, 3:22, 24, 5:2, 3,
Born – 5:4,
Bear witness - 5:7-11;
Beloved – 2:7; 3:2, 21; 4:1, 7, 11;

The following table shows the positive and negative truths that reveal whether you believe and accept Christ as Lord in your life or not. This should not be used as a club against others. Use it as a barometer of your own life - are walking with Christ or not?  This is how you may KNOW you are a Christian.

YES

1:7 walk in the light
1: 9 confess our sins
2:3 keep His commandments
2:5 obey His word
2:11 love fellow Christians
2:20 have the H.S.
3:3 hope means purifying self
3:7 practice righteousness
3:14 love fellow Christians
3:19-21 our conscience is convinced by the H.S.
3:24 keeps commandments, believe in Jesus Christ, have H.S.
4:2 confess Jesus is Christ
4:6 listen to teachings of apostles
4:13 have the H.S.
4:15 confess Jesus is Son of God
5:2 love God and obey commandments
5:5 have conquered the world

NO
1:6 say fellowship but walk in darkness
1:8 say do not sin
1:10 say have not sinned
2:4 say know God but do not keep commandments
2:9 hates fellow Christians
2:19 they left the church (antichrists)
2:22,23 denies Jesus is the Christ
3:8-10 practices sin
4:3 does not confess Jesus
4:6 do not listen to apostles teachings
4:20 hates fellow Christians.

What I heard at Cycle Oregon Weekend

Snippets of things overheard during the weekend:

Midway through the third hill, on the first day, about 6 miles into the ride: "I thought they said the course was flat!"
By-the-Way: the real hill was a lot longer and steeper.
***
"On your left."
I heard that a lot!
I actually got to say it myself as I passed a couple of bikers. No, they were not stopped along the road resting, or fixing a tire.
***
Woman, during a break: "Curse you, Cycle Oregon, for not controlling the weather." We had just gone through a thunder shower.
Man: "Hey. It could be 95 degrees, instead of 66!"
Woman: "True."
Man (a different guy): "My wife would rather have the 95, so her feet aren't cold."
***
A woman sits down at a table near us this morning, then gets up to get her breakfast. When she comes back, she gets mad. She accosts one of the high school volunteers cleaning tables in the cafeteria.
Woman: Do you know who took my coffee?
Volunteer: Uh. No.
Woman: I put a Starbucks coffee on that table, and now it's gone!
Volunteer: One of the workers must have thought it was trash, and took it.
Woman: Why would they do that?
The little gal volunteer sidled away to clean another table.
Woman (to her husband): What kind of people do that? (And a lot more venting.)
My thoughts: Safety tip, lady. Don't leave your table unattended. 2000 people are moving through this one cafeteria. The workers are busy, busy, busy cleaning tables.
***
The volunteers during the whole weekend were top-notch! Many of the helpers at the meals, break stops, or lunch breaks were from Linfield College and local high schools, including Amity, Lebanon, and McMinnville. A big "Thank You!" to the kids working this weekend.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:McMinnville, OR

Yeah, except for that...

We were driving from I-5 through the Cascade Range to visit Donna's brother.

Me: Did you see that?

D: No. What?

Me: A big raccoon along the side of the road. Must have been hit by a car.

D: No, I didn't see it.

Me: It looked healthy.

D: Healthy?I thought it was dead.

Me: Well, yeah. Except for the dead part.

Raucous laughter ensued...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:In the mountains