The hour has come to wake from sleep

Romans 13:11-14

“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far-gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

We are taught to train up a child in the way they should go, and there is a good reason for doing that.  A young man of sixteen killed four people while driving drunk, and the defense stated he was a victim of "affluenza" -- the product of wealthy, privileged parents who never set limits for the boy.  They did not bring him up with a goal to become a responsible adult, they set no limits and now he is a killer and a drunk, with no guilt when taking the lives of others.  Going back to verse 10, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”  It seems apparent that neither this young man nor his parents have any understanding of not doing wrong to a neighbor, much less putting anyone before their own desires.

And I bet that brings a sense of disgust to you for the lack of parental guidance given to this young man, but before passing judgment, maybe as church goers who go by the name Christian, we should take inventory of what and who is training our children.  “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep.” As one who goes by the title of Christian, it’s time to understand that going to church on Sunday and going home and doing as you desire may leave your children without the training of seeing Christ at work in your life.  That is unless your desire is to love God, and put His word into your mind and heart so that the Holy Spirit can guide you into all truth.

As you live out the truth of loving your neighbor you would never bring any harm to them, it guides your children to do likewise.

 For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far-gone; the day is at hand.”  How long have you been in Christ, how has your life changed, and how is your ministry going at home, with the wife and kids?  What about in the market place, is your ministry changing others you work with?  As we age in Christ something should be happening in those we encounter, for it should be clear we have been delivered by Christ from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of the Father’s beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. (Refer to Colossians 1:13)

“The night is far-gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”  My first thought was this cannot be talking to Christians, but it is and anytime you or I get our needs met outside of Christ we are doing what this young boy of sixteen did, not killing 4 people, but living our lives as if no one but us counts.  You would never enter into an orgy, nor set out to get drunk, and you have distain for anyone who cheats on their spouse, but you are full of quarreling and jealousy, and God put them all in the same boat.

So ponder on this: how is your ministry at home?  The question is not are you a good provider, go to dance rehearsals, ball games and take the family on vacation, but are you allowing Christ to guide you and work through you on Monday – Sunday?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Our need for the Introdution Course on Love

Romans 13:8-10

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

I’ve been very open with my readers that I have a big problem with the misuse of the word “Love.”  If I can love the color green, and apple pie, and football, and dogs, and my wife, and O’ what about God, sure I also love God, is that not somewhat confusing?  When a young teenage boy tells a cute teenage girl I’ love you, 99.9 % of the time he has no understanding of love.  God who is all knowing knew you and I would need help, just like King David did when he was roof gazing and fell in lust with Bathsheba, read it again I did not say love, in fact that lust is played out often in many ways in each of our lives.  It is a great story if you have time to read it, looks at 2 Samuel chapter eleven.

In fact, the Holy Spirit had the apostle Paul record the true definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13, and it is often used in weddings, but not so often in funerals, and the reason is love must take place among the living, it is condition for having a lasting relationship.  First, love is patient and kind, and as a husband to Jan it has been one of my greatest challenges, learning, still learning to be patient, for in the absence of patience, you will not find kindness.  Love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  So where there is envy, boasting, arrogance or just being rude to others, love is not present.  Note: In this Presidential election you and I should take note of this before casting our vote.   Love does not insist on it’s own way; it is not irritable or resentful, so if it is your way or the highway parents, maybe it is time for some reflection on your relationship with the Father, and how often you ignore His voice.  And teenagers if you find yourself being irritable at your teachers or parents and not showing respect, but holding a grudge, you have no understanding of love.  Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth, so make sure you are rejoicing about what is true, and not about getting even.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.  Love never ends. 

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”  Maybe, just maybe we need to take the introduction course 101 on love, for if you cannot love your neighbor as yourself, how could you hope to love God who you have never seen?  How can we follow the commands of Jesus, where He tells us to love our enemies?  Maybe it’s because you are confused about the meaning of love, and that’s not all your fault, your parents and their parents also misused and maybe were a little puzzled about its true implication. 

Know this if you love apple pie and God in the same way, you have missed love totally!   Ask the Holy Spirit the one Jesus refers to as the Helper to help you be first and foremost a lover of the Father, for He is worthy of your love, and then to show you how to love Jesus and your neighbor.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

No Authority except from God

Romans 13:1-7

I grew-up being taught to show respect to anyone who was an adult, and it better be yes sir or yes mam, and you were never to show disrespect to any adult or person of authority.  In fact, any mother on Liberty, Victory, or Dover streets had the right to correct me and if needed give me a whipping and send me home and I’m not embellishing that one bit.  That would not work today, but let me tell you, it worked, and it worked very well.  Teachers were the authority at school, police were not at the school but were in the community as law enforcers and they had authority not because they had a gun, but because they had been given authority to keep the laws of our city and state.  In my home if you had a death wish then show mother disrespect and dad was going to make you wish you had never been born. 

So that is how I was raised, so why is Romans 13:1-7 such a challenge?  Maybe we could begin in verse six and work backward, in that I’ve always paid taxes, now I must confess it is often not with the right heart attitude, but with a desire to stay out of jail.  This is not working out, maybe I should have began at the beginning, for verse six states; “For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.”   I never thought of the I.R.S. as ministers of God, they seem closer to mobsters than ministers, so rain on my opinion and adopt what the Scripture has stated. 

In that I’ve tried to back into this, shall we move on to verse seven, “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”  Verse seven sends me back in time to my basic training in the Army, Captain Melton was our Captain, and he was a rascal, he made each of us give blood.  It was not a request but a demand, all 250 of us had to give him a dollar so he could bribe the guys at the shooting range to make sure we had the highest scores, and all of that was so he could get the honor for having the best company.  It became clear to this solider it was not the man but the title, the uniform, the rank we were honoring.

So let’s go back to verse 1,  “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”  That seems to cover all of us, and no wiggle room about who we are to be subject to, and the reason is clearly stated all authority exist because God instituted it.  Verse 2, “Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”  Be very careful my fellow believer in Jesus Christ, for the Father is a promise keeper, and maybe, just maybe we are incurring judgment at this moment for our past resistance to the authorities God has put over us.

Verse 3-5, reads this way; “For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.”

Have you noticed how often you hit the brake while driving when you see a police car?  I also do that and the reason is we are lawbreakers.  If our goal was always to obey the speed limit there would be no need of braking, but you and I do not have a clear conscience in this area so we fear authority.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

If Possible live Peaceably with all

Romans 12:18-21

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

As I reflect on this Scripture it is not my finest thoughts, I dropped the ball so often, and I did not go out of my way to not live peaceably with all, in fact I like being thought of in a nice way, but often the goal got in the way of the relationship.  I was one driven person to obtain the project, get a new product out of the lab, to overcome the lack of desire in those I worked with who seemed to be obstacles in the way of achieving the prize, the sale, the order, the project.

Now this confession is going to get very personal; I was part of a team of four, three salespersons and a great boss, one who saw my many weaknesses, but only put time into my strengths.  One day after many good things had happened with our group of growing a new business, a market that we had not had in the past, upper management gave us a new boss, one who at one time I had enjoyed working with in my role as a Key Account person, helping him with one of our biggest utilities.  While in that role, he often invited me to his home and I knew the wife and kids and I worked hard to make him income from new sales.

Now he was to be my new boss, and I was not all that excited about that for he was known for being a political person who said and did what upper management wanted to hear, even if it was not in the best interest of our sales force.  Our first meeting was just he and I and it went like this; “Rice I do not like you, and if I could I would fire you today, but I can’t and you are very valuable to the team so I’m stuck with you.”  Now let me be clear I was not thinking about being peaceable, I was shocked, and I thanked him for his honesty and ask if that was all he wanted to say and I left his office.  Now as I reflect back I had never been shy about sharing what I thought about management who were better at talking than at doing the job they were assigned, so because he fit that mold, I earned his disfavor.

I worked under this man a long time and it was never good, but his dislike for me as a person often clouded his judgment, and one day he made a mistake so big even upper management would have had to take action if I called in H.R.  My boss first got me demoted to a role I had done many years before, my pay was the same, but the role had changed.  The goal was to push me out in hopes I would quit, but I didn’t and it caused this action; he sent out an email to the sales force asking when I was going to quit, I was on the copy list.  That is a big no, no!

How I could do to him what he had wanted to do to me, and so I copied that email and wrote the President over H.R., laying out all that had happened since he became my boss along with my performance reviews.  It was at this point I recalled the Scripture “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”  As I reflected on that verse, it was very clear I was never to send that letter, I was to sit and watch, and wait. 

After 40 years I left 3M and the Lord began to require me to pray for that man, and the more I prayed the more I cared for him and his family, I have regrets that I dropped the ball during that time in my career.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Live in harmony with one another

Romans 12:14-18

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

Rain on what I feel or even what I think, rain on my emotions, my status in this world; if any of these come in conflict with the authority of Scripture, then submit to the Scriptures.  When you read the above Scripture it sounds God like, it seems like a command, it looks like something we should desire, but is it lived out in our lives?

For forty years I worked in sales for one of the best Corporations in the USA, but sales is about what have you done for me today, past performance is viewed as history, and it’s all about performance based acceptance.  We rejoiced in sales and we would weep often when we lost a big project, but if you were the guys who lost too many sales you were given the opportunity to explore new avenues.  Being in sales is not about harmony with those you are competing with for the order, and sales people seem to gravitate to whom they see as successful people.  Often in sales, people who have had success begin to belief their press clippings, much like a high-school football team, and forget that talent and ability are a gift from God.  And often when a sale was lost, the blame game came into play, and that does not promote harmony.

I had been in sales for over two years before entering into a relationship with Jesus Christ, before that I was a Baptist, but not in good standing, Jan and I were too busy for church.  So you will not be surprised when I tell you I had a background of getting my needs met outside of Christ, and when Christ became my new life, I knew little about living by faith, all I knew was how to be religious, and you may identify with where I found myself.  One day as I read the Bible in 2 Corinthians 5:20, it said I was to be an “Ambassador of Christ, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.”  I knew little about how to do that, I was not a preacher, wasn’t that what preachers were to do, not salespeople?

It was not long after that, as I continue to read in 2 Corinthians I ran head on into this verse, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (2 Corinthians 13:5)  Now remember I’m in sales and examination is a big part of being successful, could it also be important in letting Christ show-up each day with my family and my business?

If you read my blogs you may recall me talking about men like Carroll Ray Jr., Ken Ryan, and Bill and Anabel Gilham who impacted my life, none were preachers, none served on staff at a Church, but each of them were Ambassadors of Christ, they were into examining themselves to make sure it was Christ doing it all for them.  It was Bill, a former professor of psychology at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, that taught me to rain on what I feel are even what I think, rain on my emotions, or my status in this world; if any of these come in conflict with the authority of Scripture, then rain on them.

So pray for me, and I will pray for you, that we will not allow this present darkness we live in to conform us to its patterns, but allow Christ in us to make us more than a conqueror.  That we, “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Bless those who Persecute you

Romans 12:14

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”

Living in an entitlement culture, in a culture of I’m not to blame, a culture of no moral absolutes, a godless culture where what is good is called evil and what is evil is referred to as good, a culture of self before all others.  Yes, in 2016 that is where we find the remnant, the Church of the Lord Jesus, it is not what you see on Sunday, it is the few who by faith in a big God are committed to putting no faith in themselves, but have come to grips with this truth found in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Many in the church are strong, and I do mean stronger than garlic, but how is that working?  It does not seem to be working well if you’re alert to those around you, this is just a sample of what is being reported: “Young Americans today are more skeptical and resistant to Christianity than were people of the same age just a decade ago, says a new study.

Negative perceptions toward the Christian faith have outweighed the positive as a growing percentage of younger Americans associate with a faith outside Christianity.

Only 16 percent of non-Christians aged 16 to 29 years old said they have a "good impression" of Christianity, according to a report released Monday by The Barna Group. A decade ago, the vast majority of Americans outside the Christian faith, including young people, felt favorably toward Christianity’s role in society.” (By Audrey Barrick, Christian Post Reporter in 2007)

Could it be that the culture of this world has so molded the church that it is impossible at school, in the home, in the community, in our neighborhood, and the people we encounter in the workplace, see us as only adding religion to the mix?  And they are religious without church; they are committed to family vacation, to soccer, baseball, football, dance, golf, boating, and work, yes the list of religious activity is very large in our lives and the non-churched, not Christian co-worker, neighbor, friend, family member.  You question those activities as a religion, look at the definition of religion: “a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance: consumerism is the new religion.”

I’m somewhat frightful that the strong in leadership as well as in the pew will never listen to the words of Jesus found in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Without      seeking God’s power that is made strong in weakness, the Church will never be able to “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Be constant in your Walk

Romans 12:12-13

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

Do you ever wonder why, yes why do Christians pray unless they believe it has the power to change the life of the one being prayed for?  Why do I pray, why do you pray, and if you say because God is our Father and He wants His children to come to Him with all our needs, desires, and hopes, why then do we not pray more?  Why do we wait for someone to tell us they are dying or their wife/husband is leaving them for someone else, or their child or teenager has no interest in spiritual matters before we approach the throne of God asking for His protection, blessing, and guidance?

Are we not to be constant in prayer in the best of times, and in the worst of times?  Is it not our duty to pray for those family members, neighbors, and friends who seem to have no interest in spiritual matters?  Why is it not top shelve, the main focus of our daily life, could it be it is our will we are desiring, and are never still, never wait, never listen to the desire or will of the Father?  I’m ashamed to admit I’m just learning to pray, learning to ask the Father to teach me and show me who to pray for and how to pray for them.  I ran across two quotes on prayer that are worth your reading: “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me, seemed insufficient for the day.”- Abraham Lincoln “If you cannot trust God for the temporal, how dare you trust him for the eternal?” - Charles Spurgeon

In verse 13, we find this instruction; “Contribute to the needs of the saints,” now one can do that by tithing but I’m almost sure this is not tithing, it is seeing a need and taking care of it because you know about the need and God has allowed you to meet the need.  My friend Carroll Ray Jr. was a champion when it came to doing this, but the recipient often had no clue that he had met the need.  Often, it is easier to share money than it is to share ones victories or defeats in living life on planet earth.  The gift of money often removes us from being involved in the life of a brother or sister.  The giving of self is the exposer to intimacy.  The last part of verse 13 states, “and seek to show hospitality.”

Jan, my bride of 50 years loves to have friends, neighbors, family, and just about anyone over for lunch or dinner at our home, she has the gift of hospitality.  When you are invited into our home you are going to be the center of our affection and our desire is to serve and meet your needs, of food and fellowship.  When there is true hospitality you will always find a servant.  For hospitalities true nature is love and the desire to be the giver of love.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

"Do not be slothful in zeal.”

Romans 12:11-13

“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

I’m a very young 70’esh so maybe it’s an age thing, but to the best of my understanding I do not recall anyone using the words in my hearing; “Do not be slothful in zeal.”  I, like you, have many areas where improvement would be welcome, but in my case being slothful, lazy, inactive or lethargic just do not fit my personality.  But what about in zeal, you know having enthusiasm, being passionate, one of my strong gifts in my business life and also with my family, and yes, we also need to be fervent.  Now that is not a word I recall my mother saying, “Bobby you need to be fervent in your spirit, as you serve the Lord.”  But she often used words that had the same meaning like eager, enthusiastic, or even passionate in serving the Lord.

First, it requires one to open the Bible and read, but if one reads words that seem like Greek maybe it would be helpful to have a dictionary next to your Bible and look up words that are not common in the language you use daily.

Now we get to Scripture that is very clear to this writer, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”  Do you find it easy to rejoice in hope?  Maybe you just take it as an entitlement.  The problem with entitlements is they are given at the cost of another, they should never be considered a right, but a blessing.  Are we not told to have this hope in us that is found in 1John 3:2-3, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.  And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  Do you recall the song; “My hope is fixed on nothing less than Jesus Christ and His righteousness,” is your hope fixed on Jesus?

What about being patient in tribulation, being constant in prayer?  C.S. Lewis had this to say about the subject; “God who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain.”  And Martin Luther said this on the subject; “No man ought to lay a cross upon himself, or to adopt tribulation, as is done in pope dome; but if a cross or tribulation come upon him, then let him suffer it patiently, and know that it is good and profitable for him.”  Do you recall Jesus saying, “I have said these things to you, that in me you will have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Could it be that you and I are letting the uncertainty of our leadership and the darkness of our culture steal the peace we have through faith in our mighty God?  If so read and ponder Romans 5:1-5, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”  How we need men who have faith in a big God, men who have been tested in the fire of tribulation, to stand in faith, to put on the armor of faith and do battle.  The battle is not won by the might of men, but when men bow their knees to a holy God in prayer, and rise up as warriors of the cross.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Outdo one another in showing honor”

Romans 12:10-13

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

As I began to look at the command to “Outdo one another in showing honor” it became apparent that I have little understanding of doing that.  The culture we live in does not bow or exalt others, that is unless they are movie or sports stars, the President, or a leader of some movement, but not a brother or sister in Christ.  Jan my wife, best friend and editor was asked this question as I struggled with this thought, and she said don’t we do that and went on to give a few examples.  And the answer is with a very selected group of folks, but I’ve not seen where we are to have a list of to whom we show honor. 

Could it be once more the world has molded us into its mold of picking and choosing whom we show honor.  In the world I live in giving honor to other followers of Christ is not going to be much of a contest, or should it be, it has got to come not from a culture but from ones heart.

In Romans 13:7 it tells us to pay our taxes to whom they are due, and it does not give us an out like when the bum has wasted them you can quit paying taxes, if so, no one would pay taxes.  But do not stop there keep reading and you will see this command, “ . . . respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”

First and foremost to our Father in heaven who loves each of us so much He sent His Son, His only Son, to take on flesh and live among us.  And like wise to the Son, our Lord Jesus the Christ, who took our punishment and paid our debt in full.  But that is a given, most of us are somewhat better at that, than showing honor to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

So who should be singled out as special?  How about our parents, and as we treat them special we set an example that our children should give honor to us.  For by setting this example, we allow our Father to bless them when they give us honor by expressing the value, dignity, and esteem to us as parents and God promises to bless them. 

How about 1 Timothy 5:17, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” Each of us should be an encourager when it comes to our pastors, remember they have the duty of equipping us to do the work of the ministry, and it is a very hard job to sell us on what God has commanded, for most of us believe wrongly that it is the pastor’s job and not ours.

Any brother or sister in Christ that lives above reproach is to be given honor; turn to Proverbs 21:21, “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”  You may want to visit Romans 2:6-11, you will discover it is wise to give honor and for each who receive it to return it to the Father and the Son.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Loving one Another

Romans 12:10-13

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

I’ve often heard people say that a person is as dear to them as their own brother or sister, and I believe that is brotherly affection!  Have you given thought to what is being declared about brotherly affection, it is not based on conditions, it is not built on “if you ____, I will love you” it is deeper than that, in fact it overlooks shortcomings and mistakes.  So where can one find such love?  Look with me in the writing of the second letter of Peter the apostle of Jesus Christ.  This is really something, so lets go have some fun, and ponder on “Loving one another with brotherly affection.”

Peter’s greeting to you and me; “Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”  Amazing, Peter is stating the ground at the Cross-is level, and we should have the same expectation as Peter to become like Jesus, a servant to all.

It is clear the church often has two books on the shelf; the Bible and a book called “I did it my way” and let me ask this question, how is that working?  As a young child we sang a song; “One way and only one and yet the ways are two, I’m on the Lord’s side, on which side are you?”  Though I sang the song with such gusto as a child, I soon picked-up the book “I did it my way” and even today that book is still on the shelf of my life, the other book is called flesh.  Getting my needs met outside of Jesus Christ!

But the Bible gives insight into a way to find pure joy in being a servant of Jesus Christ, and it is not found in that book on “I did it my way,” in fact there is a vast expanse between the two ways of living life on planet earth.  One is full of greed and fear, in the other you will find love, joy, and peace, and it is going to require a death to one or the other.

The servant Peter shares the following with us; “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Jesus’ grace is made perfect in our weakness, so by His grace give up on the world’s model of success, and find that when you are weak, God’s divine power will come like a tornado into your relationships.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

“Let love be genuine

Romans 12:9-13

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

Could it be that many of us who go by the title Christian are shallow; now I’ve said it and the cat so to say is out of the bag, whatever that means?  Words do mean things, but not to many in our culture, it is a culture of not thinking or feeling deeply, it is surface understanding of many things.  At some point I began to grow weary of having a surface understanding of life, of my life in Christ.  I began to examine my use of words and found I was using the same word to express many of the same thoughts, and feelings; one such word was “love”.

Shall we examine the most over used word in our culture; Love; “I love that color, I love that car, I love that saying, I love you, I love my wife, I love God, I love football, baseball, and tennis and the list just keeps going and going.  Then we read this command, “Let love be genuine.”  How in Sam Hill, not sure why I used that but I do recall my dad saying that, to explain a point; “like how in the Sam Hill does anyone understand what love is?”  I looked it up, it is a euphemism; Sam Hill was a mercantile storeowner who offered a vast and diverse inventory of goods. People began using the term "what in the Sam Hill is that?" to describe something they found odd or unusual, just like the inventory found in Sam Hill's store.

The word “Love” is so over used and I bet you use it as I have many times each day, but do you have any understanding of what Love is?  Love is defined in       1 John 4:8, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”  Could it be we have our congregation full of people on Sundays with no understanding of how the Bible defines love?  Because God is love, does that word take on new meaning, maybe exploring more about love or God could be of help!  “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”  Many of us at a young age learned John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

 Love’s target is others, placing them before self, and many years ago I met a young girl at a Lay Renewal Weekend who had a great understanding of this truth, listen to the words of her “Talk with God”. 

 “Carol, how much do you love me, Lord?

God, I love you so much Carol that I did not let my emotions and feelings for my Son get in the way of everything that had to happen to Him for your sake.  I didn’t give in to the terrible hurt and anguish I felt as they rejected and beat my Son.  I never lost sight of what was best for you as I watched them mutilate and tear my Son’s body apart.   Your life is more important to me than preserving any dignity or thought for myself.”

I believe this young teenager was spot on, she grasp that she was the object of God’s love, and it has never been love based on “I will love you if” or “I will love you because.” The Father, the Creator, the I Am is love, and the only way to enter into Love is through the Father’s Son, Jesus Christ.

I have many things I like, but the word Love is very special to God, should it not also be special to you?  Quit being a bad witness of “Love,” share the true meaning of the word with your family, friends, and neighbors.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Christ life is not about independent living

Romans 12:4-8

Romans 12:4-8

The Christ life is not about independent living, but is designed around a body, a body of believers who have come to an understanding of what the Spirit is teaching us in Romans 12:4-8.  When thinking about a body it is the physical body that comes to mind, and more than likely it is the parts that are seen.  Such as the head, ears, neck, shoulder, arms, chest, elbows, back, forearm, stomach, waist, hip, buttocks, thigh, knees, calf, shin, and heel, feet, and toes.  But that only covers most of the parts that are seen, and those are small compared to all the parts that are covered with skin. 

As followers of Christ, we need to awaken to our need to function as the body of Christ, for it is clear “we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function.”  The verse does not end where I put the period, it goes on to state; “So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of the other.”  WOW, is that stating we are locked together in some manner?  And can we compare living the Christ life with other believers much like the arm depends on the shoulder and the elbow so that the hand can perform to its design and carry out the needs of the body.

I must confess it is easy for me minister to the needs of others, but want to be very private about my own needs, or letting others come alongside me when in need.  I’m sure of this that is not the correct response; it is not allowing the body of Christ to be in working order. 

I want to share two examples of verses 4-8, working out in my own life and how they have made a profound impact on my life.  We had floods in San Marcos, Texas and Jan and I volunteered with other believers in Christ to intentionally engage that community with the love of Jesus Christ.  We were a small part of the body of Christ, working with Samaritan’s Purse, and each came with different gifts to do the work of ministry for those who had lost so much.  It was body life, and it was amazing to watch what God will do when we forget self and obey.

My second example is very personal I ended up in a hospital the same day as I took my physical, for very high blood pressure.  After a series of tests, it was determined I needed to have a carotid endarterectomy, and I had to make some hard choices about who and when I wanted that information to go out to.  I chose to follow the example of Romans 12:4-8, and allowed the body of Christ to minister to me in the same way I had seen the body of Christ do through Samaritan’s Purse in San Marcos, Texas, and later in Bastrop, Texas some months later. 

This is what I’ve learned, we have many members with different gifts and they are all gifts of grace given to us so that we can meet the needs of others.  Some have the gift of prayer, others encouragement, some are servants, and others teach, and some exhort, and many are called to be givers of all kinds of gifts, many have the gift of mercy and can change your outlook with the love and cheerfulness that comes from them.  And each of us in the body has the gifts and measure of faith that God has assigned so that we can intentionally engage our community and each other with the love of Jesus Christ.

Let me share a two quotes: “You were made for mutually self-giving, other directed love. Self-centeredness destroys the fabric of what God has made.” (Tim Keller) 

“Believers are never told to become one; we already are one and are expected to act like it.” (Joni Eareckson Tada)

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

, but is designed around a body, a body of believers who have come to an understanding of what the Spirit is teaching us in Romans 12:4-8.  When thinking about a body it is the physical body that comes to mind, and more than likely it is the parts that are seen.  Such as the head, ears, neck, shoulder, arms, chest, elbows, back, forearm, stomach, waist, hip, buttocks, thigh, knees, calf, shin, and heel, feet, and toes.  But that only covers most of the parts that are seen, and those are small compared to all the parts that are covered with skin. 

As followers of Christ, we need to awaken to our need to function as the body of Christ, for it is clear “we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function.”  The verse does not end where I put the period, it goes on to state; “So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of the other.”  WOW, is that stating we are locked together in some manner?  And can we compare living the Christ life with other believers much like the arm depends on the shoulder and the elbow so that the hand can perform to its design and carry out the needs of the body.

I must confess it is easy for me minister to the needs of others, but want to be very private about my own needs, or letting others come alongside me when in need.  I’m sure of this that is not the correct response; it is not allowing the body of Christ to be in working order. 

I want to share two examples of verses 4-8, working out in my own life and how they have made a profound impact on my life.  We had floods in San Marcos, Texas and Jan and I volunteered with other believers in Christ to intentionally engage that community with the love of Jesus Christ.  We were a small part of the body of Christ, working with Samaritan’s Purse, and each came with different gifts to do the work of ministry for those who had lost so much.  It was body life, and it was amazing to watch what God will do when we forget self and obey.

My second example is very personal I ended up in a hospital the same day as I took my physical, for very high blood pressure.  After a series of tests, it was determined I needed to have a carotid endarterectomy, and I had to make some hard choices about who and when I wanted that information to go out to.  I chose to follow the example of Romans 12:4-8, and allowed the body of Christ to minister to me in the same way I had seen the body of Christ do through Samaritan’s Purse in San Marcos, Texas, and later in Bastrop, Texas some months later. 

This is what I’ve learned, we have many members with different gifts and they are all gifts of grace given to us so that we can meet the needs of others.  Some have the gift of prayer, others encouragement, some are servants, and others teach, and some exhort, and many are called to be givers of all kinds of gifts, many have the gift of mercy and can change your outlook with the love and cheerfulness that comes from them.  And each of us in the body has the gifts and measure of faith that God has assigned so that we can intentionally engage our community and each other with the love of Jesus Christ.

Let me share a two quotes: “You were made for mutually self-giving, other directed love. Self-centeredness destroys the fabric of what God has made.” (Tim Keller) 

“Believers are never told to become one; we already are one and are expected to act like it.” (Joni Eareckson Tada)

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice