2012 - Will You Be Hated???

In our early years the ministries that the Redding family had chosen always seemed to be appreciated by the majority of our Christian peers. In the early days we served willingly within the confines of the local church, but it seemed like feelings changed toward us when we chose to love those who didn't quite fit the typical ministry path. When we hit the streets with a ministry that utilized a more “modern” approach to reaching out to those lost on the streets, we literally we were suspected, accused, not trusted, and cursed as being reprobate from the faith by those who we thought understood our hearts.

This is a scarey place to be ... in the jaws of a love/hate battle and having our hearts scandalized. We didn't know that it could end up this way.
Come to Jesus!!!John 16: 1 - These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
...and you will be hated!!! What???

(Take a brief devotional break and read John 15: 18 - John 16: 11 - Listen don't just look at the words, listen as Jesus speaks … He will not leave you comfortless, He will come to you. Right in the middle of this passage and the end He is ensuring His voice is heard via the Comforter.)

Jesus revealed that We would be hated because He was hated without cause. He would be the Stone that the builders would reject. He would be the stumbling block … the moveable trigger of the “love” trap … the “SKANDALON”. Why???
Why would Jesus be such an offense? Unbelievably ... the way He loved would be the offense.

The Kingdom He would bring to men would rub their idea of the kingdom the wrong way. The following phrases may give you a hint why:
1. Love your enemies (no way it is not natural).
2. Do good to those who spitefully abuse you (fighting back satisfies the anger).
3. Greatest is the servant (being the boss is the goal).
4. Go the extra mile (without pay?).

Then think of these overt love events:
1. Dinner with Tax Collectors.
2. Fellowship with sinners.
3. Personal contact with the leper and the demoniac.

Let's look at John 16:1 before we jump into 2012...
John 16:1 - These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
His concern is for you. He doesn't want His kids scandalized. He definitely does not want us suffering because of sinful choices. However, He wants to walk with us into a life of loving others. What happens to our fragile hearts when we love for Christ's sake and then we are hated for it? Listen carefully to His voice and He will strengthen your heart for the potential scandal ahead.

2012 ... God willing ... take the RISK of being hated, Love Jesus Openly ... loving others.

HLFA,

Jeff

The Strength of Weakness - "Christmas"

CHRISTMAS 2011 -- Into the year with weakness!!!!

"Jesus is not my crutch ...He is my stretcher." (quote from somewhere in history , not mine but pretty cool). Most of the time though ...We are all so very proud of our humility; even to the point that we work real hard to promote it. We somehow recognize and label displayed piety as a true connection to Jesus. (The only time I seem to be able to act with great piety is when I am in an "touchy" mood, and that is because most of the pious that I have met through the years have been grouches). How about we trade our fake adult "acting like everything is OK" for the amazing naive faith of a child. Oh but wait - wait - wait, YES ...Our walk talks and our talk talks, and our walk may talk louder than our talk talks ... BUT no matter what I may appear to be to others ... What I am when no one is watching is truly who I am!! 

I am just little ole me.

Live with the childhood courage that is strengthened by a naive faith in this Warrior of my soul... Hooray for JESUS!!! Here comes the warrior of my soul in all his...vulnerability????

Luke 2:12

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes , lying in a manger.

A babe????

God brought salvation to us in the form of helplessness.

...in weakness

...unseen by those with great strength

...revealed to those with the least influence

...shown to those seeking
...under the cover of the star lit night
...wrapped in commonness
...protected by the helpless

...His Grace was delivered in weakness!

John 15:13

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

We receive His Grace with naive childlike faith.

Matthew 18:3

And said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mark 10:14

But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased , and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Now we live in the same weakness as when we first believed.

Live with a childish naive faith in the ability of Jesus to carry me through.

His Grace is possessed with unfailing strength for you.

His power is made complete in your need for His strength due to your weakness and infirmity...

2 Corinthians 12:9

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Check out the Christmas story one more time

...look at it with full naive faith

...look at how vulnerable our Savior was FOR US.

WHAT IS YOUR GIFT TO HIM THIS YEAR???

How about giving Him your childlike awe and wonder?

How about naively giving Him the rest of your life?

He can be trusted!!!

HLFA,

Jeff

There is a Blur!

There is a blur! (and the Jesus people are taking the heat for it ... see the photo attached)
Something is causing a crushing blur. Here we are, days away from a time when families will be doing everything they can to hopefully communicate love. We associate happiness with love??? Giving and receiving as vital in the transfer of love. And we work real hard at it. Wanting happiness is not a sin and wanting happiness for those we love is wonderful. The blur comes when we are under the pressure to perform and produce "THE bigger and better".

In a world ..."Cosmos" where the veneer and the adornment constantly advertise what is supposed to be lasting and real, we are caught in the blurry world of "the holidays" ... and Jesus is not the reason for this season.

Now once again Hang on!Oh no...did I just say that??? "Jesus is not the Reason for this Season." YEP!! TOO much focus on trying to please everyone with pageants, programs, gifts and charity drives to meet the needs of the cold and gift-less; while at the same time trying to juggle anger caused by the myriads of crazed humanity frothing at the call of "lowest prices of the season".

NOW HOLD ON RIGHT THERE -- I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR BUT I AM CAUGHT IN THE BLUR TOO!

Look, I'm not trying to start an argument or get too philosophical but let's clarify for a moment. This "Jesus is the reason for the season"could possibly be the problem with our thinking. Don't blame Jesus for the disappointment we can experience because we sink all our proverbial eggs of goodness into one basket of hope that we fill up JUST once a year.

Just as gifts seem more prevalent in this season, and wonderful stories of charity run rampant; the crushing blur of hopelessness can be even more oppressive amidst the "good cheer".
FACT 1...Jolly St. Nick is not coming (he has been dead for centuries), but he did love Jesus and didn't want any kids to feel unloved during this "Birthday of Jesus" season. Very Cool!!!
FACT 2...The answers to your prayers may not come just because it is...Christmas. What??? (God doesn't get emotionally gooey because of a particular season that we think is special. He thinks of us as special all the time...and in all seasons we are the desire of His heart).

Let's eliminate the season blur!!

My wife shared with me the following passage from her devotion, which does let us know that we are the reason for the seasons whether harsh or happy:
Gen. 41:52 - And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
After a double season of troubles, Joseph's life is finally turning for the better. To mark the fact that God was with Him in all seasons ... He names his second son in honor of this: Ephraim means ... double ashes, double blessings.

My wife then shared this: That the season of rain-like troubles is not a curse, but it is a down payment for a season of flower-like blessings. And God is with us in all of the seasons of our life - so that whether we are experiencing the rain or the flowers, we can experience Him with us.

It is so sad that sometimes we nurture the storm of troubles by reminding everyone how rough it is. We may even feel it is our station in life to keep calling back the clouds of curses because we don't deserve better. We may even mutter Heavenward the phrase..."God doesn't even know my name!"

Oh, how we can be so far from the truth, while He so desires to be close to us, within us.

OK we are in the midst of this "holiday season"...let us not put so much weight on the outcome of our giving and receiving, or we may get caught unknowingly "in the blur". Let us mark these moments with an open love for Him, realizing We are the reason for the seasons that He allows us to walk through with Him.

Come let us adore Him ... in the rain and in the glow!

HLFA,

Jeff

For the Best Interest of the Child???

"Since this child will not be able to function properly in a normal society, our recommendation is that the child be put in a room by itself, that it be kept comfortable, BUT not allow it to be touched by human hands, and let nature take its course...yes, the child will die."

"And this is for the best interest of the child???????"

In the mid 1970's a young couple, early in their marriage and during the first semester of Bible College training, gave birth to their first child. God gave the a beautiful a little baby boy, but he wasn't perfectly formed as they had hoped and dreamed. The little guy entered this world with Spina Bifida. [(Latin: "split spine") is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube - evidenced many times by an open hole at the base of the spine.] Instead of being placed into the longing and loving arms of his mother, he was whisked away by helicopter to a nearby children's hospital that would handle his special situation.

Besides the arrival of this little guy into their lives, this young couple would receive a call from the hospital that would alter their hearts for the rest of their days. Not yet seeing their new born son since the trauma of the delivery room, they were given a choice "by phone" to give their son a chance to live by medical care; OR LET HIM DIE by leaving him untouched by human hands.

TOUCH HIM - it is always for the best interest of the child!!!

[Note # 1 to the receptive: please be aware enough to understand that we are jumping from physical to spiritual concepts, and wisdom will allow you to know the importance of both, and that propriety is Godly]

Lu 18:15-17

15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

[Note # 2 to the receptive: In our current society that has been so marred by sexual explicit media delusion, the gift of the godly,strengthening, virtuous touch is a risky commodity but so needed.]

The immense importance of "the touch" may be highly under emphasized, but think about it:
- The stroking and tasseling of the hair of a child sleeping in the loving care of parental arms.
- The holding of the hand and the wiping of the fevered brow with a cool refreshing cloth.
- The security and comfort of the strong hand of parent against the tiny hand of a child.
- The first "hand holding" of a "smitten" young couple.
- The brushing of the hands in the middle of the night of a married couple during the wee hours of the night.
- The strong support of hands assisting in the mobility of the halt, the lame and the blind.
- The tender hands of mercy caring for the dying and elderly.

[Note # 3 to the receptive:The touch so needed, the touch so desired...the feel, the connection, the hope, the shared moment.]

Luke 6:17 -19
17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

There is a world around you...family, friends, and strangers...so many, whose lives are slipping away without a touch...a connection to love...without the shared feeling that someone cares. Oh the reviving, life giving, appropriate, selfless touch of the Savior. Oh if only Jesus could make contact with them...if only He could reach out and fill their lives with the knowledge of His eternal desire for a lasting connection with them. He wants to hold us in His perfect care.

He is willing to touch their lives...through you...
Are you willing to touch their lives FOR HIM?
This is your choice...
Are you willing to give them the chance to feel His care through you?
OR
Will you allow them to die, untouched?

Let them live, it is in the best interest of our God!!!

HLFA,

Jeff