GVCC sermon 1 Corinthians 13 LOVE ~ NOT RUDE

Garden Valley Community Church Pastor
Shane Moffitt                            April 1^st 2012

“It’s All About Love” series
Love Is Respectful ~ 1 Corinthians 13
“Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking”                      
1 Corinthians 13:5

Respect:  Showing value and honor to others  
                  by your attitude and actions

Watch for 4 Demonstrations of God’s Love

worship, serve, repent of sin, give generously

“One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to come to his home for a meal, so Jesus accepted the invitation and sat down to eat.  A certain immoral woman heard he was there and brought a beautiful jar filled with expensive perfume.  Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping.  Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair.  Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.  When the Pharisee who was the host saw what was happening and who the woman was, he said to himself, ‘This proves that Jesus is no prophet.  If God had really sent him, he would know what kind of woman is touching him.  She’s a sinner.’”  Luke 7:36-48 

PRAY:  “Lord, help me see every person ~ as You see them”

4 SIGNS OF RESPECT

1^st SIGN: Stop Talking & Listen

“Titus…remembers the way you listened to him and welcomed him with such respect and deep concern.”   2 Corinthians 7:15

2^nd SIGN: Keep Your Promises 

“…let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No…’”          
Matthew 5:37, Proverbs 3:21-22

3^rd SIGN: Yield Your Rights & Serve Others

“So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well” 2 Corinthians 12:15

4^th SIGN:  Slow Down & See People…. The Way God Sees Them

“Be humble and gentle.  Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.”                                             Ephesians 4:2

PRAY:
“Lord, help me see every person ~ as you see them”

·        Do people feel better or worse after they’ve been with you? 
·        This is one way to know whether you’re a respectful person. 
·        Do they feel inspired, valued, respected? 
·        Or do they feel worse, diminished, unappreciated? 
There are some people I feel replenished by  and other people I feel very diminished by

Next Best Thing

8 years ago, Michele and I purchased a pug puppy from a wonderful local breeder. "Daisy" has turned out to be neurotic but highly amusing. She fusses about everything and is terrified that someone will drop a treat and she will miss it. Her great dream in life is to be in a home where she is the only pet. "Sharing" is not one of her strong attributes.

Anyway, what pushes Daisy to the point of a total meltdown is when everyone in the room has food. This forces her to evaluate the most likely place for food to fall within her grasp. Normally this would not be an issue since she has a chart listing everyone that normally eats in our house, ranked by messy eating habits and generous sharing records. She is into charts and graphs when it comes to evaluating strategic locations for possible snacks. This brings me great pride.

The result is, Daisy ends up flitting from person to person, looking for the NEXT BEST THING. Which is odd since we provide her healthy, veterinarian recommended food.

Daisy ends up being stressed, unstable, and lacking any sense of loyalty, out of fear that she will miss out on some tasty morsel. She is forever searching for the NEXT BEST THING and is never satisfied with the healthy food that is provided for her.

This has layers of spiritual applications.

For this blog, I am only going to focus on ONE simple observation:

I am going to begin with a weasel clause, so there is no confusion over my deep appreciation for Christian literature. No one has a higher appreciation for Biblically accurate Christian books than I.

However, when it comes to Bible study, Christian books are not a substitute for God's Word. Every single day, all Christians have a God given command to STUDY His Word. I do not believe the good Lord gives His people a pass if they simply bypass His Word and read a fine Christian devotional of some kind.

So my spiritual take-away from this point is, how much time every day do I spend reading, studying, and meditating on God's Word?

The flip side is revealing, "How much time do I spend reading, Biblically accurate Christian books every day?"

Now I will CONFESS that studying God's Word is not easy.
Studying God's Word is hard work.
But God repeatedly promised that He would bless the lives of those that faithfully study His Word.
Studying God's Word has an interesting balance that defies normal logic.
On one hand, studying God's Word is a skill that is developed over a lifetime and is never mastered.
On the other hand, as you faithfully study God's Word, the Holy Spirit reveals Truths to you and teaches how to practically apply what you are learning.
This is the transforming affect of God's Word.
And the end result is NOT ONLY a transformed life that pleases God
but you, a being corrupted by the affects of sin,
is able to KNOW the mind of God
and have a relationship with Him.
Now THAT is a true modern day miracle.

“Be strong and courageous,
for you are the one who will lead these people
to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors
I would give them.
Be strong and very courageous.
Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you.
Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left.
Then you will be successful in everything you do.
Study this Book of Instruction continually.
Meditate on it day and night
so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.
Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
This is my command—be strong and courageous!
Do not be afraid or discouraged.
For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:6-9

Smile -- It's Raining

What I have learned from Noah

#1. Don't miss the boat.

#2. Don't forget that we're all in the same boat.

#3. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

#4. Stay fit. Noah was 600 years old when God put him to work.

#5. Don't listen to critics, just get on with what has to be done.

#6. Build your future on high ground.

#7. For safety's sake, travel in pairs.

#8. Speed isn't always an advantage;
the snails were on the same Ark as the cheetahs.

#9. When you're stressed, float awhile.

#10. Remember that the ark was built by amateurs;
the Titanic was built by professionals.

#11. Remember that woodpeckers inside
are a larger threat than the storm outside.

#12. Take care of your animals as if they were the last ones on earth.

#13. Stay below deck during the storm.

#14. If you have to start over, have a friend by your side.

#15. No matter how bleak it looks,
there's always a rainbow on the other side

______________________________________________________________________

My friends,

I with all this rain, a touch of levity will add a healthy perspective.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength"
Proverbs 17:22

"A glad heart makes a happy face;
    a broken heart crushes the spirit"
Proverbs 15:13

There are some things that must always be laughed at in life:

#1. Laugh when people tell a joke (Otherwise you might make them feel bad)

#2. Laugh when you look into a mirror (Otherwise you might feel bad)

#3. Laugh when you make a mistake (If you don’t, you’ll forget how unimportant the whole thing really was)

#4. Laugh with small children (It will restore your delight in the simple things of life - kids laugh at dogs nuzzling their ears, mud in their hair....)

#5. Laugh at situations that are out of your control (you can either laugh, cry or get mad -- you will live longer if you laugh)

#6. Laugh at anything arrogant (laughing adds perspective to the absurd -- it keeps things real)

#7. Laugh when all your carefully laid plans get changed (because now you're free to breathe and be spontaneous -- stop and look around -- admire beauty for a change)

Benched

The good Lord uses circumstances, events and people to transform us into people that glorify & honor Him.

What is uncomfortable, is when God uses pain and suffering to nudge us where He wants us. Don't get me wrong, I have complete confidence that the good Lord always does what is best in every situation.

Anyway, for the last week, I have struggled with a pollen sinus headache and back spasms. I only mention this because God had a plan and His perfect plan required me being removed from my comfort zone.

There is another health issue that I wasn't going to mention but it has a human element to it that is (I suspect) very common. I am a type 2 Diabetic and daily battle to keep my blood sugar in a healthy zone. This is all fine and good.... except I stopped by Super 1's Bakery and purchased a box of their hot apple fritters the other day. Yea, guess what affect apple fritters have on a diabetic. Dork boy....

Last night I was scheduled to teach a Bible study but due to my health issues, I wasn't fit for human contact. An amazing Bible teacher covered for me and explained my health issues to the group. They kept me in prayer and an amazing thing happened. God laid it on the heart of a wonderful retired pastor in the group to call me and offer to teach tonight's Bible Study.

Normally my stubborn streak would never allow me to "call in sick" for work but -- quite frankly, I feel God not only slowing me down to take care of myself physically, but I feel God leading me to schedule more time every day for Bible study and prayer.

So I take this wonderful retired pastor up on his offer to teach tonights Bible study.

The retired pastor taught Proverbs 3:5-6:

"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."

The Spirit of the Lord touched hearts tonight. God's Word was presented in a practical, down to earth manner that touched everyone where they lived.

And from where I sit, I realize that this would not have happened as God not moved me out of the way and put me on the bench.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

An Amazing Experience

A couple years ago at a local Christian school, I met a 17 year old student named Patrick. He was quiet, laid back and seemed to go out of his way to avoid drawing attention. It was interesting to watching the other kids interact with Patrick. Everyone seemed to have something to tell him or a story to pass along to him. He never seemed too busy to listen and always focused on whoever was pressing him for attention.

This is not to say that Patrick was a natural talent at anything. In fact, he seemed to require more effort when it came to school work. I suspect Patrick's secret power was work ethic and persistence. Many great men have accomplished amazing feats with these same two attributes.

What was interesting was the transformation that took place when you put a microphone in front of him. Patrick would become focused and forget his timid nature. His natural leadership qualities began to bleed out when he stepped in front of a group and led them in worship. This is a God given ability that has a divine purpose.

Fast-forward one year. Patrick is in his first year old Bible College. His work ethic and persistence are keeping him headed toward fulfilling his dreams.

Today Patrick showed up back at his alma-mater Christian school during spring break. I asked him if he would co-teach my Bible class with me. He quickly agreed and grabbed his well worn Bible.

Our Bible class of about 15 high school guys was absolutely amazing. Patrick started the class off with a overview of his college experience and his impressions of his classes. Each of the 15 young men were attentive and respectful.

Finally he gave the class back to me and I invited Patrick to help me teach Joshua chapter 1. Joshua was a young leader that was replacing Moses as leader of the Hebrew nation. Chapter 1 is God explaining to the young man what he needed to do to succeed.

Patrick would talk about a principle he learned in his Bible study class and I would give him a practical application on how it applied to the verse in front of us.

I watched Patrick move from a college kid with a head knowledge of how to use some basic Bible principles to a young man that realized the God given practical application that impacts lives for God.

How cool is that?

Once someone experiences the hand of God moving in such a powerful way -- they are forever changed. Never again will Patrick be satisfied with the success offered by this world. He has began a quest where God will require nothing less than everything he is -- everything he ever will be. Only in walking with God will Patrick find peace and strength.

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
Romans 12:2

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11

History July 20th 1969

Communion on the Moon: July 20, 1969

Forty-two years ago two human beings changed history by walking on the surface of the moon. But what happened before Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong exited the Lunar Module is perhaps even more amazing, if only because so few people know about it. Buzz Aldrin took communion on the surface of the moon.  After his return, he wrote about it in Guideposts magazine.

The background to the story is that Aldrin was an elder at his Presbyterian Church in Texas during this period in his life, and knowing that he would soon be doing something unprecedented in human history, he felt he should mark the occasion somehow, and he asked his minister to help him.

And so the minister prepared a communion wafer and a small vial of communion wine.  And Buzz Aldrin took them with him out of the Earth's orbit and on to the surface of the moon.

He and Armstrong had only been on the lunar surface for a few minutes when Aldrin made the following public statement:
"This is the LM pilot. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way."
He then ended radio communication and there, on the silent surface of the moon, 250,000 miles from home, he read a verse from the Gospel of John, and he took communion. Here is his own account of what happened:
"In the radio blackout, I opened the little plastic packages which contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the scripture, 'I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit.. Apart from me you can do nothing".

I had intended to read my communion passage back to earth, but at the last minute NASA requested that I not do this.
NASA was already embroiled in a legal battle with Madelyn Murray O'Hare, the celebrated opponent of religion, over the Apollo 8 crew reading from Genesis while orbiting the moon at Christmas. I agreed reluctantly.

I ate the tiny Host and swallowed the wine. I gave thanks for the intelligence and spirit that had brought us to the Sea of Tranquility .

It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first foodeaten there, were the communion elements.

Ode to Bubba Joe

A year ago we lost a member of our little family, a small 8 year old pug named "Daffy".
A few months later, my wife found a website for the "Seattle Pug Rescue".
This discovery led us to a 10 year old pug named, "Bubba Joe".
Bubba Joe is not a pure pug, he is more Heinz 57 with some English Bulldog added.
Bubba Joe doesn't see very well but has proven to love living in the country.
He is quiet and in his own mature way, keeps tabs on everything going on.

What is remarkable about Bubba Joe is his devotion to Michele.
When she steps out the door, he will remain where he is for a while, carefully watching the door for her return. If she doesn't return, he will start relocating closer and closer to the door. After an hour, he will be laying in front of the door with his nose almost touching it. I can call him and he ignores me. It is like he is trying to use his force of will to bring the girl back. When he gets like this, I just leave him alone because he is resolved in his heart to faithfully remain steadfast until she returns.

Today, Michele was not feeling well and laid down in the bedroom. I closed the door to insure she had some peace and quiet. Later in the afternoon, I realized I hadn't seen Bubba Joe in a couple hours. A short search revealed him laying in front of Michele's bedroom door with his nose pressed against it. I tried to get his attention but he would not be deterred from his post.

Bubba Joe's unwavering devotion to Michele gives me a peace of mind that he would defend her to the death.

I am not sure what dogs feel or are able to understand, but I have observed Bubba Joe swear his allegiance to Michele. Of this I have no doubt.

The spiritual take-away is very simple:
"We must have that same love and devotion to our Lord that Bubba Joe has for Michele."

This challenges our self centered perspective of using the good Lord as a fire insurance policy to keep our eternal destination pointed Heavenward.

"If you confess with your mouth
that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For it is by believing in your heart
that you are made right with God,
and it is by confessing with your mouth
that you are saved."
Romans 10:9-10

Notice the 2nd line: "that Jesus is Lord".

"Lord" means master, controller, ruler, owner.

Is this the relationship you have with Jesus Christ?

Does He have total control over your thoughts?
Does He have total control over your attitudes?
Does He have total control over your relationships?
Does He have total control over your desires?
Does He have total control over your goals?
Does He have total control over your finances?

If not, how would you characterize your relationship with Jesus Christ?

Headache

.... I'm call'n in sick tonight with a headache....
Michele thinks its a tumor.....
In that case
I'm parking a camp trailer in the McDonalds parking lot
And eating there 3 meals a day
Oh Happy Joy
Sorry....
Be back tomorrow night

GVCC sermon 1 Corinthians 13 HUMILITY

Garden Valley Community Church Pastor Shane Moffitt                        March 25^th 2012

 “It’s All About Love” series

Love Is Humble ~ 1 Corinthians 13
"Love is not conceited or proud.” 
1 Corinthians 13:4b

HUMILITY is very MISUNDERSTOOD
·        Humility is not being a weak
·        Humility is not a lack of confidence
·        PRIDE is a cover-up for insecurity

HUMILITY: It’s thinking of others instead

                       and acting in their best interest,                
                       instead of your own
 
“The people I treasure most are the humble.                                      
They depend on Me.”  Isaiah 66:2

~ 4 Examples of Jesus’ Love in Humility ~
John 13:1-17

#1.  His Love Stated              13:1

·        Literally: “He loved His own to perfection”

#2.  His Love Rejected          13:2

·        Judas: the perfect contrast for Christ’s love
·        The more men hated Jesus the more He loved
·        Judas: self-centered thinking only about money
·        The same words that drew some ~ pushed Judas
·        WHY show Judas’ hated?   CONTRAST so             
His love & humility would be glaringly obvious

#3.  His Love Demonstrated 13:3

·        Don’t tell me you love me ~ show me
·        1 John 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:5
·        Literally:  “everything belonged to Jesus”
·        WHY is he exalting Jesus?  CONTRAST so
His love & humility is glaringly obvious
·        Verse 3 shows DEPTH of His HUMILITY

#4.  His Love Shared 13:4-11

·        Luke 22:24
·        In majestic calmness & silence Jesus moves
·        HUMILITY is the SERIVCE of LOVE

4 HABITS OF HUMILITY

#1. Practice Giving Preference to Others

     Romans 12:10 ~ Philippians 2:3-8 ~ James 1:19

#2.    Practice Learning From Others

     Proverbs 15:12  & 15:32 & 13:10 & Matthew 18:4

#3.    Practice Admitting I Am Wrong

      Proverbs 28:13 & James 5:16

#4.    Practice Submitting My Plans to God

     James 4:6-7 & Romans 6:13 & Matthew 11:29

“This is what the Lord requires from you:                             
to do what is right, to love mercy,                                          
and to live humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
                                    
Humility is when you take God seriously,
and you don’t take yourself seriously

Details Make or Break Us

"If you are faithful in little things,
you will be faithful in large ones.
But if you are dishonest in little things,
you won't be honest with greater responsibilities."
Luke 16:10

It is so easy to get carried away talking about BIG PLANS
and emotional highs, that we forget to handle the small
details that God has entrusted to our care.

I get asked almost daily when we are going to build a bigger
Sanctuary to hold all the people at church.

My heart tells me that God won't increase our ministry until
we take care of the people he has already sent us.

There is an old Pastor's saying, "If you want to tell the parents
you love them -- then love their children."
Actions speak louder than words.

So we have to learn how to lovingly care for the nursery babies,
and the small toddlers in a way that reveals Gods love. BEFORE
God will increase our ministry and send us herds of teenagers.

This principle works wonders in our relationships.

If you doubt this, guys, fail to notice your spouse got her hair cut.
I rest my case.

Pastor Rick Warren says that a good definition of
LOVE is ATTENTION.

If you love someone, you will make them a priority and
will make time for them. Priorities never conflict.

It seems like there are levels of details in relationships.

There are the "Clear and Present Danger" moments
(birthdays, Valentines Day, Christmas, Anniversary....).

There are the "Shock & Awe" moments
(unexpected "not buying my way out of trouble" gifts).

There are the "You Did What? WHY?" moments
(the meat and potatoes of relationships)

I am writing this from the school of hard knocks and have only completed the 1st grade.
This is an important area and all of us need to be aware of it.

For more details, read Gary Chapman's amazing book: "The 5 Love Languages".

I focused on "relationships" in this blog because
your relationship with God
is revealed in your relationships with other people.

If someone says, “I love God,”
but hates a Christian brother or sister,
that person is a liar;
for if we don’t love people we can see,
how can we love God, whom we cannot see?
And he has given us this command:
Those who love God must also love
their Christian brothers and sisters.".
1John 4:20-21

Your love for one another will prove
to the world that you are my disciples.”
John 13:35

Our spiritual take-away from this is:

"What does the quality of your relationships
(home, work, neighbors, waitresses....)
reveal about your relationship with God?"

Breakdown Maintenance

When I bought my pickup, the previous owner had the exhaust dueled off and glass packs for pipes. My point? It had a loud growl and sounded like a Mac truck.

And unlike the previous owner, I actually work the truck and use it off road. No, I don't abuse it but it is a tool that I spend a lot of time working.

A couple weeks ago, my truck and I got caught in some heavy slush and spent some time commuting down the ditch. It was quite eventful and scared the Bee-Jeez out of me. I almost escaped the ditch detour unscathed but when I pulled back up on the road, I plowed through a frozen snow bank. That broke the mounts on my tailpipes.

So today I as I was getting in my pickup, I noticed my tailpipe dragging underneith. That is never good. So I crawled under the pickup and found the exhaust pipe totally broken off. Not good. From my unprofessional opinion, the mounts on both pipes are broken and it needs some serious work. I bet this kind of work doesn't come cheap.

So what is our spiritual take-away from today's adventure?

Life is dangerous and sometimes we need breakdown maintenance.

Sometimes it is sin that creeps into out thoughts and gives us spiritual sickness.

Sometimes it is selfishness that attacks our relationships.

Sometimes it is exhaustion and a spiritual retreat is what the doctor ordered.

Sometimes it is misplaced priorities and we need to recalibrate our focus.

Sometimes it is corrupted values that need saturated in Gods Word.

I could honestly go on like this for 25 pages. Man's ability to breakdown is limitless.

So what are God's thoughts on our breakdowns?

 My child, pay attention to what I say.
    Listen carefully to my words.
Don’t lose sight of them.
    Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
for they bring life to those who find them,
    and healing to their whole body.
Guard your heart above all else,
    for it determines the course of your life.
Proverbs 4:20-23

 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
    and he saved them from their distress.
He sent out his word and healed them,
    snatching them from the door of death.
 Let them praise the Lord for his great love
    and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
Psalm 107:19-21

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
 He forgives all my sins
    and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
    My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
Psalm 103:2-5

Boundaries

The NFL is full of sermon illustrations lately.
Their decision making is full of fodder for my blog.

One of my favorite teams is the New Orleans Saints.
They are the classic underdog that fights like a Rocky Balboa boxing movie.

Today the news story broke that they are GUILTY
of putting up cash bounties to "take out players".

In 2009 they had a $10,000 bounty to knock Bret Farve
out of the championship football game.

So most of their coaching staff have a year suspension of some kind.
It sounds like a mess with far reaching impacts.

WHAT spiritual application can be drawn from this goat rodeo?

When they interviewed the coaches, they tried to clarify that the bounty
started out as a positive thing. As a motivational tool to reward players
for excellent performance.

Well, their original motives may have been pure but it is difficult to keep
passionate people coloring inside the lines.

Have you ever started on the right path, making healthy decisions, only
to find yourself elbow deep in offended friends trying to explain
how things went so badly?

Your spiritual take-away from this is: "Set your boundaries on what Gods Word teaches you NOT on what a church denomination or strong religious personality imposes on you".

What lines will you cross and what lines will you avoid at all costs.

At the Bible College I went to, the rule book was something like 500 pages.
They had a rule for every situation and occasion.
I frequently asked about the reasoning behind some of the more off-the-wall
rules. For instance, it was a serious rule violation for men to wear any shirt
that was any shade of pink. And NO, they never could really explain that one.

Why do women have to wear nylons at all times?
Why do men have to have their shirts tucked in at all times?
Ladies can't wear sneakers, men cannot have beards.
You can't sit next to a member of the opposite sex in a church service
more than twice per semester without a courting pass.
You must submit to car search at any given time.

This list goes on for hundreds of pages.
My point is, what started as guidelines to provide safeguards, got confused and rather than providing protection, keeping the rules became the focus.

Instead of having guidelines that provided a safe environment for young people to learn and grow into maturity -- keeping the rules mutated into the thing that pleased God.

My point is this, you need to know where your boundaries with sin are and stay clear of them. But things that are gray areas, don't let them get out of control and take on a life of their own.

I remember hearing it preached from the pulpit that it was a sin to go to a movie theater. Yet you could go to the pastors house and watch the same movie on video.

My rule is: "What Gods Word holds firm -- I hold firm. What Gods Word holds loose -- I hold loose".

"In everything you do, put God first,
and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success." 
Proverbs 3: 5-6
 
"So ever since we fist heard about you
we have kept on praying and asking God
to help you understand what He wants you to do;
asking Him to make you wise about spiritual things;
and asking that the way you live will always please the Lord and honor Him,
so that you will always be doing good, kind things for others,
while all the time you are learning to know God better and better, 
We are praying, too, that you will be filled with His mighty,
glorious strength so that you can keep going no matter what happens --
always full of the joy of the Lord, and always thankful to the Father
who has made us fit to share all the wonderful things
that belong to those who live in the Kingdom of light." 
Colossians 1: 9-12

OK I'll Go There

I debated for a few hours on whether or not to write this blog,
before accepting the fact that writing it is a public service of sorts.

Yesterday I officiated a funeral for a very kind family.
They were very broken up about the death of their loved one
and were openly expressing their grief.

At the end of the service, they were all reluctant to leave the graveside
and lingered around in a state of loss and heartache.

I do my best to share hugs, tears, and words of comfort in those moments of grieving.

Then something happened that is surprisingly common.

From the midst of the family group emerged a "Christian".
This "Christian" announced quite loudly, "Was he saved?"
"Do you think he went to heaven?"

As a group, I counted 8 family members turn and look at me for the answer.

The truth is, I have no idea. I have a personal integrity rule that requires me to be honest at funerals. If there is nothing positive to say about the deceased, I simply spend my time talking about our Heavenly Father and how much He desires that we become one of His children.

Second of all, ONLY the good Lord knows what is truly going on in people's hearts.

the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Last, that question puts "Christians" in a very judgmental, negative light in front of people that are searching for reality and meaning in a dark experience.

I have searched my heart for a motive on why someone would be moved to express that question out loud in front of people mourning.

I am pretty sure I have not uncovered the heart of the matter but one thing does strike me as obvious, "If a Christian truly cared whether the departed was saved or not, then the Christian would have taken the time to lovingly approach that person and share the Gospel before he passed."

Then there is the more disturbing aspect of the question, "Do you think he was saved?"
When I search the face of the "Christian" asking the question and there is no emotion of any kind.... no compassion.... no tears of concern.... it makes me wonder where their heart really is.

The spiritual take-away from the blog is simple, "At funerals, spend time listening in love, sharing hugs, and mourning with those who mourn."

OK, I have another spiritual take-away that is burning a hole in my keyboard, "If you have a friend or loved one that is terminally, go spend some time with them. Due to their condition, you should keep your visit for 15-20 minutes. But go listen to their stories, let them experience the love of God flowing through you. And as you are spending time with them, may you be God's arms of love, mouth of peace, ears of kindness, and hands of service to a soul needing to experience heaven's reassuring touch".

"with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love" Ephesians 4:2

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7

Internet Bible Study Resources

Tonight, one of my mentors and I co-taught a class on "Internet Bible Study Resources".
It is a small informal class of Believers that want to learn how to better read, study, apply, and teach God's Word.

OK, I may have been a little ambitious with my overview when I suggested they are interested in "teaching" God's Word. A couple of them are "interested" in the idea, a couple of them are sticking their toe in the water, and a couple of them are pretty sure this information is for their personal use only. Whatever their motivation, it is never a waste of time to hone your personal Bible study skills.

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right" 2 Timothy 3:16

Anyway, we talked about some things that might interest you.

First, there are a LOT of excellent FREE Bible study resources on the internet.
Second, there are a LOT of worthless FREE Bible study resources on the internet.

Perhaps I should start there.

Like everything else, when you use the internet, you MUST use a great deal of good judgment.

RULE #1: Have Good Filters

Don't take ANYTHING at face value.

"Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world." 1 John 4:1

If you are not sure if something is accurate and reliable, ask me. I will give you my best judgment and recommendation.

I am listing a few free Bible Study websites that I believe are (for the most part) reliable:

www.blueletterbible.org

www.bible.org

www.biblegateway.com

http://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/

www.oneplace.com

I will NOT go into Bible study software downloads in this blog because that is too big of a bite for my short blog. We will save that for another day. Or you can sit down and talk with me in person about it.

RULE #2: WORK

Even with the best of websites, there are two major obstacles. (a) schedule (we are busy people), (b) hard work (it requires commitment and discipline).

The truth is, the less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray.

RULE #3: PRAY

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." James 1:5

I have to stop here or this will move from a simple blog to a full blown Bible study on Studying the Bible. If this is something that interests you, let me know and we can talk about it.

The bottom line is, never before in history have we had more amazing Bible study resources at our fingertips, and yet, never in history have we a more shallow knowledge of God's Word than today.

Our spiritual take-away from this is simply, "God already KNOWS you and now He wants you to KNOW Him."

Do you get how cool that is?
The Creator, Almighty God wants YOU to KNOW Him.
And to bridge that Gap He did 2 things:
1) God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to earth to bridge the gap created by sin
2) God wrote a Book so you can know His thoughts and His heart

What will you do with His Book?

Tim Tebow

OK ~ I like football. See, confession is healthy and liberating. 
If you would like to confess....
sorry, but you will have to start your own blog. 

2 years ago, there was a young outspoken Christian quarterback
that played college football.  His first year in professional football,
he wound up in Denver, playing for the Broncos. 

If you don't like football, stick around, I actually have a point to
this illustration. 

To make this whole situation more interesting, the NFL players
went on strike and all the preseason training camps were cancelled. 
This put the new guys like Tim Tebow at a severe disadvantage.
But he shouldn't worry because 1st year guys never get to touch
the football anyway, right?

Through a comedy of errors, Tim Tebow winds up as starting
quarterback.  And through his outspoken testimony for Jesus Christ,
became the laughing stock of the sports commentators and was even
the brunt of a very mocking Saturday Night Live skit.

The interesting part is, even though Tim lacked a lot of the natural
talent that the NFL is accusomed to seeing, he is a natural leader.
The Denver Broncos had totally fallen apart and were a disgrace.
Until Tim Tebow stepped on the field. 

Suddenly Tim Tebow football jerseys were the hottest NFL
merchandise in the market and against everyone's expectations,
took the Broncos to the post season playoffs. 

Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway (general manager for the Broncos)
made statements to the press that he was personally going to train Tim
and prepare him for a long and distinguished career. 

From all appearances, the future of the Denver Broncos rested heavily
on the young shoulders of Tim Tebow. 

Then the Indianapolis Colts cut their old, broken down, injured,
quarterback and put him out to pasture.  The handwriting was on the wall,
the great old quarterback was in the sunset days of his career and he was done.

Until, John Elway and the Denver Broncos pointed Tim Tebow to the door
and hired the old injured quarterback to replace him.  So Tim is looking for
another team and the Broncos have an old quarterback with maybe a season
or two left in him. 

Your spiritual take-away from this is simple:
"Are you building your life for the future or are you making decisions that
provide you with fun today but no depth or stability for the future?" 

Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man’s life is but a breath.
Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about, but only in vain;
 he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.
“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you."
Psalm 39:4-7

Knowing the Mind of God

"Pastor, what do you think about...."

I hear this question every day, and I LOVE it. The odd part is, there are only 4 different questions that I usually get asked. It would seem like there would be a wide range of topics and situations that generate curiosity, but that has not been the case.

And "NO", I am NOT inclined to list all 4 questions because they are mine fields that always generate hard feelings. Very few people are spiritually mature enough to tackle these 4 questions -- and the people mature enough, NEVER ask. Interesting.....

When people ask what I think about a topic, what they are really asking is, "What does God think?" Then they are required to decide if God's Word has the authority to change their life, or if they are going to glibly ignore what God has to say about the topic.

Personally, I believe the greatest obstacle to wrapping your head around what God thinks about a certain topic, is NARROW FOCUS.

I encourage people to study the WHOLE Bible. Otherwise we naturally gravitate to areas that interest us the most and ignore areas that make us uncomfortable.

When I worked in the jail as a Corrections Officer, a fairly common observation was that when convicts came back to county lockup after being in prison, they would have massive arms and under developed legs. This was because they loved bench press and curls but had little interest in squats and leg presses. Thus they frequently came out of prison with an out of balance muscle development.

My challenge to you is to have a balanced wholesome Bible Study plan that is always moving you toward the mind of God.

So think about this, the purpose of Bible Study has 2 basic points:
to KNOW the Word of God
to KNOW the God of the Word

"... let God transform you into a new person
by changing the way you think.
Then you will learn to know God’s will for you,
which is good and pleasing and perfect."
Romans 12:2

Many people attempt to learn about the Word of God but very few take the time to get to know the God of the Word.

Your spiritual take-away from this is, "Study God's Word with the intent of deepening your relationship with God -- not with the intent of deepening your quality of education".
Now there is one final thought that should prove troublesome for you".

"Will you give God's Word the authority to change your life?"

It is one thing to know something in your head, but it is another thing to make it part of you and have it change who you are.

Does God's Word weigh in when you have a decision to make?

Does God's Word weigh in when you are faced with a stressful situation?

Does God's Word weigh in when you determine your priorities and values?

If you want a glimpse of light into the reality of where you live, ask yourself this,
"What do you think about the most?"

"What do you spend the majority of your time thinking about?"

"Who do you talk to when you have a decision to make?"

EXAMPLE #1:
"Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable,
and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.
Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise"
Philippians 4:8

EXAMPLE #2:
"Never pay back evil with more evil.
Do things in such a way that everyone
can see you are honorable"
Romans 12:17

"How can a young person stay pure?
by obeying Your Word"
Psalm 119:9

"I have hidden Your Word in my heart,
that I might not sin against You"
Psalm 119:11

""The teaching of Your Word gives light,
so even the simple can understand"
Psalm 119:130

"Guide my steps by Your Word
so I will not be overcome by evil"
Psalm 119:133

"As pressure and stress bear down on me,
I find joy in your commands"
Psalm 119:143

NOTE:
The whole chapter of Psalm 119 gives reasons why we should fall in love with the Word of God and make it part of our every moment and thought.

Marbles Theory Safeguards

Part 2:

I encourage you to build safeguards.

Each of us has to look in he mirror and find strengths that will keep out weaknesses in check.

Clint Eastwood played Dirty Harry in one of his early movies. One of his most famous lines he spoke was, "Every man must know his limitations".

My point is this, keep your finger on your pulse to insure your life is healthy and not running out of control.

If it gets out of control, it will rob you of peace, joy, and quality of life. You will find yourself settling and surviving.

So what are some safeguards that I keep close at hand?
And these are in no particular order so don't try to read into the priority of listing.

#1. My highly intelligent wife knows me better than I know myself. I cherish her insight, counsel, and warnings. So find someone that knows you intimately, that will be honest with you, and that you will heed their advice.

#2. Never ever miss a day of Bible reading and prayer. More on this later. Just remember, if you are too busy for God -- then you are too busy and are out of marbles.

#3. Watch for a lack of joy. When the phone rings and my shoulder slump because I am tired and have little to offer -- I am running out of marbles.

#4. When your feel like others are living full and happy lives while you are cursed to function in survival mode, you ran out of marbles long ago.

#5. When you feel you are expending your best marbles on other peoples priorities and feel frustrated that you only have dregs left for things you are passionate about.... You are out of marbles.

I could do this for hours but I wanted to give you a couple words of encouragement.

#1. Journal. Not journal that it is raining and you went to the store. Journal (write out something you are struggling with) because the process needed to move a thought from your brain to your keyboard -- strains off the toxic emotions that distort and embitter you. Writing it down is an important step in shining light on the problem

#2. Friends. If you surround yourself with negative toxic lazy people, they will steal your marbles. I find it interesting that they seldom if ever shoot their own marbles but they will ride your horse until it is exhausted and has nothing else to contribute.

#3. Pray. This is vital and I WILL write a whole blog on this one topic. Prayer does not prepare you for great things -- prayer is the great thing we must do. I believe our power flows through the Holy Spirit and prayer. When you get so busy that you have to start cutting back on your prayer time -- you are out of marbles and in a deficit.

#4. Bible. God wrote you a letter. This letter reveals who He is to us. WHY? Because Almighty God wants you to KNOW Him. 1 John 5:13, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
If you don't know God, then you haven't spent enough time reading His letter.

#5. Think. "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he..." Proverb 23:7 and Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Again, this is a topic worthy of its own blog. But the bottom line is, you can program mind to burn up all your best marbles worrying about things that may never happen. Or take the very best that God has given you for His service and push it down into the muck and waste it on nonessential drivel.

On that note I will leave you alone to process and I pray that God uses this to challenge and encourage you.

"Above all else, guard your heart,
   for everything you do flows from it."
Proverbs 4:23

GVCC Sermon LOVE_ part_3

Garden Valley Community Church
Pastor Shane Moffitt                      March 18^th 2012
“It’s All About LOVE” series
PART 3: LOVE DOES NOT ENVY
“Love does not envy” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4b

 ENVY:  Resenting God's goodness to others &                        
                  Ignoring God's goodness to me
Envy is the fever ~ Doubting God is the infection

GOD’S PROTECTION FROM ENVY

#1.    Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
Matthew 20:9-10 ~ Luke 3:14 ~ 2 Corinthians 10:12
·        Comparing leads to 1 of 2 sins: pride or envy
·        What matters in life, is not your hard earned accomplishments
but is your relationships
·        Envy occurs when you don’t know people intimately ~
You see success from a distance

#2.  Thank God for His Goodness to Others
     Matthew 20:10-11, 15b
Rejoice with those who rejoice  Romans 12:15
·        You Choose:  Be Thankful or Be Resentful
·        Start enjoying God’s grace to other people ~  
When you see God being kind and good to others ~
learn to enjoy it rather than resent it
·        Criticism is almost always based in envy

#3.  Be Grateful For What You Have
Matthew 20:10-11
“Isn't everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God?
So what's the point of all this comparing and competing? 
You already have all you need!” 1 Corinthians 4:7b-8a

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned

how to be content with whatever I have” Philippians 4:11

·        The MYTH of ENVY:                                             
             I MUST have MORE to be HAPPY
·        Instead of focusing on what you don’t have and what didn’t happen, be grateful for what you do have and what God did choose to do in your life

 #4.  Trust God When Life is Unfair     

    Matthew 20:12-15              
·        Satan’s trap is exposed when someone says,
 “It’s not fair!” ~ “Why them and not me?”
·        When you ENVY ~ you are in a battle with God ~
you are doubting His goodness ~
you resent God’s decision to bless someone else
·        God has a good reason why I don’t have
the things that I WANT ~ It is Because
He knows me better than I know myself ~ TRUST GOD

 #5.  Keep Focused On God’s Will For You

Matthew 20:16, 20            
“Take your money now and go” Matthew 20:14
·         He’s saying to those who are complaining ~
GET OVER IT ~ don’t be stuck in the past            

“Let us run with patience the particular race          

that God has set before us.” Hebrews 12:1-2

Marble Theory

Last summer, I was teaching a midweek Bible Study group and I was talking about how "busy" I was. I was preaching 7 time that week and had a packed schedule. I had allowed myself to become so busy that sleep was an option.

At first glance, it seemed like I was showing them that I was a good employee by working hard. Without realizing it, I was equating busy with success. I had inadvertently fallen into the devil's lie by trying to find validation in "busy".

A very wise and humble Elder in our church that cares for me very deeply, simply said, "Did you pray and ask God which of these appointments He wanted you to cover?"

My friend is so gracious, he didn't embarrass me, nor did he talk down to me, all he was really asking was, "Does God have any input in your daily schedule?"

This seriously rattled me.

I was supposed to be teaching this Bible Study and found myself sitting at the feet on an Elder, learning some very practical, God glorifying principles. These principles have helped revolutionize my life. From that night on, I have slowed down and began developing the habit of asking God for guidance and wisdom in the everyday details of my schedule.

Where the water gets really muddy and confusing, is when you realize that the majority of the requests and opportunities we are faced with every day, are good and worthwhile projects.

This means we have to learn to say, "No" to some good and worthwhile projects or our plate will become overfull that we risk burning out.

Tell me that you have never came home after a busy day and found that you have no energy or passion for your family? All you want to do is sit down and try to recuperate enough to face tomorrow.

Have you ever found that you are expending the very best you have to offer on strangers and business, only to find that your resources are depleted by the time you get home to those you love?

So consider this: Everyday you wake up and the good Lord gives you about 7 marbles.

That means you can do about 7 things very well. If you go beyond 7 things, you can function, but the quality of work begins to slip and you start drawing from your reserves.

What blows is when your first appointment of the day, takes all 7 of your marbles and you don't have anything left for everyone else in your day. By 9:00 am, you are out of marbles and running in the deficit.

This obviously is dangerous because you CAN function by living from your reserves.
I'm not saying you can't SURVIVE -- if SURVIVAL is your idea of quality living.

Your spiritual take-away from this is two-fold:
does "busy" validate you?
what is your idea of "quality" living?

"The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.
My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."
John 10:10