Roll Tide!

If you know anything about Alabama, you know there are primarily two types of people.

Not Democrats or Republicans, not male or female, not rich or poor.  No, the primary difference in Alabama is are you a fan of the University of Alabama or a fan of Auburn University?

I grew up an Auburn fan.  In fact when I graduated from high school I planned to attend Auburn.  I changed my mind about two weeks before I was to move into the dorms.

I remained an Auburn fan until my oldest daughter became a student at the University of Alabama.  Suddenly it wasn't right to cheer against my Alabama anymore.  Our daughter graduated from Alabama for both undergrad school and law school, securing our family's status as Alabama fans.

Why did I become an Alabama fan after being an Auburn fan for decades?  Because it was the school my daughter loved.  Because I loved her, I loved what she loved.

"For the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God," (John 16:27).

When you love someone, you choose to love and care for what they love.  This is true within the Trinity as well.  God the Father loves us, God the Son love us, God the Holy Spirit loves us.  Because each of member of the Godhead loves us, our love from God is compounded and multiplied.

We are love beyond measure and beyond what we could possibly imagine.

"We love him, because He first loved us."

1 John 4:19 

Teamwork!

I work with a tremendous group of women and we have developed great teamwork.  We work together, each accomplishing a part of our goal, without anyone giving particular direction, sometimes without even speaking.  We know our tasks so well, and are so well-trained in assessing a situation, that we can see immediately what has been done and what still needs to be done and we just do it.

 It is as if we can read each other's minds, actually it is better than that, it is as if we had the same mind.

This is the command we receive from the Apostle Paul:

"Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits." (Romans 12:16).

As Christians, we are to be "like-minded".  We are each unique individuals with unique backgrounds and histories, so some might ask, how can we all have the "same mind"?  We are each to seek the "mind of Christ" (Philippians 2:5).

This is especially important in times of conflict when our brains and our feelings don't seem to agree with one another.  During these times we should purposefully come together to seek the mind of Christ in the matter.  We should admit that  none of us have all the facts, none of us perfectly assimilate the information given to us. Above all we should follow the instructions of the Apostle Paul to "be not wise in your own conceits" (Romans 12:16).

The Scriptures tell us that we have "the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16) and also that "if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know" (1 Corinthians 8:2).    When we are in conflict with a brother or sister, and we feel that fleshly pride and indignation rise up in our hearts, we can know one thing, it is most likely the direct opposite of the Lord Jesus' "meek and lowly" (Matthew 11:29) spirit and mind.

So just what is the mind of the Lord Jesus like that is now by faith our mind?

 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  

But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant,

 and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, 

He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." 

Philippians 2:5-8

It is a mind that does not seek to exalt itself, but willingly sets aside all rights and privileges for the lives of others.  It is a mind that gives up reputation and position for the sake of love.  It is a mind that   is humble, meek and lowly of spirit. This is our example and indeed this is the mind of the very Spirit of God living in us as believers.  By faith, we believe the Scriptures are true and that this mind is now our mind. 

The truth of the matter is we do want the "mind of Christ" in every matter above what our fleshly desires and thoughts may try to tell us we want.  When we begin to approach our situations, and especially our conflicts, with this in mind, we will more and more begin to see that "same mind" exhibited in and through us and our fellow believers.

 "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another."

John 13:35 

Love One Another

  "These things I command you, that ye love one another,"   John 15:17

In our Sunday night services, we have been studying the book of John.  When we reached this verse the question arose, exactly how do we as Christians love each other?

Our pastor asked each of us to pray over that question and consider it during the upcoming week and then share our thoughts when we came back together.  Here are some of the responses the following week:

How do we as Christian love one another?

• We put the interests of others above our own
• We pray for each other
• We listen to one another.  It was said that sometimes it takes practice and even work to actively listen to others with mindfulness and caring
• We lead them higher up and deeper into their walk with the Lord by encouraging them, exhorting them and comforting them
• We be with them, both in body and spirit.  We empathize with them.
• We seek them out.  If they have for some reason separated from the body of fellowship, we keep the communication open and seek to restore that fellowship within the guidelines of the Scriptures
• We forgive them.  There is not one of us who has not needed forgiveness at some point, we should all be quick to forgive as well.

I think this is definitely a good start in how to love each other.  Then the question began to grow in my mind about putting these into play in a practical way.  You see, as we go through our day we encounter many people whom we know absolutely nothing about.  We do not know if they are believers or not.  So it would behoove us to treat all men in this manner, so that we are kind and loving to all.

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another:

 for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." 

Romans 13:8 

 "And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, 

and toward all men, even as we do toward you:"

1 Thessalonians 3:12

The Red Jacket

Several years ago I was walking through Dillard's and saw a beautiful red leather jacket.  I tried it on and loved the fit. In fact I loved everything about the jacket. . .except the price tag.  So I left it on the rack.  I have regretted it ever since.

I am extremely picky about jackets.  I don't like lapels.  I don't like collars.  Being tall, it is important that the sleeves are long enough.  Not any red will do. . .I don't want rust, I don't want cranberry. . .I want RED.

The jacket at Dillard's met all my pre-conceived criteria, except for the price.  It was exactly what I wanted, the real deal.  Since then I have tried on dozens of red-hued jackets, none of which come close enough to cause me to purchase them, even at a quarter the price.  They are not the "real-deal", they fall short of my standard of perfection for red jackets.  I have searched Ebay and Amazon for the elusive red jacket of my dreams, but none have met up to my list of qualifications.

Many times I have heard people say, "If I do more good things than I do bad things, then I will go to heaven."  This would imply that anything we do can have good merit in and of itself.  Yet the Scriptures tell us that apart from the saving work of the Lord Jesus, "... we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;" (Isaiah 64:6.)  Our good works can never be accepted by a God who is perfectly holy because they don't meet up to the standard of perfection.

What is that standard of perfection?  The Lord Jesus Christ.  His sinless life is the standard of perfection.  If we desire to reach Heaven on our own merits and works, then we have to be as perfect in word, action, thought and motive as He was, and He was without sin.

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrew 4:5

All we can do is to humble ourselves before the Lord and be thankful that He is a God that "delighteth in mercy" and who is "good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee."  We confess that we cannot in and of ourselves obtain the path to Heaven, that we have all "sinned and come short of the glory of God."

We seek His grace, mercy and salvation provided through His Son, the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Then God wraps the righteousness of His dear Son around us and declares us His child as well.  Only His Son and His righteousness meets the standard and we must accept it by faith as a freely given gift.

Awake, my heart; arise, my tongue,

Prepare a tuneful voice;

In God, the life of all my joys,

Aloud will I rejoice.

’Tis He adorned my naked soul,

And made salvation mine;

Upon a poor polluted worm

He makes His graces shine.

And lest the shadow of a spot

Should on my soul be found,

He took the robe the Savior wrought,

And cast it all around.

How far the heav’nly robe exceeds

What earthly princes wear!

These ornaments, how bright they shine!

How white the garments are!

The Spirit wrought my faith, and love,

And hope, and every grace;

But Jesus spent His life to work

The robe of righteousness.

Strangely, my soul, art thou arrayed

By the great Sacred Three!

In sweetest harmony of praise

Let all thy powers agree.

Isaac Watts