Thursday, September 12, 2013

Much More Than An Introduction

One day (awhile back) my friend and I were checking out the new radio station that was about to go on the air for the first time in our little town of Bay Springs. I'm talking big time stuff. As a matter of fact, I remember the song "Mr. Big Stuff" was very popular during that time. (The song has absolutely nothing to do with this post other than to date this event.) My friend and I were so excited that our little town was about to have a real live radio station!

We were involved in a tour of the station when this really, really good-looking girl walked through with her eyes on the radio log she had just typed. She never looked up...but I couldn't stop looking at her. She was extremely beautiful! She never even knew I was alive, much less in the room. I determined I would ask her out. But I had to meet her first. I eventually met this Connie Hogan girl and asked her out.

To meet Connie was to begin a relationship with her. Spending time with Connie, talking, sharing, listening, hanging out together, all played a part in building a relationship with each other. Our relationship led us into marriage, and a few years later a relationship with Jesus. Over 41 years later we're still together! We celebrated 39 years of marriage just this past February. I know Connie better than any other human on the planet. Why? Because we have a deep relationship with one another.

Relationships thrive on mutual communication. Communication is not complete without listening. Just thought I'd throw that in! We must be transceivers. A transceiver is a combination transmitter and receiver. It is capable of transmitting, and equally as important...receiving (listening). Many relationships suffer due to mutual exercise of the transmitter, and not the receiver! Communication is a decision. It just doesn't happen.

Relationships also thrive on presence. Without presence...the relationship will suffer and weaken, or just never grow strong. Absence cannot always be avoided, but too much absence will weaken a relationship...especially between husband and wife. Absence cannot be substituted. The more you hang out and communicate, the stronger the relationship will grow.

To know Jesus these days is the greatest thing that can happen to ANYONE. To know Jesus is to have a relationship with Him. Simply meeting Him does not put you into a deep relationship with Him. An introduction can be the beginning of a relationship, however the relationship must be established and built upon. The more you know Jesus, the more you discover about Him. The more you discover about Him, the deeper the relationship. And the deeper the relationship, the stronger it is. Our ability to worship Jesus is directly proportional to the depth of our relationship with Him.

Remember, relationships are not established on introductions. Thus your relationship with Jesus is not established on an introduction. It is established on commitment that consists of communication, presence, and time. Join with me right now in making a commitment to draw closer to Jesus. Seek Him and everything about Him. You will not be disappointed!

37869EB: The Love Dare - eBook The Love Dare - eBook
By Stephen Kendrick & Alex Kendrick / B & H Publishing Group

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Let's Improve The Beauty Of Our Feet!

I was recently watching my favorite college football team play on TV. The game started in the evening and went pretty late into the night. When the 3rd quarter ended I went to bed. The last thing I did before actually turning in was check the game tracker on my phone to see how the game was going. My team was losing. The next morning, not knowing how the game turned out, I refreshed the game tracker thinking I would find out who won. According to the score, my team lost. There were big bold letters saying "GAME OVER". Those words "GAME OVER" were proof enough that my team lost. It wasn't the end of the world, but I could have been just a little happier had they won! About 2 hours later my son and his girlfriend informed me they had not lost, but in fact they had won! They even presented me with a video recapping the game. They won! I was happier (just a bit, of course)!

Most people (in their right minds) like to hear good news. Good news is just that...news that is good. For me, hearing my team had won, especially when I was sure they had lost, was good news!

Good news can be relative. What I mean is that depending on one's posture and outlook, good news can be good or bad. Let's say you're at the dentist for a routine check-up. The dentist says, "Looks like you need a root canal." To me that is not exactly good news. But let's say you've been suffering for a week, including sleepless nights with a tooth ache. It is obvious you need a root canal. You call the dentist's office to see if you can be seen and they say, "Come in immediately." That would be good news!

The truth is though, good news is always good for a person with an open heart. The Bible says, "Like cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a distant land." (Proverbs 25:25) The greatest news ever shared was delivered like this: "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10,11) This announcement was the greatest news to ever be delivered. The angel Gabriel had come from heaven to announce this good news. From the original Greek word for "good news" we get the word "Gospel". The Gospel is the good news of Jesus coming to deliver us from our sins.

According to Paul in the book of Romans, the good news must be heard in order for one to believe in Jesus and be saved. This good news gives a person hope and the faith to believe. This is why the sharing of the Gospel is so important. Paul also says in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." The good news of Jesus Christ is the power of God for a person to be saved. Not to overkill...but that is good news!

In order for the good news to be heard it must be proclaimed. And in order for it to be proclaimed, people who have already believed the good news and following after Jesus must be sharers of the good news. In Romans 10:15 Paul quotes a verse from the Old Testament to make a powerful point: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things." Paul is saying, "How beautiful are the feet of those who share the Gospel of Jesus." Remember, the Gospel IS the power of God for salvation for anyone who believes it. So let me ask you this question: How beautiful are your feet? I'm making a commitment right now to work on my feet! How about you?


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