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Monday, October 27, 2008

LOVING LOUD!

Our church family just spent 3 days of what we called, "Loving Loud". I really can't tell you how many people were involved, but it was probably several thousand. This past Sunday, we celebrated all that was done. We had people here who served and those who had been served. I personally worked with the Medical Clinic. We served over 600 people during these three days and over 130 of them were seen by a Dentist and the rest were seen by a physician. Teeth were pulled, decays were filed and filled, Medications were prescribed and given and everyone of these people had the gospel presented to them. 160 persons in this group of people prayed to receive Christ as Savior. We had people who repaired homes, built porches, provided computers to a Foster Home and some trained to become Foster Parents. Angle House is a home for young (13-19_) girls and they were treated like royalty, given manicures, had their hair done, bought new clothes for them, took them to the movie and out to dinner. These are just a few of the many, many things that were done. There is a saying that goes like this; "Actions speak louder than words". Even now in this bad economy, our church spent over $200,000.00 just to love our community loud. Now, I only told you the amount, not to brag on our people, but to brag on Jesus. We realize that everything belongs to Him and we realize how blessed we are and how others are lacking. I couldn't begin to tell you all that I've heard that Jesus did during these three days and the one thing that continually rings true and that I hear from so many people is, "Let's not let this end". What an attitude, What a blessing, What a Savior.

Loving Loud is a Biblical Principle. 1 John 3:16-23 and of course we have no better example than Jesus Himself. John 3:16 As I think about this word love, I'm finding that it means so much more than I had allowed it to mean. When I say "I love" many times it was meaningless. Now I don't mean that I didn't love, but I was loving the way I thought it meant to love. You see, when Jesus used the term love, He meant something far different than what you and I have allowed it to mean. I always considered "Phileo" love as good enough love to please God. But God's love was meant to convey His Will to His Children concerning their attitude one toward another and toward all men and in so doing, God was expressing His essential nature.
Vines expository dictionary says, "Love can be known ony from the actions it prompts.
In other words, LIke this; God's love is seen in the gift of His Son. Obviously this is not the love of complacency,or affection, it is an exercise of Divine will in deliberate choice, made without assignable cause which lies in the Nature of God Himself. God's Love which He wants you and I to have for all men is this: Again from Vine Expo.Dictionary: "In respect of agapao as used of God, it expresses the deep and constant love and interest of a perfect Being towards entirely unworthy objects,producing and fostering a reverential love in them towards the Giver, and a practical love towards those who are partakers of the same, and a desire to help others to seek the Giver.

Question for me: When I say, I don't hate, does that mean that I love and if so, is the same Love that Christ has for me and desires me to have for others.

I'm having a good and bad time with God today as you can see. I'm learning,but it's hard to be wrong and admit it and do something about it. Surely, God can use this with others as He has used it with me today.

2 comments:

Mommyluann said...

Good word.

"Our walk talks, and our talk talks, but our walk talks louder than our talk talks..."

...especially as Christian.

Thanks for sharing this post.

alliekat said...

I've just read your blog and Beth's blog so now the two are one! One question you posed was if I say I don't hate someone does that mean I love? (This is where the two blogs merge...) I can honestly say that I do not have hate in my heart for a person and still hate the actions of that person. I believe that you can hate evil, you can hate lies, you can hate wickedness, you can hate all forms of sin, you can hate abortion, you can even hate the EFFECTS of sin. We can call this "biblical hatred" as the bible teaches us we should flee from ALL FORMS of evil. Bottom line is HATE THE SIN.

I think there are situations where we can say we do not hate yet we do not have to nor should we necessarily give that person a place in our lives for example someone that could be harmful to myself or my family. Below is an example, maybe a little extreme...but not unrealistic.
Hypothetical example to consider:
If I had a next door neighbor who was a convicted sex offender, was not interested in my God or anything to do with my God, does not set a good example for my children as far as lifestyle, beliefs, attitude, actions, etc, where do you draw the line in loving that person with a Jesus love and protecting your children (and yourself) from harm? (Remember that harm is not always only physical but can be psychological, emotional, etc.) Is it possible to pray for that person, not be mean to them, not actually feel hatred for that person but hate their sin and not have interaction with them?

Realistically, considering I am not Jesus, and I am human, within the confines of my humanity, I believe I can NOT hate a person and have love ONLY because Jesus is in me BUT have no tolerance for their sin. Ultimately, I have an obligation to protect my family and not put them in harmful situations.

Just a side thought....