Jesus' church

It's been a little bit since the last blog...our new edition has been added and she is beautiful.  All my kids are gift from God.  Anyways that is why this has been late in coming.  Here ya go:

“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.  And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.  Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”  (Acts 2:41-47 NASB). 

“And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.  And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles' feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.”  (Acts 4:32-35 NASB)

I love reading the book of Acts and seeing how Jesus’ church became THE CHURCH.  Jesus’ boys, His apostles begin preaching with boldness and the church explodes (in a good way).  Even before all of this, when Jesus was walking the earth…people came all over to witness Him.  Everywhere He went, people wanted to see Him, hear Him, touch Him, and know Him.  This was without TV and the internet, people flocked to Jesus.  There is just something about Jesus that draws you near.  And here in the book of Acts we see the church coming together and because of Jesus, they were ONE.  People need Jesus!  Do you desire hope?  Jesus!  Do you have needs?  Jesus!  Do you have fear?  Jesus!  Are you broken?  Jesus!  Do you know your sin?  Jesus!  Do you desire grace and mercy?  Jesus!  The foundation of the church is Jesus.  It’s His church.  Why then, if it is His church…why is it so divided?  I saw a couple of guys the other day from the church arguing about philosophy.  It was heated!  They were angry at each other over their own opinions.  Really!  With all that is going on in the world today…there are so many that are broken, so many that are weighed down by their pain, weighed down by sin and all we can do is argue over nonsense…people need Jesus, not our philosophies!  James says, “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?”  (James 4:1 NASB)  Paul says to the church in Colossae, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”  (Colossians 2:8 NASB)  Paul tells Timothy to “avoid worldly and empty chatter” (2 Timothy 2:16) because it leads to nowhere.  People need Jesus!  As the church that belongs to Jesus, we have Him…are we giving Him away?  Can people see Jesus in us who are a part of the church?  If they can’t, fix it!  It’s time put away foolishness!  It’s time set aside stupid arguments!  It’s not about me or you…it has always been and always will be about Jesus!  You ready?  If you are one of God’s children, one that is a part of Jesus’ church…what do people see when they see you?  “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”  (Matthew 9:36-37 NASB) 

...the table

I love family time around the table.  I love to hear the stories.  I love to eat the food.  This morning I was thinking of my grandparents (McCrickard) and their kitchen.  I loved the smell of their kitchen.  I can still smell it.  I loved Grandma and Grandpa’s food.  They loved to cook…and watch people eat their food.  Grandpa was a tenant farmer and had a real garden in the back yard.  All the veggies on the table were from that garden and it was good.  A typical breakfast consisted of bacon, sausage, poached eggs, fried taters, fried apples.  Lunch consisted of a meat (fried chicken, meatloaf, steak, and the like), cabbage, green beans with salt pork, squash, greens, black eye peas or pinto beans, fried green tomatoes…oh and we had homemade biscuits and cornbread as well as fresh sliced tomatoes at every meal.  I am salivating at the mouth as I write this.  They cooked with love and they loved who they cooked for.  I remember Grandma and her pretty red hair telling stories.  Grandpa was usually sitting there in his Dickies telling stories.  Grandpa once told me to cut off all of the fat from my steak because the fat was bad for me…then I watched him eat all of the fat that I had just cut off because it was “bad.”  I miss them.  I miss their table.  I miss their food.  I miss the stories.  There is so much that can happen around the table. There are so many stories to hear and so many stories to share.  There is much love to give and to receive around the table…and good food to go with it.  Sometimes even hugs and kissed or maybe even some tears.   There is so much that happens around the table…are you so busy that you miss out on family time around the table?  Don’t do it!  Jesus loved to be around the table.  He did a lot around that table.  As you read in the New Testament, Jesus did some His teaching time around the food table.  “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:19.20).  We share at the table weekly now.  He also served His apostles by washing their feet (John 13:5-20), He talked about love and He encouraged them as well as talking about the importance of remaining in Him (John 15).  There is so much.  I wonder when John was writing his letter about Jesus, if he remembered the smell…I am sure he did.  He defiantly remembered the stories because he shared them with us.  If you are a parent, don’t rush dinner time (or breakfast time).  If you are a child (and we all are), don’t rush your table time.  If you are gathered around the table with friends, enjoy that moment.  God gave us table time for a reason.  Cook food out of love and share that food and spend time with your loved ones…tell stories.  Hey there are a lot of unloved ones outside around you that would love to be loved…invite them too.  I am thankful for the time around my grandparents table; I will never forget their food or their love.  Remember their is a big banquet table ready for us when this life is over...and Jesus waiting there for us.  There is so much God can do around your table, let Him.  Enjoy your time around the table.  Have a blessed day. 

Father

 

So I have to confess…I love being a daddy.  As of this writing I am waiting for my new daughter to arrive which will be any day (She is technically due in 3 weeks).  I have son, Evan, who is 8 and is ready to take on the world.  He has a heart of compassion.  My daughter Amber, who is 4, and who believes that she is a princess…and she is...she loves to sing.  I love getting up early and cuddling with them and talking to them.  Evan always tells me that, “God gave me a special daddy.”  Amber is never short of “Daddy kisses and hugs.”  I love being a daddy.  Unfortunately their daddy isn’t perfect.  I have so much room for improvement…I am constantly striving to be a better.  I always seem to have to ask my children for forgiveness.  I mess up.  He is what blows me away.  Evan not too long ago said, “Dad, I forgive you…I know that you aren’t perfect…only God is…and you always seem to love me even more when I mess up.”  I didn’t know how to respond to that.  I have to confess that I am embarrassed of what I have put on that the cross.  I feel like David who confesses to God, “I know my sin” (Psalm 51).  What blows me away is that there is a God, despite all of my failures and horrific choices that has a heart for me.  I don’t deserve love.  But I have a Father in heaven that won’t stop loving me.  What a Father!  Paul tells us that, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).  I am thankful for my Father in heaven.  When was the last time you, as a child of God, just told Him how much you loved Him?  If you are reading this and your relationship with your earthly father isn’t/wasn’t very good…in fact it didn’t exist…well I am sorry.  I feel for you because everyone should have that opportunity to have a relationship with their daddy.  But this is reality and reality is painful.  However, there is a Father that doesn’t fail and longs to have a relationship with you.  Believe it or not, He created you and has a plan for you existence.  “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalms 139:13). “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).  I have ranted long enough…I love being a daddy but I love my Father in heaven more.  He is the reason I am daddy, He is the reason for all the good in my life.  For all of the Christians reading this…give praise to your Father.  Adore Him!  Speak of His wonders and His love.  For those desiring to know their Father in Heaven, won’t you, “Taste and see that the LORD is good…” (Psalms 34:8a).  Have a blessed day!