Planting Seeds

I’ve just experienced an awesome week volunteering at my church’s kid's summer camp (vacation bible school). This was my ‘sophomore’ year being a Head Counselor to a vibrant group of 22 nine year old boys. Something I’ve learned, is there’s a HUGE difference between that ‘Freshman’ and ‘Sophomore’ year. The first time; you have plans, expectations, and eagerness to change some children’s lives.  This year I came in knowing that I just wanted GOD to use me as HE needed me and leave the changing of kid’s lives to HIM.

The first time out, you have that dream of perfect kids, behaving like little angels and everything goes according to schedule…(makes me giggle today thinking about those naive thoughts)!! A kid’s Church camp is pretty much the same as life:, stuff happens, you roll with the punches, and different personalities will cause conflict. Kids are no different than us adults, the difference being adults have learned you don’t call people names to their faces (whereas adults wait to the backs are turned).   Not everyone is going to ‘like’ you, so hang out with those who do - instead of trying to make the person who doesn’t like you, change their mind. My freshman year I ended up disappointed in myself, upset that I had to get on to some kids for acting inappropriately or disrespectful.

What I discovered along the way though: these are kids, they are at camp to learn and I volunteered to teach them, it just meant teaching them what is appropriate behavior and how to show respect along with teaching them about GOD! I honestly thought all my lil campers last year probably hated me after having to correct so many of them and move them around from their ‘friends’ (aka partners in crime) – but I was totally blown away this year by seeing those same kids come up to me and give me hugs and say ‘Hi Ms. Dawn!’.

This year I went in knowing that each and every kid has a different story and background. They are at camp because their parents or grandparents wanted them to come, they want to have fun and be with their friends. Our Church does an awesome job of keeping the kids focused on God while entertaining them. My goal at camp was to lead by example, that’s what Jesus taught us to do and that’s what I wanted to teach my campers. If someone needed correction, I corrected them, if they apologized and showed better behavior, I told them how much I appreciated their choices; but if they continued to show the wrong choices, I told them there would be consequences. Jesus loved us through the sins and mistakes of our lives, so I was going to keep loving these kids through the mistakes they made - not by labeling them and expecting them to make the same mistakes. 

One child in my group started off on the wrong foot, he had to have corrections made several times the first day; but I told him at the end of the day that tomorrow was a fresh start and I believed in him. Over the next couple of days I had encouraging talks with him and I always noticed he would sing at worship just as loudly as anyone else, always eager - just needing direction for that eagerness. After Chapel one day, he came up to me and said he wanted to pray with me but couldn’t see me up front (during Chapel the Head Counselors go up front and we have an opportunity for the campers to come up and pray) so he was apologizing for going to another counselor – I told him he didn’t need to apologize, we can pray with anyone and we don’t even have to pray with someone, we can talk to God all on our own, anytime we want. Last night when he was going home, he asked me if I was going to be at camp next year, because he wanted to be in my group again, that made my heart smile.

Our church prayed over our camp long before this week, one of the prayers was that each camper, each volunteer would be placed where God wanted them to be. I know God answered that, I know each and every child that was in my group was meant to be where they were.  I still have so much to learn, and I love how God will use these kids to teach me as much as I can teach them. I pray that God will use me and that I will bring honor and glory to HIS name and not harm the hearts of those around me. Every day we touch the lives of those around us, whether we want to or not, the question is: are we encouraging them or harming them. Our words, our actions, they make a difference; we can plant a seed, water that seed, encourage its growth or we can uproot what was planted, the choice is ours.

I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.  The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.  For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:6-9 NLT)

You are Gifted

Once we confessed with our mouth that we believe by faith that Jesus is the Son of GOD, sent to earth to die on the cross for all of mankind’s sin so that we could be made right with GOD, and that HE rose from the dead on the 3^rd day and is now seated at GOD’s right hand in heaven; we are made righteous.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV)

After our confession, we received the gift of salvation and are children of GOD. As new creations in Christ, we take on a new mission in our life or a new course in our lives, we no longer live for ourselves, but we now live for Christ.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. (Romans 12:6a NLT)

Each believer is given gifts (talents or skills) to use to help further the Kingdom of GOD, some are obvious talents like musical abilities or speaking abilities, some are more subtle like the gift of encouragement, prayer, or giving (of time and/or money). There are gifts of organization, teaching, handiwork, artistic abilities, etc. Really anything that is a skill or comes natural to you or that you enjoy doing can be used for the Glory of GOD. 

Most of us know what area we are gifted in, but sometimes we have to try out a few areas to discover what really works the best for us. If your church has an area where volunteers can get connected in different ministries, find out who you need to talk to about serving.  I've tried several different areas in my church and although I might help in different capacities, they are not all the area that I am necessarily 'gifted' in either. I also volunteer when our church has their different outreaches, it's not necessarily using my 'gift' but I believe anytime we volunteer to help our church, we are helping others.

Jesus spent HIS ministry giving HOPE to the hopeless, giving LOVE to the unloved, and CARING for those who thought they were forgotten.  Sometimes we need to stand up for justice, stand up and be a voice. The cliché term is, “you have heart for something”, make this more than a cliché – do something about it. I believe it’s in each of us, to be tender hearted to the cries of those around us. The Bible tells us to look after the orphaned and the widowed, the helpless and the poor.

External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world. (James 1:27 AMP)

It’s important to pray about everything, if some ‘cause’ keeps coming up in your heart and mind, pray about it, ask GOD for direction and leading; HE will always guide us in the right path. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)

Once you’ve prayed about what GOD wants you to do, do some research and find out if there’s anything already out there in the area you would like to serve in. Lots of times, someone has already started a group that you can volunteer and /or serve in a capacity they already have available. GOD will always open doors if its where you are supposed to be.  As I’ve written about before, when we focus on others, it also helps take our minds off our own issues and by helping others, GOD blesses us as well.

The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25 NLT)

Fired Up

Are you a believer? Are you a child of God, bought and purchased by the blood of Christ? Are you redeemed and have received salvation through grace and not by the law or good works? If so, then you know you are under the new covenant (blood of Christ) and not the old covenant (Old Testament laws). 

I recently entered a ‘conversation’ that revolved around people who are Believers, but who have chosen to judge or condemn others based on laws of the OT (specifically Leviticus). Laws in Leviticus were very specific on rituals to perform after childbirth, what was allowed to be eaten, and offering sacrifices on an altar, etc. The problem with trying to uphold any of these laws, they must realize they are now selecting to ‘overlook’ Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross!  Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.  One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”   (Matthew 22:34-40 NIV) 

If we love GOD first and then love our neighbor next, we will never fall out of GOD’s will for our lives. When you are loving; you are not judging, you are not hating, you are not coveting, you are not sinning. When you are busy loving GOD and others, you don’t have time for all the stuff we shouldn’t be doing. Where our focus is, where our thoughts are, that’s where our heart is. So if we focus on GOD, if we are thinking of HIM and others before ourselves, our heart will follow; thus our words and actions will follow.

Religion is a cold and ritualistic burden, that is why I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.“Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”….”Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’” Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ (Matthew 16:6, 11-12 NLT) The term yeast was often used in the Bible as an evil connotation, as to what is small, may corrupt the whole. We see that a lot today in terms of laws being created based on minority beliefs and not on the majority's. 

Salvation is not based on rules and regulations; salvation is through grace. Faith cannot be seen and when our relationship with GOD is based on laws, we start to fall into the trap of the Pharisees. Agape love is selfless love (without a personal agenda and what can I get out of this attitude). Law is restrictive and binding, law sees right and wrong and doesn’t have room for love - but JESUS said that LOVE is to be first! Sin is a flesh and worldly desire. Repentance is a heart movement, if a believer sins, they will know they have sinned and they will ‘ache’ in the spirit and want to right their wrong; you can't have repentance if you don't have love. 

One thing that we see in the New Testament that angered JESUS, was the burden the Pharisees were putting on man. JESUS came to earth to save the people, not to burden or condemn them. “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either……. “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are! “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.  Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:13-15, 23-28 NLT)

Our heart is what GOD is concerned with, our heart for GOD! First we must concentrate on the inside, the heart and when the heart is right with GOD, the outside will change to be more like GOD as well!

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them.  As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.  When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”  “No, Lord,” she said.  And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (John 8:1-11 NLT)

Here is another example from Jesus that specifically instructs us NOT to judge others….

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?   You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 7:1-6 NIV)

How can we love others and lead them to Christ if we are condemning them? How can we share GOD’s love when we are burdening people with laws and regulations? I’m not saying go against the Bible; I’m saying we cannot share GOD’s love if we are judging. We are to open our arms and share love; if someone is sinning, GOD will speak to that Believer and deal with them. I’m not saying you should encourage a Believer to sin or even turn a blind eye (I am not talking about sins that HARMS a person). Think prejudice, people have thoughts on piercings, tattoos and both of those are tied into OT Leviticus laws and have nothing to do with modern day tattoos and piercings, but yet people are so fired up over these issues that they are allowing the yeast of the Pharisees to hardened their hearts and cast judgement.

People are getting riled up about the wrong stuff, that have nothing to do with the heart of GOD. Doctrines are being preached that are against the Word of GOD, people are claiming to be christian believers and are preaching hate instead of LOVE! These are the kind of things that people should be riled up about, these are the things that will lead a non-believer away from JESUS, or turn a Believer away from GOD. I can only imagine the tears in heaven over the division in the church and what she has become. As Believers, we are the church, we need to show the world that we are LOVE!! We need to be fired up for GOD and fired up for showing GOD's love for others!!

Revelation's Love Command

Revelation 2:4

But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!

If you read this chapter, you’ll see that this was one of the letters written to the seven churches, the heading to this chapter is ‘The Loveless Church’. I believe this ‘Loveless Church’ was mentioned first, because love is so important and when you have love, everything else will fall into place. As believers of Christ, we are the body of Christ, we are the church. Church is not meant to be a religious routine without emotion, church is the coming together of believers to worship GOD, to give HIM all the honor and glory HE deserves, the message the Pastor (Preacher, Priest) brings is to strengthen, encourage, grow our knowledge, and give us understanding of GOD’s word.

There is only one warning with love, do not love the world, do not love the ‘things’ of this world, do not put them above others. Do not compare your church with other churches, by who has the larger building, which has the larger sanctuary or attendance. Do not fall into the trap of comparing.  ”Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” (1 John 2:15-16) There is nothing wrong with gaining possessions; the problem is when your possessions possess you.  We have to remain faithful to GOD, loving HIM and giving to HIM and others. As long as our stuff doesn’t become the center of who we believe we are. GOD wants to bless us, HE wants us to not have any wants, this doesn’t require us to be poor (why we would be called upon to help the poor if HE wanted us poor), and as long as our first want is to please and serve GOD, we are in the right place with our hearts for GOD.

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” (John 15:9-12) Jesus showed us how important love was, by being the example of love. Jesus went on to say in the next verse the example of that ultimate love, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) This command was so important, Jesus repeated it again in verse 17, “This is my command: Love each other”.

“We love each other because he loved us first. 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” 1 John 4:19-21 If we love one another, we are fulfilling all of GOD’s commands, because we cannot sin against a person if we love them. It’s easy to love our friends and families, but it’s completely difficult to love our enemies and those who just get on our nerves.

If we are struggling with loving others, ask GOD to help you love others, ask GOD to enlarge your heart, give you compassion and understanding. We are called to love all, because Jesus died for ALL, not just the people we like.  “Owe nothing to anyone –except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These- and other such commandments- are summed up in this one commandment: “love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.” Romans 13:8-10

So now that we know that we are to love others and not this world, we need to know what love really is. “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

If you are struggling with this, ask GOD for help, HE is faithful and will answer your request. Remember we are the church, we are to share the Good News and share Christ’s love.  “I also tell you this: if two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.For where tow or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” Matthew 18:19-20