Poolside Conversations

1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

Yesterday was a hot day in Cabo San Lucas. The temperatures ran well up into the 90's and the sun was baking the earth. Pam and I spent part of our vacation day poolside. We encountered many interesting people from many places in the USA and other parts of the world. One gentleman, from the Dallas, TX area, was reading a book named The Harbinger. Jonathan Cahn is the author. And while I do not agree with some of of Mr. Cahn's points in the book, I found the book to be informative and thought provoking. At the end of any book, personally I would like to be entertained, informed, or have my thoughts to be provoked into questioning my own paradigms. If I had chosen to not talk to the gentleman because of my feelings about the book, I would have missed out on a wonderful exchange of Christian ideals. 

In striking up our conversation, we discovered the gentleman attended a non-denominational Christian church in the Dallas area. He asked us what our faith was, which is Lutheran. And he made a statement that was so right on target I thought it was worth sharing today. In our Christian conversations we should be looking more closely at what we have in common instead of what we have as differences. An interesting premise, to say the least. And it speaks of how much of our culture today as being like the culture back in Corinth.

The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. In Paul's day, just as in ours, there is division amongst the believers. When we focus on what we have in common, principles like Love God-Love Others-Serve the World, can sub-plant the premise of division that leads to an end to the Christian conversation. And when that all important conversation ends, make no mistake, Satan rejoices. From the seeds of division grow the weeds of destruction of the Christian faith. When we stop sharing the love of Christ with others, no one is served. Christ is not honored by any means in that environment. Jesus did not just love His disciples, He loved all. He died for all. That simple message needs to be the focal point of our conversations. None of us are baptized Lutheran, or Catholic, or Baptist, etc. We are baptized CHRISTIAN!  And when we put that thought first, the differences can be placed aside and we can embrace having a meaningful dialogue. No house can stand divided. Similarly a house united, can withstand anything. Go in peace today and have a Christian conversation. You might be surprised with the results. 

PRAYER: Father, help us to overcome ourselves. Help us with Your Holy Spirit to find the strength to reach out and start the conversations that need to happen. Guide us with Your words, and not our words that are often empty in love and compassion. Show us the opportunities to share Jesus. This we ask in the strong name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Sow In Peace

James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

I am watching the goings on of the early morning at a beautiful resort. My office this morning is a lounge chair on the veranda of our condo. The sun is not fully up, but the light that it casts shows a world, at least from my vantage point that is at peace. 

As the light continues to grow with the rising sun, I notice last night was anything but peaceful. The sand on the beach shows evidence of a turbulent sea that cast waves far upon the shore. Anyone that was out on the water last night would have had a rough ride. And there were people out on the water was evidenced by the lights of the bait fishermen's boats I saw before retiring.  When we consider the James 3:17-18 passage we can see a basic element of faith and belief displayed. The root of this display is found in in the words of Jesus to the Sadducees and Pharisees in Matthew 22: 37-40 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. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” When we love God we place our trust in God. Our peace that surpasses all understanding flows not from a chair near a quiet seashore or any other source of self-induced nirvana. Rather, that peace is found only in a belief that the God who created us and the world we live in has a love for all that is boundless. He loves us when we are not loveable , even if that feeling is just in our own minds. We are also told by that same loving God our Father to love one another. To be at peace with one another is an element of that love. In simple terms, from my setting today, if I am causing turmoil by throwing waves up on the shore of another persons life, I am not showing that love. Friends of the risen Savior, may your days be filled with calm seas as you travel through your lives. Share the calm seas and the source of that calm with those you encounter.

PRAYER: Lord and Giver of Life, we live our lives in the shadow of Your protective peace. We bask in Your grace. We go about our lives with the firm belief that You love us even when we are not worthy of that love. We especially give thanks for not having to earn Your love. We rely upon Your saving grace each and every day of our lives. Simple words cannot express how deeply we need You and Your love. Your Son Jesus paid the price for our sin upon the cross. Without that ultimate act of love we would be lost. For the cross and Your unending love we give thanks to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever, Amen.